Longest shot +1500 yard hunting?

L

LR3

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Feb 1, 2009
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Over the years there have been posts on longest shots but most are less than 1500 yds. Kirby I seem to recall had an antelope at 1500 and woodchuck at something like 2500 yds. Harrison had Taliban at some incrediable distance but supposedly after 17 spotting shots. Somebody posted elk at 2000 with 50 Bmg and Darryl Cassel and friends took an elk at 2980 if I recall the old post. Shawn has had some great range elks and looks like he s going to have some more amazing video this fall.

What's your best over 1500 with a hand carried rifle? Not counting steel (my best 20" steel is 2200).


Let's leave out the controversies from the post and assume this is by experts with appropriate practice.
 
I fall a little short of the 1500 mark, but last fall helped anchor my cousins 5 pt bull at 1305 and got a 4x5 whitetail at 1285. The bull was a 24 degree uphill with a 3-4 full value wind. the Whitetail was 18 degree downhill, no wind. The gen 2 bergers performed great at these distances.
338 EDGE
trued 700
McMillan A-2
30" #7 Hart w/ medium PK
NXS 5.5-22
300 bergers
90 grs. Retumbo lit by a 215M

I'll try and round up some photos
 
I hate to rain on your parade sir, but there is no man on this earth that has enough expertise and practice to ethically be shooting at game at 2980 yds. If I was ever stupid enough to try this and accidentally connected, I certainly would not get on a public forum and tell anybody about it.

I don't mean to stir up a stink but your statement about assuming there are folks that can defy gravity, still the winds, overcome ALL the velocity related problems, not to mention retained energy, human error, time of flight, an animal deciding to take one step after the bullet is on it's way, is laughable.

These sites are a lot like the spit and whittle clubs at the old country barber shops, one guy tells story and the next guy has to tell one that will top it. Pretty soon all reality is lost.

Do you really think you can advocate a discussion about shooting game animals at 2980 yds and warn everyone to fall in line and not mention the absurdity of such an endeavor. Get real.

So, I'm prepared to withstand the onslaught that is sure to come. He'll, I may even get banned, I really don't care but I can't sit and read such nonsense without saying something.
 
I am saying it can't be done reliably. I am also saying you are just as likely to hit the Elk in the gut as in the lungs. I am also saying if you hit the Elk at 2980 yds with an Edge the effect would be similar to hitting him at 25 yds with a 115 gr 9mm pb.

1mph miscalculation of the wind will cause about .5 mil of drift. That's roughly 50 inches. Time of flight is around six seconds, if an Elk stars to walk just as you break the shot he will be 30 ft away from his location when the bullet left the barrel. If you are shooting a .5 min rifle just this dispersion could cause the bullet to strike 7.5 inches from the POA. 10 fps deviation in MV would cause 50 or so inches in deviation your vertical come-up.

You folks ponder on this then tell me what the probability of making a clean kill on an Elk at 2980 yds would be.

Anyway, I love to hunt, I also love shooting Longrange, I also believe there are folks that lurk around these sites looking for reasons to attack our right to hunt. I believe if we as hunters show a tendency to police ourselves, there will be a lower probability of cheap shots and regulation directed at us.

I'll shut up about this now unless attacked, let the discussion continue, hopefully with these points in mind.
 
If the numbers that Augustus quoted are true, then I would say your shot was indeed an unethical shot. I would have to see a video of the shot to believe it was a 3000 yds shot anyway. Maybe Shawn will chime in on this one! He knows the capability of the Edge better than anyone.
 
I recall reading about some of Darryl's shooting in the early 2000's before he left this site. I don't recall this particular story (the yardage, at least) but I doubt very much he and friends were using an EDGE.

His [albeit, old] email/number is listed here:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f25/longrangehunting-bigeyes-6580/

A search using his name reveals a number of posts from the early 2000's before he left.

Perhaps someone can track him down and get his story. I know they would use sighter shots and adjust accordingly before going for a kill shot, of course.

As I recall he spent alot of time shooting 1000yd contests about the time of this post of his above. If I recall correctly he lived close to or shot alot at the 1000yd range that I believe is still used for championship 1000yd shooting in the US...not sure I described that correctly. I want to say is was the Williamsport Club. Seems like he was a Bruce Baer fan, if I recall.

There is this in the first part of the "Rules and FAQ" section of the site to consider as well:

"This board was created for the expressed purpose of discussing the methods, equipment and techniques of Long Range Hunting without the burden of discussing or debating ethics. Although we all individually have ethics and limitations on what we consider correct, WE DO NOT discuss, nor will we tolerate, discussions of ethics on this site. We are here to learn and share methods, techniques and equipment ideas. This web site and all related or referenced materials and links are solely and strictly for informational purposes. "
 
I watched on the military CH. where they tried to duplicate a mile sniper shot, with a top name rifle.They pounded alot of ammo down range and never came close. This was a year or 2 ago.The more you shoot at ELR the more you see the variables. Most rifle bullet combos are starting to suffer at 1500+ .This apppears to be the next chapter with the +PS and AM'S.I hpoe to do this myself.
 
Augustus said:
I am saying it can't be done reliably. I am also saying you are just as likely to hit the Elk in the gut as in the lungs. I am also saying if you hit the Elk at 2980 yds with an Edge the effect would be similar to hitting him at 25 yds with a 115 gr 9mm pb.

1mph miscalculation of the wind will cause about .5 mil of drift. That's roughly 50 inches. Time of flight is around six seconds, if an Elk stars to walk just as you break the shot he will be 30 ft away from his location when the bullet left the barrel. If you are shooting a .5 min rifle just this dispersion could cause the bullet to strike 7.5 inches from the POA. 10 fps deviation in MV would cause 50 or so inches in deviation your vertical come-up.

You folks ponder on this then tell me what the probability of making a clean kill on an Elk at 2980 yds would be.

Anyway, I love to hunt, I also love shooting Longrange, I also believe there are folks that lurk around these sites looking for reasons to attack our right to hunt. I believe if we as hunters show a tendency to police ourselves, there will be a lower probability of cheap shots and regulation directed at us.

I'll shut up about this now unless attacked, let the discussion continue, hopefully with these points in mind.
Click to expand...

I dont really like the fact that I have talked to several bow hunters and the story all ways goes I shot this doe and she ran off found a little blood but then I lost the trail . We never found her! More stories like this have I herd with a bow than with a rifle but does that mean I have the right to say you shouldnt hunt with a bow ? No it doesnt ! We all have our opinions ......

Thanks for the post LR3 I hope to get past the 1500 mark some day but at this present time 1000 will make me happy:)
 
i happen to know darryl cassel pretty well. ive known him for at least 25 years. he lives about 1 mile from our nc pa camp.
that said ill be forthright in saying we have our personal differences.
he is an experienced long range hunter and shooter.
the elk in question here was not taken by him or his group nor was he present when it was taken.
he claims elk kills of over 2000 yds however. his gun is a 338x416 imp. built by bruce baer.
i have no reason to doubt his claims as he has the experience and
equiptment to pull it off.
the elk in question here as i recall was something like 2840 yds.
the group involved were also very experienced. they were from pa although i believe one might be from ohio.
i dont know any of them personaly other than to have been around them at
a few rifle matches.
however a very good friend had some dealings with several of them at his home shortly after the elk kill.
he was told they were somewhat embarresed by the incident and had no desire to attempt a repeat of it.
they did not kill the elk cleanly. rather they crippled it to where it couldnt
get away.
he claims being told it was late in the day and they went the following morning to finish it. others claim they were told they finished it the same day.
the rifle would have been either a 338x378 or a 338x416.

as a long range hunter of 40+ years im inclined to agree with augustis.
this is no place to be discussing these type things.
the chances of failure are far greater than success even by the best of us at those extreme distances.
i only know one individual who even claims to have killed a pa deer at a mile.
and that person just happens to be darryl cassel.
there are some very good shooters with some very large rifles wandering around there.
 
Last edited:
Just play with a ballistics calculator for a little bit and see the physics that come into play. They are amazingly huge. This does not account for human and rifle error. Hitting the broad side of a barn with consistency would be tough. Could it be done, yes. I could jump out of a two story window and not get hurt too.

Steve
 
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