Just what is the definition of long range shooting....

[Fiftydriver]

One of the posts that has appearantly been haulted by the moderators and probably for good reason posed this question somewhere in the mess of posts. Its a good question and one that Shawn and I talked about a couple times while hunting last week.

It is my opinion that there is no yardage that tells you when you leave medium range shooting and get into "long range" shooting.

First off there are several factors. One being what your shooting at. Big game will be limited much more then varmints simply because we respect the animals we are hunting.

The individual is also a huge determining factor in what is true "long range" hunting. One can have all the techical equipment out there and not be able to shoot!!!

Finally, and most importantly, shooting conditions make the largest determining factor as to what is "long Range" hunting.

Personally, in good shooting conditions, anything over 600 yards on big game is in my opinion Long Range hunting. From there out its just gets to be "Longer, Long range hunting".

In windy conditions, 10-15 mph 400 yards is a long range shot. In really windy conditions, +20 mph, personally I feel 300 yards would be about my limit and a 300 yard shot in +20 mph winds would be considered LR in my opinion.

Now for varmints. I do not consider anything less then around 1/2 mile long range for this hunting. This is based on my ethical standpoint more then anything. This is a totally different game then big game hunting. I was quoted as stating that I do not shoot at chucks any closer then 800 yards.

That is true but that is because the population of chucks in the area we hunt is relatively low and if we shot them at closer ranges we would wipe out the population easily in a summer. That was not my definition of LR hunting, just what we do to make sure our killto shot percentages are low enough to sustain a healty chuck population.

Simply put, you can not, in my opinion, put a numerical figure on what is and what is not long range hunting. Its dependant on far to many variables to use a rigid set of perameters.

Just curious of others opinions on the subject.

Good Shooting!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Michael Eichele]

This is opinion only!!

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Now for varmints. I do not consider anything less then around 1/2 mile long range for this hunting.

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Personaly, I dont care if it is paper, vermin or the next world record whitetail, anything close 1/2 mile, including a couple hundred yards short of, is "long range".

Long range is a very subjective term. An 11 year old shooting a 22 lr might just concider 100 yards "long range", whereas a seasoned verteran with the right equipment might concider anything past 400 yards long range.

My opinion is that if any holdovers or turret adjustments are needed for either elevation or windage, this is long range at that point. That will vary based on equipment and conditions.

Remember, this is only my humble opinion!

 

[MachV]

Remember this is my opinion and doesnt mean I have a clue!
KISS.To me anytime you have to dial the scope,use anything other than the crosshairs(mildots,R-2 or MP-8 reticle for example) or leave the body of a critter-target you are there=long range

 

[Guest]

I agree that anytime you have to adjust or hold over it's longrange.
JMHO,
Wayne aka WAMBO

 

[Death Ray 7]

IMO:

Long Range shooting is subjective, depending on the terms and conditions you are dealing with.

For example:

Here in southern Michigan I shoot 13-stripe Michigan Ground Squirrels out of my Uncle's horse farm pastures. Their burrows (holes) endanger the foals (breaking legs). I'm shooting right in the pastures with the horses so I'm limited to .22LR using subsonic ammo and head shots (they aren't tall enough to stick out above the grass any higher). My longest shot-to-date is 72 yards.

Does what I'm doing qualify as long range shooting? Yes, I believe it does.

For that 72 yard shot I had to allow for the 5" drop from my 25 yard zero. I also allowed for 2" of wind drift to hit a target approximately the size of a dime (11/16").

To put that in perspective, it's like hitting a 9 1/2" disc at 1000 yards.

Anybody out there think they can make that shot every time? I know I can't.

So therefore long range shooting depends on the individual shooter, the target, and the equipment (anybody try to shoot prairie dogs @ 300 yards with a peep sight?).

Good question Kirby!

 

[bailey1474]

[ QUOTE ]
Personally, in good shooting conditions, anything over 600 yards on big game is in my opinion Long Range hunting. From there out its just gets to be "Longer, Long range hunting".


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I'm w/you on that. I too personally consider anything over 600 yds lr.

[ QUOTE ]
In windy conditions, 10-15 mph 400 yards is a long range shot. In really windy conditions, +20 mph, personally I feel 300 yards would be about my limit and a 300 yard shot in +20 mph winds would be considered LR in my opinion.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this depend on the cartridge and bullet you are using. It suprises me to see you set such short limits. With those big AMs and those slippery WC bullets. 500 yds in even a 20 mph is no trouble!! Now w/a conventional catridge bullet combo your limits are about right. Personally, I would have no reservations taking a 500 yd shot in 20 mph wind w/the 270 AM or my 300 RUM. Just my 2 cents.

 

[redbone]

Where I live I shoot from hill Top To Hill Top

It may be 1.2 Mile the way the Crow Flies but it is 1 mile when you waik it out .

We rase are live stock COWS Left Legs 6 in,s Shooter Than there Rights legs

Redbone

 

[royinidaho]

Saw a couple of spike elk the other day. Wind was blowing several ways from me to them (750yds). Both had spikes longer than 6" so I wasn't supposed to shoot. I didn't....

I put the scope with proper hold for what I thought was correct shot placement. They never paused, just kept walking. I wasn't confident with the walk and the wind. I wouldn't have shot anyway. That was long range to me that day.

This morning I went to the same spot. Temp was much lower 20s vs 40s. Wind up towards 15 w/higher gusts.

No elk. After a couple of hours I decided to bust some snow patches at 750yds. 4 shots later I was confident out to that distance. Put a coupe of digits in the snow patch w/in inches of where I wanted them. I then launched a couple of very small rocks about the size of a can of Hogdon powder @ 650 and 700.

In that canyon with the standard heavy wind from the south 750 isn't LR anymore IF the elk will hold still. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I think my max limit with that rifle will end up around 800 yds+, when I get confident/experienced enough (10.4 pound 300 RUM single shot w/300 SMK @2700+).

 

[oldfamily]

I think it has a lot to do with the area that one lives in. I shot three whitetails last week, buck was at 285 yards with a thick fog. That was as far as I could shoot safely. Used my stw and he dropped in his tracks and never moved. Shot a doe last Sunday and right at first light she walked out to the edge of the field, shot was 260 yards. We have too many trees and brush around here for a lot of places to shoot at real long range. There are some places that one could shoot farther, just that these areas are few and far between in the area that I live in. 600 to 800 yards would be long range around here. The field that I hunted last week was 686 yards long, Another 86 yards to the hay loft in the barn that was good for bad weather. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Ridge Runner]

I worked all summer to improve my max range from 500 to 700 yds. now that I'm halfway through deer season I'll tell ya, under normal hunting conditions here in the east anything past 350 yds is a long way when your deer hunting.
Sure you can hit farther, but you really limit yourself to the amount of hunting area's and against the timbered ridges, its almost impossible to get set up, range, dial, and shoot. You practicly have to know the exact trail a deer comes out on and be prepared for your shot before hand, and the peak of the rut really adds to the level of diffaculty.
I take alot of flaming about my hunting practices, because of the 1/2 dozen hunters in the area who practice med. range shooting, I'm the only one who doesn't just drive the roads and shooting the nicer bucks on everyone elses land.
So here in the east, with no snowcover, if you can regularly take deer beyond 400 yds. thats a long ways, and I commend you.
So until time and conditions allow I'll just dream of the hunt out west that I want to take in the future.
RR

 

[Wizard]

I believe that there needs to be a standard for long range competition shooting so everyone is on the same game card. Personal long ranges are a different color. I agree with Kirby that the conditions should be a large determiner of what the furthest shot that you should take to be humane. Now rocks, cans, paper, balloons are just plain practice and fun to push your limits. I have nothing but respect for those gents that shoot 1000 yards with iron sites at the buffalo targets with the 45-90s. If you take it seriously then you need to commit to equipment, reloading and shooting skills / practice. When you have to push your limits to consistently hit those targets, then you are shooting long range for you. Personally I am one of the ones that is starting to really hone my shooting and reloading skills, not to mention making my wallet a little lighter on equipment. I am just getting the confidence and equipment to extend my effective range on big game beyond 300 yards. I am grateful for those people that are more talented than I that will share their knowledge with others to improve the learning curve. I enjoy differences in opinions, based on their own experiences to give different slants on things. So keep talking about those 1000 yard shots at chucks and save me a place because I am gaining ground, with your help. The shooting world is getting smaller due to politics and city slickers so lets band together and improve our quality of shooting. Take a kid or neighbor shooting with you. Now what powder am I getting low on?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I believe that the definition of long range shooting first is how the person is prepared. If he has the right equipment, practice, etc.. I think in good conditions with a rifle and scope, that anything over 400 yards is Long range in my book. Thats when you have to start holding over deer to hit them, so I figure thats long range. I also feel that if you practice farther then you intend to shoot at animals, the shot will look a lot easier and you havea lot of confidence. I practice out to 800 pretty regularly but limit myself to about 600-650 on deer. However if that was an elk or bear, 800 would be very doable in good conditions.

 

[Dan B]

I'm with James Stagg. I worked all late summer and fall with my new APS XP-100 and can bust 1 gallon milk jugs at 500yds with every shot. But...I live in SW PA and it's tough to find a place where you could take a high percentage shot at a non-running deer beyond 400yds. I have a lot of area where I can "stretch" to 300-350yds. Other than that you get too many tree tops and hunters in the way.

I recently found a great spot that would allow shooting to about 550yds...great area to spot and shoot from that looks into a semi-open wooded hillside. The problem is that the valley that lays in between will probably look like a pumpkin patch on opening day and deer will be running like crazy. After that the deer movement in that area will be very early and late. The only spot of hope that I have is that the deer will hold up in some small thicket's in a strip cut that also lays along one side of the wooded hill. I may be able to spot one in the thicket and catch it during a mid day stretch.

To summarize...I was proud last year that I made a 239 and 270yd kill with my Savage Striker7-08 handgun. In PA (at least my area)...those are LONG RANGE to 99% of the hunters. The terrain and hunting pressure make 500+yds very difficult to do.

 

[nsb]

I stated my definition in the other thread, which was that anytime you have to take measures beyond "point and shoot", you're shooting long range. I realize it's subjective, and just like Nascar drivers might not consider 130mph to be fast doesn't mean it isn't.
If you were going to corner me on a number, I would say that LRH begins around 400 yards with the proper equipment, because with most cartridges, that's where you've got to make SIGNIFICANT adjustments, and it's flat out out of reach of many. What's a 165gr 30-06 Springfield doing beyond 300 yards? So I say 400 yards is getting into long range. 200-400 is medium range. Beyond that is long and longer. Just like fast and faster. To say that long range doesn't even begin until 600 yards doesn't make sense to me, because closer than 600 yards, you're making the same adjustments you are beyond 600 yards, just different amounts. At short range you don't have to make those adjustments, and at medium range they start coming into play, and at long range they are crucial.

Just because the space shuttle goes 16,000 mph doesn't mean that a 1400 mph fighter jet is slow.