Long range hunting Q's What's long range?

[excaliber]

I've learned allot here and I spend lots of time reading here. This site is pretty awesome.
I do have some questions.

First of all what do you consider long range? I see some people think long range is 500-600 yards and other think 800-1000+ yards is long range.
What is close and what is midrange?

I see the greater majority of shooters here use heavy for caliber bullets and like them shooting on the slower side as opposed to faster shooting 20 gr lighter bullets.

Are these heavy bullets best used over 600 yards as I've heard the Bergers don't do to well at what I consider normal distances(100-300 yards)

I see lots of shots taken at what I think is really long yardage 600+ yards

On most of these shots was there no chance to stalk closer or would you rather just shoot at this distance knowing you can make the shot?

I'm just curious as I'm a bow hunter who just got my first magnum rifle a while back(300Win Mag)
I always try to get as close as possible. This year I had a pefect 400 yard shot at a bull and snuck in to 80 yards and killed him with my rifle.

Anyways..............I'm just learning and have my 300 Win Mag at the gunsmith getting the action trued and a new Bartlein #3 5R bbl installed etc.

This will be my Elk gun. I'm hoping it will be a great shooter out to 600 yards.

thanks in advance

 

[sp6x6]

Long post. Ill try to adress as you listed. What is considered long,been asked here 1000 times,varies for everyones ability.Guys on here that shoot 12'' group at 1 mile.Many on here taken game at 1000. I have close friend that has WR in 1000 bench,they dont even shot a antelope unless it is 1000.
Trying to get closer for shot? Done that my hole life,but when you are busting targets at range? My son took a antelope at 850 with my rifle at 15,he has shot alot of game at 500 plus because I am set up for it,my father never was. He took a large once in lifetime muley at 500 this year,in three steps the buck would disappear.
Asked my hunting bud if he wanted to set up on these two bulls in ID,few years back at 500 yrds,he said no,was not comfortable with that,then.He is a multi time state champ with recurve and qualified for worlds many times in 3D. Ive seen him shoot 6 '' groups at 100 with compound,I can hardley do that with my pistol and I shot on a state champ team.I got him into long range he has taken several animals now at 500 plus. He now shoots a Sako Finlight with Swaro 300 wm.Very capable with set up,one of the best hunters I know.I have a buddy that is very close to the super slam with his bow right now.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

IMHO long range is what ever you think it is. If 300y seems far then that is long range to you. As a general rule I think most folks think over 500 is pretty far. After 1000 I think it is fair to call it extreme long range. It also depends on what you are shooting. 30-30 vs something monster mag.

Steve

 

[WildRose]

I've learned allot here and I spend lots of time reading here. This site is pretty awesome.
I do have some questions.

First of all what do you consider long range? I see some people think long range is 500-600 yards and other think 800-1000+ yards is long range.
What is close and what is midrange?

I see the greater majority of shooters here use heavy for caliber bullets and like them shooting on the slower side as opposed to faster shooting 20 gr lighter bullets.

Are these heavy bullets best used over 600 yards as I've heard the Bergers don't do to well at what I consider normal distances(100-300 yards)

I see lots of shots taken at what I think is really long yardage 600+ yards

On most of these shots was there no chance to stalk closer or would you rather just shoot at this distance knowing you can make the shot?

I'm just curious as I'm a bow hunter who just got my first magnum rifle a while back(300Win Mag)
I always try to get as close as possible. This year I had a pefect 400 yard shot at a bull and snuck in to 80 yards and killed him with my rifle.

Anyways..............I'm just learning and have my 300 Win Mag at the gunsmith getting the action trued and a new Bartlein #3 5R bbl installed etc.

This will be my Elk gun. I'm hoping it will be a great shooter out to 600 yards.

thanks in advance

From a ballistic standpoint 600yds is where long range really starts because it's there that mistakes start to add up very quickly as do the effects of wind and weather.

From a practical standpoint what is "long range" really varies based on the size of the target, foliage, wind etc.

A four hundred yard shot on something the size of a cotton tail rabbit or prairie dog is not something many hunters would even attempt and only a tiny fraction of hunters will succeed.

Some of us here have taken deer sized and smaller game at more than 2-3x that range but it takes a great deal of time and dedication to get to where you can shoot well enough consistently to even attempt such a shot on game.

Some guys are dedicated long range only while some of us have just added the long range to our complete bag of tricks because there are lots of circumstances where that is really your only option.

Here in Texas we hunt a lot on wide open wheat fields that are flat as pancakes and can roll on for over a mile. You might have to crawl a half mile or further to even get to where you can get a chance at a 400yds or shorter shot.

Some of us here also hunt very rough mountain and canyon country where if you're going to get a shot at all it's going to be from a peak all the way down to the bottom of a valley below, or across a wide saddle from peak to peak, or cross canyon shot.

As for your plans, that rig should be more than capable of MOA or better accuracy to 600yds and beyond but you have to master the fundamentals of marksmanship well enough to make a shot consistently on a one MOA target at that distance before you're ready to stretch it out that far.

 

[4xforfun]

For me.....I'm going to say 500..for this reason. I have steel set up where I hunt. Targets range from 300 yards to a mile. Some times I randomly select targets,sometimes I start at 300 and work out from there. I have a half dozen LR rigs that I shoot, from 6 Dasher to 338 Edge. I can honestly say that I have NEVER missed the 300 and 400 (10 inch square) yard targets with any gun. But, at 500.....once in a while ....not often.....I miss the target on the first shot (12 inch square). usually It is a windage deal......just not paying attention to detail. Or use the wrong dope from a different gun. Whatever.

The fact that I am not 100% on first round hits at 500 makes that the starting point for LR for me.

 

[HARPERC]

........The fact that I am not 100% on first round hits at 500 makes that the starting point for LR for me..........................

I like that definition, it's about stretching, growing, and making the most of your equipment.

 

[degreen]

You say you are a bow hunter, and if you are anything like most of the bow hunters I've seen you probably practice a lot. If you practice as much with long range shooting as you probably do with your bow you should do very well. Most of these guys on this forum have very good information. So use the information that works for you. I read a post on this forum concerning long range shots where that was the best percentage shot due to multiple factors. Some times getting closer just isn't an option. I hunt in various terrain, from mountains to open hilly country. So for me I need to be able to make a 500+ yard shot on a goat (antelope) or elk. Yes your 300wm should do nicely for 1000 yds. PRACTICE,PRACTICE,PRACTICE. Good luck, and happy shooting.

 

[CB11WYO]

I like Bryan Litz's definition:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-VlKAMCyy4

 

[WildRose]

You say you are a bow hunter, and if you are anything like most of the bow hunters I've seen you probably practice a lot. If you practice as much with long range shooting as you probably do with your bow you should do very well. Most of these guys on this forum have very good information. So use the information that works for you. I read a post on this forum concerning long range shots where that was the best percentage shot due to multiple factors. Some times getting closer just isn't an option. I hunt in various terrain, from mountains to open hilly country. So for me I need to be able to make a 500+ yard shot on a goat (antelope) or elk. Yes your 300wm should do nicely for 1000 yds. PRACTICE,PRACTICE,PRACTICE. Good luck, and happy shooting.

One would have to have Donald Trump kind of money to be able to afford to shoot a rifle as much as a dedicated bow hunter practices but yes, the principle indeed holds true.

No one becomes proficient at long range shooting without a tremendous amount of dedication and practice.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

In my opinion

100-300 close range

300-600 midrange

600 plus is long range.

Like wild rose stated, the size of your target is a huge determining factor, and after 600 conditions and mistakes really start to punish you.

I probably shoot 1500 rounds at long range in a year of practice, and i may take 1-2 animals past 300 yards.

The animals and places i hunt i have little need to shoot far. I enjoy it, and like wild rose said, its a nice ability to have.

 

[excaliber]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm not sure I'll ever be a long range hunter but I'll practice and see how the new gun shoots at distances up to 600 yards.

Once I get that figured out I'll see if I can stretch the distance.

I've been shooting Accubonds and Partitions and they have worked great at the distances I shoot. I'm going to give those new ELD-X 200 gr bullets a try.

I'll post some reports when I have a chance to get the gun out to the range.

Thanks everyone!!

 

[WildRose]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm not sure I'll ever be a long range hunter but I'll practice and see how the new gun shoots at distances up to 600 yards.

Once I get that figured out I'll see if I can stretch the distance.

I've been shooting Accubonds and Partitions and they have worked great at the distances I shoot. I'm going to give those new ELD-X 200 gr bullets a try.

I'll post some reports when I have a chance to get the gun out to the range.

Thanks everyone!!

The partition is a great bullet for punching through ice, snow, mud covered critters and for punching through hard, thick and/or heavy bone.

They however lack the high BC really needed for long range precision shooting.

The Hornady Interbond and Nosler Accubond (in that order) give you a really great combination of good ballistics and bullets that will expand but penetrate very well and do not break up. The Interbond is the one bullet that has flat never let me down.

I too am excited about the ELD-X and the possibilities it presents but after being let down again and again by other latest and greatest do it all bullets I'm trying to contain myself.

Between the ELD-X and the Perigrine bullets coming available this year (hopefully sooner rather than later) we've got a lot to look forward to.

 

[Greyfox]

i also think Bryan Litz's definition of long range is a good one for long range shooting.. He takes the cartridge/ballistics into account, with the primary factor being the need to make bullet flight path corrections. as a result, there is no absolute distance that defines long range. I think the same principal holds true when you move from shooting inanimate targets to hunting game. In addition to Bryan's factors you have to account for additional factors such as terminal performance(energy and bullet construction), mirage, wind, rain, snow, ect, all which have to be layered in. They can radically change distance capabilities. I have had to shorten my distance simply because I was hunting alone and due to thick terrain, taking the shot without a spotter would have made game retrieval difficult or even impossible if the animal didn't drop in its tracks. Some days my long range distance is 400 yards, others it could be over 1000. Ability of the shooter, or rifle is absolute necessary, but alone, doesn't determine long range when hunting.IMO.