500-800 yd elk rifle

[Deleted member 108014]

No cartridge or bullet will make up for poor shot placement.

Sometimes even a great bullet, cartridge and well placed shot and elk are not found. They are big tough animals. I try to shoot them until they are down if at all possible.

 

[Barkbuster20]

The few rc vangaurds I was looking at on gunbroker listed as 24 but then in the description said 25 so idk. Buying a RC 300 wby seems like the cheapest option to gaurentee a rifle accurate enough out to 800 yards. There is a stainless one on gunbroker nib for 693

 

[bigngreen]

The 300 WBY wouldn't be my first choice in a factory form for a long range starter gun, it's rare to get true long range accuracy, not that it doesn't happen but the throating has to be perfect with the amount of free bore they have, the mag box restriction is painful too. MOA accuracy frankly isn't going to cut it, on paper it looks good enough but that means if YOU have to be a tenth MOA shooter to keep an MOA gun good, and that an MOA gun at 100 which is frankly easy to achieve but to keep an MOA gun MOA at long range not an easy task!!

Remember if your an MOA shooter with and MOA gun that's 2 MOA of possible error so at 800 yards your all over the side of one without wind or any other factors!!

 

[bdyal1972]

300 prc 215/225/230 or 28 nosler 195 are the best factory loads i know of

But

If you have the 338 mag already

A case of 225-250 GRAIN ammo-new scope-rangefinder and PRACTICE are what YOU REALLY NEED!!!

 

[Barkbuster20]

Seems like sub moa should be good enough accuracy to hit a kill zone on an elk at 800 yards.

Not sure what you mean by having to be a tenth moa shooter. I know 300 wby doesnt have a reputation as one of the most accurate cartridges but if it shoots moa at 100 it will be moa at 800 and do well with the wind.

If sub moa isnt enough for an 800 yard elk rifle I will probably just scratch the idea.

 

[Barkbuster20]

I have a lot of ammo for my 338 am I just dont want to change the rifle most of what I hunt is timber and intermediate range - my scope is 3.5-10x40 and I dont want to put something heavier and bulky to make it more suited for 800 yards. I would like an 800 yard rifle for only the potential longer shot. Factory ammo isnt an issue I reload and have an ample supple of components

 

[bdyal1972]

Seems like sub moa should be good enough accuracy to hit a kill zone on an elk at 800 yards.

Not sure what you mean by having to be a tenth moa shooter. I know 300 wby doesnt have a reputation as one of the most accurate cartridges but if it shoots moa at 100 it will be moa at 800 and do well with the wind.

If sub moa isnt enough for an 800 yard elk rifle I will probably just scratch the idea.

Dude

If you can't shoot 1/2 moa on a BENCH at 100......


YOU HAVE 0 BUSINESS SHOOTING AT A GLORIOUS ELK AT 800 YARDS AS YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE SIMPLE MATH WORKS!!!

I WOULD SUGGEST A SHOOTING SCHOOL WITH BRIAN LITZ OF APLLIED BALLISTICS....

OR

MY AKITA - MY SONS - WILL SHAME YOU OUT IF THE WOODS FOR WOUNDING AN ELK AS THEY RECOVER IT AFTER YOU GO HOME!!!

1/2 MOA SHOOTER

1/2 MOA GUN

BAD WIND CALL

BAD ANGLE CALL

BAD SHOOTING POSITION

=

Bullet impact 16" off

GUTSHOT ELK AT 800

EVERY TIME!!!

 

[Barkbuster20]

Not sure where your directing that or how it even relates to this discussion. Dont recall saying I couldnt shoot 1/2 moa at 100 yards - didnt say I could either.
I was looking for some advice and there have been a couple useful questions answered. Thanks guys.

 

[memtb]

I have a lot of ammo for my 338 am I just dont want to change the rifle most of what I hunt is timber and intermediate range - my scope is 3.5-10x40 and I dont want to put something heavier and bulky to make it more suited for 800 yards. I would like an 800 yard rifle for only the potential longer shot. Factory ammo isnt an issue I reload and have an ample supple of components

I see nothing wrong with your .338 WM, especially with your 800 yard self-imposed range limit! My wife is using the same scope magnification range.....but, her self-imposed limit is 500 yards.

The following is a copy from a ballistics chart for my wife's .338 WM. Granted these are hand loads, using a 300 yard zero, with approximate atmospheric conditions in the computation! I think you will see that it maintains acceptable trajectories, energy, velocities for expansion, and wind drift for an 800 yard cartridge!

Some may disagree with my chart, but, I think that it's a fair representation of the cartridges capabilities!

As was once an expression used at amateur dirt track motorcycle racing....."Run what you brung"! memtb

Drag Function: G1 Ballistic Coefficient: 0.514 Bullet Weight: 225 gr Initial Velocity: 2950 fps Sight Height : 1.5 in Shooting Angle: 0°

Wind Speed: 10 mph Wind Angle: 90° Zero Range: 300 yd Chart Range: 800 yd Maximum Range: 7472 yd Step Size: 25 yd

Corrected For Atmosphere Adjusted BC: 0.642 Altitude: 7000 ft Barometric Pressure: 29.92 Hg Temperature: 40° F Relative Humidity: 40% Speed of Sound: 1096 fps

Range	Elevation	Elevation	Elevation	Windage	Windage	Windage	Time	Energy	Vel[x+y]
(yd)	(in)	(MOA)	(MIL)	(in)	(MOA)	(MIL)	(s)	(ft.lbf)	(ft/s)
0	-1.50	0.00	0.00	0.03	0.00	0.00	0.00	4349	2950
25	0.17	-0.66	-0.19	0.06	0.22	0.07	0.03	4239	2913
50	1.58	-3.01	-0.88	0.15	0.28	0.08	0.05	4132	2876
75	2.72	-3.46	-1.01	0.29	0.37	0.11	0.08	4028	2839
100	3.60	-3.43	-1.00	0.50	0.47	0.14	0.10	3926	2803
125	4.20	-3.20	-0.93	0.76	0.58	0.17	0.13	3825	2767
150	4.51	-2.87	-0.83	1.09	0.69	0.20	0.16	3727	2731
175	4.53	-2.47	-0.72	1.48	0.81	0.23	0.19	3632	2696
200	4.25	-2.03	-0.59	1.93	0.92	0.27	0.21	3538	2661
225	3.67	-1.56	-0.45	2.45	1.04	0.30	0.24	3446	2626
250	2.77	-1.06	-0.31	3.04	1.16	0.34	0.27	3355	2591
275	1.55	-0.54	-0.16	3.69	1.28	0.37	0.30	3267	2557
300	-0.01	0.00	0.00	4.42	1.41	0.41	0.33	3181	2523
325	-1.90	0.56	0.16	5.21	1.53	0.45	0.36	3096	2489
350	-4.15	1.13	0.33	6.07	1.66	0.48	0.39	3013	2456
375	-6.76	1.72	0.50	7.01	1.79	0.52	0.42	2932	2422
400	-9.73	2.32	0.68	8.03	1.92	0.56	0.45	2853	2389
425	-13.09	2.94	0.86	9.11	2.05	0.60	0.48	2775	2357
450	-16.84	3.57	1.04	10.28	2.18	0.63	0.52	2699	2324
475	-20.99	4.22	1.23	11.53	2.32	0.67	0.55	2625	2292
500	-25.56	4.88	1.42	12.85	2.45	0.71	0.58	2552	2260
525	-30.55	5.56	1.62	14.26	2.59	0.75	0.62	2480	2228
550	-35.98	6.25	1.82	15.75	2.73	0.80	0.65	2411	2196
575	-41.86	6.95	2.02	17.33	2.88	0.84	0.68	2342	2165
600	-48.20	7.67	2.23	19.00	3.02	0.88	0.72	2276	2134
625	-55.02	8.41	2.44	20.76	3.17	0.92	0.75	2211	2103
650	-62.33	9.16	2.66	22.60	3.32	0.97	0.79	2147	2073
675	-70.15	9.92	2.89	24.55	3.47	1.01	0.83	2085	2042
700	-78.49	10.71	3.11	26.58	3.63	1.05	0.86	2024	2012
725	-87.36	11.51	3.35	28.72	3.78	1.10	0.90	1964	1983
750	-96.79	12.32	3.58	30.95	3.94	1.15	0.94	1906	1953
775	-106.79	13.16	3.83	33.29	4.10	1.19	0.98	1850	1924
800	-117.37	14.01	4.07	35.73	4.26	1.24	1.02	1795	1895

 

[Big Guy]

Your are aware your on a forum dedicated to Long Range Hunting right?

Sorry to offend you,,but getting close is real hunting, long range is just killing..this will start a hot debate..

 

[Barkbuster20]

If I were to stick with .338 wm I think I would have to switch bullets - idk if a solid copper bullet would expand enough under 1800 fps. - out to 500 yards is no problem with my current scope and rifle. 500 yards is also my limit - iv never shot further.

What would be a minimum sized scope for 800 yards? Could I get away with using mildots or need turrets?

 

[bdyal1972]

If I were to stick with .338 wm I think I would have to switch bullets - idk if a solid copper bullet would expand enough under 1800 fps. - out to 500 yards is no problem with my current scope and rifle. 500 yards is also my limit - iv never shot further.

What would be a minimum sized scope for 800 yards? Could I get away with using mildots or need turrets?

Look at horus vision! 5-20x50 hovr 3 easy to use! Has a game you can practice with

 

[Barkbuster20]

Also if going to a bullet with more reliable expansion im likely going to drop to a lower BC most of the sleek 338 bullets are for the big 338s. There could be some options with the 265 ablr

 

[bradleyr001]

Sorry to offend you,,but getting close is real hunting, long range is just killing..this will start a hot debate..

No, not offensive at all, you are probably more correct than most... But, go somewhere else and beat that drum.