First shot hits

[jdmecomber]

Here's some more stuff that I think about.

Let's say your zero is off at 100 yards by
.125". At 1000 it's approximately 1.25"

Also let's say you do ok with your reloading and your max velocity spread is 25 fps. Not even talking about factory ammo
Your shooting a 7 mag with 168 vld at 2968. You have a 25 fps hotter round at 2993 fps.

Your drop at 1000 with some random conditions and zero at 2968 is 249.32 inches. At 2993 it's 244.50 inches, that leaves you with high shot at 4.82 inch.

Throw in some max scope error of 1.3"
Improper zero error. 1.25"
Ammo extreme spread 4.82 "

Just this max error of 7.37"

Now your trying to hit a 10" plate at 1000 yards, and we haven't even calculated anything else.

Just the kind of things I think about

Hope this helps

 

[codyadams]

Here's some more stuff that I think about.

Let's say your zero is off at 100 yards by
.125". At 1000 it's approximately 1.25"

Also let's say you do ok with your reloading and your max velocity spread is 25 fps. Not even talking about factory ammo
Your shooting a 7 mag with 168 vld at 2968. You have a 25 fps hotter round at 2993 fps.

Your drop at 1000 with some random conditions and zero at 2968 is 249.32 inches. At 2993 it's 244.50 inches, that leaves you with high shot at 4.82 inch.

Throw in some max scope error of 1.3"
Improper zero error. 1.25"
Ammo extreme spread 4.82 "

Just this max error of 7.37"

Now your trying to hit a 10" plate at 1000 yards, and we haven't even calculated anything else.

Just the kind of things I think about

Hope this helps

This ^ is why we need to strive for single digit e.s., try to use the best quality optics we can afford on our budget, and have a goal of SUB HALF MOA for our rifles if we plan on trying to kill an animal at these ranges. Even an excellent shooting rifle/shooter combo, start to get marginal accuracy at these extreme ranges, and enything less than an excellent combo can make first round kills (not jus hit's, but kill shots) a matter of luck, not skill

 

[BUSTINDOGS]

Every where I look everyone seems to be on this 1000 yard thing, everybody wants a 1000 yard gun, scope, load bullet combo. This is a fine way of thinking when your talking bench rest shooting. but for hunting I think as a long range hunting community we should try and shift the language to personal limits not this 1000 yard mark line in the sand thing. At any rate... I have another question. with all this talk of practicing where you plan to hunt. I have a trip out to MT in July and was wondering what the rules are about shooting on Forest service, and BLM land.

 

[buckfvr]

Hopefully someone in Montana will speak up but I know NF and BLM is shootable here in Wa.

On the 1k mark, what we go with is the practice out to 1200 pays huge dividends at 600.........all the guys I know have self imposed limits based on their ability or lack there of. Keep it fun. R

 

[codyadams]

Every where I look everyone seems to be on this 1000 yard thing, everybody wants a 1000 yard gun, scope, load bullet combo. This is a fine way of thinking when your talking bench rest shooting. but for hunting I think as a long range hunting community we should try and shift the language to personal limits not this 1000 yard mark line in the sand thing. At any rate... I have another question. with all this talk of practicing where you plan to hunt. I have a trip out to MT in July and was wondering what the rules are about shooting on Forest service, and BLM land.

I don't think people are so much saying 1000 is the range to hunt at, it's more that a bunch of people that are new to long range have this idea that after they get their first long range rifle they can just go kill an elk at 1000 yards with their RPR in 6.5 creedmoore with factory ammo just because they have the tools that are capable of doing it, and most the replies I I see are saying how there is much more too it than that, and I agree we should limit our range to our capabilities and tools at hand.

If you say you want what it takes to make first round hits, people are going to assume you mean on the top end of range, which kind of the general accepted max for the majority of skilled long range hunters is around 1000ish. And lots of people are good enough to hunt at 1000+. I think thats why most people are talking about 1000. But if you want replies on 600 yard hits, specify that, because making a hit from point blank to a max of 600 is WAY easier than what it takes to do the same thing at 600 to 1200 yards. All the same skills and actions apply, you just have much more room for error.

For instance, if I have a big bull elk at 510 yards, with my 147 eldm going 3080 fps, my bullet will drift about 8.5" in a 10 mph wind. If I have a 10 mph wind, but make a terrible wind call of 2 mph, I adjust for 1.5" of drift, I'm only off my mark by 6" or so, and that's still a dead elk. You make the same mistake at only 300 yards farther, and you have either a miss or worse, a badly wounded elk.

You may already know all this, so I apologize if I'm just rambling, but it may be useful for someone else new to long range.

 

[jdmecomber]

All good points guys.

 

[Chorizo]

I have a trip out to MT in July and was wondering what the rules are about shooting on Forest service, and BLM land.

You need to get your information direct from the source. Here is the BLM Montana/Dakotas website.

https://www.blm.gov/montana-Dakotas

USFS website

https://www.fs.fed.us/

Generally, there are few restrictions; however, certain areas may have specific restrictions and you need to look at the specific areas you may be hunting.

 

[Greyfox]

I don't think people are so much saying 1000 is the range to hunt at, it's more that a bunch of people that are new to long range have this idea that after they get their first long range rifle they can just go kill an elk at 1000 yards with their RPR in 6.5 creedmoore with factory ammo just because they have the tools that are capable of doing it, and most the replies I I see are saying how there is much more too it than that, and I agree we should limit our range to our capabilities and tools at hand.

If you say you want what it takes to make first round hits, people are going to assume you mean on the top end of range, which kind of the general accepted max for the majority of skilled long range hunters is around 1000ish. And lots of people are good enough to hunt at 1000+. I think thats why most people are talking about 1000. But if you want replies on 600 yard hits, specify that, because making a hit from point blank to a max of 600 is WAY easier than what it takes to do the same thing at 600 to 1200 yards. All the same skills and actions apply, you just have much more room for error.

For instance, if I have a big bull elk at 510 yards, with my 147 eldm going 3080 fps, my bullet will drift about 8.5" in a 10 mph wind. If I have a 10 mph wind, but make a terrible wind call of 2 mph, I adjust for 1.5" of drift, I'm only off my mark by 6" or so, and that's still a dead elk. You make the same mistake at only 300 yards farther, and you have either a miss or worse, a badly wounded elk.

You may already know all this, so I apologize if I'm just rambling, but it may be useful for someone else new to long range.

Your comments are well taken. While I have taken game out to 1200 yards, I have passed, or returned on a later occasion on shots at half that distance. For sure, once the range approaches 700-800 yards I not only look much more closely at the parameters to make a successful shot, but also, what happens after the shot. There is not much discussion about this part of LRH. With even a well placed shot with perfect bullet performance, an animal may over enough distance to disappear from view before expiring.....and leave no blood trail. Even if the animal leaves sign of a hit, try finding a piece of fur or spot of blood in a featureless terrain, magnified after you get down range. The extra set of eyes of a good spotter can prove invaluable, but when hunting alone I will assume the animal may cover ground before expiring and evaluate the shot, or take extra note of the location.

 

[jlvandersnick]

taggin in

 

[hhamerlynck]

What is the physical condition of the shooter, winded, calm, excited get yourself ready to shoot while computing the shot. Don't rush a long shot!!!

 

[buckfvr]

And a big one for me, is it the crack of dawn, or the last few minutes of shooting light ?????????

 

[djtjr]

p.e.a.r.l.
Parallax
environment (wind, temp, pressure)
angle
range
level

i like that

 

[glbhunter]

In all my shooting 1 very important thing is a good rest
, whether it be shooting sticks, backpack, fallen trees, rocks or what ever. The farther the range the better the rest must be. With everything already mentioned being important the rest Is usually the difference between a hit or a miss.

 

[buckfvr]

Yep, one thing is as important as another, like everything else mentioned, take away one thing and its too risky.......certainly add rest to the list. Actually, you can have everything else BUT a suitable rest and its likely the rest will be the final determinng factor.