Hitting a softball at 1000 yds

[Highvoltage]

I've talked to several guys in the past who all claim their hunting rifles can consistently hit a softball size target at 1000 yds. I'd love to hear whether this is a factory rifle or custom. If it's a custom, what components these rifles use, what ammo components are used as well.

 

[dirthead1]

Rifle being capable and shooter being capable are two different things.......

Lots of custom long range rifles are capable, with the right ammo. The shooter being able to make it happen consistently, factoring in environmentals, is a different story. Wind, mirage, etc are all wild cards at 1000 yards. Sometimes people will take their 100 yard group size and extrapolate that out to a 1000 yard group. Example, "my gun will shoot a 1/2" group at 100, so I can hit a 5" target no problem at 1000". That's the kind of person who most likely has never shot at 1000 yards. Most factory ammo doesn't have a low enough velocity extreme spread to group well vertically at that range. So you have to have a rifle that is capable, a well tuned load, and be pretty **** good (or lucky) calling the wind to hit a target that sized consistently at that range.

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

Hunting rifle.....softball....1000 yards....consistently?! You sure they didn't mean 100 yards?

 

[Tangent]

A softball is ~3.8-inches in diameter, which is about 0.36 MOA. It's one thing to be consistent 0.36 MOA shooting from a bench with windrow lanes, etc. It's a whole other thing to claim 0.36 MOA consistency including first shot wind call, shooting from field positions (i.e. away from a bench, using gear you pack, etc.), and shooting in field conditions (crappy weather, wind conditions in unknown areas, etc) which is what would be required in a hunting situation. Hunting is not benchrest.

If a guy is consistently within 0.36 MOA with his first shot wind call at 1,000 yards in an unknown area in field positions, he is one of the top shooters in the world. Run the numbers, for most hunting cartridges, that means you are consistently calling wind correctly within +/- 0.5-mph.

So either you run in a pretty elite circle, or maybe some guys like to exaggerate their skill levels. It's hard for a lot of folks to accept that they are not as good as they would like to be. That's why you see fingers pointed everywhere but themselves.....it's my SD, I mean barrel harmonics, I mean seating depth, I mean my barrel sped up, please let it be anything other than me, haha.

 

[Chase723]

Ol' Uncle Jerry might be able to.

 

[26Reload]

I like the idea....drill out a hole in a softball...long bolt it on a chain and shoot at it on a desert floor or mountain side somewhere......
Drilling..bolting and chaining a softball are the easy pieces...
Finding that spot to shoot is tough for me.....
But sounds cool....beats a steelplate....

 

[Chase723]

In all seriousness, it takes a **** good rifle and even better ammunition. Heavier, high BC bullets, moving fast also helps (keeps time of flight down and minimizes the effect of wind- which combined w/ low quality ammo will absolutely hose you).

 

[Muddyboots]

I use to be pretty good softball player and could hit one 300' with the wind behind it! I am in with Tangent on this one. Basketball maybe.

 

[LaHunter]

I'm gonna have to say doubtful for most with a cold bore shot. For example, with a 7mm 180 grain Berger VLD (which is a very good long range bullet) leaving the muzzle at 2900 fps, will get pushed nearly 6" with just a 1 mph wind.
I know there are some guys that can do this, but these are extremely skilled shooters

 

[milo-2]

We have a 5" square hanging at 1K, It really doesn't need painted that often, and I have watched guys warm their barrels up trying.
It is more than doable though, but you may not want a 20 buck bet on a cold bore, or a first shot if not.

 

[Muddyboots]

I think a better bet would be 8# of H1000. A lot of triggers would tighten up on that bet!

 

[Don A Parsons]

Perhaps the words might be consistently at a 1000 yards...

If this is the case,,, how come very few shooter's with hunting rifles aren't competing in the world nationals Full bore or F class...

Last time I looked over the last 7 years there has never been a spot where a factory hunting rifle has placed in the top 10 little lone the 100's... Ha...

If your friends can """consecutively""" hit a soft ball at a 1000 yards day in and day out with their Hunting rifles,,, it would be awesome to have them take part in the 2 mile...

A 5" V ring at 900 meters with a 18 to 21 lb rifle is a work out,,, all 30 shots...

Not all,,, but some of the worlds best shooters have their work cut out for them staying in the 10" ring,,, try this in a 10 to 20 mpr interchanging cross wind situation...

Very challenging indeed...

 

[JMW67]

I've talked to several guys in the past who all claim their hunting rifles can consistently hit a softball size target at 1000 yds. I'd love to hear whether this is a factory rifle or custom. If it's a custom, what components these rifles use, what ammo components are used as well.

I doubt they could hit an egg at 300

 

[Rick Richard]

I've talked to several guys in the past who all claim their hunting rifles can consistently hit a softball size target at 1000 yds. I'd love to hear whether this is a factory rifle or custom. If it's a custom, what components these rifles use, what ammo components are used as well.

Fake news!