starting out @ my range

[Oz300wm]

hey all
well ive started to burn through some rounds at some distance now with my new rifle. ive set up balloons from 600-900 yards and dialled them in and then picked them off. once you get them dialled in they aint too hard to hit at 900 yards even in some serious wind. ill keep pushing them back as i get better.

what i was wondering was. what else do you guys use to practise with and get good on before you started taking game at long range?

i cant use paper targets because you cant see if you have hit them at that range to make adjustments and im worried about ricochets off a steal plate
balloons have been great because they're easy to see and cheap and you know when you hit and they would be about the same size as the kill zone on a buck.

im pretty much getting 100% hits at 900 yards on a 8 inch balloon in any wind. pretty much im getting better groupings at 900 yards than at 200 yards standing up so how much more practise would i need to start trying on game at that range?

cheers guys


some pics -

 

[Buffalobob]

The ability to make a first round hit on an animal is very important. Having fun shooting so that practice is not dull and boring is important.

In these two statements is a problem- If you hit the balloon on the second shot that seems to be a "success" when it really is a failure. That is also the F-class is run (first a couple of sighters to get you on target and then for score). Practice is good and you learn a lot and hopefully develop good mechanics and if it is not fun then you may not practice much.

There is nothing like paper to make you realize the truth. You get no adjustments because you don't know where the first round hit. Your group is going to show you just how bad your wind and range factors were and just how well your rifle is actually placing bullets. Countless people have posted that they hit a gong at some tremendous distance "after a few shots". All that tells me is that for the critical first shot ,they "MISSED".

At 900 yards it is a half mile walk to the target and a long dreary half mile walk back pondering just how bad you misjudged the wind. Good exercise and good time to reflect on one's skill level.

 

[Oz300wm]

cheers for the advice and reply Buffalobob. i dont mind burning through hundreds of rounds of ammo before i put a deer in my cross hairs. that was pretty much the plan anyhow. and im having heaps of fun hitting the baloons. i got a bulk box of cheap ammo to use until i get used to the rifle and wind then ill start hanldloading before i go after game
i was just keen to see what everyones opinions were

 

[J E Custom]

The ability to make a first round hit on an animal is very important. Having fun shooting so that practice is not dull and boring is important.

In these two statements is a problem- If you hit the balloon on the second shot that seems to be a "success" when it really is a failure. That is also the F-class is run (first a couple of sighters to get you on target and then for score). Practice is good and you learn a lot and hopefully develop good mechanics and if it is not fun then you may not practice much.

There is nothing like paper to make you realize the truth. You get no adjustments because you don't know where the first round hit. Your group is going to show you just how bad your wind and range factors were and just how well your rifle is actually placing bullets. Countless people have posted that they hit a gong at some tremendous distance "after a few shots". All that tells me is that for the critical first shot ,they "MISSED".

At 900 yards it is a half mile walk to the target and a long dreary half mile walk back pondering just how bad you misjudged the wind. Good exercise and good time to reflect on one's skill level.

Very well said !!! Bob

An animal never gives you a sighter shot so the first shot is the one that counts.

When you can set a target at an unknown distance, range it once you get set up to shoot,
calculate wind effect,adjust the turrents on the scope accordingly And hit the target within
an exceptable kill zone for the game to be hunted on the first shot EVERY TIME as Bob said
then you are ready.

Start at a reasonable distance and work out to your limit. Dont let the fact that some of the
guys on this site can do this at 1 mile intimidate you. This year I limited my self to 1100
yrds because of the game,energy at that distance and most of all my abilities.


Good luck and good hunting
J E CUSTOM