What made you interested in long range shooting?

[del2les]

In my early teen days, a friend and I began pushing 22LR's to ever longer distances (1/4mile), and that began to extend to center-fire cartridges. Later in my 20's, I became interested in competitive shooting and LR varmint shooting, and that grew into playing the NM and varied 1,000 yard and Palma games. Historically, I have always loved to test the limits and discover what really could and could not be done. In most everything.

 

[Steves1911]

The first time I ever stood on a 1600yd range I was hooked. That was 16years ago and Uncle sam provided the weapons and ammo. Watching those tracers arc through the air from the M240b and M2 were mesmerizing. Fast forward 2 years and I got to attend squad designated marksman training and got my mitts on the m21, mk12 and the m82a1. The m21 still holds a special place in my heart.

 

[Len Backus]

I just love reading all your stories!

 

[milo-2]

In 2009 I was aspiring to be a raging 3 gunner, had nice 1911's, was more than proficient, Benelli SBE, mag extension, was working on tactical stock for it, and had just bought a JP CTR 02, and I was handy with a carbine.
I learned about a smith south of town who was good with 1911's, and I wanted some work done. Going out the first time, had no idea where I was to go, huge building, but 3 pickups were parked a 100 yards away. I pulled up to them and a friend and I get out. It surely didn't look like a range, but 2 were shooting, no visible targets close. One guy, wearing an eye patch was really friendly, and was shooting left hand off his tailgate, looked uncomfortable as all get out. We ask what he was shooting at, he pointed out a little white speck way out there, it was over 700 yards away, and if i recall, 4" wide by 6" tall. I had an inner chuckle and suppressed the offer of a 100 buck bet on hit-miss. Glad I stayed quiet, because he beat that plate up, it swung rather violently when hit. We were asked if we wanted a try, my friend took a shot and failed, I knew better, but we watched in amazement for an hour before meeting the smith and dropping my pistol off.
When I picked the pistol up after completion, the smith and the same guy were shooting, they had a few targets dotting the landscape. This was interesting. By the time i left that day, 3 gun was a passing thought, and I needed a LR rifle and a Nightforce.
The friend, who had accompanied me both times, had taken a LR course, and owned a 308, but he told me on the way home, during the course, he could not hit a man size torso plate at 600 yards. He kind of gave up on it, now these guys were hitting way smaller targets, way farther out with some cartridge called a 6.5x47 Lapua.
I found a lightly used Cooper Phoenix in 6.5x284, and a NF at a gun store in Rapid City, SD. Here I am.
Thanks, interesting topic, fun to know how we all fell to an addiction.

 

[AZHTR]

I just love reading all your stories!

Len, you've created a "Million Dollar site".

What I mean by that statement, "collectively, your site members have spent millions of dollars" because of what you started

 

[WVmnteer]

The simple answer - I thought is was really neat to be able to put all the variables together to deliver an accurate shot far away.

 

[338 dude]

I read elsewhere in a thread about the division and the lack of manners for one another we have these days. It made me think about why I came to this thread or any others. We all have a story about what made us interested in shooting distance, share your story if you are inclined. We have a common interest but how we each arrived there could make for some interesting stories.

I have hunted since I was a boy, starting out with my dad's Ruger .44 pistol or my 30-30 Marlin. Like many on here I spent some time in the military as a young man and was exposed to that plastic M16A1. Growing up and hunting in the Ozarks, I had never taken a shot over 125 yards. The fact that I could routinely hit a silhouette from 50 to 300 meters with that little bullet out of my plastic rifle was pretty cool for this hillbilly. I would have to say that is where I first became interested in shooting distance. Share your story if your inclined

I was hunting a management area that had a large cut over , late in the season I spotted from a vantage point a place where deer were crossing quite regularly the problem was it was at 300 yards and never shot past 100 or 125 yards and missed twice before entering down the rabbit hole where I currently reside. but now 300 is a no brainer

 

[Len Backus]

Len, you've created a "Million Dollar site".

What I mean by that statement, "collectively, your site members have spent millions of dollars" because of what you started

That is a fascinating comment!

And probably true...

 

[milo-2]

Len, you've created a "Million Dollar site".

What I mean by that statement, "collectively, your site members have spent millions of dollars" because of what you started

1 million, I am positive I've covered 10% of that myself.

 

[338 dude]

As a kid I loved seeing how accurate I could shoot my pellet rifle and I spent as much time as I could out shooting sparrows and red squirrels. As we have all experienced I started feeling the need to challenge myself and started shooting farther. As I got older I stepped up to a .22LR and then a .17HMR. I think the HMR, combined with my interest in movies like Sniper and Shooter (as unrealistic as they are) got me interested in pushing the limits further. I saved up for a 223 and used MIL dots for holdovers, writing my DOPE on my stock and had the dream of one day being good enough to kill a big game animal at 500 yards. Started spending all my spare time reading everything I could about long range shooting, bought a rangefinder, started dialing elevation instead of holdovers, and learned reloading from a member here who turned me on to this site and took me under his wing and that was pretty much the end of my disposable income. Now 500 yards feels like a chip shot and though my longest big game kill is a measly 336 yards, I have a half dozen one shot kills on varmints beyond 700 yards.

In regard to LRH Forum, I spend more of my time here than anywhere else because the people on this forum are generally good hearted, knowledgeable, and much more helpful than other forums. My first ever western hunt was a DIY antelope hunt in Wyoming with my stepdad (my graduation present to him) and I credit a member here for a big part of our success as he was willing to share one of his hunting spots with me so we could tag a couple decent bucks. I also met up with another member and talked him into attending a precision rifle match with me, even though neither of us have ever competed in that type of event, and we actually won the team event and we keep in touch still. In return I try to share my knowledge and experience with other new shooters and I really enjoy bringing newbies into the game, especially their reaction when they make their first LR impact.

My first Long Range Hunt was a DIY to Wyoming but with a friend not my father other than that our experiences are nearly identical

 

[Pointman]

The military got me hooked. While I did pretty well with my old 22 at the range in L.A., it was the military training then some sniper training in Nam. Never cared for the "Matel-o-Matic" AR but the M14 was supremely accurate. After the Army, I got deeper into it when an acquaintance gave me the "run" of his 500-acre ranch. He had a ground squirrel problem and was running some cattle and horses. My longest was one at a skosh over 500 yards. The rifle was and still my custom-built 25-06, still capable of "5 under a dime" at 100 yards when I do my part.

 

[Snowboy]

I read elsewhere in a thread about the division and the lack of manners for one another we have these days. It made me think about why I came to this thread or any others. We all have a story about what made us interested in shooting distance, share your story if you are inclined. We have a common interest but how we each arrived there could make for some interesting stories.

I have hunted since I was a boy, starting out with my dad's Ruger .44 pistol or my 30-30 Marlin. Like many on here I spent some time in the military as a young man and was exposed to that plastic M16A1. Growing up and hunting in the Ozarks, I had never taken a shot over 125 yards. The fact that I could routinely hit a silhouette from 50 to 300 meters with that little bullet out of my plastic rifle was pretty cool for this hillbilly. I would have to say that is where I first became interested in shooting distance. Share your story if your inclined

I grew up hunting but never really interested in shooting until a trip to Gettysburg. Bought a Zouave rifle and made a Hawken rifle and shot in some black powder competitions. Then read the Great Buffaloe Hunt bought a Rem Rolling Block started reloading and shooting that 45-70 out to 400 yards.
Bought a cheap model 64 Winchester 30-30 and won quite a few turkey shoots 100 yards offhand. Then started shooting dads Savage 22-250 rem and found one hole groups at 200 yds.
Statted big game hunting with the purchase of a rem. 700 in 30-06 also a great turkey shoot gun with 65 grs of H4831 and 180 gr.
I bought a used model 700 rem in 300 WM and fine tuned it to shoot 2" groups at 200 yds and now successfully hunting at 400 yds.
Then I got married with kids sold the 300 WM and years past until I had the opportunity to hunt caribou on James Bay and shot one at 400 yds with a .308 win.
Rekindled the moose hunt around 2002 and after several kills at 300 to 400 yards with the old 30-06 decided to get a model 700 in 300 wsm. Now i hunt deer with my model 700 in 308 win and all others with my 300 wsm multiple kills over 400 yds on moose.
Bought a model 700 varmint gun in .308 win and started shooting targets at 400 yds that is as far as the property I shoot on has for clear shooting.
I joined this group to learn from the experience of others.
My eyes are getting older but I still enjoy the fun of longer shooting. Just bought a Savage single shot action with a 30" barrel in .308 for a project. O would like to shoot in an F class shoot. Need advice for a stock.
Note: In 25 years of 400 yd kills with boiler room shots with .308 caliber I have never had an animal go more than 25 yds Lucky I guess.

 

[John Klingenberg]

We had an old abandoned field bordering our property and I had a Winchester single shot 22. Since the black birds and crows liked to be in the middle of that big field I had to shoot better. That's what started it. Then the military fostered it. Started reloading and gunsmithing in the early 80s. I have to say that a friend on here talked me into a PRS style match last year and I've been overly (wife's opinion) obsessed with it since.

 

[Weaselthis]

Started "hunting" at 10 w/ a bb gun in West TX. I could kill cottontails w/ a "modified" Daisy pump. Uncle would disassemble it and stretch the spring to give it more power.......so he says, I couldn't say for sure but it DID kill 'em if you hit them between the ears at the back of the head. No penetration, just shock, I guess.

Our little group of hunters (Jay, Dale, Rick, Chuck) would hold weekly contests to see who could kill the most rabbits. We used bb guns one week, home made spears the next, bow & arrow next, and rocks one weeks. We cut a wide swath in the rabbit population!

Fast forward a few years and the hunting group was now myself, my son, and two friends....."The BBD Bunch" (Bulls, Bucks, & Ducks). We'd been hunting in and saving points for CO for several years and in 2007 we had 10-11 pts.
Wanted to hunt GMU 61. Thought it best to "interview" a few outfitters should we draw and decide not to go DIY. Asked one outfitter what are the chances for a 300" bull. He said he had a client the previous week that passed on a 320. I was incredulous. WHY? Well, the shot was 720 yds. across a canyon and MOST shots would be longish and across a canyon. OUCH!
Told the guys we've got to get "knowed up" on this long range stuff if we're gonna spend 12-14years of our lives to get this tag and have a chance to be successful. The farthest any of us had killed and elk was 408yd.

2008 met some "sniperific" guys at my local range. We were shooting at 550 yds. at the full sized rams. I was at a bench, they were prone. We're ALL hitting them regularly. THEN, I noticed that while I was aiming/hitting them behind the front leg, THEY were hitting them, at will, in the horn, eye, and even in the small "protrusion" underneath the belly and in front of the rear leg.......
They mentioned a "clinic" their club put on for long range shooting. I attended it in 2008, joined the club NCPPRC (Nor Cal Practical Precision Rifle Club) in 2009, the same year I joined LRH. I've learned millions of $$ worth of info here and there and passed what I've learned onto to the BBD Bunch and even got to coach one in a later clinic.

So, the SHORT answer to the OP query is, "Wanted to hunt a good GMU in CO for elk and shots would be longish. Needed to become more proficient & joined a long range rifle club to up the odds of success."
Footnote: 3 of us have now killed an elk in Unit 61. Shots were: 652, 265, 234. Go figger.
IMO, hitting an elk at distance under field conditions is a LOT harder than hitting sub MOA targets w/ a full rigged target weapon.