Long range shooting

[lucky7]

  Carlos made his shots with a 8x unertl

[Bob33]

Whatever happened to the old days when the shooter had to accurately "eyeball" the distance and estimate the amount of hold over?    I think we're getting too "techie".

I suspect that the number of shooters who can consistently eyeball the difference between 725 and 750 yards under various field conditions is slim and none.

[boneaddict]

Ethically, I'd think practice would be in order before putting one down range on a live animal at that range.
I think either one of those calibers would be fine if you knew what you were doing. 

[Bill W]

Whatever happened to the old days when the shooter had to accurately "eyeball" the distance and estimate the amount of hold over?    I think we're getting too "techie".

I suspect that the number of shooters who can consistently eyeball the difference between 725 and 750 yards under various field conditions is slim and none.

Then we know the answer for whether that shot should be taken.   I would suspect a bullet might drop 4-5 inches in that 25 yard increment.

Also a lot of trigger time should be considered even with the modern equipment.  Shouldering the rifle, how the hand is positioned and trigger pulled needs to be very consistent.  Then... there's the wind, sunshine/shade and heat that enters in.

I did a little benchrest shooting and it's amazing how the smallest details need to be analyzed.    I used to use 7 windflags to shoot to 200 or 300 yards, depending on whether I was shooting cast bullet or jacketed rounds.   Jacketed rounds were easy compared to sending cast bullet rounds downrange.   

I've heard it said there are no perfect cast bullets as all have a casting void of some sort.

[WoodlandShooter]

No need to get too techie on this.

here is the MINIMUM of what you need.

a good scope with good repeatable turrets.

Learn to use your reticle to establish ranges in the field.

Zero at 100 yards. There is no need to re-zero at any other conditions, nor is there a need to have a funky 200 or 300 yard zero as everything else is handled by your established dope.

Gather dope to the ranges and environmental conditions you feel are within your acceptable accuracy level. This will get you the neede trigger time to know your rifle and it's(your) capabilities.

Learn to read the wind.

[birddogdad]

if you aren't burning ammo at those ranges all year, frankly , you have no business with a "hail mary" during any hunting situation! use your gun to that range you are proficient and comfortable at (meaning you can hit target 10 for 10.. within.. and practice to reach further goals.. those distances are made to look ez on the tv but in reality its quite complex.

[Bob33]

Whatever happened to the old days when the shooter had to accurately "eyeball" the distance and estimate the amount of hold over?    I think we're getting too "techie".

I suspect that the number of shooters who can consistently eyeball the difference between 725 and 750 yards under various field conditions is slim and none.

Then we know the answer for whether that shot should be taken.   I would suspect a bullet might drop 4-5 inches in that 25 yard increment.

Probably close to 8" to 10" with many calibers. My point was not that shots should not be taken because of distance estimation, only that it's humanly impossible to accurately estimate at those types of distances without some technology. Even with laser rangefinders it can be a challenge to range off the desired object to get a precise distance.

[WoodlandShooter]

with my current load, it is exactly 10 inches of difference between 700 and 725 yards. and that is a Bullet with a 0.582 G1 BC and an initial MV of 2960.

2000 feet in elevation @ 60F, 29.92 on the BARO.

[Bill W]

with my current load, it is exactly 10 inches of difference between 700 and 725 yards. and that is a Bullet with a 0.582 G1 BC and an initial MV of 2960.

2000 feet in elevation @ 60F, 29.92 on the BARO.

What is your zero range?   I was basing my SWAG off of a 300 yard zero. 

[jackmaster]

I don't know Jack diddly about long distance shooting, but I DO know that if you cant breathe right and squeeze the trigger right, I done care what kind of equipment your shooting or how much your bullets cost, you *censored* gonna hit squat at a long distance or even be good and consistent at shorter distances, breathing and trigger squeeze is the absolute most important, and you don't hold your breath when your shooting either. You should also learn to shoot both eyes open..

[Yondering]

if you aren't burning ammo at those ranges all year, frankly , you have no business with a "hail mary" during any hunting situation! use your gun to that range you are proficient and comfortable at (meaning you can hit target 10 for 10.. within.. and practice to reach further goals.. those distances are made to look ez on the tv but in reality its quite complex.

This. Along with that, if you fired a shot and missed the whole animal, not just the small vital zone you hoped to hit, you proved that you have no business shooting game at that range, until you practice a lot more. IMO that's true whether it was 750 yards or 75 yards.

[WoodlandShooter]

with my current load, it is exactly 10 inches of difference between 700 and 725 yards. and that is a Bullet with a 0.582 G1 BC and an initial MV of 2960.

2000 feet in elevation @ 60F, 29.92 on the BARO.

What is your zero range?   I was basing my SWAG off of a 300 yard zero.

I am zero'd at 100 yards.

700 yards is 4.1 mils, 725 yards is 4.4 mils.

Interesting thing about 700 yards. After than I need to really know my environmentals. under 700 yards, I dont need to know much other than wind and range.

[WoodlandShooter]

I don't know Jack diddly about long distance shooting, but I DO know that if you cant breathe right and squeeze the trigger right, I done care what kind of equipment your shooting or how much your bullets cost, you *censored* gonna hit squat at a long distance or even be good and consistent at shorter distances, breathing and trigger squeeze is the absolute most important, and you don't hold your breath when your shooting either. You should also learn to shoot both eyes open..

yeah, pill the trigger on the exhaled pause.

it may suit you to shoot with both eyes open, but it is sometimes unrealistic especially when shooting with the sun in front of you....

[b23]

I think "long range shooting" means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

There are the "techie" long range shooters that make first round cold bore hits and there are the long range shooters that aren't as concerned with all the tech stuff and hope to get close, see their impacts, and try and walk their shots on target. 

I've done it both ways and I'll take the "techie" approach every time.  You just have to decide which one you want to be.

[rbros]

I think "long range shooting" means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

There are the "techie" long range shooters that make first round cold bore hits and there are the long range shooters that aren't as concerned with all the tech stuff and hope to get close, see their impacts, and try and walk their shots on target. 

I've done it both ways and I'll take the "techie" approach every time.  You just have to decide which one you want to be.

Well said.