Long range shooting

[freezerfull]

Techie results in better shooting and ethical kills. I have only got into shooting at extended ranges in the last 6 months. I will say that turrets matched to your load are pretty much worthless if you have temperature fluctuations, elevation changes, angle of shot(up or down hill) or wind. I run moa turrets and dial my minutes based off ballistic programs in the field(or cheat sheets tailored to the conditions I'll be in). Also the cds dial I had leupold make wasn't even close to hitting a pie plate at 500 yards(almost a minute below it)even though I gave them all the data for my chronographed handloads. So went to moa dials and ballistic programs and a notebook. However you must do the shooting first and verify you poi at these ranges and then modify your data within your program before hunting. BC's are often falsely inflated by the manufacture, and a chronograph is a must. I would look into a good ballistic program, work up a good load with a high bc bullet, then hit hills and find places to shoot out to the max range u are going to be hunting. Put all that data back into the program through a targets list and find the true bc of the bullet you are shooting. It's really all relatively simple, thanks to technology.

[yorketransport]

It's not voodoo witch doctor magic. It's all simple math, most make it sound more complicated than it is. A accurate load is easy to drive at distance.

But the guys on Long Range Hunting said that I need a $5K rifle built by a big name smith with the bare minimum of a NF ATACR scope, it has to be chambered in either 7 LRM or 338 Edge, I need a G7 range finder, the Applied Ballistics app, a Labradar to chronograph my loads, and only Berger bullets are capable of making it past 500 yards!

I have guns that I've slapped together in my garage for less than $500 (including the scope) that are capable of hitting stuff at 1000 yards just as consistently as some of my insanely overpriced custom guns. If a gun can hold .75 MOA then the equipment is more than capable of making hits on game at 750 yards. The rest is up to the shooter.

The secret to shooting long range is simply good information and good practice. 750 yards is a long shot on a critter but it really isn't a long shot. In this case it doesn't sound like your equipment is what held you back. You just don't have the skills yet to make a shot like that. Just practice more and be better prepared next time.

Andrew

[high country]

......and know when to say when.

Many of us can bust milk jugs at unbelievable ranges, but not EVERY DAY. Some days the conditions limit your shots. Light angle, wind, back drop, midrange interference from trees......and not personally being able to settle in.

[WoodlandShooter]

......and know when to say when.

Many of us can bust milk jugs at unbelievable ranges, but not EVERY DAY. Some days the conditions limit your shots. Light angle, wind, back drop, midrange interference from trees......and not personally being able to settle in.

INDEED!! Just yesterday I was shooting at targets. Range to the 12" square plate was 714 yards...20% hits. I sucked!!!

Tried a 66% ISPC at 943 yards...made 1 of 10...I really sucked.


The wind was back and forth right and left...5 to 10 MPH...very unpredictable.

[Bill W]

Wind was the toughest part of cast bullet shooting I had.  I was in the 2006 nationals and there was a 20-25 mph side wind for the 200 yard targets.  I made the mistake of building the wind correction into the scope settings.  What I didn't plan on was the wind shifting 180 degrees.  I had enough of a correction that it blew my bullet clean off the target.  I was concerned it would cause me to blow a bullet into a score target and getting a zero for that target.