Shot Distance

[TopOfTheFoodChain]

Wow, 300 yards?  You must have really good eyesight.  That is a looonnggggggg shot with open sights........

Clearly Lasic lazered me for better than 20/20 vision a couple years ago.  Rear peep, front globe with steel duplex crosshairs. And lots of practice. Now spent over $200 on just the fancy new bullets this year. Also- I'm not someone who takes the first long shot I see. Will always attempt to get closer first. Have passed up plenty of 150 to 200 yard deer that didn't present perfect shots. I'm just comfortable out to 300 because I know my ballistics, energy, drift, and when not to shoot.

[Dan-o]

100 yard max......   much prefer 75 or less.

I have taken 1 shot at game that was about 125, and that turned out well, but.....

[Armadillo]

try to aim as close as i can! less than 75... Plus during the westside late season I dont really shoot beyond 50 yards because of the brush

[huntinguy]

I tried a 450 yard shot on an elk one time... put the point of aim on the top of the antler and hit about a foot below his front foot. 

100 yards is in my realm of sanity.

[DOUBLELUNG]

A great rule of thumb hunting is to restrict shots to 2/3 of your maximum consistent kill zone range.  Regardless of weapon.  Every kill shot should be a chip shot, not a prayer for luck.    , based on finishing off over 100 hunter-wounded big game animals.

[fishunt247]

Top, I'm wondering how much of your front site covers a deer at 300. Like I said earlier, my front bead covers an entire half of a deer at 175. It also shoot a Truglo Tridium sight, which is a bigger diameter than some. I'm just wondering how damn small your front bead has to be for a shot at that distance to be anything more than a guess.

[Tman]

100 yards max on most for me.  with iron sights past that, I think your hoping to get lucky more than your hoping to make a good clean kill.

[TopOfTheFoodChain]

Top, I'm wondering how much of your front site covers a deer at 300. Like I said earlier, my front bead covers an entire half of a deer at 175. It also shoot a Truglo Tridium sight, which is a bigger diameter than some. I'm just wondering how damn small your front bead has to be for a shot at that distance to be anything more than a guess.

My front sight is not a bead at all. PM sent.

[bobcat]

My front sight is not a bead at all. PM sent.

Would you mind letting us all in on the secret? If not, how about a PM to me as well. 

[JColony]

My front sight is not a bead at all

Hey Top, you definately perked my curiosity.  Any chance you'd PM me your little secret???

[Curly]

Bobcat and JColony,

Top said he uses a "Rear peep, front globe with steel duplex crosshairs."

[JColony]

Thanks Curl!  Apparently it helps if you read back through the thread before asking questions.

[TopOfTheFoodChain]

Lots of curious commenters-

Check out Lee Shaver(or Lyman or others) globe style front sights with interchangeable inserts. Most of the globes I have found are 3/8" dovetail so it takes a shorty 1/8"(Williams) front ramp to use it on in-line muzzys. I use two inserts stacked together to produce a "duplex" crosshair. A Williams peep mounted way back on the scope mount holes lines things up nicely. It's nice to carry a few different apeture's- one that is pretty big for low light use, one that is tiny mostly for the range, the one in the middle is what I have used on every hunting shot so far.

Practice, practice, practice, practice..... did I mention practice?!? Don't even want to think how much $$$ I spent on bullets/powder/caps.

I hunt muzzy because I enjoy shooting muzzleloaders. I hope nobody takes my comments to mean it's easy to hunt between 200 and 300 yards. It's not. I rarely take shots like that. It has to be perfect broadside shot, no wind, no other close deer. I have killed deer in the 180 to 225 range but I have also passed on WAY more shots that were not good shots. It is a wasted shot if it's not a clean clear kill shot. Sloppy shots wound animals and give all hunters a bad name.

I almost regret making any comments about distance. I hope nobody takes careless shots without first really practicing at distance and getting to know your gun/load.

Again- for the record- I have passed on way more shots than I have taken beyond 150 yards.

[shorthair-on-point]

Thanks for sharing Top, that is a great setup.

[dupedc]

Good stuff Top!