What is "Long Range" Shooting

[wapitibob]

Two years ago hunting in WY, 300 was a long shot with that gun. This year, new gun, optics, turret, good rangefinder, and ballistics app. Zeroed at 200, checked at 400 and 600, 350 yards wasn't close to fair to the animals.

 

[In God We Trust]

This is the most civil thread I have ever seen on this topic! I like it. My long range is 500 to 600 yards right now with my set up. I feel comfortable shooting that and am happy with that distance. I look forward to stretching that out down the road once I get a custom barrel on my rig but for now 600 is awesome. Before I bought my new set up 400 was the max I would shoot and that was a perfectly calm day so it only gets better. I agree that it is whatever you feel comfortable and can consistently make an ethical shot at.

 

[30-338mag]

In God We Trust, Were lucky living in Co as we have good place to shoot 1000yds @ Byers plus if you got places to shoot PD.

The last 10 year year have been the biggest gain in LR bullets and you got to have those first then everything will follow IMHO. You never have the 338 Edge without 300gr bullets same with the Allen mag rifles for LR. Berger coming out with 7mm 195gr VLD and Matrix making 190gr bullet for the 7mm plus 165gr and 175gr for the 270's. My 1/11 twist 30-338mag will handle Berger's 185gr VLD hunting bullet and soon as my 270Wby finished I'm going to try some of the Matrix bullets.

Glass is pretty easy to buy scope same with mounts rifle takes planning and time to have build and the big debate is always which caliber. Well good luck

 

[philw]

30-338, do you need to be a member or guest of a member to shoot at Byers?

 

[30-338mag]

30-338, do you need to be a member or guest of a member to shoot at Byers?

Sorry haven't checked back but here is info on Byers

http://www.crci.org/

 

[robby denning]

This is the most civil thread I have ever seen on this topic!

Glad you like it as that's one of our missions at Rokslide.

We like civil debate! Anything beyond civil can go to the other websites for all we care.

 

[Jay Kyle]

Lots of good posts to show one consistent answer, it's operating at the upper end of your lethal range. Saying it as lethal range implies you're also within the weapons lethal capability - but all long range folks already understand that. It's one of those skills we enjoy honing.

Weapons include anything from a Cheytac down to a spear (e.g.)

An interesting read along this line is on Lilja's website about their early Long Range exploits

 

[Mattman215]

In its most basic form I would say, a shot that requires a ballistic solution to hit your target.

Weather that is 150 yards with a 22lr or 1700 yards with a 338lm.

 

[Maverick1]

In its most basic form I would say, a shot that requires a ballistic solution to hit your target.

Weather that is 150 yards with a 22lr or 1700 yards with a 338lm.

Are you trying to set some sort of record for reviving the oldest thread in existence? Longest time between posts, perhaps? The other thread was thirteen years old, this one twelve…..

 

[Pilsner]

Anytime I've got to either dial or hold off of fur to make the hit then it is long range hunting aka about anything beyond MPBR for that round/rifle.
That part is easy (easier?) to define than ethical distance limits which are condition dependent.
-Doc

 

[Jordan Smith]

It obviously depends on the projectile and launch speed (different for an arrow than a modern bullet), but for modern bullets and chamberings, I define the range at which I can essentially point and shoot without calculating a solution as "short range," which is generally about 0-300 m. From 300-600 m, or so, solutions are often somewhat straight forward, and I call that "medium range." From 600-1000 m, making first-round hits is typically quite challenging, and I call that "long range," where anything beyond about 1000 m is usually very difficult, so I call that "extreme range."

 

[GuyMontag42]

I used to tell my friends that when I kill a deer past 300 that I would call them and tell them I was Chris Kyle.

I vote anything past 300. Unless we want to categorize a “medium range.” Cartridge choice matters in this discussion too…

 

[Pistolpete28]

500 yards plus

 

[cuerro viejo]

When ever you have to hold a half mil of wind

 

[hunt1up]

My turret stickers stop at 500. I was shooting a new rifle the other day, in 50 yard increments, from 100 out to 500. Once I reach that distance the variables become too much for me to confidently go farther in hunting situations. Yeah my gun will do more, I can probably do more, but for a midwestern flatlander, when I lay down at 500 yards I usually think to myself, "That target is out there!" Add in the variables of weather, wind, and unpredictable animals and that just seems like enough for me.

I shot a bull last year at 450 yards. Perfect conditions. Calm broadside animal, zero wind, perfect position, with time to assess the situation. I shot him 3 times, all good vital shots, as he was still standing and I didn't want him running over the ridge onto private ground. Had there been a decent crosswind I don't know if I would have taken the shot.

I've shot with other guys that are more casual hunters and shooters. And most of them have no business attempting a shot beyond 300 yards. A sighted in gun is one that shoots "MOA of Deer" and off they go.

So for me, 500 yards is that arbitrary number for "long distance" in a hunting situation.

 

[Jordan Smith]

My turret stickers stop at 500. I was shooting a new rifle the other day, in 50 yard increments, from 100 out to 500. Once I reach that distance the variables become too much for me to confidently go farther in hunting situations. Yeah my gun will do more, I can probably do more, but for a midwestern flatlander, when I lay down at 500 yards I usually think to myself, "That target is out there!" Add in the variables of weather, wind, and unpredictable animals and that just seems like enough for me.

It’s interesting how that perspective changes when you spend a bunch of time practicing and training on targets much further out.