800 yard rifle

[Plinker147]

If you are starting from scratch I would go 300 PRC. It's a better designed mouse trap. 300 WM will do everything the PRC does ballistically speaking, the PRC designed to shoot heavy for Caliber bullets and better factory support if things start to balance out.

 

[Pacecount]

First, I practice at 1000 but do my best to get closer than 700.

As far as choice of rifles…. I shoot 7mm RM 180 gr VLD at 2950 FPS. The BC is .673 and the bullet itself is a killer at distance.

If you buy a McWhorter or Lane Precision they will do load development and load your ammo for you. I have a McWhorter and it is a shooter…. And I would not hesitate to buy another one of their rifles.

 

[Unionsparky46]

I am going to have to agree with the majority here as well. First, the 300 win is an extremely capable cartridge and will do whatever you ask of it. I also have 3 and talked most all of my buddies so to them. They haven't been disappointed. (Mostly because I hand load for them, lucky bastards,…)

Anyway, as mentioned if you're not comfortable shooting past 500 don't! Practice! If it's because of the spot and stalk idea then that's awesome! Wish I was that patient,…. I am an opportunist so I like the advantage of practice and confidence in myself and my rifle. Get good glass on that rifle, load some 215 bergers and don't look back! When it comes time, put a benchmark barrel on it and a jewel trigger to freshen her up,…. Lastly, thank you for knowing your capabilities. I've seen many idiots out there sling lead at animals either wounding or missing them at ranges far beyond their capabilities. (300yards for most) I hate that stuff!

 

[epc001]

Here's the deal: a shot at a living animal has a moral aspect. You're attempting to take a life. You have an ethical duty to dispatch the animal as quickly and painlessly as possible. That means you must know you can make the shot. NOW WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO PRACTICE 800 YARD SHOTS? 700 yard shots?
I see stupid people who zero their rifles at 100 and then rely on twisting the elevation knob to shoot any range beyond 100.

Flyingdaddy, even us short range Eastern woods hunters zero out @ 200, so there really isn't much to think about about until 250. Heck, 1.5" @ 100 even thru a 4X is half a heartbeat, think buck fever, it s1/4 beat! As most of our work is done at sub 100, maybe 75-80 on average, I can see how some folks dial it up even tighter. I have never had a shot beyond 200yds, as around here, that usually crosses a property line and is therefore verobten. and then....
When I recently built a 7.62 platform for LR work and ! SHONUF' it is zero'd EXACTLY @ 100 yds unlike any of my woods guns. Why? Now, I'm old school K-I-S-S trained, but this BDX app that'll zero thatf ugly SASS rig @ any range upon my beck and call, as it needs its 100 yd zero as reference, just like the old time optics shooters do with their manual dope adjustment. I think any of these LRS pros know that, I'm a noob.

YET to your point, along a rail line in northern PA, Weyerhauser property if I recall, I saw him at dawn; I reckoned 350. Well, he went across the rails, and over the berm as I was calculating - out of view. All I knew was the ballistic table I had on the box of 165gr loads. -7@300 and -16 @ 400 by memory. NO SHOT @ 320-350 by eye. ...........
This is also memory but clear as this am. I know my gait from lots of land nav reckoning at Ft Benning. I paced off at least 475 yds. Great Spirit smiled as I heard "at least you would have clean missed that beautiful creature with less disrespect than not. Always KNOW!" Yes sir/ma'am. Everyone was fortunate that morning, and I learned. There is a higher level of discipline required engaging anything past my 200 yd woods or battle rifle zero to be sure. Not only in marksmanship but as LRS folks must know in range and dope estimates.

Time sure as heck didn't slow down to let me reckon as I watched that buck walk across the top of that berm either. So in the field, sometimes its a very small time window! so you must KNOW.

 

[yobuck]

As for the distance debate.
Has anyone else noticed that there has been a definite move
toward using a different shooting method for long range hunting, as opposed to the real man method of laying on your belly?
Now im not attempting to poo poo belly shooting, because im fully aware of the results possible by using that method.
But how many of us ever become proficient using that method, especially in a hunting situation where rough uneven terrain is a common encounter.
In our camp, as well as others in the area we hunt, many of the animals killed at long range are killed by young kids, or by adults with no prior long range shooting experience.
The theory is a very simple one.
If the shooter is capable of shooting a 1" group from a bench at 100 yards, then they would also be capable of hitting a deer at 1000 yards.
All things being equal as to how they go about doing the shooting of coarse.
Now its perfectly o k by me for people to disagree with me about that.
Because it is they who are missing out, not me.
Change comes slowly, but it is coming, and all the new tripod users are proving that.
In fact, i predict that the tripods will continue being improved upon, untill they just might become as good as some of the ones Pa, guys have been using for a very long time. lol

 

[bigngreen]

I was out on sheep last season and we came upon some rams at 950 yards. Looked at them through the 50x spotting scope for some time. My guide let me know there was a hunter earlier that was taking shots at that distance. I took my eyes off the 50x scope and couldn't believe it. Way to far. I think 800 is a mission on flat ground, would recommend getting closer and spending budget on good glass.

If it were a different caliber, I'd be thinking 6.5, but then your bullet is getting really light. I'd go heavier, or keep the 300wm if your confident in that one.

It's one thing to be looking at it big picture vs being prepared for that shot, the first few times at those ranges on game feels surreal till you go through your process and all you have to do is shoot. Do it enough and practice in the conditions and terrain you hunt 800 isn't a big deal because you learn the conditions you can put the bullet inside a couple inches, soon 14-1500 yards pushes you like that 800 yard shot used to which will become academic, you do have to be prepared to pass far more shots than you get based on range vs conditions.

 

[epc001]

As is my dream bigngreen. Still "expert" sharp @ 100. Now drill out to 1000' . @almost 62 yrs best get my arse in gear; its not as easy as it used to be!
( PS also not so easy around these parts. Had a few LR "blasts" in WY en route to Cody, right off the road. blew my mind ! 2-3 clicks to the eye across 270 degrees of view !!! WHAT!? says the ghetto boy. Too much fun except for the DANGER H2S gas signs here and there! )

 

[Capt RB]

One thing that is lost to alot of the new(er) members here is that all of the shooting, in every conceivable cartridge for the task has been discussed and proven on this forum. Some of the comments show why alot of people no longer bother to post. Aquiring the data to shoot the distances requires getting off the puter and going to the range when it's not perfect. I have a lesson to give at noon. (50 minutes) It's -2 and blowing hard out of the NW a r to l at 4o'clock at my range. I'll be shooting my 22 to 300yds while I teach my student how to shoot his 6.5 creed. Without going he will not understand why his rifle doesn't shoot so well in the cold. I plan to show him that his 5/8moa load(it's better but not with him shooting it) fell apart. I expect his rifle to drop 150fps today and will know pretty soon.
Get out and shoot so you know rather than guess no matter the range

 

[Tommy T]

I would look in to the 33 nosler it has more speed and energy and you can shoot up to a 250 gn. Bullets in it and I use kahles scopes or Swarovski for my long range shooting, good luck and build what you want not what everybody else wants

 

[azsugarbear]

If you are comfortable with 500 yd shots, then you understand the ranging and dialing aspect of long range shooting and what gravity does to your bullet path. Moving from 500 to 800 yds. is all about reading and compensating for wind, as wind will begin to have a much bigger impact on your shot placement. The remedy for marginalizing mistakes in reading wind at longer distances is more bullet speed and higher BC bullets. Rifle caliber plays a roll in this (powder capacity and barrel twist), but most mid-tier rifle calibers will deliver enough energy to take an elk at 800 yds.

Your 300 WM is more than enough gun. Spend your time and money on great glass and bullets/ammo that has great BC's and proven terminal performance down range. Then go shoot a ton. You will surprise yourself how quickly you become comfortable at 800 yds.

 

[KSB209]

Thanks for the comments. My current 300wm is a HEAVY target rifle probably around 15 pounds with optics on it. I want something in the sub 10 pound range with optics that I can comfortably carry up and down the mountain. I've been seriously considering a new Alamo Precision as my dedicated "do it all" hunting rig. My 308 is great for practice at the range because it is just cheaper to shoot. I know I will be practicing a lot with the hunting rifle too when I pull the trigger on a new rifle.

 

[Mike Matteson]

You might chance out your barrel and turn the twist rate up. Otherwise better glass would be better. Do the work to improved the rifle. Trgger, bed the action, better scope also. there lots of things that can extend the range of your rifle, other than a new rifle itself.

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

300 Win is a great rig. If you just want a change of scenery, might look into 6.8 Western. Very high BC and SD and energy remaining at 500 yds equals the .300 but in a short action and less recoil/muzzle blast. 1200 ft lbs at 800 yds. Also the rifle is a lot lighter if you traipse around them big hills a lot.

 

[blvette75]

Good day,

If you really are not comfortable shooting past 500 yards, then don't. For me I confirm my drops at the distances that I will shoot game, which these days is much more difficult to do with the limited availability of sight in ranges out to 800-1000 yards. As the further you shoot the error in your consistency of your technique or ammo will show up. As far as a caliber, for the fun aspect the 6.5 calibers are very accurate, but I did convert one of my 300 win mags to a 338 win mag, kind of wish I would have went 33 Nosler, but the 338 win mag project has been fun. Good luck in your search,

As an fyi, I did wind up buying another light weight 300 win mag recently, not because there was anything wrong with the new calibers I know use. But for some of us older guys sometimes the old tried and true we always come back to. As that is what we always have used successfully in the past it is also fun to try the latest technology in bullets as well. As an old buddy of mine told me recently the use of the new Hammer bullets have given him a new appreciation for his old .270 which he had kept in the safe for years, and now he hunts with it again. Have fun and keep safe.