Hitting a softball at 1000 yds

[Stgraves260]

I've talked to several guys in the past who all claim their hunting rifles can consistently hit a softball size target at 1000 yds. I'd love to hear whether this is a factory rifle or custom. If it's a custom, what components these rifles use, what ammo components are used as well.

I wouldn't say it can't be done. But I will say not everyday. Me and my 260 Remington have put 10 rounds in the same hole at 100 yards on many Occasions. I still classify my rifle as a 1 MOA rifle. I have a 3 1/2 " 4 shot group at 2300 yard but I've only done it once at that distance. But it was also the only time I've shot that far. I can put 3 rounds in a 2" circle at 700 yards pretty regularly. Things really open up after 700 yards though. A lot of variables. But just cause I can't do it doesn't mean someone else can't. The only thang I can say is pick out a gun you want. Sink some money in it a little at a time and shoot, shoot, shoot. Accuracy will come.

 

[dfrahm]

So - I bot a 6.5 Creedmoor with a Vortex 5.25.50 scope and shot it all summer and carried it on a Rocky Mtn. Goat hunt - does that mean it's a hunting rifle? Maybe, but it's heavy and I was 65 when this happened 2 years ago. How about an egg at 1,000 yards with ELD-M 140 grain bullets? Or a push pin or tack at 100? Don't have a picture of the egg - it's a video And the goat? Dead at 99 yards...

 

[jarnold37]

I've talked to several guys in the past who all claim their hunting rifles can consistently hit a softball size target at 1000 yds. I'd love to hear whether this is a factory rifle or custom. If it's a custom, what components these rifles use, what ammo components are used as well.

Growing up, I was told that people would exaggerate more about two things. How fast there car could go and how much gas mileage their car could get. But there is a third most exaggerated thing. And that is how far someone shot a deer. My interest in guns increased and over time the more I learned the more I realized how little I actually knew. Started shooting longer and longer distances which involved a lathe, chambering many different chamberings, ballistics, triggers, good scopes, and sighting in many many rifles from the community. I certainly learned early on that distances were greatly exaggerated. I remember A friend brought me a 30-06 to glass bed and he said he had shot a dear at 500 yards with it. I asked him how high he hekd over deer and he said he held right on as it was a good shooting gun. The front screw was finger tight and there washay under the action. Another friend said he killed his deer at 650 yards and asked how he did it and he said heard it coming in the leaves and held right on off hand, with a 6lb trigger. I'm not going to say that a hunting rifle cant hit a softball at 1000 yds, but there are many that say they can when they cant. Experienced bench shooters with the best equipment will tell you how hard the egg is to hit at 500 yards. Not to mention myself shooting at a very big buck in a hayfield, 200 yards broadside, offhand and missed, and that is no exaggeration.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

Did someone take our Prez out long range shooting? Nah! Must be fake news!

 

[Weaselthis]

I shoot monthly matches at 1000 yd.....prone w/ a rear support bag. I have a VERY accurate 18lb custom target rifle with which I'm VERY familiar. I shoot at the same range each time. I'm VERY familiar w/ the topography and prevailing winds.

Our targets are 20" wide by 30" tall . (Premium geared to wind calling ability). The 10 ring is 4"x 6" and the X-Ring is 2"x 3". I'm thrilled when I can keep 10-12 rounds (match dependent) in the 9 and 10 rings. Certainly doesn't happen all the time.

Last match we had, IIRC, we had 50 pretty good shooters compete for the "1000 yd Cold Bore Champ" competition. Tina juuuuust missed the X-ring by 1/8'" high, and won. A very few of the rest of the crowd could only manage to hit the 9 ring (8" x 12"). MOST of the rest of us were happy to hit the rest of the target with a 6-7-8 count. That's 50 good shooters, who shoot the same course repeatedly, & can't hit the X-ring consistently, and THEY all have custom, super accurate, heavy, target rifles.

MY hunting rifles can't compete at that level and I'm pretty sure a lot of folks would say the same about theirs. Sorry, but I gotta call "BStuff" on the "several" who said they could, "consistently", no matter what THEIR definition of consistently is.

I have hit a milk jug "consistently", 8/10, times at 500y w/ my hunting rifles, and hit the milk jug SOME of the time, 5/10, at 600y, which is why I don't shoot animals any further. If anything, long range competition has taught me what my limitations are. YMVMV!

 

[sturner]

My best is 8.5" at 1000 5 shots

 

[25WSM]

I'm in the same boat. After shooting 1000 yard comp with heavy guns and huge rest front and rear. On a big heavy concrete bench. 45x scope. I sure as heck ain't going to be shooting at an animal farther than 700. I'm confident in my hunting rifle hitting a milk jug every shot at 500 yards and probably could at 700 if the wind plays nice. My hunting rifle has shot 5 shot 7 inch groups at 1000 yards. Only tried it once during practice at Williamsport. But at 300 it shoots an inch and 500 it shoots 2 inches. Never shot groups at 700 but have rung steel out to 1200 yards with it. This is a 300 win mag with 208 amaxs. My new hunting rifle is a 6.5 saum and I think it's going to be even better. I will see just put the barrel on this week. I have high hopes for it.
Shep

 

[ScottB338]

Growing up, I was told that people would exaggerate more about two things. How fast there car could go and how much gas mileage their car could get. But there is a third most exaggerated thing. And that is how far someone shot a deer. My interest in guns increased and over time the more I learned the more I realized how little I actually knew. Started shooting longer and longer distances which involved a lathe, chambering many different chamberings, ballistics, triggers, good scopes, and sighting in many many rifles from the community. I certainly learned early on that distances were greatly exaggerated. I remember A friend brought me a 30-06 to glass bed and he said he had shot a dear at 500 yards with it. I asked him how high he hekd over deer and he said he held right on as it was a good shooting gun. The front screw was finger tight and there washay under the action. Another friend said he killed his deer at 650 yards and asked how he did it and he said heard it coming in the leaves and held right on off hand, with a 6lb trigger. I'm not going to say that a hunting rifle cant hit a softball at 1000 yds, but there are many that say they can when they cant. Experienced bench shooters with the best equipment will tell you how hard the egg is to hit at 500 yards. Not to mention myself shooting at a very big buck in a hayfield, 200 yards broadside, offhand and missed, and that is no exaggeration.

Our hunting group of about 10-15 hunters found out, when we got rangefinders and scales, that we shot a lot smaller deer at much closer distances.

 

[25WSM]

I love the guys that shot their deer at 500 yards and held dead on. Even a 257wby mag drops 30 inches at 500. Most hunting rifles drop 40 plus. That wouldn't even hit a deer in the ankle.
Or the guy that shot the deer on a dead run and aimed right at the heart and pulverized it. I've killed over 60 whitetails and about 5 of them were more than 200 yards away and about 5 of them were moving. I guess I go for the high percentage shots. Plus I hunt in the woods hard to shoot far in the woods with all those pesky trees around.
Shep

 

[Scott E Ames]

If I it ever happened for me it would be because GOD wanted that softball to die!
600 yards no wind maybe but 1000 yards is about as likely as the guy with the 220 swift saying he got 4300 fps.
Talk is cheap and everyone is a better shot on their sofa or computer at home than at the range.

 

[T Michael]

I've talked to several guys in the past who all claim their hunting rifles can consistently hit a softball size target at 1000 yds. I'd love to hear whether this is a factory rifle or custom. If it's a custom, what components these rifles use, what ammo components are used as well.

Bull, doesn't happen in real life shooting!!

 

[GeorgeS]

I've talked to several guys in the past who all claim their hunting rifles can consistently hit a softball size target at 1000 yds. I'd love to hear whether this is a factory rifle or custom. If it's a custom, what components these rifles use, what ammo components are used as well.

Piece of cake; take a kid's playpen - about 6' x 6'; fill to the top with softballs; go 1,000 yards away; shoot. Guaranteed you'll hit a softball consistently at 1,000 yards.
Not the same one each time, mind you, but . . .
I suspect that if the expert shooters on this forum find that to be quite a feat - and given the degree of precision that would be required, it certainly sounds so - then those who make the claim are most likely reflecting on perhaps having done it once, and having the claim self-pinocchio over time and retelling. That certainly hovers well within the range of a custom rifle, and it would be a lucky buy of an off-the shelf rifle, combined with a lot of practice, a still, bright day, and superbly assembled components to make it happen - not to mention a very high magnification scope, and a very steady rest. 100 yards - OK with the same rig; ten football fields away? Ask him how much he wants to tutor me on how to do it.

 

[corsteve]

tell them to prove it have a custom bulit 338 lapuia dont think i could hit it one out of ten times

 

[corsteve]

i can shoot 1000 yrds no problem cant hit anthing but can shoot that far