Long Range?

[VTbluegrass]

I don't shoot anything that far off but I am still using vlds and ABLRs mainly because I have really good loads that shoot small groups. I don't have a separate target gun so everything gets the high bc etc etc bullets. I did have a 30-06 though that shot tiny happy groups with flat base Speers over most boat tails I tried. Never intended to shoot it over 200 so that's what it got.

 

[lancetkenyon]

What Sierras are you using?

SMK, TMKs, & TGKs.

 

[Greatgrandad]

I have no interest in shooting past 500 yds. My rifle range only goes that far and my hunting ground only goes out to 400 yds. My longest kill was 327 yds. So, since I've always reloaded my ammo, I have just dabbled in some of new bullets designed for shooting distances far past my needs. There are so many new bullets that go with faster twist rates, it drains my energy to try and stay familiar. I pretty well just use cup and core bullets, a few solids. Is there anything to be gained at my distances, using bullets touted as Long range, super efficient?

Not much if any. I still have a few old rifle loads that I duplicate from their originals from late 1960's and 1970's using Sierra SBT's, BTHP and a couple of Speer BTSP. They had/have no problem taking game at those distances, and some much farther. For decades, we never had most of the modern LR/ELR bullets most use today, and we killed a lot of game and varmints.

 

[buckleyboy]

No need to get sucked in to the hype, @speedgun. Farthest I can shoot right now is 600. It is a ton of fun, but I won't hunt that far. A shock/stone hammer provides great terminal performance for me.

 

[Crockett12]

The only long range I've done has been while gopher hunting! With a very accurate 22-250 I have (and using 50 gr Hornady V-Max bullets (1/4 inch at 100 yards if I do my part), I found I was more limited by wind than by the distance. I could always estimate the bullet drop but even a mild wind caused misses at 500 yards! I've never tried heavier and higher B.C. bullets in that rifle because the 50 gr was so accurate but maybe I should!

 

[mnoland30]

I read a Shooting Times article years ago where the author tested every 30-06 factory load with a chronograph placed at 300 yards. The difference in energy between round nose and boattail bullets astounded me. A sleeker and heavier bullet can improve terminal performance. Run the numbers in a ballistic calculator. It doesn't turn a mild round into a magnum, but it gets part way there. I found that sleek boattail bullets generally give me better accuracy.

I used to shoot Amax as practice rounds and Barnes as hunting rounds. Before I joined this forum, It never occured to me to hunt with the Amax bullets.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I have no interest in shooting past 500 yds. My rifle range only goes that far and my hunting ground only goes out to 400 yds. My longest kill was 327 yds. So, since I've always reloaded my ammo, I have just dabbled in some of new bullets designed for shooting distances far past my needs. There are so many new bullets that go with faster twist rates, it drains my energy to try and stay familiar. I pretty well just use cup and core bullets, a few solids. Is there anything to be gained at my distances, using bullets touted as Long range, super efficient?

No other than bullet performance on game. At 500 yards, a Nosler Partition might be a half a minute lower at 400 yards than a higher BC hunting bullet will be. The animal won't know the difference if hit with either.

 

[FEENIX]

This is "Long Range Hunting".

Nothing to gain by high BC bullets designed to open at lower velocities. Out to 500, there is 0 need for them. Use a good sturdy bullet.

That being said, I have had excellent results with Bergers and Sierras from 60 to 1367.

This!