Reasonable Long Range Hunting Distances(edited)

[Bravo 4]

There are better still out there! Was gonna have my 36" barrel made into a Lethal Mag, but certain events changed my mind. It'll still get'er done. If I move out west after I retire from the military in a few years I can see myself burn a barrel out of that thing every year.

 

[FIGJAM]

Guys, the point of this thread is to see how, in your opinion, advancements in the industry regarding cartridges etc have effected reasonable hunting distances. This thread is about equipment.
Nothing more.

Lol - but it is advancement's in bullets and powders etc. that have increased the amount of retained energy and velocity down range that allows us to hunt that far out. New cartridges havent really offered anything over the old ones, other than rifle manufacturers offer fast twist barrels in the new ones to stabilize the heavy high bc bullets. If you were building your own rifle, your 7mm rm or 7mm weatherby can do everything the 28 nosler can do.

Or your 260 can better a 6.5 creedmoor or the good ol 243 doesn't give anything up to the sexy new 6mm creedmoor. Now because some dude who has never shot a rifle can run down the walmart and pick up an RPR 6.5 creed with an 8 twist barrel and a box of hornady match 147gr eldms and go hit steel at 600 yards, everybody thinks the technology has changed a ton - it really hasn't. Just easier to get your hands on.

 

[DSheetz]

Technology has made it smaller and more accurate in some instances . The older range finders first used were large cumbersome things 4 or 5 inches square and a few feet long and still not that accurate . Wind meters were also large and not so easily carried around . The scopes have lighter tubes , better cut threads so they are more repeatable better quality glass and coatings for low light transmission and clarity in all light and weather conditions . We have different powders that aren't as temperature sensitive and have consistent burn rates designed for the bullets we have today . We have faster and more availability to knowledge we can access in the field for the most part . We can figure bullet trajectories at different angles and distances using the range finders we can carry in our pocket and on our cell phones we have access to ballistics programs so we have a good idea of what our bullets are doing at all distances during flight and have a good idea what they will do on impact . Cell phones that have more computing power you can carry in your pocket then you used to be able to get from a computer that wouldn't fit in an average home . All of this has come about in less then 40 years . A lot of it for the betterment of our world I hope . The world has changed a lot since I was a kid in the early 60's and I'm enjoying it for the most part . I still love the feel and look of a finely hand crafted fire arm and will until I die .

 

[Huntnaz]

So for me with a custom built 260 rem and a 4-16 conquest v4. My max range is 600 yards with ideal conditions on deer. With my 280ai and an shv my max range is 600 yards on elk once again in ideal conditions.

 

[Todd Gansel]

So I typically use the 1000 ftlb rule on big game. So work your load on a ballistic calculator and when the energy dips below 1000 that is your max range for that cartridge. At 54yo and being a disabled vet I do not chase wounded animals very well. But at 1000 ftlbs of energy or higher if i do my job it should put them down. But I always try to get close and you need to know your limits as well so there is alot of practice involved and dont forget to practice in the wind. Also because I'm cheap I use 12 inch paper plates quite often for targets. I figure if I can consistently keep it in a paper plate that my limit as well. Just because the gun can shoot further doesn't mean you can. Exceptions to the rule, heck yeah coyotes I will shoot well beyond.

 

[Greyfox]

Primarily a whitetail, mule deer, and antelope hunter, while I have shot a few small antelope and whitetail further out, my general limit is 1000 yards...if conditions are well understood. My primary LR rifle for the last eight seasons is a 6.5x284 pushing 140/142gr VLD's at 3000FPS, generating a minimum of 1800FPS/1000FPE at 1000 yards. Terminal performance with this rifle/cartridge has proven to be quite sufficient .

 

[snox801]

I would have to bet that the reason they want you to use Kentucky windage is because far fewer people will try a shot because lack of confidence. I think what they are worried about is the guy who buys the scope with drops built into is like the Nikon 308. Then watches best of the west and thinks he just has to dial to that distance for a 500 yard shot. He feels confident so tries it and wounds the animal . That would be my guess

 

[DSheetz]

I hunted Coyote doing predator control for over 30 years and have seen some smart educated coyote over the years . I've had some that would come into the call and just set out at 1000 - 500 yards . I had a 30-06 built just for them I put a good scope on it built for long range shooting and had a good barrel installed for 150 grain bullets . The longest shot on a coyote I made was 643 yards ( ranged with range finder ) the wind was calm , the temp was 65 F a flat shot . My gun was rested on a rock with my jacket under it , I adjusted my scope for the ranged distance and made one shot taking her out she was setting broad sided to me . When I got down to her and sat down at her level looking in the same direction she had been her den with the pups was what she had been watching . I have seen this quite a few times . She was killing lambs to feed her pups eating only the soft internal parts to feed them . Another day in the life of predator control .

 

[COBrad]

Kentucky windage instead of a rangefinder... I've lived here in CO my whole life and my observation has been game management and associated issues are now mostly controlled by liberal dips$!'s on the front range. It's politics now and not game managers and knowledgeable people making these decisions. Limiting one's ability to be a more precise shooter by foregoing modern equipment is sheer stupidity.
I'm not real taken with this thread either. There's been a steep increase of ethics discussions and off hand condemnation of LONG RANGE hunting. This is longramgehunting.com. If you're not up to the task go elsewhere or start reading and using what you learn here. Another observation has been that those who haven't learned to use the full potential of their arms are usually the folks questioning those who can. Just because YOU can't do it doesn't mean it can't be done.

 

[Golovkin]

For me, it all depends on the target: paper, something I will be eating, or coyotes, gophers, etc. Then there's the tough part: practice at distance. 50+ rounds per month at ranges from 200 to 800 yards. That gives me confidence in the gun, the load and my ability.
We see the 10 rounds per year guys come out just before hunting season to zero at the range. Regardless of caliber, their effective range is about 100 yards.

These guys often miss the 100yd shot because they zero on a lead sled and that zero is way different than the field shot zero. I learned the hard way...

 

[Rich Coyle]

Kentucky windage instead of a rangefinder... I've lived here in CO my whole life and my observation has been game management and associated issues are now mostly controlled by liberal dips$!'s on the front range. It's politics now and not game managers and knowledgeable people making these decisions. Limiting one's ability to be a more precise shooter by foregoing modern equipment is sheer stupidity.
I'm not real taken with this thread either. There's been a steep increase of ethics discussions and off hand condemnation of LONG RANGE hunting. This is longramgehunting.com. If you're not up to the task go elsewhere or start reading and using what you learn here. Another observation has been that those who haven't learned to use the full potential of their arms are usually the folks questioning those who can. Just because YOU can't do it doesn't mean it can't be done.

I'm a wanna be who completely agrees with you. They should be like children used to be taught: Seen and not heard.

 

[Tommo64]

If you are wondering if you will hit it, its too far.

If you're sure you'll kill it, its in range.

Wind and experience are the main factors.

Best answer so far. Brief, but right on point.

 

[WiscGunner]

For me, I see use target size and success rate in the conditions as my judge for distance. I don't shoot primarily at large plates and feel if I, with my skill set and equipment, can hit a vital zone sized target 100% at x distance with x conditions in that position, it is safe for me to take that shot on game.

I also use minimum expansion velocity as the furthest distance for that cartridge/bullet combo.

Advances in higher BC bullets, more reliable expanding bullets, less sensitive powders, cheap accurate ballistic apps like BallisticARC, wind meters and more accurate laser range finders have made previously crazy long range shots fairly easily attainable to most people. Just look at the numbers discussed these days compared to 10-20 years ago. The absolute biggest leap in long range shooting gas come from advances in laser range finders.

These days the biggest limiting factors on effective long range shots are laser range finders, practice and wind reading.

1000 yards on a 24" plate isn't too difficult these days because we can easily verify it is actually 1003yds and with pocket computers can accurately factor in changes in temp, humidity and pressure for that particular shot. Change that 24" target to 6-8" and all the other stuff needs to tighten up more too. ES's need to go lower, positions need to be steadier, wind calls need to be more accurately guessed, laser rangefinders need to have tighter tolerance.

As the shooting shorts pushes the envelope to 6,000yrds, the lessons learned make 1,000yrds much easier.

Now if someone wants to "play" today's long range game with equipment that was great in 1980, they should stick with 1980 distances. Just because you can buy a $100 LRF doesn't mean it will help you at 600yrds let alone 1000+. For example, I run a Sig Kilo 2200MR which works well to 1000-ish but it can't even even tailgate let alone be in the same ballpark as top end offerings at greater distances.

If you reload like its 1776, calling them "handloads" does add quality for distance.
The internet, like this forum or Youtube, has been extremely helpful in educating and sharing techniques and standards. Without the internet we would only reload/shoot/expect as good as our neighbors can do.

All in all, advancements in technology have drastically shortened the learning curve but actually putting that info to the test is still REQUIRED to test what an individual is safely capable of, in my opinion.

 

[jvr]

There is a big difference shooting off a bench or prone at the range. Shooting in the wild. Usually on less than ideal rest. The wind not steadied by berms or trees. Knowing you should be making a first round impact in the vitals (Because you paid 10k for the shot at that trophy and wounding is the same price). Combine that with your target has a heart beat and gets a vote in the whole scenario. Range finders. Quality ammo. Awesome rifle & scope. Accomplished target shooter. Doesn't always add up to killing game at 1000 plus yards is a given. My 2 cents.