What are you shooting at? Long Range Targets.

[Yrcan]

I mostly shoot steel and rocks.
I have a nice range, that takes me out to 1500 meters.

I try to shoot everyday during the spring an summer, now in the winter, daylight is real short, and shooting can only be done in the weekends.

My targets are mostly 12"x12" Hardox steel plates.
They range from 750 meters, to 1265 meters.

I practise for hunting, so coldbore shots is my game.
Here is a pic of my 1090 meter target, my old big target Plate is 20"x28".
These 5 shots where taken on 5 separate days.

Shot with my 338LM and using 300 grs Berger OTM.



This is a 10 shot group, same gun and ammo, and same distance and target.


The rifle


View from my target, looking at the shooting area. Quite nice, in my opinion.


My second range, shooting ice in the winter out to 2800 meters.
No ice yet

 

[jcvibby]

We like to have two targets hung at every distance, we only use AR500, 3/8" or even 1/4" AR500 at further distances is plenty.
one of them being a 1 MOA target, usually a round.
and the other being a 2 MOA target, preferably a square because it gives you a little more surface area.

That way you can pretty much always get on target quickly with the bigger target, then with the smaller, if more imitates the vitals and requires a much better shot.

So for example, and we have hundreds of targets set up, so this is a small sample size,

At 800 targets, we have a 8 inch round target, hung on a rebar stand with conveyer belt.
The other target at 800 yards is 16 inch square. Hung the same way.

The idea is to have around 4 times the surface area on the big target,
So the 8 inch round, you would be able to fit 4 of those into the 16 inch target.

Good Luck

Jake Vibbert
JC Steel Targets

 

[yobuck]

I believe match shooters are in a totally different league than long range hunters. Match shooters are shooting 10 shot groups (which is dang impressive for them to get as small a groups as they do) where as a hunter usually only shoots 3-5 shot groups. Match shooters are trying to get all their shots into that small X ring where as hunters are trying to put a shot in a 10-18" kill zone depending on the animal.

There is no doubt in my mind that a bench rest shooter could get a large caliber rifle, get prone with a bipod and shoot a half MOA 3-4 shot group at 1000-1300 yards.

you need to get out and about more and check out some of what goes on in long range benchrest matches.
yes depending upon conditions some use smaller cartridges like a 6mm dasher.
when its windy however many are still using 30 cal or other magnum cartridges.
the 10 shot 1000 yd record which is under 3" is currently held by a shooter using a 300wsm.
many of those shooters are also long range hunters.
first round hits have always been saught by hunters so there is nothing new about that. the equiptment today can in some respects make it easier to do that than it was just a few years ago. but the fact is there were very successful long range hunters many years ago and their system is still producing very good results.
a dead animal is the bottom line for success. wether it took 1 or 3 shots to
accomplish that is insignificant other than for personal satisfaction.
in that regard its no different than bragging over a small group.
if your hung up on the value of it carry only one bullet with you. if you miss you failed and its over. just pray you dont hit any tree limbs because where i hunt
theres lots of them. i guess kestrel hasent figured out how to deal with that yet.

 

[Korhil78]

You are totally misunderstanding what I am saying and trying to inject ideas that are not mine. I already know that longrange competition shooters make great LR hunters. Why wouldn't they? They dope the wind with every shot and a lot of times have to shoot fast to stay in the same wind. I shoot multiple shots at my target (groups). But what I really like to concentrate on is trying to get that first shot as close to my point of aim as possible. Is that going to happen every time? No, but I sure like to train and strive for that. No one said that all I need is one bullet, you injected that idea into this conversation. No one is perfect and I never said that I was.

When I say Large caliber magnum, I meant the 338 caliber magnums or did I say that in my previous post. I will have to go look. I should have been more specific, my fault. I know what people are using in competitions.

If you want to continue talking about this, send me a private message as we are taking this thread a different direction than the original poster wanted.

 

[yobuck]

the reason the 338s arent used in long range benchrest is because they dont shoot
as well as other cartridges. ask any of the better shooters and thats the answer you will get. they use and do whatever will give them the best chance of winning. the
succesful long range hunters ive known do the same thing. dont get me wrong i applaud those who strive to be the best they can at anything.
but take it to the bank there are lots of things other than first round hits involved
in taking animals long range. quite often success is created by an intentional miss in order to even get a hit. thats hunting, dont count on anything.

 

[joseph floerke]

Thanks guys, love the circle spray paint idea! What kind of groups are you excpecting at say 1,200.

I shoot about a quarter inch group at 1000 yds .

 

[BrentM]

I shoot about a quarter inch group at 1000 yds .

That is impressive. I assume you are benchrest guy and current world record holder. Am I correct? That is some crazy skill.

 

[joseph floerke]

That is impressive. I assume you are benchrest guy and current world record holder. Am I correct? That is some crazy skill.

Sorry meant moa.

 

[BrentM]

Sorry meant moa.

2.5" is still impressive. Nice work. My rifle and I argue over .75MOA and .3 MOA accuracy at LR. I say .3 is the goal since I do it consistenly for my zero and it says .75MOA is more acceptable past 600. I am sure it is the rifle, ha ha.

 

[joseph floerke]

2.5" is still impressive. Nice work. My rifle and I argue over .75MOA and .3 MOA accuracy at LR. I say .3 is the goal since I do it consistenly for my zero and it says .75MOA is more acceptable past 600. I am sure it is the rifle, ha ha.

The rifle and a lot of time spent loading for it and playing with seating depth.

 

[BrentM]

Just finished my new low budget steel.

 

[RMulhern]

Having a target frame of 4'x8' gives the shooter a visible location as to what the wind is doing to the load! Just because it's that size doesn't mean that you can't spray paint a bull in the middle!!

 

[RMulhern]

ricktarget01 by Sharps45 2 7/8, on Flickr

 

[Erik Kiser]

Best thing about a big target is it allows you to get on target pretty easily. I've gone out and shot at smallish targets and for one reason or another you're missing and at longer ranges it can be difficult to spot which direction you're missing. Keeps wasted ammo to a minimum