Okie Whitetail Hunter
Well-Known Member
So when I was a kid long range was 200 or 300 yards. It seems now that definition is 700 or beyond. Is this due to better quality optics and rifles?
What is considered Long Range now days?
- Thread starter Okie Whitetail Hunter
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Rich Coyle
Well-Known Member
Perhaps it is due to more leisure time.
Okie Whitetail Hunter
Well-Known Member
That could be it. I do shoot more now then I ever have mostly at 400 and under. Makes shooting 100 yards easy, which is the distances most my shots are during deer season.
Timnterra
Well-Known Member
It's definitely due to laser range finders. I used to pace off yardages from were my stand was to objects so that I could know what distances I might end up shooting. It is very hard to make an accurate range estimate without a laser range finder. I remember reading, years ago, in outdoor life magazine about needing to be able to shoot 600yds to kill an elk. I wonder now how anyone even know what 600yards was? All the tall tails of long range shots taken on animals before the days of laser range finders seem highly unlikely or impossible.
Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
Be
better optics, rifles, bullets, rangefinders, shooting apps and etc.. Also, folks tend to practice more at longer ranges so this increases skill level
Okie Whitetail Hunter
Well-Known Member
I did the same. I would pace off the distances and then make note how far in case the deer showed up there.
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
I still use Bob Hagel's old 3" high at 100. Gives me a point blank range of nearly 400yds. After that start dialing. But this has nothing to do with my definition of long range. To me, long range is where I get the wind meter out and start looking at blades of grass across the distance. When I have to worry about getting it right, it is long range. Some days it could be as close as 400, some days it is a long ways. Long range to me depends solely on conditions.
Longshotjames
Well-Known Member
as stated above Laser range finders but also the availability of repeatable, affordable scopes that can be dialed up to the distance needed. Before we couldn't do much with with ol" 3x9 scope.
James
James
BrentM
Well-Known Member
300 or less is normal hunting range as a 200 yard zero will generally allow a person to aim and shoot. Anything beyond that requires adjustments for wind, hold, atmospherics etc I consider long range. I would also include the position the shot is taken from.
What has changed the game is advertising and tech due to popularity. It seems everyone thinks this is the way to go. Some 30 years ago I was shooting long range, I reloaded, had the correct set up, but what was lacking was the technology to make consistent hits. My scope was fine, heck a 10x was plenty. Today, for about 1500.00, your LRF can spit out a solution for the shot in fractions of second. That doesn't mean the shooter can hit anything of course. I mean how many people actually practice positional shooting in field conditions?
What has changed the game is advertising and tech due to popularity. It seems everyone thinks this is the way to go. Some 30 years ago I was shooting long range, I reloaded, had the correct set up, but what was lacking was the technology to make consistent hits. My scope was fine, heck a 10x was plenty. Today, for about 1500.00, your LRF can spit out a solution for the shot in fractions of second. That doesn't mean the shooter can hit anything of course. I mean how many people actually practice positional shooting in field conditions?
My personal definition is at the distance when you need a range finder for yardages that simple hold overs won't correct for and far enough that wind starts to have an effect on your bullet drifts. For me and the guns I shoot, 400 yards is about that point. From another perspective, long range might be when you can't hit the vitals 10 out 10 every day.
LR is subjective to many, but I began in the competitive world were SR, MR, LR had set meanings. Today for me, SR is 0-1/4 mile, MR 1/4-1/2 mile, LR 1/2-3/4mile, and ELR above 3/4mile. I remember the old 5/600 yard targets being marked MR with 800-1,000 yard targets being marked LR.
BrentM
Well-Known Member
I think this still correct for most, they just want to sound cool and say it begins at a mile. The reality is that they if the attended a PRS match they'd be happy getting a couple hits out of 10 on 700-1000 targets with position changes and off obstacles. This is about as close to hunting as it gets unless you LR practical matches, which I prefer. Still positional but 4 min to set up and 4 min to shoot 4 rounds with descending scores.
redleg1013
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0-25 is close quarters or point blank
25-300 is short range
300-600 is medium range
600-1000 is considered long range
1000+ is extreme long range
Least that's what I was taught...
25-300 is short range
300-600 is medium range
600-1000 is considered long range
1000+ is extreme long range
Least that's what I was taught...
While I do admit today's equipment is more available and well known, I still have a 1970's model 3x9x40 that has the BDC dial with plex wires on the crosshair. I used it to shoot fairly long distances on game. Also, there were several turret target scopes back in the day many of us used for LR shooting, comp, varmints, etc. My old 1,000yd turret BR scopes saw much usage on MR and LR P-dog towns, so even decades ago, there were many options for the dedicated LR shooter.
There just wasn't as many of us.
If we really take a trip down LR memory lane for the really old timers, I'm not there yet but getting close:
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