What made you interested in long range shooting?

[Bob Wright]

Started with a 30-30. Then '06. Hit my first shot past 360 yds. Got lucky by today's standards and equipment. But when I got my first 7 mag I started pinging steel using the subtensions just to see if I could, and did out to 600. Since then, it started to push me to 1000 and just refining my handloads with a lot of errors/and some new successes. Now I'm hooked. It's more about punching paper, as AZHTR said, not a lot of big game opportunities here. Watching my ammo use in today's times, I really have to be mindful of how much I send downrange. But, still hooked. This site has been great learning experience.

 

[Old Rooster]

Started with a 30-30. Then '06. Hit my first shot past 360 yds. Got lucky by today's standards and equipment. But when I got my first 7 mag I started pinging steel using the subtensions just to see if I could, and did out to 600. Since then, it started to push me to 1000 and just refining my handloads with a lot of errors/and some new successes. Now I'm hooked. It's more about punching paper, as AZHTR said, not a lot of big game opportunities here. Watching my ammo use in today's times, I really have to be mindful of how much I send downrange. But, still hooked. This site has been great learning experience.

I agree,without this site I would still be shooting my self imposed limit of 300 yards.

 

[brant89]

As a kid I loved seeing how accurate I could shoot my pellet rifle and I spent as much time as I could out shooting sparrows and red squirrels. As we have all experienced I started feeling the need to challenge myself and started shooting farther. As I got older I stepped up to a .22LR and then a .17HMR. I think the HMR, combined with my interest in movies like Sniper and Shooter (as unrealistic as they are) got me interested in pushing the limits further. I saved up for a 223 and used MIL dots for holdovers, writing my DOPE on my stock and had the dream of one day being good enough to kill a big game animal at 500 yards. Started spending all my spare time reading everything I could about long range shooting, bought a rangefinder, started dialing elevation instead of holdovers, and learned reloading from a member here who turned me on to this site and took me under his wing and that was pretty much the end of my disposable income. Now 500 yards feels like a chip shot and though my longest big game kill is a measly 336 yards, I have a half dozen one shot kills on varmints beyond 700 yards.

In regard to LRH Forum, I spend more of my time here than anywhere else because the people on this forum are generally good hearted, knowledgeable, and much more helpful than other forums. My first ever western hunt was a DIY antelope hunt in Wyoming with my stepdad (my graduation present to him) and I credit a member here for a big part of our success as he was willing to share one of his hunting spots with me so we could tag a couple decent bucks. I also met up with another member and talked him into attending a precision rifle match with me, even though neither of us have ever competed in that type of event, and we actually won the team event and we keep in touch still. In return I try to share my knowledge and experience with other new shooters and I really enjoy bringing newbies into the game, especially their reaction when they make their first LR impact.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Tagging in to share later.

 

[Len Backus]

Here's my story if you haven't yet read it.

Man, 25 years ago sounds like such a long time!

459 Yard Buck - and the founding of LRH.com

In 1997 I posted this story on a couple of forums or "newsgroups" and was absolutely hammered for being a good-for-nothing idiot to think that it is acceptable to shoot big game at long distances. (459 yards isn't even really very long, is it?). It was the first time I had tried to have a...

www.longrangehunting.com

 

[gohring3006]

I've always pushed the envelope.
I started trying to hit pop cans at 100 yards with my bear whitetail 2 compound, I was always trying to send rifled slugs to 300 years hitting steel. The obvious next step was rifles.

 

[gohring3006]

Here's my story if you haven't yet read it.

Man, 25 years ago sounds like such a long time!

459 Yard Buck - and the founding of LRH.com

In 1997 I posted this story on a couple of forums or "newsgroups" and was absolutely hammered for being a good-for-nothing idiot to think that it is acceptable to shoot big game at long distances. (459 yards isn't even really very long, is it?). It was the first time I had tried to have a...

www.longrangehunting.com

Well Len, look what you started!
The greatest discussion forum on the web.
Good to see you check in with us. Hope everyone is well.

 

[257 STW]

Man I am envious! I have a buddy that only lives a few miles from me, he has a range out to 600 yards. Shooting much past that has not happened for me yet, I'm still waiting to shoot 1000 yards......someday man, someday.

You will get there, no doubt. The first time you ring the 1K gong, your going to want to act like a 6 year old at Christmas! If your not already hooked on LR..... You will be!

 

[memtb]

Politics! memtb

 

[tomsd]

HMMM - well - in the early-mid 50's - first started shooting small birds (mainly sparrows - and the eager cats would follow me around as the birds tumbled down from the trees) in Klamath Falls, Oregon with my Benjamin pump pellet gun. Next I liked not having to have to pump so much between shots when graduating to a .22 - and from there - the trusty 12 GA Winchester model 97 pump worked for bigger Birds and Rabbits - and the ole reliable .32 Winchester Special in a Model 94 extended the range for Deer - and then my dad's customized Springfield 03 - 30.06 - opened my eyes even more,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, then on to the Rifle team at AF Academy.

Much later it was hitting a hanging gong at 300 yards at our local range here in San Diego (harder to find longer - legal distances around here ) - also reading about "White Feather" = 93 CONFIRMED KILLS - by legendary Marine Sniper Carlos Hancock in Vietnam
And thinking more about - hey - I should be able to do something like that - so finally at 74 years of age - just bought a Tikka T3X in 6.5 Creedmore for long range plinking/easy kicking fun. Sort of a natural continuation - and threads like this definitely help keep the interest up. Thanks to all.

 

[Kevin P McNeilly]

Watching dad and grandpa practice to go antelope and mule deer hunting when I was 6. Herd dad talk about killing a caribou across a lake in British Columbia, I as any kid pushed limits burnt barrels and extended ranges, all we had at that time was 360 yards then now 1480. Don't forget the main reason you want bigger and better is your shooting partners got a new rig or one that out preforms yours. It's the competition that pushes you to get more of an edge. Jmo!

 

[cvixx]

Just to see if I can do it. I enjoy pushing myself to walk farther, shoot farther, read more, etc. started with the Marines, shooting expert with the M-14 and never slowed down.

 

[Mike Aimonetti]

I did a survey for a club that has a 1000 yard range. Watch some folks shooting steel coyotes at that distance and was invited to try. That was my undoing. Reload and shooting at those distances is a thrill especially when I watch a target tip over. Still learning.

 

[JAYgs8163]

The challenge and the love of running head first into Rabbit Holes.