Long range big game help.

[Cowboy45]

O
At 1000 yards your target may even move slightly from the report of your rifle and spoil the shot, then what? .

The speed of sound travels on average depending on air temp a constant speed of 1,000 to 1,100fps.. It takes almost 3 seconds for the rifle report to make it 1,000 yards.. Depending on the caliber and bullet speed it's takes less than 1.5 seconds for the bullet to travel that distance.. Giving meaning to the term "Dead before ya hear the shot"

As far as why people want to take an animal at 1,000 yards.. Well everyone gets there kicks a different way.. Yours might be stalking.. I personally would rather send a bullet the extra 700 yards than have to walk it..

 

[Chetna]

Bottom line from what I can see is how much money are you willing to spend on a 1000yrd custom rifle with optics that cost just as much. Then the time it takes you to work handloads to get out that far along with the practice to get there. Killing big game at 1000yrds I don't know about that.

 

[Yeah]

Any time anyone notes the range at which they plan to kill an animal, someone shows up to drag the matter down to their own skill level. The best answer is to just repeatedly and reliably do what they can't.

 

[LarryC]

Any time anyone notes the range at which they plan to kill an animal, someone shows up to drag the matter down to their own skill level. The best answer is to just repeatedly and reliably do what they can't.

I have to totally disagree with you! I am old now and don't have the "skill level" I once had, but spent many days hunting in my younger days.

I NEVER shot at game far enough away I felt there was a chance I could not kill it quickly, I NEVER took any game I did not eat. I always tracked and killed any wounded animal - happened very, very few times.

I am not cutting anyone down for their views, I just don't agree with testing not only your ability, but the weather, animal movement during bullet travel, gusts of wind etc. I feel it take much more "SKILL" to move within a reasonable shooting distance and is a far more humane way to hunt.

 

[Yeah]

I judge as reasonable, any distance at which I can reliably knock over the animal I target. Comfort in arranging that at distances between handshake and deep triple digit yardage is a reality I've purposely worked to affect and one which I have and will repeatedly render.

You'll note that the preceding sentences don't consider, in any way, your capabilities.

 

[Mac-1917]

Growing up out west. I used a 30-06 for everything (deer, elk, black bear, antelope) for first 5 years. If you hand load you can do up to 220 gr. which is more then capable of anything in north america and then some. And the 06 has a longer barrel life then 300 mags. If you do not hand load the 06 has way more ammo choices then the oddballs.

I tried out a 25-06 and 30-378 for a couple of seasons and I am right back to the 30-06. As far 1000 yd range unless your doing mountain sheep I just dont see the need to take that kind of shot. Antelope are the most skittish I have seen and it is easy to close in to 400-600 yards.

If you are going past the 1000 yard mark then yeah I think 300 / 338 / 30-378 would be worth the investment.

 

[Niles Coyote]

OP,

From a fellow LR shooter and hunter I will say if youwant to hunt both deer and elk at extended distance go with a 300 mag and load Berger215 or 230 grain hybrid’s both will do it fine, 208 Hornady A-Max is another...If you were to only hunt deer then there is a few more calibers I would add to this... but here is the thing. Don’t take shots you have not already taken in practice under similar wind and weather conditions. Often I have passed on shots just because I did not have a good indication of what the wind was doing between me and the game nor I am not on my home turf to have firsthand knowledge to help me out.

You need to shoot and shoot a lot, in all weather conditions... I have had funny looks cast my way by fellow shooters at the range for laying on the wet ground during rain and snow storms while they stayed in the comfort of the warm dry club house, shot great distances while they refrained from “wasting ammo” because of the winds present while they inside two or three hundred yards. Laughed at when I said I wastaking my 223 to the 1000 yard line for some wind training only to see them come out and want to talk when they heard the distance tink on the distant targets and want to see the rifle doing it.

You will need to load your own ammo and you will want to know it intimately. Factory ammo for the most part is not suitable for this pursuit. If you search for long range shooting and also hunting on the web you will find forums of likeminded folk who share this passion and will help guide you on the journey.

Last, never think you know it all. Keep an open mind and soak in all the info you can find. There is always more than one way to do something and you may find someone else’s way easier once it’s tried. When I started, I thought I was a good to great shot... HA, now I know better... there is always something to learn.

 

[Dodgehunter84]

Niles Coyote, thanks for the information, I regularly shoot every weekend no matter what the weather. I hand load all of my ammo. I have a .308 that I shoot a lot out to 700 yards at the range, but soon I will be able to practice out to 1000 yards after my dad and I get our range built. I mainly will be after deer and pronghorn. I've really been leaning towards something in a 7mm, but I haven't decided yet.

 

[whitetailbowhunter]

My vote goes for the 7mm Rem Mag. It's a great caliber and will do you just fine. I only say this because of my own experience with the 7mm and how much I like the round. A lot of calibers out there are capible of what you're looking for. I'd say 7mm or 300 win mag.

 

[huntall50]

answers will range anywhere from 7mm rem mag to 338 lapua. If whitetail what your talking about taking at 1000 id look at the 7mm. If elk is what your looking at taking at 1000 id more closer to the 338 lapua, 300 winny, etc.

What 42769vette said!

Gun must me flat shooting and have sufficient terminal ballistics! I have hunted out west and you have to work really hard to identify game and get clear travel for a 1000 yard shot. But I have a nice Browning BAR Safari grade 7mm Rem Mag and ammo for sale.
__________________

 

[roadrunner681]

dont forget the laws of where your hunting they my require a certain caliber then up from there.

 

[1$Chuck]

Watch some of the gunwerks videos on youtube.

 

[Yeah]

I don't know where the notion that elk are hard to kill is rooted, but it certainly isn;t in killing elk. No competent rifleman who has killed more than a couple could believe it because they have large vitals that are not hard to reach.

In a utility role you want balanced, quick handling, light weight, and chambered around a bullet that slips conditions well. That precludes anything with a belt.

 

[tallpaulr]

I would have to wieght in saying your min will be a 7mm rem mag and the max is a howistzer, I would sit in the relm of a 7mm STW, 7mm ultra mag, 300 or 338 ultra mag, they seem to come with a smaller price than the laupa. Lots can shoot 1000 yards and make a group but it needs to have the foot pounds when it gets there to make agood kill

 

[tallpaulr]

I would not say that an elk is hard to kill, bt youhave to hit it right and at 1000 yards your margin for error is tiny, one little not prefect moment in there and you ahve a wounded elk that has a 1000 yard head start. OH boy!!

 

[avboiler11]

Long range shots on game are certainly riskier than a 30yd broadside...but LOTS of practice in all kinds of conditions, a ballistics calculator, and quality bullet construction can mitigate most of those challenges.

Long range hunting doesn't have to be anything close to unethical.

You might bebop over to SnipersHide and do a search for 'PGS' or 'Pat Sinclair' - he's killed more game animals (to include elk & bear) out west than I've probably ever seen, many at ranges in excess of 500m and a very high number with "just" a 260 and 130gr Berger VLDs.