Long range shooting - 1,000 yards

[Twangbanger]

Been there, done that....

The two guys above know what they're doing...I shouldn't even be allowed back on that range.

It takes a couple seconds for a bullet to cover that distance, and I personally wouldn't fire a shot at an animal at that distance, unless it was laying down asleep, and my family was starving.

 

[indyjohn]

It takes a couple seconds for a bullet to cover that distance, and I personally wouldn't fire a shot at an animal at that distance, unless it was laying down asleep, and my family was starving.

Oh, I agree 100% with you on that. I'm just participating here because I am one of the few that have actually sent rounds 1,000 yds down range and made the black. I didn't win any awards but I can say I've done it.

I'm well aware of Mr. Scott's capacity. On a good day, he might even refer to me as a friend.

 

[natdscott]

I don't recall, was there any front post left after you prepared it for 1,000 yd work???

Oh yeah! It’s -5 turns on the front to get a workable 1,000 yard zero. From 800-900-1,000 is more-or-less an entire rotation of the rear sight per yard line.

I had Frank at CLE—bless him—make me a set of SHORT posts from 0.052” through 0.072”, and that helped get my rear sight down a little for better cheek position.

But hey, I’d call you a friend on any day!

 

[Leo]

It ain't dropping that much... It's still super sonic around 1400 yards with a decent high BC bullet.

You wouldn't zero for 1000, you zero for 100 and just dial it in.

With a hornady 147gr, you'd be at 29.5 MOA of drop at 1000, which practically any scope will dial in pretty easily without needing an angled base. If you have a standard MOA or Mil type reticle, most reticles will be able to compensate for that much on their own pretty easily.

You easily find scopes that have true 30 plus MOA of elevation adjustment, after you zero the scope at 100 ? I also was a Palma Shooter, and built a 6.5 X 284 with a scope for the any sight match at the Nationals. Tried several high end target scopes, all needed tapered bases. After the first year, I ended up taking the scope off and shooting it with Palma iron sights. Lots of adjustment an a Zelenak Palma sight. I shot Master level with irons, and did not pick up any points shooting scoped.

I am impressed with anyone who shoots the little .223 as a service rifle Palma. I shot a modified M1a Supermatch for two years with M118LR ammo. 800 and 900 yards was no problem, but it was a little iffy staying supersonic to the 1000 yard target if the winds were working against you.

 

[natdscott]

John, if you look closely: that’s Liam McKenna scoring for me in the second photo. Atterbury Nat’l LR in ‘17.

Now there’s a young man that can shoot.

 

[indyjohn]

John, if you look closely: that’s Liam McKenna scoring for me in the second photo. Atterbury Nat’l LR in ‘17.

Now there’s a young man that can shoot.

Respect!

If you have any inclination to visit Agne & crew this coming year, let me know. I'd love to join you and I'd do my best to keep up!

 

[Tombs]

You easily find scopes that have true 30 plus MOA of elevation adjustment, after you zero the scope at 100 ? I also was a Palma Shooter, and built a 6.5 X 284 with a scope for the any sight match at the Nationals. Tried several high end target scopes, all needed tapered bases. After the first year, I ended up taking the scope off and shooting it with Palma iron sights. Lots of adjustment an a Zelenak Palma sight. I shot Master level with irons, and did not pick up any points shooting scoped.

I am impressed with anyone who shoots the little .223 as a service rifle Palma. I shot a modified M1a Supermatch for two years with M118LR ammo. 800 and 900 yards was no problem, but it was a little iffy staying supersonic to the 1000 yard target if the winds were working against you.

I just dialed in 90 on my SWFA without an issue.

 

[Leo]

The two guys above know what they're doing...I shouldn't even be allowed back on that range.

It takes a couple seconds for a bullet to cover that distance, and I personally wouldn't fire a shot at an animal at that distance, unless it was laying down asleep, and my family was starving.

I used to like shooting 1000 at Oak Ridge. They have a hill behind the 1000 targets. It was fun to set your spotting scope just right so you could take your shot, open your left eye and watch the puff of dirt as the bullet hit the hill 1.8 seconds later.

 

[indyjohn]

I just dialed in 90 on my SWFA without an issue.

But would you be on paper?

 

[Tombs]

But would you be on paper?

I honestly don't know, the furthest range I have to shoot at is 300 yards, and I haven't even found my 450 bushmaster to be dropping a significant degree out there.

Sometime I'll get out to a range that'll let me stretch out.

From past experience, I have pretty good confidence the turrets track true. Any problems would be on my end of things.

 

[Leo]

I just dialed in 90 on my SWFA without an issue.

90 moa, almost 90 inches up from a 100 yards zero, that is impressive. What model scope is that? Even a 30mm tube target scope would not do that in the 90's.

 

[Tombs]

90 moa, almost 90 inches up from a 100 yards zero, that is impressive. What model scope is that? Even a 30mm tube target scope would not do that in the 90's.

SWFA 3-15 30mm tube with an MOA reticle.

I like their scopes quite a bit, very basic and not what I'd call top shelf glass, it's not bad just mediocre, but the turrets are fantastic and they will stand up to a lot of abuse.

I hear good things about arken in the bang for the buck category these days. No experience with them, but they might be in the same tier.

 

[indyjohn]

From past experience, I have pretty good confidence the turrets track true.

That is their reputation. A good calculator should put you there.

 

[avboiler11]

Mad props to sling-and-iron guys shooting at 1000…but I’d submit prone off a bipod is a somewhat different game.

A 140gr Berger Elite Hunter leaving the muzzle at 2800fps, at an elevation of 3000’ (probably low for “out west”) and temp of 32F will drop 8.0 mils and drift 1.7 mils in a full value wind at 1000yd.

Just under 1600fps velocity and around 775ft/lb energy. That’s getting pretty dang marginal, but likely still enough for *that particular bullet* to do its thing if placed appropriately, as evidenced by the likes of George Gardner and Pat Sinclair.

Its that “bullet placed appropriately” thing that’s an issue for 99% of people talking this.

I’ve dialed from my 100yd zero and scored a first round hit on a 10” plate at 900yd…but that extra 100yd can be a mother with local environmentals.

Unless a barrel or two has been burned shooting 800+….keep the shots on game to 500 or less, that’ll be plenty hard enough as is.

 

[DadSmith]

800 yards out west is nothing new for hunting nor is 1000 yards.

Some people can do it all day others can't feel confident to kill a deer at 50yd. Don't limit others by your abilities. He may very well be able to take game at 1,000 yards. A 6.5 Creedmoor is capable with shot placement.

I find it odd that people think long range hunting is unethical. If you cannot shoot and kill big game at 100yds or 1000yds don't pen your abilities on others that can.

Steiner T5Xi Tactical Rifle Scope 5-25x56mm.
If he can get this scope it will serve him well.
He can buy it on a 5 month plan for $400 a month + tax of course. Or outright at $1998 + tax at Amazon.

 

[roscott]

His interest in long range shooting and hunting is great! I would encourage it. Sounds like he bought a solid rifle too.

The problem is that he doesn’t understand what he’s asking. It’s like someone saying they want to race in NASCAR, so what car should they buy? With enough money you can purchase a car capable, but just owning the right equipment doesn’t suddenly make you a race car driver.

If someone is determined to be a professional race car driver, they should start by racing in some local races. They won’t know what they really need until they start doing it.

The same applies to guns. How far has your friend shot? He doesn’t understand how silly his goals seem because he just doesn’t have any experience in that arena. He needs to gain experience. Find the place to shoot. (See above posts.) Shoot plates at 400 and let him discover for himself.

 

[Twangbanger]

800 yards out west is nothing new for hunting nor is 1000 yards.

Some people can do it all day others can't feel confident to kill a deer at 50yd. Don't limit others by your abilities. He may very well be able to take game at 1,000 yards. A 6.5 Creedmoor is capable with shot placement.

I find it odd that people think long range hunting is unethical. If you cannot shoot and kill big game at 100yds or 1000yds don't pen your abilities on others that can.

Steiner T5Xi Tactical Rifle Scope 5-25x56mm.
If he can get this scope it will serve him well.
He can buy it on a 5 month plan for $400 a month + tax of course. Or outright at $1998 + tax at Amazon.

YouTube never shows the misses. The point is not that "it can be done." Everybody here knows that. It's the percentages we care about.

I'm not saying anything about the people in the video, because I don't know them...but...and here's the important part:

If the inexperienced person referenced by the OP goes out west and starts whanging away...and scores 20 misses and 5 cripples, on the way to getting one hit that gets mounted on the wall - guess which shot is going to make YouTube?

His video will end up looking "just like theirs."
Is there more to the story?
Paul Harvey isn't going to tell us.

 

[DadSmith]

YouTube never shows the misses.

I'm not saying anything about the people in the video, because I don't know them...but...and here's the important part:

If the inexperienced person referenced by the OP goes out west and starts whanging away...and scores 20 misses and 5 cripples, on the way to getting one hit that gets mounted on the wall - guess which shot is going to make YouTube?

His video will end up looking "just like theirs."
Is there more to the story?
Paul Harvey isn't going to tell us.

The Video is to show that the 6.5 Creedmoor can take elk at 800 yards with a well placed shot nothing more. I have a buddy that uses his grandfather's hand down 270 rifle. He makes shots on mule deer and elk out to 700 yards about every year.
So no it's not for a new hunter or a seasoned hunter that doesn't know how to shoot long distance.
Like I said above do not lump everyone as a unethical hunter because the majority of hunters cannot get a kill shot at long range.

 

[Twangbanger]

The Video is to show that the 6.5 Creedmoor can take elk at 800 yards with a well placed shot nothing more. I have a buddy that uses his grandfather's hand down 270 rifle. He makes shots on mule deer and elk out to 700 yards about every year.
So no it's not for a new hunter or a seasoned hunter that doesn't know how to shoot long distance.
Like I said above do not lump everyone as a unethical hunter because the majority of hunters cannot get a kill shot at long range.

I went back and checked the thread, and every criticism offered against the plan referenced by the OP was based on the experience level of the intended individual. I didn't see where anybody is "lumping" anything.

Nobody is saying you can't "make shots" at those ranges. It's the misses we're talking about, not the hits.

Even with the best, most aerodynamic bullets (which may not be the ones that kill the best), they will drop another dozen feet going from 750 yards to 1,000.

 

[DadSmith]

I went back and checked the thread, and every criticism offered against the plan referenced by the OP was based on the experience level of the intended individual. I didn't see where anybody is "lumping" anything.

Nobody is saying you can't "make shots" at those ranges. It's the misses we're talking about, not the hits.

Even with the best, most aerodynamic bullets (which may not be the ones that kill the best), they will drop another dozen feet going from 750 yards to 1,000.

I'm sure people that hunt long range understand that well.

Around my area 500yds is about as long as one can get because of the lay of the land even in large fields. I would think an avg marksman can hit a 10" target at 500yds even with cheap Russian ammunition. I've done that myself messing around with my Ruger Precision in 308 Winchester and Wolf Performance 308 145gr FMJ. I normally shoot 175gr Sierra Match King bullets in it. But after playing with a box of Wolf Performance 308 I wouldn't have a problem using them to 500yds if there SP ammo shot the same as the FMJ.