Long Distance Deer Rifle

[Savagebolter]

they mentioned practice a lot didn't they? that is very true, shoot the crap out of it at a 100 yrds. get used to the setup everytime you shoot.

My definition of setup:
Breathing(controlling)
Mental,mental,mental (its 99% of the game, the other 1% it to remember to pull the trigger!)
Hand placement(both hands)
dont pull, sqeeze or ease the trigger, LET IT SURPRISE YOU!
IF you know the exact time everytime you shoot, you might flintch, your body might make a slight movement with a bigger caliber. ease the trigger and it will soon fire.

shooting at 300 yrds is the same SETUP as 100 yrds. shoot them the same. know your round, and stick to it. oh, yah, HAVE FUN! if you don't quit, more for me!

[Purdy]

Originally Posted by Silent Shooter

At 300 yards a .243 will tear up more meat then you want to lose... I have shot a deer at a lasered 427 yards and there was nothing but liquid above the diaphram.

REALLY? you mean the bones,skin everything, liquid? AMAZING.

I'm calling BS Iv'e killed somewhere between 25 and 30 deer with a 243 over the years and that just doesn't happen, regardless of range.

[Silent Shooter]

Call it all you want. You have no idea the round I was hunting with, chances are you have never shot a deer at 427 yards. I have about 5 witnesses that saw the shot and the results. (We were busy cleaning another deer at the time).

Of course I did not mean the bones, fur, etc. I meant the heart and lungs.

[irish murphy]

I would be using my 300wm.I shot a fox under light not long ago at a bit over 400m.Put his lights out very quickly.

[wirehunt]

That practice thing has the most to do with it, however I'm most UNLIKE Savagebolter, know when that trigger will break is the most important part of good shooting. I like mine at two pound and crissssp, a good way to practice is setting yourself and dry firing.

Whitetail? At 300 any good centre fire should do the business out to at least three hundred, and four hundred shouldn't be out of the question if you practice enough...

[Brother Bob]

Originally Posted by wirehunt

That practice thing has the most to do with it, however I'm most UNLIKE Savagebolter, know when that trigger will break is the most important part of good shooting. I like mine at two pound and crissssp, a good way to practice is setting yourself and dry firing.

Whitetail? At 300 any good centre fire should do the business out to at least three hundred, and four hundred shouldn't be out of the question if you practice enough...

400+ yd. shots on any game animal is bordering on ethics issues in my book. To each, his own, but I wouldn't attempt a shot like that unless it was a bear carrying off a kid or the winning lotto ticket!

[.280Rem]

Originally Posted by Brother Bob

400+ yd. shots on any game animal is bordering on ethics issues in my book. To each, his own, but I wouldn't attempt a shot like that unless it was a bear carrying off a kid or the winning lotto ticket!

Its not unethical at all, if you're equipped for it, and have practiced for it and know you're fully capable under the particular conditions.

[lefty o]

correct, it is not unethical if you are capable of doing it. however as ive said many times, most hunters dont belong taking shots at 100yds, much less further.

[andrew cochran]

Originally Posted by lefty o

correct, it is not unethical if you are capable of doing it. however as ive said many times, most hunters dont belong taking shots at 100yds, much less further.

+1 I totally agree!

[Brother Bob]

Originally Posted by .280Rem

Its not unethical at all, if you're equipped for it, and have practiced for it and know you're fully capable under the particular conditions.

It's not hunting, at least not the type of hunting I do. It's getting out of your SUV or ATV and setting up a table, range-finder, Oregon Portable Weather Station, a .30-378 with a 32 inch barrel, etc......... No that's not hunting. Any shot beyond your MPBR is nothing more than a calculated guess and if you are so far away that you need to launch a bullet at a 17 degree angle to even reach your quarry, that's not hunting. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on ethical hunting.

[turner]

Quote:
Originally Posted by lefty o (Long Distance Deer Rifle)
correct, it is not unethical if you are capable of doing it. however as ive said many times, most hunters dont belong taking shots at 100yds, much less further.

+1 I totally agree!
__________________
An Arkansaw Hillbilly, who can shoot purdy good!

I tend to agree with you both. I've asked enough hunters simple questions about both ballistics and trajectory to know that the average hunter knows little about either. To have a rifle sighted at 100yds (like many do), even with high intensity cartridges, the drop at 400yds is easily enough to completely miss a deer sized animal. I do doubt that even 1% of hunters actually shoot at a target farther than 200yds away, and even a rifle zeroed there can do funny things at 400yds. Simply my opinion. And nothing against those who DO practice enough to be proficient at that range. I simply think most, by far, are not.

[lefty o]

the problem as i see it is, most hunters are hunters, not shooters. at most the average hunter fires 10 to 20 rnds a year, or less. where as many here are both hunters, and shooters. i myself fire many thousands of rounds a year, and except under ideal conditions at a world class animal, i probably would not take a 400yd shot on a big game animal.

[Brother Bob]

Originally Posted by lefty o

the problem as i see it is, most hunters are hunters, not shooters. at most the average hunter fires 10 to 20 rnds a year, or less. where as many here are both hunters, and shooters. i myself fire many thousands of rounds a year, and except under ideal conditions at a world class animal, i probably would not take a 400yd shot on a big game animal.

Thank you!

[wirehunt]

Originally Posted by Brother Bob

400+ yd.

I'd didn't say 400+ I said 3-400.

Posipete has said that 90% of the deer are appearing at around 300, there is no reason that with a good rifle and rest and of course that practice he shouldn't be able to be very successful at these ranges.
If I was him I would head out with the rangefinder and see just what he's got, then make a very basic map and put the ranges on it with clicks if needed that he has checked at the range in real life, not taken from a book, maybe a point blank range of 300 will take care of 99%of his shooting where he shoots, in which case job done.


You realize Posipete that you'll get all this set up then a real good buck will walk out 70 yards from your stand next time your there

[sniper1958]

My .30-06 is sighted at 2.7" high at 100 yards which translates to -3.7" at 300 yards with a 250 yard zero. The energy at those ranges is 2699 ft. lbs. and 2051 ft. lbs, respectively. OGW is I shoot Hornady 165 grain SST with 2900 fps at the muzzle and get 1.2" groups (on a bad day) at 300 yards. Practice IS the key to success and practice at the range you intend to shoot is the other key. In other words, know your rifle and your load and each's limitations!

There are a lot of people who call themselves hunters that are proud to hit an 8" pie plate at 100 yards. After all, it is a kill shot, right? So I am an accuracy freak. Guilty! My Dad taught me to strive for accuracy. In his words, "you may never have to take the head off of a squrrel or a turkey to survive, but it's nice to know you could!"

[Brother Bob]

[quote=wirehunt;478342]I'd didn't say 400+ I said 3-400.

Posipete has said that 90% of the deer are appearing at around 300, there is no reason that with a good rifle and rest and of course that practice he shouldn't be able to be very successful at these ranges.
If I was him I would head out with the rangefinder and see just what he's got, then make a very basic map and put the ranges on it with clicks if needed that he has checked at the range in real life, not taken from a book, maybe a point blank range of 300 will take care of 99%of his shooting where he shoots, in which case job done.


You realize Posipete that you'll get all this set up then a real good buck will walk out 70 yards from your stand next time your there [/quote
Ok, Ok, Ok,......... but I don't have to like it!

[Purdy]

Originally Posted by Silent Shooter

Call it all you want. You have no idea the round I was hunting with, chances are you have never shot a deer at 427 yards. I have about 5 witnesses that saw the shot and the results. (We were busy cleaning another deer at the time).

Of course I did not mean the bones, fur, etc. I meant the heart and lungs.

Thought we were talking about a .243?? and you are correct I've never shot a deer at 400+ yards, I'm a better hunter than that. Seems like at 400+ yds. the velocity would be somewhat less than at 100-150? but maybe you have some special ammo that has more velocity at longer witnessed ranges?

[Silent Shooter]

First of all, 400 yards is not that long of a shot, certainly not on something as big as a deer. If I could not hit a deer at 400 I would pack my bags and go home. I frequently practice at distances of 600 and beyond, my target is a 12"x12" steel plate.

Concerning the distance... Ever try shooting a good sized groundhog at 50 yards (center of mass) with a .223? The bullet tends to zing right through them causing little outward damage. Try the same shot at 175, and parts go flying. Tissue destruction does not come from how much energy your bullet has. Tissue destruction comes from how much of that energy is effectively transfered to your target. When a bullet totally penetrates a target and keeps on going, it takes a lot of it's kinetic energy with it. If a bullet that has 1000 ft/lbs of energy exits the target and still has 750 ft/lbs of energy, how much was really transferred to your target? Penetration is not always king, energy transfer is.

Concerning the ethics of hunting beyond a hundred yards - PLEASE. I can knock the primer out of a empty cartridge at 100. I also practice rapid shot placement by shooting 5 12 gauge shotgun shells at 100 in 10 seconds (most of the time). Every once in a while, I will lose one and it takes longer to find it. At 100 yards any practiced shooter with a quality weapon should be able to hit nickel and dime sized targets on a regular basis.

[lefty o]

we're glad you can knock the primer out of an empty cartidge at 100yds, most hunters on the other hand have a hard time just hitting a deer at 100yds.

[Silent Shooter]

While I understand that, I get a little bent out of shape when someone tells me a shot is unethical based on thier ability or equipment. I started shooting at about 4 and by the time I was 14, I could shoot pop cans at 300 with a Rem 700 6mm. I was expertly trained in the military and have honed my skills my whole life. I shoot thousands of rounds a year and practice, practice, practice. I am not perfect, I know a whole lot of shooters better than me, but please don't question my ethics. I let more deer go than anyone I know. If I can't make the shot and get a quick kill, I will not take it.