I am seeking advice!!
- Thread starter Swatman05
- Start date
Ok how much .Larry
Yes sir??
220gr?
If you can purchase this rifle, you should do it. Put a good scope on it and get started practicing at long range. You should go over to Long Range Hunting .com, some of us are members over there.
Will do! What's your username so I can look ya up?
You are gonna need a lot more then a good accurate rifle to hunt long range.
1 Decent spotting scope with tripod
2 High quality range finder G7 BR2 or a Leica 1600B
3 Kestrel weather/altimeter/wind/ meter
4 Ballistic calculator or App G7 BR2 has one built in that is very good.
5 And a very good spotter who can call corrections if needed.
you also need to be proficient at dialing up your scope for distance and for wind. you should find someone local to help you out. most of the time your shots will be in side of 500 yards with practice that should be a gimme.
good luck to you and have fun.
1 Decent spotting scope with tripod
2 High quality range finder G7 BR2 or a Leica 1600B
3 Kestrel weather/altimeter/wind/ meter
4 Ballistic calculator or App G7 BR2 has one built in that is very good.
5 And a very good spotter who can call corrections if needed.
you also need to be proficient at dialing up your scope for distance and for wind. you should find someone local to help you out. most of the time your shots will be in side of 500 yards with practice that should be a gimme.
good luck to you and have fun.
Thank you sir!! It's hard to find someone who will actually go hunting with me. I have friends who say they will, but then they back out for one reason or another. :-(
Swatman, where are you located?
Mebbe you're close to someone on the board, and one of them would be kind enough to 'mentor' you in shooting LR. You seem to have good intentions and a desire to learn, that goes a long way in finding someone to help you along...
Do you know of any rifle ranges close to you? If so, more than likely there's a shooter there who'd be kind enough to spend some time with you?
If you're close to central NY, I'd invite you out to shoot a few different rifles out to 1K, and beyond. You'll be able to see firsthand what it takes to make a hit at those distances with the 1st shot, and the tools required to do so.
As you've read here so far, being proficient at distance is not an easy task. From positional shooting to recoil management, to atmospheric variables & cold bore POI, reality isn't always like what you see on those LR hunting TV shows where every shot is a "hit". Those who shoot enough know better...
You're on the right track to gettin' squared away. Good luck, keep learning, and mebbe someone will come along and show ya the ropes in real life!
Mebbe you're close to someone on the board, and one of them would be kind enough to 'mentor' you in shooting LR. You seem to have good intentions and a desire to learn, that goes a long way in finding someone to help you along...
Do you know of any rifle ranges close to you? If so, more than likely there's a shooter there who'd be kind enough to spend some time with you?
If you're close to central NY, I'd invite you out to shoot a few different rifles out to 1K, and beyond. You'll be able to see firsthand what it takes to make a hit at those distances with the 1st shot, and the tools required to do so.
As you've read here so far, being proficient at distance is not an easy task. From positional shooting to recoil management, to atmospheric variables & cold bore POI, reality isn't always like what you see on those LR hunting TV shows where every shot is a "hit". Those who shoot enough know better...
You're on the right track to gettin' squared away. Good luck, keep learning, and mebbe someone will come along and show ya the ropes in real life!
Will do sir! What's the price range on your rifles?
I'd love to come shoot with you! Unfortunately, I live in Central Oklahoma. Haha. The furthest range around here that I know of stretches out to 600yds. I'm willing to travel to a nice range to learn!
Don't need to travel to learn how to shoot and read wind. Grab your existing rifle, some cheap plinking ammo (ie not super match grade bullets/ballistics) and try to make first round hits on a 6" steel plate at 600 yards. Level of difficulty and wind interference is about the same as a 12" at 1000 yards with a magnum caliber and heavy/ballistically efficient bullets.
12" deviation while hunting medium/large game translates into an unethical shot - why would you want to make an animal suffer? As a responsible hunter, I would discourage you to hunt at these distances without ample practice, hunting experience and familiarity with a weapon you are carrying/using.
I would get PLENTY of practice. I have a lot of respect for the animals I hunt. I would never make it suffer. I'd try to close the distance as much as possible, but if the conditions are unfavorable, and I'm good and confident with my shooting ability at that distance, then I'd take the shot. For all I know I might never shoot an animal at that distance, but if the situation presents itself and it's my only option, then I WILL be prepared.
Don't feel "unfortunate", you're in a GREAT area! I've got close ties to my Okie homeboys!
Make your way down to that 600yd range & get a feel for it. See what other shooters are using, and I bet one would let ya take their rig for a spin if you showed any interest! I sure enjoy seeing a 'new' shooter get behind one of my rifles and make good hits!!! Surely, others do as well...
If I had to make a recommendation on rifle & cartridge, I'd steer you toward something like a 6.5Creedmore. There are several factory rifles chambered in 6.5Creed that will be accurate enough to get you started. A Savage, Tikka, or the new Ruger RPR would be a good start and not break you, financially. Also, match quality factory ammo in 6.5 Creed is readily available to feed it.
Save your brass! If you've really got the bug, I predict a reloading press in your future...
Also, you'll need a good, repeatable scope. For about $1K, a Bushnell DMR/XRS/ERS, a used Nightforce NXS or SHV, or Burris XTR will get you something reliable. Don't underestimate the importance of a quality scope! Shooting at distance requires an optic you can trust, so don't slouch on the glass. I'd sooner spend MORE on the glass, and LESS on the rifle...
I can appreciate your zeal & drive to jump into the 'deep end' of the pool. But trust me, you'll be much better served to start at the start, and get proficient with a manageable and relatively affordable 'mid-range' cartridge at 'mid-range'. Concentrate on that, FIRST! Once 600yds becomes boringly easy, then you can worry about stretching the legs a bit further...
Don't buy into the marketing hype of those 'turn-key' 1000yd hunting rifles. Without the skills required to operate them, you're no further ahead than with any other rifle.
The difficulty of distance shooting increases exponentially, so shooting @ 600yds in NOT 2x as hard at shooting @ 300yds. It's more like 10x as hard
And once you get much past 700yds, you'll see how humbling even a minor shift in the wind can be! It will show you in sobering reality what it takes to even consider attempting to take an animal at that range! Heck, I didn't shoot over 20 whitetails this past season, just because I didn't feel 100% about the shot. And that was with a VERY capable rifle and proven equipment. Yes, I had just as much fun watching them walk away & hoping for another crack later on. Experience will allow for that enjoyment, so don't ever be in a rush to shoot game at LR. Things can & will go south in the blink of an eye. That's another tip you'll hardly ever see on a LR tv show. They're in the business of selling equipment, as are some websites, always keep that in the back of your mind on your quest toward learning. Some will push you in a direction, the direction that puts $$$ in their own pockets. Nothing wrong with that, just be aware of the potential bias factor.
Start at the start, don't get ahead of yourself! Sometimes, the ride is just as enjoyable as the destination. A 6.5Creed @ 600yds will get you well on your way to your ultimate goal...
Good luck & have fun!!!
alf
Silver $$ Contributor
I'd skip the big boomers for now till you get into reloading & some rounds under your belt at LR. The only way to do that is to shoot a bunch, and get some experience, and a big hammer gets old fast, and expensive to feed.
Also, BC is BC no matter the caliber or bullet weight, so bullet drop and drift are the same, when started at the same velocity.
This is a good platform to start:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...Xizu5T0hIYZjuCvyQ&sig2=7u_UFFva942MbdEg4kqXVg
I'd consider the 7 Mag on the top end, and would actually recommend one in 30-06. Relatively easy on the shoulder, readily available components, and decent performance with good barrel life. Spotting your shots at distance can be problematic with the big stuff when shooting alone as well.
The same as it is here. You are definitely getting excellent feedback.
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