Shooting a Mile

[people]

LOL That reminds me of a range trip with my brothers friend. He also shoots a 300WM except with 125gr bullets. We were at a range with gongs at 500m. He stated his bullets are still climbing at that distance and how he shoot a deer very close to that range. Well we started shooting and he shot very well to a couple hundred yds. Once the distance grew his hit rate fell to zero. Once we were at the rams he knew he did not shoot a deer that far.

We let him shoot the 338LM and he was very impressed with how easy it was to hit a ram at that distance. Just aim where you want and you hit it. He was a believer of the set your scope and forget it.

Using a very light bullet for long-range shooting is a huge step back.

 

[retired]

My youngest son wants to shoot a mile, and he is asking me about what caliber to use. I'm not versed on this. He has a 6.5 Creedmoor and I've read that some people use it. He mentioned the 6.5-06AI. If you could give me some advice or point me in the right direction I would appreciate it.
Thanks
Handi204

tom and donovan know what they are talking about. the creedmoor will work fine. handload some quality bullets and work your way out. its just harder to do. where do you live. having some place to do this is part of the problem.

 

[284winner]

tom and donovan know what they are talking about. the creedmoor will work fine. handload some quality bullets and work your way out. its just harder to do. where do you live. having some place to do this is part of the problem.

Creedmoor will easily do it AND you will learn alot more about shooting range and wind with it as well. It's just that there are some better ones out there without having to go magnum in 30 thu 33 caliber. Half the battle is having the right gun to make the shot. Then theres the dope for elevation and wind and reading some other elements that mother nature will pitch at you. Good luck.

 

[Handi204]

tom and donovan know what they are talking about. the creedmoor will work fine. handload some quality bullets and work your way out. its just harder to do. where do you live. having some place to do this is part of the problem.

I live in central WV my son works with a guy that shoots on I assume on an old strip mine. There is a group of guys that shoot 1.5 miles just out of Charleston. I'm in the class that thinks ( run what you brung) and start from there. Just don't go out a spend a pile of money starting out and decide it ain't for me.
Thanks for the advice
Geary

 

[fredo]

6.5Creed does a mile "easily"?
C'mon gents...

I've shot side by side with bigger and smaller than a 6.5Creed. Past about 900, its suckin' wind. And by 1,100, its limpin' on 3 legs. Impact on steel is about as powerful as a ladybug on a windshield. And one little switch of wind downrange makes for a huge deviation on accuracy. In other words, you miss by two friggin' feet...

I suspect those who've shot these 'sub' LR cartridges are doing so at the same range, where local conditions have become common knowledge? Just sayin', if you take a 6.5Creed out somewhere foreign, you're gonna have a heck of a time even SEEING an impact anywhere @ one mile to correct from. Let alone, hit a decent sized target within 3-5 shots...

Let's keep it real here. I've got a beast of a .30cal that is a "gimme" at 1K, and flat smokes a .338Lapua for a looooong ways. Yet, I can appreciate how stretching it another 700+ yards past 1K becomes ever more challenging. Just sayin', the difficultly level increase with range is not linear, its exponential...

If ya wanna dabble in a simulated 'one mile' shoot, get ya a decent target .22LR & some quality match ammo. Find what it likes for ammo, then set some plates up from 200-500yds. (I use thin diamond plate for impact recognition) Prepare to be humbled & schooled by ambient conditions! Watch how a breath of wind wreaks havoc on the bullet. Once ya get past 300yds, you'll be enjoying the same frustrating experience that shootin' a 6.5Creed @ a mile will offer...

Have fun!

 

[retired]

no oe said ot would be easy, but it can be done.
shoot what you got, if you like it start trying other things.

6.5Creed does a mile "easily"?
C'mon gents...

I've shot side by side with bigger and smaller than a 6.5Creed. Past about 900, its suckin' wind. And by 1,100, its limpin' on 3 legs. Impact on steel is about as powerful as a ladybug on a windshield. And one little switch of wind downrange makes for a huge deviation on accuracy. In other words, you miss by two friggin' feet...

I suspect those who've shot these 'sub' LR cartridges are doing so at the same range, where local conditions have become common knowledge? Just sayin', if you take a 6.5Creed out somewhere foreign, you're gonna have a heck of a time even SEEING an impact anywhere @ one mile to correct from. Let alone, hit a decent sized target within 3-5 shots...

Let's keep it real here. I've got a beast of a .30cal that is a "gimme" at 1K, and flat smokes a .338Lapua for a looooong ways. Yet, I can appreciate how stretching it another 700+ yards past 1K becomes ever more challenging. Just sayin', the difficultly level increase with range is not linear, its exponential...

If ya wanna dabble in a simulated 'one mile' shoot, get ya a decent target .22LR & some quality match ammo. Find what it likes for ammo, then set some plates up from 200-500yds. (I use thin diamond plate for impact recognition) Prepare to be humbled & schooled by ambient conditions! Watch how a breath of wind wreaks havoc on the bullet. Once ya get past 300yds, you'll be enjoying the same frustrating experience that shootin' a 6.5Creed @ a mile will offer...

Have fun!

 

[dmoran]

..... I've shot side by side with bigger and smaller than a 6.5Creed. Past about 900, its suckin' wind. And by 1,100, its limpin' on 3 legs......

Couple questions:
- How is it the 6.5 (and the smaller 6mm) do so well at 1000yds, when you say past 900 its suckin' wind?
- What is your "beast of a 30cal"?
- What have you shot to 1-mile with?
Donovan

 

[LHSmith]

I am only posting here because some are questioning Donovans capability based on what the ballistics charts show them. I don't shoot long range. Longest distance I have ready access to is a 475 yd range on our hunt club property. However, after shooting SR BR for 15 years, I have been extremely fortunate to become very good friends (I consider them as mentors) to 3 local competitors who have set still standing records in both IBS SR, F-Class, and Williamsport 1000 yard. The one thing they have in common is they shoot A LOT in ALL conditions- for the sole reason that when the commence fire command is given at a match , there is only a finite time in which you have to fire on your record target. In doing so they have the ability to quickly analyze shooting conditions to the point where they can identify the best window in which to shoot. This unique ability only comes with learned experience from firing tens of thousands of rounds. They simply amaze me. Shooting in a variety of conditions also gives them the opportunity to find a tune that is forgiving over an array of conditions- which is often encountered at LR. It is for this reason that my money will always go with Donovan's advice. Quick-load calculations don't win matches.

 

[Milo 2.0]

Another 1st class pissing match, I wonder which advice the op will roll with, he's been quiet. Guy wants a few hits on a mile target and we have him entered in the upcoming king of the 2 mile.

 

[fredo]

no oe said ot would be easy, but it can be done.
shoot what you got, if you like it start trying other things.

You must not be paying attention?
RE: post #45 you missed???

Creedmoor will easily do it AND you will learn alot more about shooting range and wind with it as well.

That's what I was replying to. (and I actually agree with the last part )

Look fellas, I'm just trying to interject a bit of my own reality into the discussion. As Milo pointed out, hopefully the OP is getting enough feedback from differing viewpoints.

Couple questions:
- How is it the 6.5 (and the smaller 6mm) do so well at 1000yds, when you say past 900 its suckin' wind?
- What is your "beast of a 30cal"?
- What have you shot to 1-mile with?
Donovan

First off what do YOU mean by "do so well"? You speaking from within the context of shooting for score on a fixed distance range, after sighters, correct?

In contrast, I'm speaking to field shooting & even hunting, where "sighters" and aggregates don't mean SQUAT. The notion that some shooters take pride in making hits without sighters & windflags to "do well" might be foreign to you?

To that point, heck, my peashooter .22-243AI with a 75Amax beats the pants off a 6.5Creed out to 1K. To the tune of like 1.7MILS....which is insane! Nearly same beating is dished from a larger 6.5mm like a 6.5SAUM. The Creed is like chunkin' punkins, comparatively...

My 6x47L is the same way. Sure, it'll make 1K, but past about 800 the performance ain't nuthin' to write home about.

So, when I say "suckin' wind", I mean SUCKIN' WIND. The thought of pushing a Creed another 760yds, in my opinion, is a fool's errand. But if it tickles your fancy, have at it! I know if I were just starting out, I'd appreciate some candor interjected to the discussion...

BTW, seems as though you were reading too much into my posts? I never said the 6.5Creed was incapable @ 1K. Just that, compared to other rifles I've shot side by side, it is inferior. Just like I typed the first time. And @ 1760, I (personally) wouldn't even bother. That's NOT to discourage any new shooter from trying it, rather to just keep their expectations realistic...low.

Oh, and my 30 cal wildcat is off an Improved .338Norma Mag. It'll do a 215Hybrid over 3200 or a 230 @ 3100, take your pick. I like the 215s...
This is that rifle at one of my long spots. No no bench, no joystick rest, no wind flags to help me "do so well" with...

Taking that into consideration, one might see that a contrary opinion might yet have some validity? If OP is gonna shoot at a square range with oodles of wind flags to inspect, then a 6.5Creed at one mile might not be such a waste of time?

For how I shoot, it is.

 

[dsculley]

My "take away" from all this: There are lots of options if the OP wants to try for a mile shot. Yes, some cartridges are better than others in this endeavor, but a person who wants to "try for a mile" is most likely not going to initially spend the money for a new rifle just to try for the mile shot. If the shooter tries it, really enjoys it and has a place to shoot the mile then a new rifle probably is in order.

For instance, I have a 6.5x47. Is it the best round for the mile shot? No. Will it make the mile? Yes, I know it will because I have seen shooters that successfully make the mile with a 6.5x47. That is what I would use initially. If I wanted to continue with extreme long range, which to me is anything over 1,000 yds. then I would get a rifle more suited to that endeavor. I am happy with my 6.5x47 out to 1,000 yds.

To shoot the mile, scope elevation is a major consideration. Once you have the scope elevation, then reading and compensating for wind becomes the most important factor as it is in all long range shooting. Unless you have some rain or a light snow to help you see the wind all the way to the target then most shooters will require 2 or 3 shots to be on target.

FWIW,

 

[dmoran]

@fredo
You need a super hero badge, since the equipment, the manor and the calibers you use chose, are some how so much more riotous (in your mind) then what other persons may chose and use. You rock !.!.!

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Personally, I enjoy shooting 1-mile with smaller calibers, and feel there can be more to be learned with them in the attempts then big-bores with ballistic supremacy. The way I think about it, and say a 100-MOA shot, is pretty much the same ballistically for any caliber and bullet, just that the final target distance will very.
Donovan

 

[people]

Personally, I really enjoy shooting 1-mile with smaller calibers, and feel there can be more to be learned with them in the attempts then big-bores with ballistic supremacy. The way I think about it, and say a 100-MOA shot, is pretty much the same ballistically for any caliber and bullet, just that the final target distance will very.

This is very true. I shot NRA high power for a season using nothing but pulled down M193 bullets. I learned much that summer about shooting on a range to 600yds. FYI I never came in last. I was close a few times but never last. When I went back to the heaver bullets it was almost like cheating. Same can be said about going to one mile. It is easy with a 338LM but that comes at a hefty cost.

Like I stated before just make sure you have enough elevation available and go shooting. Once you do it you will find out a few things that you currently do not know.

Fredo has moved beyond this entry level stage as have many of us. While reinventing the wheel is never fun, fun is a big part of shooting. If you are not enjoying the shooting you are doing you will not continue it. I personally hate shooting groups in paper. To me it just one step above just dropping your rounds in the grass and walking away. I had to learn what kinds of shooting I enjoy. As has everyone else who has been shooting for a very long time. This person may or may not like it. Who knows but to find out they need to go shooting.

 

[dragman]

Will it work? sure it will.
You can shoot a 300 or 338 at a PPC match are you gonna win 99.9% nope. and You can take a PPC to a 1000 yard match and are you gonna win 99.9% nope.
My point is I have seen 6.5's in decent conditions maintain MOA accuracy with top notch equipment at that distance. But 99.9% of the time all things being equal the bigger gun is going to win and be more consistent. The worse the conditions are the more magnified the issues will become for the 6.5.
Notice the further out you go the bigger guns start to win more and more. If he has a 6.5 and want's to try it heck yeah go for it, but if he want's to start doing it and really hone his skills get a 30 cal or 338 IMHO.

 

[284winner]

Shooting a mile with a 284 win and 180s pushing 3000 fps is no picnic when the winds are out and mirage is visible. Misses are not visible and at a mile, neither are hits. Having a spotter down range is nice. It's also necessary to save time and frustration. The rig is very adequate but still very under gunned as far as ballistics for the conditions are concerned. A 338 lapua or equivalent for wind would have been much better. With The 6.5 will work but you will certainly see it's handicap. Use what you have and enjoy it. It's a blast regardless.

 

[beemanjohn]

Another thread gone down the tubes by a bunch of giant egos. I'm sure the OP read about half of the chest thumping and left, never to be heard from again.

 

[dsculley]

Yes, it would be nice if people actually read the original post and answered that instead of telling what they do, how good they are at it and therefore that is what the op should do. The question was: My son thinks he wants to try a mile, he has a 6.5 CM, can he do it with that?

Short answer, yes. Is it the best cartridge for a mile? No. Still, lots of people ring steel at one mile with a 6.5 CM.

If the question had been: Can he be competitive at a mile with the 6.5 CM then more of this thread would have been relevant.

 

[284winner]

Yes, it would be nice if people actually read the original post and answered that instead of telling what they do, how good they are at it and therefore that is what the op should do. The question was: My son thinks he wants to try a mile, he has a 6.5 CM, can he do it with that?

Short answer, yes. Is it the best cartridge for a mile? No. Still, lots of people ring steel at one mile with a 6.5 CM.

If the question had been: Can he be competitive at a mile with the 6.5 CM then more of this thread would have been relevant.

Wouldn't be much of a forum if all the answers to the threads were Yes and No. Lots of info here from experiences of all kinds. Just read thru it and move on. I'm pretty sure most guys are giving their personal examples so the OPs will have less work to do. At least thats how I read most of it.

 

[Milo 2.0]

Wouldn't be much of a forum if all the answers to the threads were Yes and No. Lots of info here from experiences of all kinds. Just read thru it and move on. I'm pretty sure most guys are giving their personal examples so the OPs will have less work to do. At least thats how I read most of it.

To a point you're right, now if I asked if a 1 ton dodge dually with a cummins will pull a 40ft 5th wheel, you know damn well someone will post that his half ton chevy gets 21mpg.

 

[284winner]

To a point you're right, now if I asked if a 1 ton dodge dually with a cummins will pull a 40ft 5th wheel, you know damn well someone will post that his half ton chevy gets 21mpg.

Again, that's what forums breed. Just need to move thru it and make YOUR point and hope it helps the OP make a good choice. I've benefited from many experiences off this forum so it's real hard to beat up a on a response.