I would like to hear anyone that has a good story about thier longest kill shot on what ever; deer, prairie dog, squirrel, anything. Or longest shot in general with accuracy. I'm pretty big into long range accuracy, not that I'm promoting taking big game at long ranges, you should stick to ranges that you are comfortable with. It just fascinates me that you can send that little piece of lead and copper that far and hit that little spot your aiming for (well sometimes). I'm sure alot of you out there have some pretty amazing stories of skill and accuracy and I'm sure everyone would enjoy hearing about them also.

Doc "Zero"

Here's one of mine. I still love to hunt with my very first rifle; a single shot marlin lever action. I have a fixed rifle scope on it and keep it zeroed in at 100 yards. I usually take it and my little squirrel bark call into the woods find some good oak trees and take a seat. All it takes is a couple of taps on the call and the squirrels start popping up like in wack-a-mole. Even though my rifle is zeroed at 100 yards my shots are usually around 50-75 yards because I usually try to find a hollow where I can have a good wide range of shooting distances. One time I noticed a big fat squirrel far over to my left jumping up on a large downed dead tree at around what I figured to be at or near 100 yards. I rested my trusty marlin on my left knee and held the crosshairs on his little head figuring if the yardage was a little further it would drop nicely into his body. I gently sqeezed the trigger and as the gun fired I saw him tighten up solid and fall over like a dog trained to play dead. I had never seen one do that before so I made my way over to the large dead tree where he had falled. I found him laying right there and picked him up; I could find no blood on his body or signs of bullet holes in the fur. As I looked closer I could see a little bit of blood coming from his left and right ears, I could not believe it but at the exact moment I fired the round he must have turned his head and the bullet passed right through his head. I must also add that I only squirrel hunt with CCI Stingers and was impressed to see that the bullet still had enough velocity to penetrate completely through at 100 yards with a 22LR. Well thats probably one of my best shots; I'm sure luck played a great deal in this shot, but I practice being paitent for the shot and not rushing it, I may only fire a handful of rounds in an afternoon of hunting this way.

Doc "Zero"

Bull elk - Colorado; 1968. 375 yds with Ruger M77 7mm Rem Mag, using 162 gr Nosler Partition. First shot was at steep downhill angle at approx. 300 yds. Though I'd better hold slightly over and sure enough - it went over and hit a snow ladened spruce limb about 6" above the elk. He swapped ends and lit out up hill across the canyon following a cow and calf. Saw the cow/calf run through a small opening in the trees and figured there was a trail they were taking angling up the mountainside, so sat the crosshairs at the left edgo of the clearing and when I saw a nose project into the scope edge with a rack extending past it, gave a body length lead and squeezed again. He went down and rolled/slid halfway back down the mountainside in about 10" of wet, slippery snow (I know it was wet and slippery when trying to crawl up it to the beautiful 6 pt bull.) That was a handload using IMR4350 powder and 2950 fps avg.

Whitetail Buck - Texas; 1982. 389 long paces. Sako Pre-Garcia Forester .243 Win.
When fog finally lifted and sun came out, spotted him with his head in a prickly pear cactus patch munching cactus. Don't know where the first shot went, but it didn't seem to alarm him, as he kept feeding, so it wasn't anywhere near the head. Pulled a little higher over the back with the front shoulder centered in verticle crosshair and fired again. Durn'd if he didn't start bucking and flopping his head with his head on the ground. Laid down under a big mesquite bush. Stepped off the distance and when getting to him, found a neck shot just in front of the shoulder. Forkhorn - thought I'd seen at least 3 points on one side I could see, but got fooled. Was shooting handloaded 85 gr semi-spitzer Nosler Partitions (the old lathe cut ones) and again, IMR4350 powder.

Last long shot - Bull Elk; Arizona, 1998. Pre-'64 Winchester M70 in 30-06. Guide and i were right in the middle of a bunch of bugling elk and watched two old monarchs fight it out. The winner hustled back up the mountainside to his harem so fast through the brush and trees that I could never get him in the scope long enough to make a shot. The loser sulked back down to the bottom, picked up his bunch of cows and began herding them in the opposite direction and up another hillside. This was in a pevious burn area of several years with lots of snags standing and brush starting to grow. The bull finally stopped just inside the thicket bordering a powerline r/w and bugled one more time. I could see his head on one side of a tree and his shoulder between it and another snag. Held just at the top of the back and in line with the shoulder. Heard the "thwack" of the hit, scurrying feet and then a loud groan and thump. Guide said he was down and figured he was a 6 point. Estimated yardage was 350-375 yds (I said the shorter, the guide said the longer - think he was just wanting to work the tip up a bit!) Proved to be a 7x6 bull. Shot hit midbody, just behind the shoulder point - using factory Hornady 180 gr Light Magnum loads.

Limit my ranges to 300 yds and less these days due to longer teeth and furniture disease. (That's when your chest drops into your drawers! :p )

Kdub,
I can't even image hunting animals that large; we have some elk here in LBL, but I don't think they allow many taken. Those sound like some pretty impressive hunts and shots. What do you do with an animal that large after you shoot it? To me thats like shooting a horse, "now what do I do with this big thing". Do you clean the entire thing were it lays, and pack it out? (furniture disese, HaHaHa)

Doc

The longest shots I have ever made were on prairie dogs, probably out to 300 yards. I was mainly using a Sako L461 Vixen in .223, but I think I was shouldering my Dad's varmint rifle of choice on what I would consider my longest shot ever, that rifle being a tricked-out Mauser 98 in 25-06, and that was probably about a 340 yard shot. It might have been skill of the shooter, but I think that there was a fair amount of sheer dumb luck that went into that one as well. :D

Doc Z - Elk are highly prized table fare. Dressing and cutting up a mature animal is more than a chore for one man and pretty fair labor for two. Only thing worse is a full grown moose (which I took in 1968) - that was REALLY labor intensive.

Most folks will dress out and cut up a large animal on the spot and pack out pieces at a time. The one in Colorado was cut in two with hindquarters in one and the front end in the other, and tobogganed down the slippery slope to where we could get to them with an ATV. These were then transported to a processor in the area.

The Arizona elk was butchered on the spot and then packed out to where another ATV could be brought to ferry the pieces to a pickup and hauled to a processor.

The last elk I shot (cow) was quartered and loaded on pack horses for the trip out.

I was hunting on my farm in 1997. It was about an hour before sunset when four deer walked out from a timber cutover. I was sitting in a permanent deer stand about 15 feet off the ground. There is a power company right away through the back side of the farm and the stand was located on this right away. The four deer included an average buck for SC which is around 135 lbs and he had a small basket size rack his head....I have several rifles all of which are sighted in at short ranges of zero at 150 yards except for one Sako in 25-06. I bought the Sako thinking I would make some trips out west to hunt antelope. Never brought it West as I got into duck hunting and pheasant hunting in Nebraska. Anyways the Sako was sighted in dead on at 300 yards. I rested it on the side of the deer stand and placed the crosshairs on top of the buck's shoulder. Squeezed the trigger and the buck went down. I checked the distance with the county GPS program at 420 yards. Longest shot I ever made. The Sako has a sporter barrel and monte carlo stock. Moderately heavy rifle and usually don't carry it. This day I had it. Shooting remington with 120 grain core-lokt bullet. Scope is a simmons Aetec 3x9

I haven't made any particularly long shots on game, varmints, or paper. I've shot paper out to 400 yards with my 338 Win Mag with 250 gr Sierra gamekings, which is the longest I'm comfortable shooting at game. The longest shot I can recall making on game was a 5-point bull elk, estimated at 300-350 yards as we didn't have a rangefinder with us. The elk didn't know we were there, so we (my brother and I) had plenty of time to set up with a good rest and discuss the range. At the shot, with the 250 Sierra, the elk tightened up and just stood there in the "death stance", with a hit in the boiler house, as we determined later. I sent another his way, but now can't recall if it was a hit or not, and that sent him on his final 30-50 yard run. He piled up tight under a deformed stunted avalanche spruce, and we had to chop the tree out above him with our hatchets. Gutting and halving was completed right at dark-thirty, with a 4-mile walk out in the dark with dim flashlights. That wasn't a very good feeling, in unfamiliar territory. Got the horses right to him the following day.

Farthest big game shot I've witnessed was at a ranged 405 yards on a cow elk, by a friend shooting an 8mm Rem Mag. Dropped her right on the spot, through the shoulders, with a 180 gr Barnes TSX.

With varmints, we push the limit a bit more. Same friend that shot the cow elk has a Rem 700 243 SPS with a 4.5-14x Burris FFII, and he nailed a rockchuck with the 58 gr Hornady right at 500 yards. He practices quite a lot on his property, with gongs every 100 yards out to 600 yards. That 400 yard+ shooting takes a lot of practice, and my friend does his practice. I'll try 400+ yard shots on varmints, but 400 yards is my comfortable limit - and equipment limit - on big game.

Thunderbird Creek Basin near Lake Eklutna in Alaska. Two Dahl sheep at 650 yards. Guns were a pre -64 Winchester 70 chambered in 300 ICL Grizzly (a 300 Weatherby Clone) shooting a 180 grain Nosler and a 1978 Ruger 77 in 30-06 shooting a 165 grain Sierra spitzer boattail. They were shot from the top of the knob in the right background. Both Rams were 35 1/2 inches and 7 and 1/2 years old.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/North%20Idaho/DicksSheep.jpg

Now that's some long shooting Bob! And, T-shirt weather in Alaska! Global warming, clear back then!! Congrats.

While deer hunting with a army buddy in Oklahoma I was on a knoll that over looked a creek bottom when about a 1/2mile across the next rise there four quick shots from another party of hunters.
I kept glassing the bottom only to see a six-point buck with a front leg doing the "swinging gate"(bullet aimed at shoulder,shot low hitting the leg below the chest).

My range finder said 467yards.
I was shooting my Remington 700BDL 30/06 with 165grain Ballistic Tips.
A short prayer while I lined up the shot to break the offside shoulder after entering the chest cavity.
I over estimated my hold and hit just below the spine,shattering 6" of vertebra and dropping the deer with a huge exit due to secondary fragmentation from the bones.

In Feb 1991 I made fourteen shots all between 900 and 1200 meter's with a M82A1 on targets.


George

February '91. M82A1, 50 BMG ?

Thank you for your service, George. Army or USMC ? or possibly SEAL? SEAL's may or may not have had these yet in 91. Not too sure.

February '91. M82A1, 50 BMG ?

Thank you for your service, George. Army or USMC ? or possibly SEAL? SEAL's may or may not have had these yet in 91. Not too sure.

11B=Infantry
3=Staff Sergeant
V=Ranger

US Army.


Was crawling about Kuwait in January/February watching/spotting true long-range rifles back in 1991,the USS Wisconsin and her 16" beauties!

Thank you Sir!

George

Was doing some joint exercises with Nato allies in 78 . A few of them had some interesting equipment that we were trying out . We had targets marked out to 1400 yds out in White Sands . Well to make a long story short a jack rabbit wandered in at around the 1200 mark and the Lapua 338 made him turn inside out. Would have loved to see what the larger 50 would have done.

Last Wednesday a friend and I left for several days of camping and hunting on the Cheyenne river. We didn't have any luck with the coyotes but did get in some prairie dog shooting. I bumped up my personal best on PD from 417 to 426 yards. Took 4 shots, one to get the range and two more for the wind before i finally connected. Range was verified by shooting back at the ATV from the kill with a range finder.

Savage model 12 in .223 with Nikon buckmaster 4.5-14. 55 Gr V-max over H-4895.

I killed a greater kudu in South Africa at 500 yards with a 30 MPH left to right crosswind and the animal walking right to left. I hit it in the lungs and anchored it on the spot with a 180 grain ballistic tip out of a M700 in 300 Wby.

Kudu40

I shoot the National matches with my M1A out to 600 yards with only iron sights. I'currently ranked NRA sharpshooter.

Not saying I do it accurately, but I sure give it my best! :D

Farthest shots to date are 1,680 yards / 1,380 yards / 1,243 yards - all on white tail deer....



This is the type rifle that we use to shoot deer out to and in excess of 1,000 yards...
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z132/HonkerHunter_photos/1K_rifle_full-556x196.jpg


Here is a list of specs for our rifles:

ACTION: Remington 700's set up as a single shot...

BARREL: Lilja or Kreiger / 3 or 4 groove / 1.450" diameter / 30" length...

STOCK: McMillan - Tooley MBR factory weighted to 10 pounds...

TRIGGER: Jewell - adjusted to 6 ounces...

SCOPE: 36X minimum magnification...

BASE: Weaver style - .040 tapered...

RINGS: Burris Signature Zee rings...

CALIBERS: 257 Weatherby / 6.5X300 Weatherby / 7mm STW / 7mmX300 Weatherby / 300 Weatherby / 7mm and 300 Ultra Mag / plus several other wildcat rounds...

RIFLE WEIGHT: 29 pounds...

RIFLE ACCURACY: 2" accuracy - bench tested at 600 yards...

Any questions???

A

A

Wow, there have been some really long shots; I was proud of my 100 yard shot, but I have a long way to go to catch up with ya'll. Thats what I love about this site; you can talk with probably some of the best shots in country or world, and for those that are not at part of this forum they should be. I bet its something to fire a bullet at those ranges and wait many seconds for the impact be it on a target or animal.
Assassin, how much do you have in a rifle like that? Whats the story on the 1,680 yd shot?
m141a, I don't think I could see that far with iron sights to even shoot.
Kudu40, to make a shot like that and make the adjustments to do so; you must be very confident in your shooting abilities, and rightfully so.

Doc

Check it out. Also see some of the others at the right side of the page.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssh8Vsbvn2A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np3NthiI-VE

5150, Those videos are very impressive; to watch guys with those kind of marksmanship skills. It would take some very good equipment and knowledge of what your bullet is going to do at those ranges; thats what impresses me the most.

Doc

The NRA 600 yard bull is H U G E !!!!!!!

you could see it!

I was a benchrest shooter for 15 plus years, but only hunted with the gun once. My spotter told me the crow was 735 yards and told me where to hold. The gun was a 1903A3 with early serial no. it was wearing a Douglas super premium barrel chambered in 244 Ackley Imp./ 1-14 twist, using Sierra 85 gr. HPBT over Re19. I think it was a Weaver K15 on top. It hit between his feet on the branch. I'm proud of that shot.! More so than any other shot. I took out a seagull at 550 yards with the same man spotting for me! My spotter is Richard Scott of Tallahassee Fla. I'm moving to Burley Idaho next week, so moove over boys and make room for me!

All right then how about this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B9NkQldeu0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MrpxE3DwyI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw4luWUOJfQ&feature=related

Doc,

Let me start from the beginning on how I made those long shots on deer and how I am now set up to make consistent kills on white-tail deer. And before I forget, my user name of "ASSASSIN" actually came from my shooting buddies after I started shooting deer on a consistent basis at extreme ranges...

Back in 1994, my dad asked me to build him a rifle that was capable of shooting deer out to 1,000 yards and I kindly obliged him with a rifle of the following specs:

ACTION: Remington 700 long action / completely blue-printed / set up as a single shot...

BARREL: Lilja / 3-groove / 1-10" twist / 30 caliber / custom contour / 36" finish length...

CALIBER: 300 Jr. - based on "maximized" 30-06 case. This cartridge was designed and developed specifically for my dad. He was a "Jr." and hence the "Jr." in the nomenclature...

TRIGGER: Jewell - adjusted to 6 ounces...

STOCK: McMillan Bench Rest - factory weighted to 10 pounds...

SCOPE: Tasco Custom Shop 8X-40X-56mm 30mm tube...

BASE: Near Mfg. .040 tapered base...

RINGS: 5 - Millett rings reamed and lapped...

I did not use a recoil lug between the barrel and receiver on this particular rifle because the barrel shank was enough larger than the receiver to act as it's own recoil lug...

MUZZLE BRAKE: I designed a 4" long brake just for this gun, screwed it onto the barrel and machined it in to where there was no visible seam line showing after completion...

TOTAL GUN WEIGHT: 36 pounds...

ACCURACY TESTS: consistent 5-shot groups of 2" or less at 600 yards...


To make part of a long story short, my dad was a Police Dispatcher here in Oklahoma for over 32 years. He retired from the Police Department in late 1994 and after 6 months, he passed away - before he ever got a chance to see his rifle completed...

Since 1983 I had done a lot of long range shooting out to 1000+ yards but, only on paper. My dads last "wish" before passing was for me to shoot a deer out to 1,000 yards and that was my one and only goal for this specific rifle...

After load development was complete and I had put just over 900 rounds through this rifle, at ranges from 800 to nearly 2,000 yards, I decided it was time to see if I could make my dad proud...

After securing a section of land and getting it planted in clover and rye grass, I was getting ready to make my first shot on a DEER at extreme range in the winter of 1996. With two of our Police Officer friends, my brother and one of our local Game Wardens, I was presented with a shot at 1,680 yards. After the deer was spotted and scope adjustments were made, wind checked and everything rechecked and checked again. I then finally settled the cross hairs on what appeared to be the deers front shoulder or so that was what I thought I was aiming at since the 150 pound doe was such an extremely SMALL target, even with the scope setting on 40 power...

After the shot, we all kinda thought I had missed cause the deer just stood there for a solid 30 seconds or so before it decided to lay down and die. After we all got down to the deer, we just stood there looking at it in silence and once we looked each other in the face, we all had watery eyes cause we were all thinking about my dad and all wished that he could have been there to see it take place....

Well, even to this day, when shooting a rifle, I will NOT take a shot on a deer that is less than 600 yards away and that it just a rule that I and a few others follow when we are hunting together...

Here is a lay out for 4 different places that we have to "shoot" deer -

All 4 places are no more than 200 yards wide with the longest field being 1,742 measured yards and the shortest one being a measured 1,262 yards...

All 4 field have a concrete bench set up at what we call the 1-yard line...

Starting at 600 yards and on each side of each field, we mark the total distance to the end of the fields with colored ribbons. These ribbons are 6 inches wide and 8 feet long, fastened to 8 foot 2X2's. At 600 yards and on each side of the field is a white ribbon. At 650 yards is a blue ribbon. At 700 yards is a yellow ribbon. At 750 yards is a green ribbon and so on and so forth. Now say that a deer walks out of a heavy timber area into the field and is closest to a "green" ribbon. We look at our chart and it shows the distance as being 750 yards. We then look at our scope adjustment charts and then "dial-in" at exactly 750 yards. We also use these same ribbons as windage flags to check wind. If everything looks good and we are fully confident in the shot and the angle of the deer is good, we put the cross hair on the top point of the front shoulder and ever so gently, tickle the trigger...

From 1996 to date, we have killed just over 200 deer in excess of 600 yards and so far, all have been 1-shot kills - a record we are all very proud of...

I know that this is not considered to be deer hunting but, deer shooting and even so, we do take great pride in our shooting abilities as well as our equipment that allows us to make these shots and on a consistent basis. There has actually been times to where we have seen 30+ deer in a single afternoon and never pulled the trigger. If there is any wind, we will NOT shoot! If the deer is not fully broad side, we will NOT shoot. If mirage is too bad or for whatever reason, we just cannot get a "perfect" shot with 100% confidence in our ability to make a clean kill, we will pass the shot on to the next guy or wait for that perfect to present itself. If it doesn't, that's fine too...

Counting myself, there are 7 of us that have gotten into this specialized long range deer "shooting". I have built all the rifles that are used and have actually trained these guys and practiced with them for 2 full years before I would ever take them to the field and let them put the cross hairs on a deer at these extreme shooting ranges...

These rifles start out at $3,200 - scoped....

A

Assassin,
Thanks for the great post; I'm very sorry that your Dad didn't get to see you shoot that deer in person, but I'm sure he was watching. It sounds like you have put a great deal of work and preparations into your shooting. My dream is to make a consistant 1000yd shot; I'm not sure if I would ever feel prepared enough to take one at a deer, but would love to bang some gongs. Your hunting/range set up sounds great; my in-laws have a field that has a gradual slope down to around 1200yd tree line and my brother-in-law and I are planning to set up a simular range (thanks for the ideas). I'm originally from Durant, Ok in southeastern OK. I bet your rifles are works of art; it sounds like you put a lot of thought and planning into them; I've always been facinated by gunsmithing; I just built my first custom rifle 22-250 built on a savage 110 action with a SS 26" 1-8 twist Shilen barrel and monte carlo laminated stock, 6X24X44mm BSA (cheap but good scope). I'm pretty proud of my first custom rifle and can only dream of building the kinds of rifle that you do; you give me something to aim for.

Thanks,
Doc

m141a, I might be able to see it but hitting it would be another thing. The other day I had the scope off my very first rifle (Marlin 22LR single shot bolt action) and took it out in the back yard to shoot a couple of rounds through it with the open sights. Man it was a lot tougher than I remember; when I was younger I could shoot a can at 50yards with those sights, but the other day I found out I am way out of practice with the open sights. I've seen videos of those guys shooting the 600yd bull and its amazing to see. As soon as it gets warmer I'm going to spend a little time and re-acquaint myself with the open sights. I give you credit for making it to NRA Sharpshooter; I bet its great fun.

Doc

I truly believe it's that M1a that's the Hero, not me. The darn gun has such fine sights, that all you have to do is get that 6 oclock hold steady and squeeze!!!!
Recoil is negligible due to the gun's heft and gas action!

The only gun I ever shot better was a Garand in .308 I had built a few years ago.

I truly believe it's that M1a that's the Hero, not me. The darn gun has such fine sights, that all you have to do is get that 6 oclock hold steady and squeeze!!!!
Recoil is negligible due to the gun's heft and gas action!

The only gun I ever shot better was a Garand in .308 I had built a few years ago.

m141a,

25October1983
M-21 at 335meters,440meters and 670meters!
Rangers Lead The Way!

George

CO doe hunt using Sako Finnsport 300wm 180gr Sierra Game King,72gr IMR 4831 & Rem 9 1/2 Mag LR Primer & Leupold 3x9x40 Vari X 2c with CPC Reticle on 9 power.Shot her over 600 yards.I drove her into the parking lot of the packing house in Meeker in my Scrambler & her head was above the wood side rails.In the packing house she hung with her nose brushing the floor along with the 6x & 7x mule deer bucks.Someone asked me where I located the doe & w/o thinking I told them the migration route.When I went to my honey hole the next year it was over run with all sorts of camping units didn't see anything but blaze orange vests.I was practicing 3 or 4 days a week on our private range at distances up to 500 yards, our range backed up against a mountain ,one of our members had a Pre 64 30-06 Win M70 NM with peep sight so he'd pick out rocks to hit we were shooting from the 100 yd berm up the mtn at different yardages so we were all proficient at long distance shooting.I wouldn't even attempt shots like this now since we lost our range and can only shoot to 100yds at one club and 200 at another.

Farthest shots to date are 1,680 yards / 1,380 yards / 1,243 yards - all on white tail deer....

I'm always a bit uneasy when seeing posts like this. After seeing your subsequent post on this Assassin, I'd say you are one of the most disciplined long-rangers I've read about. 2 years training before shooting at meat, well, my hat is off to you for that. That's indicating people that are willing to stick to it and learn and practice, and have the discipline to pass shot situations that aren't good.

I'll relate an elk hunt I was on quite a few years ago. The yardage was only 250-300, but the wind was fairly stiff. The gun was a Win Mod 70 30-06 w/180 gr bullet. I was only spotting, and at the shot, the cow took off with the rest of the herd. Following up to where the elk was standing at the shot and tracking, we found the cow standing, only 200 or so yards away, head down in a gully, sick and not far off from death. A shot ended it as quickly as possible. The wind had blown the bullet 10" from point of aim into the liver.

I'm not saying the 30-06 is a comparison to the cartridges and equipment you're using , and of course, we didn't have flags set up. My uneasiness is that someone that reads your [initial] post thinks that they can hit a few targets at 500 yards and then use ballistic charts to make shots on game at 1000+ yards over a downed tree, or even off of a bipod. Your following post explained the process quite well.

Oklahoma must not have rifle weight restrictions. Idaho does, at 16 or 18 lbs IIRC.

My longest shot on a deer was a lasered 620 yards while crop sniping. Most are shot beyond 300 yards and many over 400 yards. I missed a coyote from a kneeling position at 740 yards by 4" with a spotter. Longest off-hand on deer was 328 yards with tons of deer shot off-hand over 200 yards. I use lever action Marlins in the fields that i think shots will be 300 yards and under. Check the following link to see some of these shots being made and how I make them. reflex264


If you are on cable internet check out the video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3433415096555745370

bull elk 40 yds, mule deer about 140yds, cape buffalo about 30 yds. guess i don't smell as bad as you guys do!

Good point RS.

Never attempted a shot at four-legged game that was not wounded at over 400yards(I like stalking:D).


George

I enjoy the stalk as well, but you can't sneak up on Speedgoats that well, mostly due to the open prairie out here.

Anyway, running shot, 25-35 mph crosswind, 670 yards. I was on the ground with a bipod, 16x scope, .204 Ruger caliber, 1 shot, hit in base of the neck.

In all fairness, I made a really poor shot on a deer this past year with my .280, I felt terrible about it. It wasn't the gun's fault at all. I was used to a much lighter trigger, and this gun was pretty new, and the trigger pull was over 8lbs. I'll be replacing it before spring bear season.

My longest shot on a deer was a lasered 620 yards while crop sniping. Most are shot beyond 300 yards and many over 400 yards. I missed a coyote from a kneeling position at 740 yards by 4" with a spotter. Longest off-hand on deer was 328 yards with tons of deer shot off-hand over 200 yards. I use lever action Marlins in the fields that i think shots will be 300 yards and under. Check the following link to see some of these shots being made and how I make them. reflex264


If you are on cable internet check out the video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3433415096555745370

What is crop sniping? Are you hunting for hire to protect crops? How many deer can you shoot in one outing? Why off hand? Good shooting however.

Doc,

congratulations on your "first build". If I can offer any help to you, please don't hesitate to ask....


Shawn Crea,

the three "long shots" mentioned were made when I lived in Mississippi but even after moving back home here in Oklahoma, I still follow the same rules now as then. We have a nice deer herd on our property as well as the other properties that I "hunt" and like I said in the other posts, if shooting conditions are not perfect, I get no heartburn about letting an animal walk. IF however the day ever comes that a deer is wounded and escapes, never again will I pull the trigger on one at "long-range". That plain and that simple. I am not a perfect shot and don't claim to be. I just happen to take as much pride in my shooting abilities as I do in the rifles that I build....

A

Assassin,
Thanks for the congrats on the build; I enjoyed it so much I'm now looking for another Savage action to build into a .308 caliber. I have really enjoyed my 22-250; all I need now is the heavier caliber and I'll be set (at least for a little while).

Doc

Groundhog...headshot....402 yards. Used my 224 wildcat...52 grn BTHP at 3850 fps. Best targets...a Benchrest match......Grand Aggregate was .332 for 100, 200, and 300 yards. There was a 40mph shifting and gusting tailwind and rain...and, I won the match!.................But, the most remarkable shot I ever saw was not mine!!! My lifelong hunting buddy who just passed away this past week.....David Wayne Nelson...made a shot that caused me to almost fall over in disbelief! We were taking a break from squirrel hunting on the top of a ridge at a clearcut that went down through a steep valley, and up the side of an adjacent ridge. We were just sitting there resting, and admiring the veiw, and I happened to spot a squirrel sitting on the branch of a tree that bordered the clear cut. The distance, in a stright line to the squirrel, across the valley and to the limb it was sitting on, was an easy 200 yards...my guess about 225. I pointed the squirrel out to Dave....He pointed his iron sight equiped 22 automatic rifle at the squirrel.....and in a whisper said "head shot", and pulled the trigger!!!!! The squirrel hit the ground...dead on the spot! My jaw hit the ground!!!!! We walked down into the valley and up the clearcut to the squirrel, and darn if it wasnt a headshot! I will never forget that shot as long as I live....and I will never forget the great times that Dave and I had in the field!!!!

Whitetail hunting here locally in Florida. Bought a new 300 WSM, took it to a local gunshop had it floated, machined, ect. I put a nightforce scope on it and thought I was Mr. long range sniper...... WRONG. After alot of practice I attemped to take a spike in my pasture at 800 yards (range finder)... 4 shots later no dead deer. The next afternoon I was laying down with my bipod open when the same deer walked out... this time he was at 750 yards. The 1st shot made him run horizontal from me but he stopped after about 50 yards. 2nd shot dropped him where he stood. I have tried a couple more shots like that on coyotes in the same pasture but no luck... Need alot more range time, but I am happy to say that I took a deer at over a quarter of a mile.

Shawn Crea,

the three "long shots" mentioned were made when I lived in Mississippi but even after moving back home here in Oklahoma, I still follow the same rules now as then. We have a nice deer herd on our property as well as the other properties that I "hunt" and like I said in the other posts, if shooting conditions are not perfect, I get no heartburn about letting an animal walk. IF however the day ever comes that a deer is wounded and escapes, never again will I pull the trigger on one at "long-range". That plain and that simple. I am not a perfect shot and don't claim to be. I just happen to take as much pride in my shooting abilities as I do in the rifles that I build....
A

Assassin,
Given the regimen you've described, I'd say there's probably just as much chance, if not more, at someone wounding an animal in thick woods with a 50-yard running shot. It's all in the practicing, the discipline, and recognition of a bad situation.

see, 500 yards @ all navy fleet match in ****eck, va 2003 hey, its an actual location, why censor me?? dam neck

on game 425 on a runnin whitetail w/ a 300 wby mag

The board has automatic blockers built in for certain words/terms by the board owner. His check that pays the bills - his rules to play by.

I like to tell this one about the first time my son shot my custom mauser in 25.06. Now Travis was no stranger to shooting but this shot made me take notice. resting across the hood of the J-10 pickup he nailed a prairie-dog at 320 steps as I watched through binoculars. I verified the hit and when we walked to the carcass we found the sod puppy as if gutted, with the innards laying over 12 feet from the body. A couple of years later I gave him the rifle; it was to heavy for me anyway.

I met up with a guy today for some target shooting and we did the longest range shooting I've done yet. He's got several rifles set up for specific coyote and fox hunting situations and we were shooting his long-range rifles- a custom remington 700 chambered in .22-250 Ackley and a Stiller Predator (Rem 700 copy) in a .17 wildcat of this guy's design. Both had heavy-taper barrels, McMillan stocks, and 4-14x Leupolds.

We shot at 100, 200, 300, and 500 yards. Despite some serious wind and the fact that I haven't done any shooting since December, I was able to shoot some 3" 5-round groups with the .22-250 at 500 yards. The .17 didn't do as well in the wind, but it was still an extremely accurate rifle.

Once it warms up here and we find some days without wind, we'll do some 800 yard shooting :D.

USMC 100 to 500 yard shooting. Open sites. YeeHaa!

When I was about 14, my dad and I belly-crawled as close as we could to a herd of antelope with a decent buck in it. This was northeastern Montana. I was shooting my dad's Sako Forrester in .22-250 with a Leupold 10X on it. It was and still is a great shooter. I knew the shot was pretty long so I placed the cross hairs just below the top of his back and squeezed off the shot. He immediately piled up. I stepped off 310 steps across the sagebrush to that buck to discover I had hit him right where I'd aimed at his spine.

Last year I snuck up on a herd of mule deer with a large buck defending several does from two or three smaller bucks. The rut was in full swing but these deer were in a high, wide-open basin so I couldn't get as close as I would have liked. I snuck up to the top of the ridge over looking the basin and ranged him at 290 yards. Normally I shoot for the heart/lungs right behind the front shoulder. I decided to "break him down" so he wouldn't go anywhere like the writers say to do by shooting him in the shoulder. I was using a Winchester Model 70 featherweight in .300 WSM. For ammo, I had Federal Premiums with 180 gr Nosler Accubond bullets that I'd chrono'd at over 3000 fps. He was broadside to me and downhill at a steep 45 degree slope. I aimed high on the shoulder and he jumped at the shot and spun 180 degrees. Luckily, he was so focused on defending his does he gave me another opportunity at the opposite shoulder. This time he buckled at the shot but didn't go down. I ended up chasing him about 1 and 1/2 miles before I finally finished him off. I had hit him just below the shoulder and destroyed the leg but the bullet did not penetrate through to the chest. From now on I stick with the heart/lung shots. I've never had them travel more than 50 yards with that. Oh, yeah. I found where my first shot had grazed the top of his back leaving a strip with no hair and a rub mark but not breaking the skin! I bet that stung. If you go on to Winchester's web site and into their trophy room, you can find a picture of this deer. It's by far the biggest 3 X 3 I've ever seen. It's currently photo #28.

*added the pic for you Bird*...m141a

http://www.winchesterguns.com/services/trophycase/images/l/carey448.jpg

Thanks m141a!

Since I can't use optics, my "long range" is pretty limited...

OTOH, caliber limitations for the range are also important.

The longest shot I've taken recently (I don't count 300yd targets with my M16 for the Army...) was lasered at 110yds offhand/snap shot... with a 20" .357 Rossi.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_0531.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/1107071429a.jpg

It did this:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_0534.jpg

I love the .357...

that's cool,

but everyone knows you cannot stop a deer with a .357, especially at that range:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::p

Nice shootin,
the 357 is such a great round!

In 1980 at the wise old age of 15 I shot a crow out of the top of a giant old oak on the banks of the Columbia River in Oregon at 150 yards. I was using my Marlin .22lr bolt action with a 2X scope. That tree was behind a barn sized shop that was used for barge building and the old boy that owned it called the sheriff. I got a talking to but man was I glad they never told my parents! Dad would have busted my butt. We lived next to the woods (ok to shoot there) but I was shooting parallel to the tree line where the woods started and was in the city limits by about 50 feet. Lucky shot and even more lucky I didn't hurt anyone.

Actually, you may not believe this, but a shot a large doe at about 310 yds (stepped off) with my .30.30 Marlin 336 about 12 years ago.It took four shot, and a cooperating doe. She stood there and looked at me while I kept raising my gun until I (believe it or not) hit her.

Funny thing is I didn't know I hit her. I was in a tree, firing away until I didn't see her any more. My buddy came over and said, what were you shooting at, and I said a doe on the horizon...haha. He said I believe you hit something...it sounded like it, and let's walk over there.

Come to find out, I did hit her, and she was down in the tall grass. We stepped it off. I got 310 yds, and my buddy got a few more yds. It was actually the largest doe I've shot. Neither one of us could believe I hit it at that distance, and especially with a .30.30 - 170 Remington Corelokt.

The bad new was that we couldn't get a truck in the place, and had to find an old tree limb and barb wire and tie the deer's legs to the limb, and put her on our shoulders, and carry her to camp...had to cross some pretty steep creek banks...whew...b ut it was worth it!!

It's my story, and I'm sticking with it....cause it's true!!

Well, I've made some pretty decent shots over the years. I thought I'd share what is probably the most humorous one with you.

Years ago, in the old days before rangefinders, I was hunting antelope in Wyoming. I'd never hunted them before and never hunted in Wyoming before.

I've never been very good at judging distances and the open desert in Wyoming didn't help a bit.

I had snuck up on a rather large ravine. On the other side and about four hundred yards away was a small herd of goats. There were some pretty good looking bucks and I figured I'd put one down.

I got into a good shooting position and made my shot. Most of the herd just stood there, including the buck I was shooting. BUT, at what appeared to be twelve feet or so below him was a dead goat !!!!

I freaked. My buddies and I did our best and estimated the actual distance to be more like 800 yards ! I had shot a doe. Thank goodness I had a doe tag !

Bottom line, when I brag about my 800 yard, one shot kill, have to end the story by telling on myself!

Cheers.
Richard

I once took a shot, and it was deflected by a moderator from several states away, but he missed

Mine was at a private range that my son shoots at a lot. He set up his rifle and I put 6 shots on target at 1000 yards. My first and only time at that distance so far.

no post here,is there

USMC 100 to 500 yard shooting. Open sites. YeeHaa!

You and me both, Zoar!! Semper Fi -- play or fry!

:D Although I'm impressed by those who shoot well with rifles to 1000 yards or more, that's just starting range for us old Field Artillary types. :D

I think the longest game shot I made (standing and leaning against a power line post) was a deer at a surveyed 400 yards (property line to property line across a neighbors field). Earlier (diagonally in the same field) I dropped a wounded deer that may have been further (some other "hunters" on the other side of the field had crippled it running at several hundred yards with open sighted lever actions - it had stopped running and they had stopped shooting because they now thought it was out of range.)

back a few yrs before the enlightened govement we have in in NSW Aust took it of me , I used to carry a ruger blackhawk 44 mag with 7 1/2 barrel and standard sights on my farm . With a rest I would regularly shoot kangeroos at 100 yards plus . best shot ever was across a valley that i later checked with a rang finder and it was well over 400 yards though a bit hard to verifiy cause wasnt 100% sure of were i was or the roo was , 400 yards is being prity conservitive

also remeber my brother once doped a roo with a 12ga at a paced out 89 yards with one shot of BB's . extreamly lucky shot and not to be rcomended , had one pelit at base of the skull which almost certainly killed it , and also had a pelit in tip of tail which made at least a patern of about 7 feet

This one is for IrvS; I understand what you field arty guys do is long range, but we were talking about people that were on the impact area, not just looking at a map of it in the FDC.
Just kidding, as a grunt I couldn't let that one slip by.
Take care,

Kudu40

I am posting a little late, last fall we did a lot of pheasant hunting so I took my 204 with us as we always see coyotes. I shot a coyote at over 500 yards and felt bad becasue it was crawling away. I missed the second shot and then tried a 3 shot and anchored him. My son retrieved the animal and he paced over 600. He is 6'5" and has a 38" inseam so we just say over 500 yards.
Approx. 10 years ago we were hunting Mule deer a couple hours west of Regina and there was a real good buck looking directly at us and he was out there a long ways.
I shot him in the white patch of his throat using a 26" Kreigle in the 7mm mag we were using Horn. 162gr and I paced off the shot at 470 so I am quite sure the shot was over 400 yards.
My cousin last fall shot a cow elk with his 300RUM that lasered 565 yards, he is the best shot I have ever seen with big rifles.

I used to shoot NRA Highpower matches. I used two rifles. One was an M1A for "cross the course" matches 200,300,and 600 yard targets. I used this gun and a scoped Remington 700 VLS in 308 at 600 and 1000 yard longrange matches. This was a great experience in shooting and handloading for the 4 years I participated. I have never taken a deer or any animal over 100 yards yet in all the years I have hunted. This is due to the terrain I hunt. This is mostly Southeastern swamps and timber lands. I believe despite any experience in longrange shooting I have participated in I would possibly hesitate on a long shot. I don't know why, but....Oh well. For me there is nothing like a close up stalk or allowing a traveling deer to walk in close to your ambush. I hope to get some chances to take some deer at some 300 yards or so one day. I hope to experience a good antelope hunt one day. That would sure be a test for me!

Since I can't use optics, my "long range" is pretty limited...

OTOH, caliber limitations for the range are also important.

The longest shot I've taken recently (I don't count 300yd targets with my M16 for the Army...) was lasered at 110yds offhand/snap shot... with a 20" .357 Rossi.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_0531.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/1107071429a.jpg

It did this:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/MrMisanthrope/IMG_0534.jpg

I love the .357...



The pic of this deer laying there with the rifle is magazine quality to me. I read the original post when it was first told. I plan to carry my 357 Marlin with the 185 cast bullets on a few stalks this season. I never thought the 357 would be so effective. I hope to get the same results.

320 range finder proof, well it was not a big game but that is what made it a good shot, we have walked by this pile of rocks we have been shooting the digger squirrles like wack a moe, we went on to hunt the ridge and my nephew said to me look ther is one on top of that rock pile , i told him it was out of range .
so we looked at it through the range finde it was 320 , and i was using a hmr 17, good for 235 or so .
i was trained with a m21 in the milatary we had hold off marks on the scopes but mine only had croos hair , but i decied to take a shot , nothing to lose , i did my bet hold off , took the shot and he looked like he herd the shot and went for cover later that day we went back home walked by the pile and there he was, i did not shoot him in the head , that would be cool gut shot , but i did get him , that my cool shot , a tiny little bb gun size bullett went 320 and go him made my day,,
tacital timmy

The pic of this deer laying there with the rifle is magazine quality to me. I read the original post when it was first told. I plan to carry my 357 Marlin with the 185 cast bullets on a few stalks this season. I never thought the 357 would be so effective. I hope to get the same results.

I just got back from a Sillouhette shoot. Shot the IMHSA "big bore" targets at 50, 100, 150 & 200... with the .357.

Knocks the 200m Rams down quite nicely if you allow for the 18" drop... Got 5 of 10 offhand. (Compared to 9 of 10 100m piggies)

I have been a long distance shooter for 55 years. It is just a satisfying sport. In 1954 [@10 years old] I shot a crow off a wire at 710 yards with my Dads Model 70 with .220 Swift. He traded it to a dealer for the same Model 70 in .270 caliber. In Western PA hills and mountains nothing [Deer and Ground Hogs] was safe within 600 yards [with a 4x Weaver Scope] w/tip off mounts. When I was old enough to hunt [12y/o] I never got a shot at a deer [Bucks Only]. I was using the Stevens Slide bolt action shot gun with rifled slugs. Result one unlucky Possum at 20 yards. I got a wore out 30.40 Krag at 17 y/o that would not shoot a 12" group at 100 years. I got out of the U S NAVY in 1967, in boot camp got a Marksmanship medal with a M1 Garard [16 out of 16] in 8" X ring with standard PEEP sights. The Marine Range Officer tricked me into getting a minor injury called 'the Garand Thumb', it comes from loading the 8 round 'stripper' clip. He was P O ed because I was a YANKEE [PITTSBURGH]. Aboard ship in the Amphibious Forces I only shot 9 rounds from a M 14 Parade Rifle at three different 21 Gun Salutes. When I got discharged in Sept 1967 I bought a new Remington 760 BDL Pump in 30.06 and put a Standard Redfield scope with Weaver 'tip-off' Mounts. I sighted it in at 100 yds and that December shot a 200 LB Doe. the first day of Doe season. It was a 175 YD shot across a valley in heavy 'Red brush', there were 1/2 dozen doe coming towards me down the other side. They all stopped behind some leafy brush. I had spooked them to lean the 30.06 against the tree beside me. I could only see her head and neck through the leaves but knew it was facing me. No problem, I laid the cross hair at the bottom of her neck and squeezed of a 220 gr Silvertip. Because of recoil I got the scope back on the target area to see 5 to 6 white tails bobbing up the hill through the heavy brush. I walked across the valley going around a creek. I had gone 200 yds past the spot the deer were found their tracks to and from a thicket. The deer was lying there in her tracks. The heavy bullet hit just under the neck and exited her spine just in front of the tail. My Dad heard the shot and showed up 20 minutes later to help me field dress and drag it out. He kept ribbing me about shooting the deer so far from the dirt road and ruining the 'Tenderloin' section of meat. I was shooting up hill and being my Dad was 1/2 Cherokee and tipped his scope 'off' to shoot, so he seldom took anything besides a head shot with iron sights even if the deer was running. He was a real 'Sportsman' and seldom took a shot he thought would wound the deer and have it get away. I haven't hunted deer since then but do a lot of benchrest work and varmint hunting. Two weeks ago I shot a 34 lb 'Nutria' [A South American Rodent] that is invading Florida. I was using my Bushmaster ES2 shorty with a 8.5 X 25
Leupold Target Dot Tactical with 1/8 MOA reticule. The AR 15 style Bushmaster has a CIENER .22 LR Conversion Kit and I was shooting Aguila 22 Super Maximum Hyper Velocity. The 30 grain plated hollow point travels @ 1750 FTPS. The critter was sunning on a muddy bank across a canal and LAZED @ 205ydsThe bullet broke its jaw and it tried to scramble up the bank. Nine shots later [6 hits] it only traveled 50ft. I have two 50 Cal. BMG's that I shoot every six months. I am disabled and need help to load the equipment and haul my GATOR to a 1000yd range. The BARRETT Model 99 and the LAR GRIZZLY BIG BOAR both are special MATCH BARRELS. They both shoot 5" MOA at 1000 YDS. These are real 'Crowd Pleasers' and Match Ammo cost over $6.00 per round. I never use surplus ammo but would like to find another 'Shooter' who has private property to Hunt Feral Pigs or Pests. My Range-finder is good for 800yd and I have a Swarovski 80X HD spotting scope. The Grizzly wears a 35X Tactical Leupold, the Barret has a Leupold 45X Competition scope. Any shooters out there with Feral Pigs or Varmints with PRIVATE PROPERTY to shoot.
Halfbreed II
Port Richey, FL.

My longest open sight shot on game was a swan @ 220 yards with my old model 70 featherweight in 30-06 The shot was so far out that I cut the thigh muscles on both legs. My longest shot with a scoped rifle was on caribou @ well over 400 yards using an AR-15 and handloaded .223 Remington ammo with 55 grain WINCHESTER SP's. Massive double shovel bull. I have shot a lot of other animals much further away, but this is my most memorable due to the wind, light weight bullet. The fact that this loaded round was one of a batch of many thousands of rounds made me vary happy. I killed a total of six nice caribou that day. My weeks total was two moose one nice big black bear and the six caribou. This was the best week of my life. I fed a lot of family that winter.

Marmots, the woodchucks of the west.
Eastern Washington, rolling hills forever.

One very good day, out with my 10 yr old boy,
He sees some marmots way at the base of a cliff.
(I see brown blurs, he tells me how many & which are standing on rocks)
I'm nit sure my eyes were ever that sharp....
--Rangefinder says 510 yards.
He tries the 10/22 for about 10 rounds, each time increasing his holdover,
but we never see any dust to tell where he's hitting.

I use my SRH 454, and try my Weaver standing Elmer Kieth style holdovers.
Lots of dust with Marshalls 340gr WFN
Bang--miss way low
Bang--miss close but short
Bang--Marmot
Bang--Marmot
Bang--Marmot
Bang--miss, just missed

3/6 at 500 yards, open sights, standing Weaver hold
made me feel like a king with my boy.
But.... I did holster the pistol, 'cause I for one, knew just
how much luck was involved.

Still, all in all, one very good Father/Son afternoon.

Cheers,

BigMikeG