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Prior to deer season I had a chance to shoot over a chronograph and 3 shot groups varied approximately 5fps < and 5fps > 3200fps. I wrote down the crony results but don’t have it with me. I have my Remington 300 Win Mag sighted in 1.5 inches high at 100 yards shooting a 150 grain Nosler Accubond with a three shot .75 inch group off a hart front rest and rear bag. The deer was standing broad side with his left side towards me. I had enough time to get a steady rest sighted on the top of his back behind the left shoulder and squeezed off the shot on a 7 point buck. The bullet dropped 8 to 10 inches and drifted to the center of the left shoulder. The shot went through and came out the other shoulder approximately the same distance. The deer jumped about 4 feet straight up and ran about 60 feet before dropping stone dead. I believe the shot was approximately 350 to 400 yards. Assuming there was no shooter error does anyone have a ballistic calculator that could give me there best guess as to the distance? BTW the bullet made a 30 cal hole going in and a hole inside the left shoulder about 2.5 inches, a smaller hole through the right shoulder and exited hole of about .375 inches. I believe the Nosler Accubond did an excellent job. It may be more than enough for a deer but it is the most accurate game bullet out of my rifle that I have been able to find. Swede --------------------------------------------------------- NRA Life Member | ||
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My calculator says 330-340 yards. | |||
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But the assumption that there was no shooter error is nearly impossible, not trying to start a fight or burst your bubble but field position shooting on a live animal trying to extrapolate the distance by where it impacted the target is a futile attempt. What was your yardage guess? Was the ground level enough to approximate the distance by pacing? Both of the above methods will be just as accurate if not more so than the calculation you come up with, sorry but its true. My calcs show that your rifle is sighted dead on at 216 yards and "if" there were no shooter error the bullet would be 9.69" low at 350 yards. It would be 7.16" low for 325 yards and 12.6" low at 375. I must add, nice shot!. | |||
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I would agree that it's almost a futile attempt. If a steady rest means the prone position or some other position that made it possible to get an absolutely solid rest, it wouldn't be so futile as long as the deer was standing still. A bullet's trajectory also varies depending on temperature and air density so to make a meaningful calculation, those factors would need to be similar to when the load was worked up and the velocity measured. | |||
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i shot a buck first sat of season that i figured to be about 250 from the bullet drop. when we walked it off it was much more, so much that had i know the actual distance i wouldnt have taken the shot. | |||
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Most guns shoot to a different point of aim from a bench rest and bags than from a held position. The bags wil let you know that your load is accurate and impact will be close but not the same. I believe given that, that range determining is impossible. | |||
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your right. and those people who are not certified USMC multiple experts and SRT designated marksmen probably shouldnt.  such is not the case. but again, sometimes distance judging is effected by things like vegetation height, width of open area, degree of incline/ decline, sunlight ect. alot of factors. i agree that people should know thier limits. i made a double lung/ heart hit on the buck and followed it up w/i the time of the bolt throw w/ a 175 yard quartering running neck shot. must shouldnt try that either.  | |||
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Swede, There is nothing wrong with estimate MC gave you. Your assumption of no error is just that an assumption. The purpose of mathematics is a decision not a number. I would think you are not "hung up on an exact nummber" but are actually more interested in how well you estimated the range. I would make the following decision with numbers you got. You probably over estimated the range at 350-400. I would base this on a) MCs number and B) your tendency was probably hold down into the animal than up over the animal so your drop was actually probably less. i would say the animal was more likely between 315-335. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Mike_Dettorre: Thank you for your reply I am not hung up on a distance that I thought it might be but rather more interested on how accurate a ballistic calculation might be. I know exactly where the deer dropped and where I took the shot. When it is not to muddy or raining I plan on taking my fathers wheel measurer to check the actual distance and will leave a post on my findings. Thanks to every one else for there response to my post even though I might not agree with all of what was said. Swede --------------------------------------------------------- NRA Life Member | |||
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According to my bal cal in metrics it would have been a 310 meter shot all things static. Infield things are not static and controlled, hence I will not bet money on it. /C | |||
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well 310 meters is nomianlly 340 yards. Swede, please let me know what the distance wheels off at also take a accurate ruler and see if you get close to how far the center line of your scope is above the bore. 1.5 inches is the nominal measurment but 1/4 one way or another impacts the theoretical calculation. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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How far away was your deer? Well, as far as he was concerned, not far enough...Bada bing!  KG ______________________ Hunting: I'd kill to participate. | |||
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That’s funny the deer might not appreciate it though  Swede --------------------------------------------------------- NRA Life Member | |||
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"i shot a buck first sat of season that i figured to be about 250 from the bullet drop. when we walked it off it was much more, so much that had i know the actual distance i wouldnt have taken the shot." I would suggest you buy a range finder or spend some time at a long distance range with lifesize animal outlines. I am not preaching, but it is clear that you are an ethical hunter, who could use a simple 100 dollar laser item to help your decision-making. Also, there is no glory in shooting an animal at long range. Otherwise it would be called killing and not hunting. FWIW, Dave "We are all here for a short spell; so get all the good laughs you can. Everything is funny as long as it is happening to Somebody Else." Will Rogers | |||
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Saturday I used my fathers Wheel Measurer and found out it was 933ft 10in or 311 yards & 10 inches, less than I thought it was but it is still my personal best distance shot. I figured it was within my capability to take a clean shot with a clean kill. I would like to spend the time on a range with more than 100 yards but I use the free range at Cheney Lake. The only range that I know of with more distance in near Hutchinson and it is for members only. Even my friend that has access to a lot of land to hunt on is not able to target shoot on the same property. I am using a Remington 300 Winchester Magnum with a Bushnell 4200 series 4 x 16 x 40 scope with an A/O. I plan on purchasing a Nikon 800 yard camouflage waterproof range finder but don’t have the $379.99 plus tax. My friend has a Nikon 440 it is a nice rangefinder but we haven't hunted together for many years. Thanks for all your replies to my post. Swede --------------------------------------------------------- NRA Life Member | |||
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