I ws at the range shootinhandguns today, but as I started to leave for home I thought about this post.

The only rifle we had with us was a Colt AR15 Carbine [16" barrel].

This rifle is box stock. It has a 4x ACOG scope on it.

This range has 16" metal gongs at 200, 300,& 400 yards. The gong at 500 is 18".

This rifle has a foward verticle grip that a biod pops out the bottom of, so I just shot off a concrete bench, with the bipod extended, no rear bag.

I started at the 200 yard gong and moved farther out.

Long shory short this little rifle never missed a gong.

I fired 20 rounds Winchester 55gr Ballistic Silvertip.

Most of the shots were fired at 400 and 500 yards.

There was little if any wind, or mirage.

Not bad for a Box Stock Colt AR Carbine.

With a good rifle, scope, ammo, not much wind, and a steady position long range shots are doable, if you practice and have a GOOD zero on your rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by StormsGSP:

quote:

Originally posted by Skinner.:
Had a guy tell me that in a gunshop the other day.

He said that with 'todays equipment' (meaning off the shelf rifles and factory ammo and a high powered variable scope) the effective range for him on big game was about 800 yards.

Odd how I rarely see these guys at the gun club except for a week before deer season when they "sight in".

Thats an offhand standing shot, right?

In a 20 mph crosswind too!

I hunted woodchucks with a 220 Swift back when dinosaurs roamed when I was a teenager. I shot at distances ranging from 200 to 600 yards or so. (Yes, I learned what the different perspectives were, depending on the distance) Quite frankly,when it comes to shooting at something over 200 yards away,I think many shooters -not trained in military -have a tendency to overestimate the distance. Shooting at a target at 800 yards (as I see mentioned in this thread)is very, very different from shooting at even 600 yards -already a fantastic distance to be using a rifle. Shooting at 1000 yards is where guys develop the dead pan look -because that's how they settle down to shoot. (no, I don't mean the "stare" -that's what comes from settling down to shoot at 1000 yards) People who can do this sort of shooting are few and far between. (At least, the Army has trouble finding more than a few for sniper shooting in any particular group) It really comes back to overestimating how far the target is. Shooting and hitting the target at the actual distances of 400 yards,500,600 and above is to really accomplish something that few rifle shooters ever do. That's a fact. (Yeah, I think it's a crime for anyone but the most accomplished shooters to fire at big game beyond 250-300 yards)

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:

Long story short this little rifle never missed a gong.
Not bad for a Box Stock Colt AR Carbine.

And the experienced, trained and skilled marksman that you are.

It usually isn't the rifles fault--

at least--isn't that what we were taught.

400 yards is a need to get closer distance to me!

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:
400 yards is a need to get closer distance to me!

I agree, would rather shoot game at 40 yards than 400...

But then again, I would rather shoot game at 40 feet than 40 yards...

But , IF the NEED occures..., there is nothing wrong with having the equiment, and the SKILL to make a long shot.

Did anyone ever know a kid at school who had zero interest in school stuff, often went missing with air rifle & sandwiches, usually followed something like a railway line or forestry track for hour upon hour, didn't do well at math but could snap shoot anything from a cotton bobbin right up to a crow, I was one of those kids,I attended school the last two years only on a friday because it was metalworking shop, I wouldn't recognise anything to do with school teaching even today, more than 50 years on, Have run my own little business for 15 years, & even now the eyes are starting to dull I still get hits out around 600yds, odd feeling when you get to thinking about it, never making a conscious decision to squeeze off.