Re: How many have actually scoped Deer and Elk@5-600?

20 November 2004, 23:41

35Whelen

One thing I rarely see addressed with regards to long range is bullet performance. Some of you guys who have killed game at "oh-my-gosh" ranges surely recovered some bullets. My concern would be this: If you're hunting, surely you're not just long range hunting, which would mean you also prepare for shots at close(r) ranges. So, if your bullet will perform properly at, say 150 yds., will it also perform properly at 600 yds.?
That means that it will have to hold together at the high velocities of a close range shot, yet still expand at the extreme ranges.
Anyone have any recovered bullets?

Also, I've been thinking (more than typing) about this subject, and I think my biggest fear/complaint is this:

You get some ol' boy who buys the latest, greatest Fad-Magnum chambered in a shiny, stainless steel rifle with a deafening muzzle brake (don't you just hate to see someone uncase a muzzle-braked rifle at the range?)screwed to the already 26" barrel, mounts a 6.5x20 scope, screws one of those bipods to the stock, drops several hundred dollars or more on a rangefinder, loads a ballistics program on his computer, then calls himself a long range hunter/shooter.
FWIW
35Whelen

21 November 2004, 05:42

BigNate

I have avoided most of these "long range" debates because it really does boil down to each persons abilities. I think the vast majority of hunters I have encountered are far less talented than they believe. It does nothing to their confidence when they miss, and yet they continue to take long shots.

I regularly practiced all summer out to 400 yards with my 7mm RM so when hunting season rolled around I'd be ready. I suffered a scope failure just prior to season and had to take rifles hunting I had little practice with, and limited my elk taking distance to 250 yards because of it. I passed up a smaller 5 point at 370 yards while holding a .25-06, and although I saw one of the finest specimens of the Rocky Mountain Bull Elk I've ever seen, I didn't take a shot at him either! I couldn't seem to get within my distance limit for the .338 I was using. I too feel I am a very good shot, I practice quite a bit, and I still think that these long range shooters ( for the most part) need to be encouraged to NOT shoot.

There are some who can take these shots, but fill some milk jugs with water and set them out at unknown ranges, even at less than 300 yards on a hill side and the average guy can't hit them.

I have a hard time believing the stories of 5-600 yard shots from most anyone. The braggers are usually the least talented. Nate

22 November 2004, 07:03

Oscar Makonka

Ethical hunters/shooters take only the shots they can make. I don't care what the distance is. If you're huffing and puffing and spazing from buckfever then you don't have an ethical shot be it 25 yds or 500yds.

Simple rule: Take only the shots you are capable of. If your shooting at an animal only hoping to hit it then you shouldn't be hunting. If you missed an animal then you took a shot you shouldn't have.

22 November 2004, 06:30

LAWCOP

Quote:

Lawcop-Hey...I like the Pic.You look like my wifes brother at our wedding in Yellowpine Idaho.He road with that bad group of bikers from California.Nice guy though and I loved his friends.One heck of a party after...I think the toughest thing for me was my wife doing undercover and my worries about the derilicks she was with.

The subject-I onceagain agree with Allen Day and his opinion.Shooting paper from a rest or range conditions is quite different than huffing and puffing up and down some steep mountains then seeing game at 600 yards.Where's the solid rest as there not always there and to some the adrenalin flows.I'm sure there are some who can over come the adrenalin rush and the huffin and puffin and get semi-steady butt....There should be every effort made to close the distance to a point where wind deflection the percent of the grade sometimes in excess of 50% and a much closer shot if possible.Know animal is worth the "Chance" of being wounded from a way to far shot from any Thunderboomer Mag and an over confident shooter from the range.

Oh well..To each his own.....

Good luck......Jayco.

MICHIGAN IS Outlaw territory. Interesting group of folks. I met a bunch of them and never had an trouble as I was not considered a "threat" to what ever they were doing when I was in that environment. I really wouldn't want to get on their "bad guys" list though.

AS to shooting, I have never taken a shot that I hadn't had about a zillion rounds of practicing before. When I shoot 1000, I don't just use a bench. I also shoot off of packs, logs padded with a hat or jacket, all sorts of field expedient rests. THis goes for all my shooting from 100 and every range out to 1000. If I am shooting cross stix I don't shoot over 500yds, same limit as I use for being in a sling. Strangely enough, I never use a bipod attached to the rifle. It comes from my PD "counter" days. Under those conditions, you could never guarantee that you would have a consistent surface. THEN you could be subjected to "bipod bounce" The difference between a bipod being on a hard surface compared to a soft surface. It also changed the balance of the gun and if you removed it to shoot from a soft rest, the weight change changed the POA. It may not be much difference, but the situational scenarios of PD sometimes do not allow for ANY measurable tolerances. SO, I never shot off of a bipod and it continues into my hunting practices.