LR shooting

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

Hi all

Since there is no hunting i have started using my equipment a bit more. This time i am playing with the 243Win shooting 103gr ELD-X handloads at 2950fps.

This was my second go at 900m. First time was 700. The goal will be to see how far incan effectively hit the 500mm plate. Anyone else into long range shooting?
What are the tools you are using?

Swaro Z6 5-25x50 BRX reticle
243Win Musgrave action
Hart 26" bull barel 1:8 twist
Custom built Smoking gun synthetic stock
Lapua Brass
103gr ELD-X bullets
And Strelock pro app is my buddy!!!

In the video you can actualy see the bullet's flight path

 

[mdwest]

I recognize that barrel!

Sweet little precision rig.. Im betting you can reach out past 1000 with it fairly easily..

 

[jasyblood]

I'm just an amateur, but I really enjoy shooting steel at long range! Just recently, I took a LR class at a local private range where we shot out to 1500 yards. It was fun and very humbling.....

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

I'm just an amateur, but I really enjoy shooting steel at long range! Just recently, I took a LR class at a local private range where we shot out to 1500 yards. It was fun and very humbling.....

As am I only the second time i got out to do so. Need to trim a few trees to get out to 1000 and posibly 1500!!!

 

[gillettehunter]

I dabble some with it. Not dedicated enough to be good. I have a 7mm SAUM that I've had first rd hits on a 8 inch plate at 700 yds. I have friends that are far better than me. Makes the occasional 400 yd shot much more do-able when you practice the 7-800 yds shots.
I have a new 6.5 SS. Runs then new 156 gr Berger at 3000 fps very easily. I have only about 80 rds through her so far. Just got a new sock and I think thats going to help a bit. I think she'll be a shooter.
Bruce

 

[YancyW]

The past few years I have taken a few LR classes, they are a ton of fun and absolutely are useful at becoming better at more normal hunting ranges.

I have an MOA Rifle built by Bob Beck, it is in 300 RUM. Super accurate and fun to shot, but weighs 9lbs and has a 26" barrel, so it doesn't go on many hunts. I took it on an elk hunt last September, it was nice knowing I would be able to reach way out if needed, but it is still a pain to carry on a horse and through dark timber.

I also have a Seekins Havak in 6.5CM that is a dedicated LR setup. I have it topped with a Gen II Razor 4.5x27 and Area 419 Sidewinder break. I can watch more of my shots, it is a dream to shoot.

 

[Newboomer]

I did a little lr shooting at SAAM a few years ago. Very humbling but very satisfying. We were shooting 10 inch steel at 1000 yards. I had my Win 70 7RM with Barnes 168 gr TSX. Once I got dialed in it was a blast (no pun intended). Even got a few 1200 yard hits. Tricky with a gusting crosswind. Great confidence builder for that occasional longer shot. I try to keep my shots at 300 or under in the field regardless of caliber. Safer that way.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

That is a sweet rifle! I used it last year on my hunt with Gerrit to take a Spingbuck. Congratulations on the 900 meters!

 

[TMac]

I set up a 280 Rem for long range shooting. It launches 145 gr. Barnes LRX‘s at an average MV of 3,013FPS according to my chrony. It has a 4x16x44 Vortex, EGW rail and rings, McMillan stock, Timney Trigger, Brux 24” 1:9 SS barrel. I shoot it to 600, may soon stretch it to 800 on steel. Scope is soon to be upgraded to a SWFA 3x15, a scope based on an old Tasco military design., It’s built to spin dials and an has an impeccable reputation for ruggedness and repeatability for a very nice price vs a Nightforce or similar scope. So I plan to do more LR shooting with it, ergo the new scope.

 

[bruce moulds]

i am an fclass shooter so have done a fair bit of long range, out to 1200 yards.
i got into it as a means of being a better long range hunter.
when hunting i had found the first obstacle to overcome was judging range, and things like mil dots etc were not viable in the real world.
a laser range finder solved that problem, but wind was then m a major hurdle.
wind speed indicators did not not say what was happening out towards the target.
many years of fclass shooting at known ranges and with wind flags every hundred yards has proven that wind reading is an inexact science at best, even for really great wind readers.
this because if shooting at an animal you have to hit exactly ALL the time.
shooting at steel is fun, but allows you to think you are better than you are.
groups on paper give a far more honest readout of your ability, or level of performance.
if relating this shooting to hunting, you then come to delivered energy at the range of the shot, and delivering that energy through terminal performance of the bullet.
because bullets start acting differently terminally as they slow down, you are pretty much obliged to use a bigger calibre than usual.
for reliable kills at longer range on say whitetail deer, 338 cal will offer more rewards than a 7mm, just because if the bullet fails to expand it still makes a fair sized hole.
the 6.5 creedmoor is great for poking holes in paper or ringing a gong, but fails the energy and terminal bullet test for all but varmints.
for me now, out to 300 yds a 280 rem allows me to aim dead on appropriate sized game with acceptable terminal performance.
the 7mm stw offers 400 yds similarly.
my max hunting range is where i can still aim on fur for both wind and the zero of the rifle.
for long range serious shooting a specialist rifle gives an advantage, and such a rifle is impractical as a hunting rifle.
bruce.

 

[Will Self]

Something so very sweet about squeezing off a round and then wait 2-3 seconds for that sound of bullet on steel!!!

We dabble in some long range stuff just for fun and to sharpen the skills for the closer shots. 1000 yards is my max so far. Have an Alamo Precision Rifle Maverick model in 28 Nosler. Pushing a 195 grain Berger Elite Hunter at just under 3000fps. Have a Nightforce SHV in 5-20x56 and using a Gunwerks G7 rangefinder. If you get a good wind call the G7 will help give you a first round hit. Provide you do your part!!!

As others have said shooting long range will have a positive effect on your mid range shooting.

 

[shootist~]

I've always enjoyed "stretching a barrel", regardless of the rifle. Just as a plinker, sometimes to 785 Yards.

I bought a Ruger Precision Rifle when the 6.5 Creedmoor craze hit and had a lot of fun learning to reload it to its potential. Rebarreled it with a pre-fit Criterion barrel and made it better.

Ended up rebarreling a Rem 700 Varmit (VSSF) in 308 to 6.5 CM, another pre-fit Criterion. It's a keeper. I've taken it to 985.

 

[Royal27]

I did a little lr shooting at SAAM a few years ago. Very humbling but very satisfying. We were shooting 10 inch steel at 1000 yards. I had my Win 70 7RM with Barnes 168 gr TSX. Once I got dialed in it was a blast (no pun intended). Even got a few 1200 yard hits. Tricky with a gusting crosswind. Great confidence builder for that occasional longer shot. I try to keep my shots at 300 or under in the field regardless of caliber. Safer that way.

SAAM is awesome and I want to go back and do their "precision " (long range) class. I did their DG class before my first safari and it was worth every penny.

I've never really shot long range but do plan on changing that here shortly. I just got a 6.5 Creedmoor for just that purpose. Will get the scope on it in the next couple of days and then it's time to work up a load then hit the (long) range.

 

[Newboomer]

I took my 6.5 Cr to Africa last year for pg. Stock Ruger M77 Hawkeye and Hornady 143gr Eld-X over 37.5gr 4064. One shot kills on springbok and impala out to 286 yards. They just folded in place. Made a believer out of me.

 

[Tra3]

I completely agree that long range training is very helpful for short range shooting. It also makes a day at the range more like a math quiz. I use the ballistic AE app on my phone.
I also agree With @bruce moulds that wind reading is difficult and will cause a hunter to choose closer shots since a wind error can make for a horrible hunting experience.

 

[Newboomer]

I've passed up close shots, 150-200 yds, because of wind. When my muzzle is waving a foot sideways back and forth I'm not chancing a shot. A trick that helps is to have your PH stand on your downwind side so you can lean against him or put him upwind to shelter you. Most times that will steady things up enough to take a shot.

 

[Northwest9]

last time i was at the farm i was shooting out to 800m with a mates 270, so i was bitten by the bug

I have a 243 that doesnt get a lot of use, as it falls between the 204 for fox and roo shooting, and the 7mm08 for pigs and deer.

I swapped the 5-25x50 ziess conquest HD5 from the 204 with the 3-9x40 ziess conquest that was on the 243. the 204 doesnt really need much more magnification than that for spotlight shooting

i did up a load with ADI 2209, 95gn Berger classic hunter projectiles, and federal large rifle primers, that shoots into a clover leaf at 100m

I then tested different seating depths, but the original 20 thou off the lands being the best of the 5 seating depths tested.

i will now load up another 10, put them over the chrony, and see how they go before having a play at longer range

pretty happy with the groups, given its a base model rem700 SPS (SPS being an acronym for Shitty Plastic Stock) that a bought second hand for cheap for a donor action for a 6xc that i never bothered to build

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

I did a little lr shooting at SAAM a few years ago. Very humbling but very satisfying. We were shooting 10 inch steel at 1000 yards. I had my Win 70 7RM with Barnes 168 gr TSX. Once I got dialed in it was a blast (no pun intended). Even got a few 1200 yard hits. Tricky with a gusting crosswind. Great confidence builder for that occasional longer shot. I try to keep my shots at 300 or under in the field regardless of caliber. Safer that way.

10inch is a small piece of steel over that distance!! Well done, it is a very satisfying feeling when the bullet hits that metal

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

i am an fclass shooter so have done a fair bit of long range, out to 1200 yards.
i got into it as a means of being a better long range hunter.
when hunting i had found the first obstacle to overcome was judging range, and things like mil dots etc were not viable in the real world.
a laser range finder solved that problem, but wind was then m a major hurdle.
wind speed indicators did not not say what was happening out towards the target.
many years of fclass shooting at known ranges and with wind flags every hundred yards has proven that wind reading is an inexact science at best, even for really great wind readers.
this because if shooting at an animal you have to hit exactly ALL the time.
shooting at steel is fun, but allows you to think you are better than you are.
groups on paper give a far more honest readout of your ability, or level of performance.
if relating this shooting to hunting, you then come to delivered energy at the range of the shot, and delivering that energy through terminal performance of the bullet.
because bullets start acting differently terminally as they slow down, you are pretty much obliged to use a bigger calibre than usual.
for reliable kills at longer range on say whitetail deer, 338 cal will offer more rewards than a 7mm, just because if the bullet fails to expand it still makes a fair sized hole.
the 6.5 creedmoor is great for poking holes in paper or ringing a gong, but fails the energy and terminal bullet test for all but varmints.
for me now, out to 300 yds a 280 rem allows me to aim dead on appropriate sized game with acceptable terminal performance.
the 7mm stw offers 400 yds similarly.
my max hunting range is where i can still aim on fur for both wind and the zero of the rifle.
for long range serious shooting a specialist rifle gives an advantage, and such a rifle is impractical as a hunting rifle.
bruce.

Cannot agree with you more, although it is fun hitting steel plates out on these distances i don't think it is the right thing to try and shoot a animal (except a baboon) with the 243 over such distances. As hunters it is still our responsibility to ensure the most effective clean kill we can on a animal.

And as you say carrying this little 243 around is not practical Ask @Mark Biggerstaff as it is a heavy long rifle. But if you take it out to areas like the free state or Karoo where hunting from a vehicle is the way they do it and you have 300-400 m shots it is nice knowing you have the right equipment for the job

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

SAAM is awesome and I want to go back and do their "precision " (long range) class. I did their DG class before my first safari and it was worth every penny.

I've never really shot long range but do plan on changing that here shortly. I just got a 6.5 Creedmoor for just that purpose. Will get the scope on it in the next couple of days and then it's time to work up a load then hit the (long) range.

Keep us posted on the performance and your successes please