POLL: Long distance (rifle) shooting to you?

[TXAZ]

Whether it's for hunting or target shooting, the question is simple, what distance, in yards do you consider "long range"?

For some, it may be a different range for hunting vs. target shooting, so llist both. If you don't see your answer in the poll, chime in below.

(This is for rifles, not handguns, muskets, mortars, rockets or missiles (shoulder fired or otherwise) or artillery pieces. or B1B Lancer bombers, or variants thereof, including other aircraft.

[CalmerThanYou]

The way I see it, even if you have access to 1 mile and are competent at that range, 500Yrds is still long range by any standard.

[Rangerrich99]

I don't really target shoot, except very occasionally with friends for a round of drinks or dinner. So I voted based on my hunting experiences. In that circumstance, the longest shot I've taken at an animal has been a little over 500 yards on a prairie dog. IMO, hitting prairie dogs beyond 450 yards makes for some pretty challenging shooting, especially when they're moving. But that's only my opinion. I've never considered myself an expert rifleman, so YMMV.

[444]

I am 99% a target shooter and don't really care much about hunting. Anything past 600 yards is what I consider long range. That is the point where you really have to have all your ducks in a row and know what you are doing to be successful (not just a random hit now and then).

I have hunted and would consider anything at 300 yards or more to be long range for that. Shooting at unknown range with a sketchy position and making a clean shot changes things. That being said, there are people who have rangefinders, good dope for their rifles, the right optics, and they are shooting from a good solid position but I never hunted like that (not that there is anything wrong with it).

[std7mag]

I didn't see B1B Lancer bomber....

1000 to my thinking would start long range for target shooting.
Ideally 400 and under for hunting.

[TXAZ]

std7mag questioned:

I didn't see B1B Lancer bomber....

It's there, look again std7mag.

[Tom68]

I voted 600 based on my current skill level and equipment. To me 600 yards seems a LONG way off, and don't have a place nearby to shoot at those distances. My club has a 300 yard lane: from a good rest of the bench I can shoot 2-3" groups, and ringing the e-type gong gets boring after only a few shots. I'm talking target shooting here, though.

Hunting is an entirely different matter for me. I don't want to ever wound and fail to recover an animal, so anything past 200 yards is a long shot from me unless I'm in an ideal shooting house with the means to get a good supported position, and then I'd consider a shot out to 300 yards. And by the way, I verified today that the rifle + my handload is pretty sound: 0.397" three shot group at 200 yards...but with a heavy rest off of a firm bench and a rear sandbag....and more than thirty minutes between shots to let the barrel cool, from a Winchester (FN made in SC) Model 70. I don't expect to have that kind of setup in a tree stand!

[Art Eatman]

I'm mostly a hunter. Even though I've had bang/whop/plops at 350 and 450, anything beyond 300 seems like it's getting to be a rather long shot. I grant that I was rather proud of MOA groups at 500 yards with my pet hunting rifle from a less-than-rock-solid rest.

I do regard 200 yards or less as "gimmes".

[disseminator]

I would have said 400 if it was an option but picked 500.

I am a Hunter so I feel that 500 is a real world limit for me at this time. That could change, but not unless I leave the Midwest will I need to ever shoot farther than that.

I had MANY doe deer in the scope this season that I felt good about. I used the TMR retical in my Leupold to range them: about 325 yards.

Those shots would have been from the knee with my sling around my arm, not from a rest so that's pretty far for me.

[Charlie98]

600yds... because that is about the maximum reasonable range for 5.56mm or 7.62mm in a standard rifle.

[FITASC]

None of the above........
(Don't care much for rifle target shooting)

[Scorch]

500Yrds is still long range by any standard

Hate to disagree, but 500 yds is not long range by NRA High Power standards, or CMP standards, or just about any centerfire rifle shooting standards. Long range is BEYOND 600 yds according to them. 500 yds may be a loooong way over yonder according to a lot of shooters, but it's not long range. Long range takes you from simple sight adjustments and puts you into meteorological conditions in trajectory calculations.

[CalmerThanYou]

Apparently my standards do not meet with official standards, which is pretty standard.

[johnwilliamson062]

For me it is 200 yards for hunting. In my area I don't think here is really any reason to shoot that far, so That is what I am set-up for max range. 100 yards is really pretty far out there for hunting.

I listed 500 for long range, but really I would say it is 300 or so depending on cartridge. The range at which one needs to pay attention to wind and other factors that can be more or less ignored at shorter ranges. When some consideration must be given to even light winds, humidity, temp, etc. you are shooting long-range.

[Don Fischer]

I disagreed with all of them. Shooting at 400+ yards is a function of shooter ability. I know of no rifle cartridge I'd call flat shoot there! I thik long range is dependent on the cartridge your shooting and I'm not sure many, if any, will hit an 8" paper plate at 350yds with a dead on hold. Beyond 300 for me is long range, that about the best any of my rifles will do with a dead on hold at that 8" target. Beyond that the cartridge needs the help of the shooter to hit the target! You have to start on above average shooter skills and you are beyond long range.

There are those that couldn't hit the barn at 200yds. That doesn't make 200 yds long range. What it does in point out a lack of shooting skill! I've never checked cartridges like the 30-30 for range but get up into the 308 class and I can't think of one cartridge that can't hit that 8" target at 200 yds with a dead on hold. If you can't, it's not the rifle!

I am a die heart MPBR shooter. If the rifle can't stay in an 8" ID steel pipe with out hitting the top and goes till it hit's the bottom, you have reached long range.

[zipspyder]

I consider 300+ yards long range for hunting where you really have to start thinking about bullet drop. Long range target shooters anything over 500 yards.

[kraigwy]

Since I target shoot I use their definition:

Short Range: 100-400
Mid Range 400-800
Long Range 800-1000
Extreme LR 1000 +

As to hunting, depends on what I'm using, where and what I'm hunting

[T. O'Heir]

600 is the start of long range for target shooting. WAAAAY to far for hunting. Most standard deer cartridges bullet drop like bricks past 300. Very few hunters are capable of hitting the kill zone on any game animal at that distance anyway. Never mind that no hunting bullet has sufficient energy for a clean kill past 300.
In any case, the whole thing is more about what you're shooting at. That 600 yard high power target has a 10 ring that's 12" diameter with a 6" 'X' ring. The 10 ring at 800 to 1,000 is 20" with a 10" 'X' ring. Kill zone on a typical deer is approximately a 9" circle.
Shooting at a mile plus is for fun and bragging rights and not much else. Unless you're a CF or Brit sniper. And those shots were more about luck than anything else.

[DMK]

Beyond 300 for me is long range, that about the best any of my rifles will do with a dead on hold at that 8" target.

I agree with this.

For me 300Y+ is where you need to start adjusting your sights or hold overs. You can set a PBR / battle zero on most rifles that will reach out to 250-275 and sometimes even 300.

[DPI7800]

Never mind that no hunting bullet has sufficient energy for a clean kill past 300.

What?

By what standard are you drawing this information from?

Please feel free to elaborate.

[Kreyzhorse]

As a hunter, I consider any thing over 300 long distance.

[TXAZ]

T. O'Heir claimed:

Never mind that no hunting bullet has sufficient energy for a clean kill past 300.

Clearly not the case. Our Alaskan guide indicated that lots of shots there with .308, .338 and a few larger calibers routinely take trophies out to 500 yards. Why? Because your chance of getting to 200 or 300 yards of sizeable animal is much lower than 400-500 yards.

A .308 has 2000+ ft lbs of energy at 300 yards, more than enough to bring down most North American game.

I wouldn't discount the mile+ sniper shots. If the wind is light, hitting an 18" steel plate at 1 mile is a 1MOA shot, with 500 - 1500 ft lbs terminal energy remaining.

One shooter at our recent fun shoot nailed the 1 mile gong with his first shot using a 6.5 Creedmoor. (As did other's with .338's and .50's)
It's not that hard with practice.

Please show me how I'm wrong.

[jmr40]

With a modern bolt action rifle in almost any bottle necked cartridge shooting pointed bullets 300 yards should be doable by almost anyone with no special equipment. Zero any of them at 100 yards and the drop at 300 doesn't require any hold over on big game. If you simply hold on the top of the back and you'll hit vitals. At 300 there isn't enough time for wind to be a factor unless you're talking about some pretty extreme wind conditions.

Going to 400 isn't THAT much harder. You'll need to account for a few inches of bullet drop and either read the wind a little or simply decide not to shoot when the wind is blowing. But 400 doesn't really require any special equipment or skills. Anyone can learn how. The problem is that lots of guys simply don't have an opportunity to practice and develop confidence at ranges beyond about 300.

Once you get to 500+ you need a range finder, or be shooting at known ranges. A scope with adjustable dials or long range dots on the reticle starts to be important. The wind becomes even more of a factor. And some trigger time at longer ranges is important.

That is why I listed 600. I've shot out to 600 and feel pretty good at 500 on targets. I still wouldn't shoot at game beyond 400 and conditions would have to be perfect with little or no wind. With more trigger time at longer ranges I might get to the point where I'd go farther. But I'm not there yet.

[jmr40]

Never mind that no hunting bullet has sufficient energy for a clean kill past 300.

My 308 has more energy at 500 yards than a 30-30 has at the muzzle,lots more at 600 than a 30-30 has at 100. Are you saying no 30-30 has sufficient energy to kill cleanly. We have hunters dropping elk in their tracks at near 1/2 mile with 243's.

You keep bringing up stuff like this when you have no clue what you are talking about.

[natman]

For big game hunting you should shoot no further than you can keep all your shots on salad plate under actual hunting conditions and positions. For most people that's going to be a LOT shorter distance than those bandied about on the internet.

For targets shoot as far away as you can safely.