What do you consider long range shooting?

Downeast

Downeast

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If you spend any time on firearm forums you constantly come across comments such as "I'm looking to purchase a scope for "long range" shooting", or "what is a good caliber/rifle for long range shooting"? Reading further you find comments like "I want to shoot out to a 1,000 yards". What does all of this mean? They are willing to drop a considerable amount of cash on a rifle/scope combo to shoot "long range". Well, that's nice. My question is what do you want to shoot at? A two foot square piece of steel that makes a nice "dong" sound? No high end scope needed for that. I can hit that steel all day long with a $300 fixed 10X scope. Will you be competing where scores are mainly based on "hits" and time, or on tight groups and precision.

Recently I have had friends who want to come out and "shoot long range". When I ask them what they want to shoot they haven't a clue. I have both steel targets and stands for paper targets out to a 1,000. They spent a bunch of money on a "rig" as they call it. Recently two of us were shooting at paper targets at 300 yards. 10 shots in 15 minutes best score wins (bragging rights), X ring is 1.5 inches. One of the guys wanted to try his hand with his new rifle. Nice chassis, nice scope, nice bipod. Nice setup but not for what we were doing. Our rifles weighed close to 18 pounds or more and mine was a single shot. He got a few hits in the ten ring but the X ring was beyond his capability. He was a bit upset and I told him that he was doing very well but his rifle was not designed for precise accurate repeatable shooting at that level (10 shots consistently < 1 moa at 300 yards) We went back to hitting steel and after a few dozen rounds he was back to being himself to some degree. But I doubt he will be shooting paper with us anytime soon.
So, I guess my point is before you invest in a long range system take a minute and decide what you really want it to do. It may save you a bunch of money and frustration. :)
 
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This is what defines long range at FLD for me (no black badge):

child-looking-fence-12788285.jpg


btw, just to be clear, this is an attempt to be funny, not snarky.
 
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Fortunately I like both steel and paper. It depends on the day. All of my steel targets are 12 X 18 silhouettes. As my retired USMC buddy calls them "minute of man". :D

But recently I have gotten bitten by the iddy-bitty group bug. Now I'm not only trying to hit the steel at 1,000 but I want all my shots to be one little black smudge on the target. :rolleyes:

My point is you should know what you want to do in the realm of LR shooting before you invest a lot of time and money. PRS is not F-Class which is not Benchrest. Not that one is any better than the other, just that they all are different in regard to their own standards, practices, and equipment and all are considered a long range discipline. And don't forget the .22's either! 50 yard rimfire is a LR shooting sport in itself.
 
Meh.

Any more, if I have to walk out to the target instead of reeling it in, it's long distance.

If I have to walk over to get the squirrel I just shot because it didn't fall straight down in front of me, it's long distance.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
If I have to walk over to get the squirrel I just shot because it didn't fall straight down in front of me, it's long distance.
Click to expand...

Of course, if you shot the tree-rat with the proper weapon, there wouldn't be anything of him left to "get" within walking distance! :p
 
why concern your self with others purchases? Seems like a strange thing to get wound up and write a long post that should have said..."I went shooting with friends, we had a good time." instead of that long rant.
 
I try to stretch it out from time to time so my "skills" don't deteriorate.

When I get a little frisky I'll back right on back to that 5 yard or maybe even the 7 yard line....now THAT'S risky livin'.

Seriously, I only have access to a 100 yard range and as get older, i just don't see that far anymore. Only own one scope, it's only used for hunting on my 30-30. Yea, like I ever get to go hunting anymore...lol.
 
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I think the rubber hits the road at about 800yds. Cold clean bore hit/impact at 1000yds is always gratifying. LR shooting to me is as much about eqpt and preparation/education than anything else. Very difficult to get a hit at 1000yds with a 30-06 and a 3x9 hunting scope. It can be done and it can be done with irons but its much more difficult for a newbie than with say a 308 or 6.5CM with a scope that has 100 mins of elevation adjustment.
 
Rifle- beyond 300 yards
Handgun- beyond 25
22lr - beyond 100

I say this.......because i dont have to try too hard inside these ranges to have good resylts.....beyond those ranges I cant be sloppy. My mistakes really become noticeable!
 
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