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30 CAL

Best advice on 400-600 yard shots. DON'T. 600 yard shots are for military sniper teams hunting terrorists, not on game animals!

Me smells a troll from ideeho

......I`d use either of these three....A fast 7mm, a fast 30, or maybe a fast 338.

As for bullet selection I like the high BC Berger hunting VLDs. On my next elk hunt, I will try the 30 cal 190 gr Berger (hunting) VLD. N/A in 338.

If a Berger VLD with one shot from a 7mm Rem Mag can down an elk successfully at 925 yards as seen on the Best of the West TV show, there shouldn`t be a problem with their effectiveness out to 700 yards, assuming of course, one has good long range optics for yardage and windage adjustments to properly place the shot.

I like the VLD bullet concept. For elk you can aim at the shoulder rather than at behind the shoulder. They penetrate bone at shorter and longer ranges and after a few inches of penetration, they begin to fragment and give tremendous shock value to the vitals.

I have read many successful accounts on elk using the hunting VLDs.

+1 Idaho! How about a 30-06, 180gr Partition at 2835fps and an elk at 400 yards or less. Now if you want to talk long range Somali pirates or any other terrorists - have at it! Humanely of course - environmentally approved fmj.

I would say a fast .277, 284, 30, or a .338 with very high BC bullets.

What are you and Idaho doing on the long-range forum? It you don�t agree with long-range hunting just move on.

And what makes you draw the line at 400 yards and not 50 or 100????

joecool544: goodbye...

I would bet you 10 dozen Canaidian Beer that with any one of my appropriate rifles you could hit a one gallon milk jug at 500 yards with one shot. If couldn't do it, you have no business shooting any rifle, at any distance.. The double period is on purpose. Period.

R.

Well......I can't really agree with THAT.The statement probably excluded the majority of African and Alaskan professionals who handle a rifle competantly every day of the year.There are many people who are fine and competant riflemen who would not consider shooting at a game animal at 500 yards under any circumstances...and who hunt very successfully every year.Just because they may not know how to hit at 500 yards does not mean they are incompetant,or should not be shooting a rifle.

I could impose the same arbitrary limitation by saying that if you cannot handle a shot on a running deer under any circumstances inside 200 yards,you should not be handling a rifle.But the limitation would be arbitrary and without justification.

Guys on here like JoeCool and jwp have invested the time,money,and expended the rounds with specialized gear to be able to hit effectively at 500 yards and beyond.But as a general rule,most hunting success has little to do with shooting beyond 300 yards,except in specialized conditions or circumstances.I agree it is a bonny good idea to know how to do it,though

I have great respect for the guys that practice with their long range rigs so they can make that long shot if needed. If I were to make a long shooting rig for elk I would seriously consider the 338 RUM with 300 gr Sierra Matchkings. I would have turrets and a proven drop chart. Darrell Cassell has had great success with this bullet as have others. as a matter of fact when my 9 lb McMillan stocked 300 RUM gets tired when I rebarrel it will be a 338 RUM.

http://www.precisionlongrangehunter.com/articles_hunting.htm

AZ: I think a specialized LR rig is the best "home"for a big 338 :)JMHO

on the off topic part of this, the only thing one need be is 200% confident(and not just in your head, but proven confidence) that you can make the shot you are about to attempt. Don't care if its 5 steps or 500....

Things get wonky at 500 yards. Or, better way to say it: they can. I shoot out that far and farther all the time (did it yesterday fer instance) but I'd hate to be judged "rifleman or not a rifleman" on my ability to hit a gallon milk jug at 500 first shot from field positions.

That's a missable shot, with a general-purpose hunting rifle, in unknown conditions (no sighter) etc.

Just throwing this out there... but how about this as a descriptor for a longer-range elk rig (not LONG range, just out to 600 yards or so):

"It will ACCURATLY shoot a bullet weighing at least 150 grains, with a BC over .5, and a muzzle velocity over 2800 fps."

Give me that rifle and a couple weeks to get used to it, and I could do some damage!

probably work if the choice of bullet was correct. BC over 5 helps, but isn't needed. MV is a good start.

Still for 500 yard shots my 308 would ding that target every time. Field condition shots to me for that distance says prone on a backpack...or pass.

Oh yeah, you think over 500 gets squirrely? 800 is a breeze compared to 900 or 1000 plus.... there is another big step in there around 800-900...

I believe it Jeff. Still working on finding somewhere I can shoot out that far, that isn't crazy windy... and a way to see my misses...

The rifleman is more important than the specific rifle or caliber. Understanding of trajectory, wind doping, accurate position shooting in the field, calling shots, is a fundamental prerequisite to taking a long range shot on game. Lots of disciplined practice is the key here.

The rifle - accurate, consistent, reliable - is more important than the caliber. The laser rangefinder has opened the caliber menu more than in the days of educated guessing. In scopes, I do like the B&C reticle, but that's in the technique department. I'm not fond of turrets, especially on an elk rifle I have to pack.

The caliber - my nod goes to the .300 Weatherby Magnum presuming that the above requisites are met (consistent, accurate). The flat trajectory is a hedge. There are other fine calibers out there, including non-magnums, but I have found the .300 Weatherby to be the easiest rifle to hit with I have ever used.

My choice .340 weatherby I have owned my G.McMillian
rifle for some time now. It's Just a tick slower than the .338 RUM but I have been shooting this thing since way before the .338 RUM was on the market. It will take an Elk like he was hit by Lightning.
I mostly carry a lighter rifle these days in 35 whelen but would not hesitate to take a 400 yard poke with it.
For you guys practicing and shooting long range Good on Ya
I would venture a man who shoots long range regular enough to know whats up will Be more accurate at 600 yards than the average hunter is at 100 yards especially if he has adjusted his equipment to the task.
The Naysayers are just Nancies who need something to snivel about. They blame their own shortcomings on ethics. Nice try.

I am not a skilled long range shooter. It is a skill I have not been trained in nor practiced. I generally limit myself to point blank range (the range were I don't have to compensate for drop). But that is my chose.

I have no problem with people that can and do kill long range. Just because I can't do something doesn't mean I should impose my limit on someone else.

For me it also becomes a distance were I can no longer judge the quality of the game. I have spent about $1000 in non gun mounted optics. I do not have the skills with them and critter judging to say 'I will shoot the one on the left up the hill'. Plenty of others do.