Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 2,000 yard shot?

Last summer I finally made the VHA 1,000 yard Downrange Club with a 1,153 p-dog. Took a couple of years and considerable expense to finally get the right equipment - and luck. I have hit p-dogs at that distance and they usually crawl off...which doesn't count. But a spine shot stopped this one.

So - maybe I have been bitten by the way out there bug. I have a great guide in Montana - Scott Carpenter, who goes the extra distance to put me on p-dogs - even marks the range where 1,000 yards start from the bench he straps down.

So here is what I am here to ask: What caliber (s) are being successfully used at 1,500 - 2,000 yards? In talking with others I continually hear "338 Lapua Magnum" and I can do that. But are there other calibers that I should consider? This will be a purpose built rifle, put together by a gunsmith that specializes in long shot rifles. His suggestion is the Lapua.

The rifle I used for the 1,153 yard shot is a custom Savage 6.5-284. The 142 SMK load I use drops ~240 inches at 1,000 yards and even with a 20 MOA rail I don't think has enough smack to work at the longer distance.

Any experience that might be shared will be appreciated.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1020440

Take a look at this.....

I would go with a long barreled 338 Edge or 338 Lapua Improved. We have shot out to 2200yds with our 30" barreled 338 Edges. If you want more horsepower, the 338-408 Cheytac Imp cartridges will get you there a little easier. Use 300gr SMK's and start practicing. Shooting at these distances is ALOT different than 1000-1500yd shots. It is addicting though.

Pat,

We have shot our fast 6mm's with 115's out to 1700yds...they just seem to loose energy fast at that range.

I think for any effectiveness at 2000 yards a guy needs to start with a big 300 magnum and go up from there. Heavy bullets with High BC. There has been a few guys shooting Lapua's,edges,338-378 etc very well out to 2000 yards.

I would go with 338 edge or 338 Lapua

338-378 with a 30 inch barrel on a custom action would be very nice too. I traded off my Edge, at 15 lbs and a very long overall length it just wasn't very useful to me.If I do another Edge it will be a 28 inch barrel,fluted,repeater.

Sounds like you have a smith, but I know Kirby Allen has used his .338 AM to take a rockchuck at over 2000 yards. mtmuley

I'd back up a bit and use my son's trusty Crickett .22 long rifle. Little Schit outshot me with it today...

That's some serious range. A .264 cal Berger 140 grain out of a 6.5 Weatherby would be high on my list. 3400 fps and a .612BC if I recall.

All -


Thanks for the replies and links. I think I will make a 2,000 yard attempt.

The 6 MM and 6.5 MM Crusader information is very interesting. My guide, Scott Carpenter, is a fan of the 243 AI and smithed an 8-twist for himself. It shoots the 105 AMax extremely well - and he punched a p-dog at 1,000 yards with it in about 10 shots (already had his 1,000 yard zero) - a lot easier than my 1,153 yard shot with my 6.5-284. After I had a 1,000 yard zero most of the shots were within a foot of the dog...

I will work up some alternate loads for my 6.5-284 but so far the 142 SMK/4831SC has performed the best. I have worked up 2 or 3 other loads with lighter weight bullets but their B.C. was a lot lower.

Thanks again - I am paying attention!

Throw a set of these on your current rifle and give it a shot or 10.
http://www.iveyshooting.com/

Looks like a great setup but I'm lookin at my current list of 100 priorities and can't seem to find it!!!

I'm not that serious of a LR prairie dog hunter either. If I was those would be on the equipment list.

7mm 180 berger or JLK out of a 7mm/338Lapua should get you there without the fancy adjustable bases. I think I would need about 80 MOA to get there. I would not go the improved route just straight neck down from 338. I have to turn my necks but you may use more forethought.
The 338 AM will get you there with ease, about 48 MOA to 2000 using the 265gr HATs at 3400 fps.

EddyBo I agree, but if a guy was wanting to use a Nightforce 12-42 or some other elevation limited scope he already had these are an option. How fast does that 7mm/338 Lapua run those 180's?

3200ish

Thanks I ran 180 JLK on the Berger ballistics program using Bryan Litz's G7 BC and they show about 60 MOA needed to reach 2000 at typical Colorado environmentals.

If you put faith in the g7 form factor you theoretically could get there with a 90 berger and a 22-250 AI. But in the real world a 90 berger 22 cal will not get there launched at 3300 fps.

I'm a relative newcomer to the LR world compared to a lot of the posters on this site. In my range limited (1200 yd +-)shooting G7 has worked better then G1 to predict bullet flight. I am always eager to learn though. I am somewhat familiar with Pejsa's stuff also. Do you have a preference? ( I can't afford doppler radar)

I can only relay my meager experiance with several bullets and two balistics programs used to shoot out to a mile. Apparently G7 does not work for me at 200ft above sea level....or quicktarget is junk or the shooter ap for droid is junk. I have tried it using 180 bergers and 162 A-max 7mms and 168 and 210 30 cal bullets and maybe some more. It seems I can get closer to making long range hits using the older form factor and multiple BCs or even with a singular BC than I can using G7. I end up with weird variances at intermediate ranges then always very low hits at ranges past 1200 or so. I am going to stay old school and keep using ex-bal.