Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles long distance set up

Long distance is certainly 'in' these days. i know a couple of hunters who have figured out how to do it here in Fla.

I'm guessing you don't shoot from a field position. What sort of gear and set up do you use?

My regular big-game rifles with 2 Spartan ultralight bipods. One long enough to shoot sitting/kneeling, the 2nd a short one for shooting prone. They attach/detach in a few seconds with a strong magnet. Other than the bipods I haven't added a thing to the rifles I normally hunt with.

It depends on how you define "long distance", really. I've gotten to where shots seated and off sticks, I'm confident to 450 or so. Beyond that, I need multiple contact points to rest the rifle on, such as along a backpack. From there, it depends on the wind and whether I'm feeling confident. I've set up for 700+ yard shots before, but I've never taken that shot at game. My practice I stick to 600 and in anymore. Even with no discernible wind from a shooting position, I won't shoot beyond 600 at game.

The last handful of years, I've been working more on using lever guns and handguns, and I'd rather get within 150 yards and shoot something with a 444 than make another 450 yd cross-canyon shot.

My personal standard is 5 consecutive hits on an 8" plate on demand in a moderate wind. After 200 yards hits are dependent on a good rest for me. Prone off a pack is ideal but rarely is available to me. Sitting w/ sticks I am self limited to about 400 yards. Since learning to dial distance w/ my SS 3-9 hd I have become much more consistent at 400 yards especially in the wind. I have gone 5 for 5 at 500-600 yards but not consistently enough to shoot at an animal in any but perfect conditions, which rarely occur. I do a lot of coyote hunting which keeps me realistic about my abilities "on demand".


mike r

I use a Spartan bipod and had to get a SWFA scope for dialing. Also use Hornady's ballistic app. I would rather get closer but sometimes that just isn't possible. Also reading wind is key. Gravity is constant, wind is the variable.

Longest shot I've taken at big game has been 487 yards. Did that off a Primos tripod with a Frankenstein Ruger MKII .338WM cobbled together from Ruger parts. 225g AB at 2778fps.

thanks for the responses. interesting.

Simple. I shoot off of my pack if I need to shoot long range..