Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting New to long range shooting

UPDATE: My friend bought the Savage 110 Ultralight in 280AI.

Somebody told him that the 6.5 PRC isn't as good for killing elk out to 1,000 yards. I don't think that he's a good enough shooter to be squeezing the trigger on an elk at long ranges, but he thinks that technology will make up for his level of actual shooting skills..

I would suggest more toward a varmint weight rifle in 6.5 Creed or 308Win.

An ultralight 6.5 PRC will be costly to feed, short on barrel life, and the light weight is no help for a LR starter rifle.


But to each their own. It's all part of the journey.

260Remguy,

Technology can be a big help, but nothing beats rounds down range, lots of them, also good people helping you will shorten the learning curve, anyone can dial up, learning wind is VOODOO. Rio7

I'm not interested in long range shooting or long range hunting, I was asking for a friend from KS. As elk go, I have deeded access to a ranch in CO WMA 140 where cover and water are concentrated, so finding the elk isn't hard and getting close to them is a matter of low crawling slowly until you get into your comfort zone.

My friend wanted a light mountain rifle chambered for a cartridge that he feels comfortable shooting elk out to 1,000 yards, so he bought the Savage in 280AI.

Makes sense. My first car was a Buick station wagon, and I drove Formula One shortly after buying it.
Grins

Sometimes a person just doesn't know what they don't know.

I don't know about that.....

👏

Truthfully no one who plans 800 yd and longer shots on game is using an off the shelf rifle. There are many custom rifle makers that deliver rifles capable of those feats and most are in the $3.5K - $5K range. And that would be minus the glass, which at a minimum for a serious long range hunter will be in the $2K range. What I’m saying is someone who is hell bent on pursuing game at those ranges has worked their way up over years in the field and bench as a rifleman to understand what it takes in skill and commitment. The money spent at those levels is based on a serious commitment that has taken many years of deliberation to develop. From your own account your friend sounds like a dreamer who has read to many magazine articles. My advice with his new off the shelf purchase is to get closer to the game and see how proficient they are at 300 yds with a 20 mph crosswind. My guess is this person will become very uncomfortable shooting at that range under those conditions let alone doping wind at three times that distance.

My 1000 yard light weight mountain elk rifle weighs just over 10lbs.

I am not sure if that is true anymore.

I see your point of view. Anyone can pull a trigger whether it’s an off the shelf rifle at 800 yds or money spent for a customized build. I agree any article fed dreamer at those ranges can pull the trigger quite easily on any make and model. Success, well that’s another discussion for another day.

I wish him all the best.

Technology and money can buy an accurate rifle, the best LR ammunition, the nicest optics, and lasers that give corrections for gravity.

As far as I know, one cannot 'buy' a good wind call, or the ability to build a hasty field shooting position. The only way to build proficiency is plenty of distance shooting, in field conditions, not off the target bench.

Investment in rounds down range, in all kinds of weather and wind, from any field position you can think of and using your pack or sticks or bi-pod, or any other support you can find, is the best investment you can make in long range shooting, it will teach you what your limitations are, no matter what you are shooting for a rifle, glass, and load. Rio7

I don't think that he will acknowledge any limitation in his shooting ability. If he sees an animal that he wants to tag, he'll take the shot regardless of trhe range, wind, or obsticles between the muzzle and the target. If the animal doesn't show any sign of being hit, he'll call it a clean miss and keep hunting.

I wouldn’t be trying to help someone like that but to each their own I guess.

That behavior in a friend would certainly be cause for me to evaluate my friendship; I’d either be signing him/us up for long range shooting classes on my dime or trying some other educational activities that I thought might help. But as the poster above said, to each there own - and I’ll acknowledge the unknowns and variables of every individual situation and relationship. And in no way is this meant as a knock on the OP; I have a significant respect for him based on his posts while I’ve been a member here.

Over the years I’ve had some pretty bad ideas. I’ve always had friends to tell me that it was a bad idea. Some would know it was a bad idea and go along with it with me….lol. It’s gone both ways with us. What I or we’ve never done was to recognize a bad idea then get on the internet and ask for recommendations on the terrible idea.

I don’t mean to be on a high horse or anything but I couldn’t discuss hunting with someone that as the OP said himself will take shots at 1,000 yards and just assume it’s a miss and keep hunting if the animal isn’t found easily. It’s one thing to have a friend that operates that way but a totally different thing to try and help that nonsense then put it online. What’s next asking the best way for my friend to sleep with a married woman?….lol

Geez, I asked for input on what rifle cartridge combination would be a good choice for a person who wants to get into the long range shooting/hunting game. I don't shoot/hunt at long ranges, nothing over 500+/- yards, so I asked for input from people who claim some expertise.

I don't need help picking my friends and I would never insult another adult by signing them up for a class of any sort, as that seems like a really good way to end a relationship.

My friend in question is a casual friend. We meet for lunch 3 or 4 times a year and occasionally go coyote calling on his ranch near White City, KS. He is a guy who is never satisfied and is always churning his guns, vehicles, horses, etc. He calls me when he is looking for a new/different firearm because I have an FFL and can usually order whatever he wants and then sell it to him for my cost and the NE sales tax.