I have a new marlin xl7 .270 with a vortex 3-9x bdc scope which groups under 3/4" @ 100yds, zero at 250 yds. We do alot of coyote hunting and often take kills at 300-450!yds with ease. Is it possible to make a hit on a coyote target out to 1000yds?
Is there some advise and steps required to accomplish this long range shot, and is it achievable?
Look forward to some field experience on this subject.

Look at the ballistics on Winchesters site and see if you think you can do it.

practice.

Your new Marlin 270 may punch a 'yote a 300 yds...

but with out a very solid rest...a very good turret scope...

a good range finder....spotter....loads dialed to the scope

.....and of course a target @ 1K yds that stays put...

then a rifle set up to shoot 1K yds...your Marlin is best kept

to more reasonable ranges...the only way I could hit an adult

sized coyote @ 1K yds is if my 18# 260 AI was on my portable

table with my 6500 Tactical dialed to that yardage..and he

stood still for 2 seconds...

Well if you run the math:

I don't know what bullet you are using, but I figured a 140 gr Hornady BTSP @ 3000 FPS and using your 250 yd zero:

1000 yds. Drop -27.9 MOA Drift FV@10 MPH 9.1 MOA

Your scope has 70 MOA of elevation adjustment, and assuming no canted base that 35 MOA up and 35 MOA down. So you should have just enough scope to get to 1k yds.

Now because your rifle shot 3/4" groups @ 100 yds, does not mean it will shoot 7.5" groups @ 1000 yds. And remember your total drop is over 280" and your wind drift is over 90" in a only a 10 mph full value wind.

How big is your coyote?????

Not to toot my own horn here, but I do a lot of long-range coyote shooting with nothing more than a Tikka T3 in .25-06 and a Burris FFII Tactical 3-9x40 scope shooting 100gr MK's and 115gr Berger VLD's. My longest cold-bore kill on a coyote so far with this rig on a solid rest was 942 yards.

It's definitely possible to do it with the Viper and the .270, assuming you're using the right bullet, the scope is proven to track well and RTZ, and you learn how to shoot the gun at long range...

4 pages?

Theoretically, there no reason why a .270win shouldn't make a good long range caliber. It sits in between the various 6.5mm and 7mm calibers and offers similar balistics/velocities.

In the real world however, compared with whats available for the 6.5mm and 7mm's, the .270' suffers in that there are not many different types of specialist long range bullets available for it..

If you have $6000 I think I have a solution.

Don't see how.

Colonelkeen - Berger makes their fine Match-Hunting VLD in 130, 140 & 150 grains. The VLD is a great bullet for long-range shooting and hunting. I'd recommend building your long-range load around one of those, and seeing how it goes for you out at 500, 600 and beyond. You may well get to 1000 yards!

A steady rest, good ammo, a scope that will help you compensate for the drop at long range - and you're on your way. Careful, it's addicting.

Have fun. Guy

JORDAN- what size groups do you get at 600 and 1000 yard with your 25-06?? to answer the original post what size groups do you get at 600 and 1000 yards? a coyote is around 5 inches give or take. i would repeat what PETE E AND KODIAK SAID. I have shot over 250 coyotes. i also compete in f-class out to 1000 yards.

Not to bust your bubble but didn't you try to duplicate that 942 yard shot on that dead yote and didn't come within 3 foot of it or something like that?

To be proficient at long range shooting you need to be able to duplicate your shots.

+1...... A caliber with higher BC bullets make duplication much easier. The 25, 270, 35, and 375 calibers do not have an array of high BC bullets readily availible. Yes there are some small custom makers that make heavy high BC bullets for the above calibers, but one must have a proper twist barrel to utilize the longer higher BC bullets and a factroy 10 twist 270 barrel is not a fast enough twist, for a realy high BC bullet

I don't shoot groups at 600 and 1000 yards. I shoot steel and flesh. I get 1/2MOA on average on paper out to 300 yards. Anything past that and I'm not shooting paper.

Can't you measure the groups on steel?

Ummmm, nope. I'm not sure where you're getting that?? I did shoot at a completely separate coyote that was farther out, in a completely different location than the first coyote. They were separated by some elevation change and a big clump of brush. I couldn't get an accurate range reading on that second 'yote, so I don't know exactly how far he was from the first one. He was at least 40-50 yards farther, but it could very well have been 200 yards. At that range it's really hard to tell the difference between 100 yards more or less using a 9x optic. Even if I had "mis-guessed" the range by 30 yards, that would throw my POI off enough to miss. This was simply a "hail mary" shot, nothing more. It was hardly a duplication of the first shot.

I agree with you, though, you need to be able to duplicate your shots. And I can with my rig

I suppose, I just hardly ever do. I shoot for hits, and rarely measure group size on the plates. The few times that I have were when the group sizes were exceptional. I fired a group at 560 yards with that same .25-06 using the 100gr MK that measured 1.1" for 3 shots. I thought that was awesome, so I measured it. For the most part, I'm shooting at 1MOA targets and a hit is all I'm concerned with.

BTW, I'm not suggesting that the .270 or .25-06 is the ideal long-range rifle- it's not. But it can be pressed into service adequately if you load the right bullet. There are a few bullets for both the .25-06 and .270 that work quite well.

What works for me on steel is to paint the gong/steel pre shooting. I love it cause I can instantly see where I hit, 4 me I like to know where I hit it not that I hit it.

Easy to measure groups this way as well.

Works 4 this kiddo

Dober

I do the same thing, Dober, I just don't usually get out the tape measure or caliper and actually measure the group sizes. Five hits on the center of the plate gives me the warm fuzzies even if I don't bring the caliper with me.

I said it was easy to measure groups, and or get a good idea as I like you don't get out a caliper and measure them either...grin

I know a lot of guyz at the range hit the steel and get to thinking they're Johhny Leather legs, problemo is the steel at our range are darn big hunks of steel.

(Hows that for I's)

Dober

Sorry my mistake than, Like JWP said not to good of bullets for the 25s 277s. When Wildcat bullets was making bullets they had some great offerings.

I bought a 270 AM built for the 169.5 that had a BC of .740 and 195s with a BC .790 lucky for me I bought a bunch of these before Richard sold his business.

I did forget to say that while I don't carry a caliper I do a yard stick as that's tons better for the kinds of groups I normally shoot..

Dober

I have a local friend who went to a "Long Range Shooting" day at our nearby range. He shot a .338 Lapua belonging to one of the guys who were demonstrating how it's done. They ranged an 800-yard gong and Kestreled the wind, then punched the numbers into a program and clicked the scope.

My friend shot at the gong a couple of time (from a bench) and hit it both times. Now he is all excited about being a long-range shooter. His only two problems are that it's a 20" gong (2.5 MOA at 800) and he doesn't want to spend more than maybe $150 for a "tactical" variable that goes up to 20x or so. I believe he is going to mount it on one of the rifles he has in the closet, none of which he's ever shot beyond 200 yards, but hey, with a 20" gong it may not matter....

Yep every buddy wants to shoot long range tell they find out how much it cost to do it right.

No worries, Joe. I agree, like I mentioned above, that there aren't a lot of choices for long-range bullets from a .25 or .27, but there are a couple of decent options for each. Berger makes a good option and I was thinking about Wildcat, as well. I didn't know they went out of business. That's a shame. I'd like to shoot along side you any day, amigo. I'd sure learn a lot!

Joecool544
Just thought I'd mention this although you probably already know.
A guy down in Nevada bought the business and is producing the heavy 7mm bullets and was hoping to bring the full lineup back. He is still operating under the Wildcat name.

LOL, Dober. I don't believe a word you're sayin'. You use the sneaky tactic to get guys to shoot against you for money, don't you?

Dober (sulking): "Crap, buddy, I wish I could hit that 8'x8' sheet of plywood at 500 yards. What's that you say? You want to have a friendly wager on some LR shooting? OKAY!!"

Jordon they didn't go out of buiness Richard sold the buiness, and Paul been a little slow a getting it going.

Yes and I'm waiting for Paul to start making the 169s and 195s, than he said he was going to start in on the big .338s

Figured you probably knew. Personally I hope somebody comes out with a heavy for caliber .257 that doesn't break the bank.

Gotcha. Well that's good news, at least.

Well they are suppose to do the whole line up lets hope so, I would like to try some heavy's in my .257 Wby

I was thinking along the same lines

A lot of truth in that statement.

The original poster could go with a 270 STW. I happen to know this long drink of water that has one with a 5 to 25 power Schmidt and Bender scope on it. Ironically he shot his deer (a few weeks ago) at around 80 yards. Isn't that the way it works???

Don

I don't know of any place around me to shoot a 1000 yards but 600 yards is doable most of the time. I suppose a person could purchase a new .270 Winchester and shoot it a 1000 yards off in the distance to try and hit their target. They might even get lucky and score a hit or two out of 30 rounds but I seriously doubt it is going to happen. There is just a whole bunch to learn in order to take up that task and be successful with your results.

It cracks me up how many guys grab the old hunting rifle, strap on a Bushnell mega power scope and want to shoot 600 yards or more. Seriously, 99.99% of shooters couldn't hit an 8" plate at 600 yards with the most accurate rifle in the world. They don't have the ability or trigger time to do it right. I have some accurate rifles and have let guys try and try to hit stuff at 400-1,000 yards. They can't do it, even though the rifle and equipment are up to it.

I ran a .22-250 AI a while back at the 8" 1000 yard gong shooting 75 grain Hornady AMAX bullets. Wind was calm but would kick up in spurts. I had a 3 shot 3" group going and was really impressed with the little round. Shot #4 missed, due to a light wind and #5 ticked the edge. Just about any caliber can do long range, but the rifle and the nut behind it better be up to the task.

I recently ran into a guy that had a fancy custom $3,000 .308 and was shooting Federal Gold Medal match ammo through it. He hit all the forums and read everything on the internet about building an accurate rifle. The trouble was, he had NO ability to shoot it. He and his buddy went through two boxes of shells trying to hit clay pigeons on a hillside at 200-250 yards. I watched them with amusement as they talked amongst themselves about how poorly the rifle was shooting. I could tell they were flinching REALLY bad and had no ability to shoot well. They had the fancy range blanket and were shooting off a bipod. I asked them if I could have a whirl at it, since they were so frustrated. They kept tweaking the scope dials to "get it in". First shot I fired was a couple of inches left. I dialed in the scope and centered the next pigeon and did the same with the next three. I handed the rifle back to the two guys and told them it was "on" and to stop adjusting the scope and learn to squeeze the trigger. They still couldn't hit crap. I tried to teach them how to squeeze the trigger. Nope, couldn't do it. I gave up and left them there tweaking on the scope some more.

Working at the local rifle range, I see this all day long. It amazes me to no end. I have gone out with several guys that "think" they are 1,000 yard shooters. When I range their 1,000 yard targets, they are in the 400 yard range. Pretty embarrassing for them, to say the least. 1,000 yards or even 600 yards, is a long ways out there! It takes years of practice to hit consistently and LOTS of ammo down range. Flinch

Flinch, shooters up your way must be mighty bad. I have yet to have a newbie slide in behind one of my rifles and miss a target at 600 or even 800 yards. In a years time I usually have 30 or 40 guys come to shoot on my range. Any monkey can squeeze a trigger. The hard skill sets are ranging, dialing, and reading the wind.

Well said EddyBo
I get way more pleasure out of showing and helping people learn something that they want to learn, than sneering or talking down to them..

The first time my wife went prairie dog shooting she knocked over several in the 600 + range with her furthest at just over 900. The thing is she is a very poor judge of distance and I didn't tell her how far she was shooting. I'd just dial the scope and tell her how much to hold for wind. When we were done shooting and on the way back to the truck I told her how far she was shooting and she couldn't believe it.

My worst nightmare would be taking a 1k poke at an animal, and then trying to find a blood trail when the animal ran off after a less than perfect hit. Now where was the animal standing when I pulled the trigger?

Your spotter! it works every time.

I know what you mean. I haven't shot big game at 1K, but trying to find a specific prairie dog hole out on the prairie is a PIA. You'd definitely better locate a land mark or better yet a spotter talking you on to the location.

My worst nightmares always involve women....and then my wife shows up.

Get a GPS. Mark the spot you are shooting from and get a bearing for direction, you already have the distance.

The problem is, everyone thinks they are an expert already and are unteachable. If a person is truly willing to learn and listen, they have a complete blast behind good equipment. I have seen a lot of smiles come from teachable people. Flinch

Last summer I started shooting a .270, a Cooper model 52 Custom Classic, a standard weight sporter. Using a Zeiss Conquest, 4-14 and 135 grain SMK's. I'm getting 2910 fps and according to Sierra's data the bullets have a BC of .488. I have been shooting marmots out as far as 749 yards from a bipod. I didn't shoot just one, my total take for the two weekends I got out were 7 at ranges from 600 to 749. I'm not sure how much more elevation I'm going to get out of the scope with the standard Talley rings and bases, but I intend to keep extending the range until I run out. At that point I'll have to do something to build in more elevation. I have shot this rifle only as far as 550 yards on paper, but I'm getting .4 moa accuracy out there. I believe I could shoot coyotes out at 1K with a little more elevation in my scope mounts, and the addition of a sand bag at the butt of the rifle. May need to lighten the trigger a bit too. Right now it's at 3# as the rifle is set to hunt big game.

I've seen lots of folks that thought they were good; until they laid down prone from 1000 yards and tried shooting a M1874 Sharps rifle shooting 720 gr. all-lead cast bullets using 116 grs. Swiss 1F blackpowder using aperture sights front and rear! Most KNOW SQUAT about aperture sights because most of the younger generation doesn't know anything but current scope usage and couldn't even hit the mainframe on which the bull is hung in the below photo; this after much instruction on sight usage and proper position! Most of the 'super-duper' cartridge shooters today don't have to worry much about holding elevation once a zero is established however that doesn't hold true shooting bullets that are only leaving the muzzle at possibly 1350 fps; 3200 fps is a lot easier! However with a black powder cartridge rifle...it's a whole new ball game to the extent that not only is wind a major problem but the wind also plays a huge part in holding the right elevation. Most modern shooters would embarrass themselves to the point whereby they'd have a sore foot from kicking stuff around for their embarrassment! Here's a group I shot a while back with my C. Sharps M1874 Sharps from 1000 yds. The overall diameter of the black bull is 44"; the diameter of the inner plate is 20"...same size as the 10 ring on the NRA LR Palma target. I dropped 3 shots off to the right however had I made a windage adjustment all would have been back toward center. When I am testing a load I don't care squat about what the horizontal dispersion is because basically what I'm looking at is the amount of vertical dispersion! This vertical averages about 8". There are 10 shots here.



Excuse me! I said I dropped 3 rounds off the 10 ring plate but closer examination shows that one of the two at the upper right 'nicked' the edge of the 10 ring so I only dropped 2 off the 10 ring.

My range on a cold morning! This was taken from the 1300 yd. line with a Canon camera at 17X.