Hitting a Pie Plate at 400 yards

[sealhunter]

The sunny calm afternoons with a heavy barrel rifle and bag varmint shooting are indeed nice. And to to reach out to 400 yrds and tag a gopher or 500 and and tag a badger,.... it is almost relaxing

Geeze sealhunter you've changed your tune somewhat since this post.

I'm not sure what you mean?

 

[Camp Cook]

They are a 4" wide target when on all fours.

but then they are not 4" high...

 

[Camp Cook]

I'm thinking we all have to much time on are hands...

Me I have cabin fever something fierce, think I'll go to the Kootneys to stretch my legs and call some coyotes next week.

When is turkey season open over there?

 

[TheTooner]

I don't need to try it to know I'm not good enough to find out if my rifle is good enough for humane hunting accuracy at 400 yards.

 

[Danny Boy]

Hey Danny Boy go out to your range or out into the bush and video yourself free hand shooting then post your skills onto youtube then show us the link to your awesome skills...

Me I've already done it so when you do your video we can compare our firearms skill levels and decide who's the one sh*tt*ng on the internet...

I know I know I'll be waiting a long time cause it isn't going to happen is it...

I mentioned that I practice up to 300 yards off the bench. 400 yds is out of range for me.

Shooting off hand is another story. I would limit my off hand shots to no more than 200 yards providing the condition is right.

The field condition I posted is pretty realistic:

o 80% shooting off a bipod, shooting sticks, prone and/or tree branch​

o 20% shooting off hand​

You are all honest folks and know your ability. The 33 hunters who voted for 100% times must have been a little fast on the key board. But if you really think you can hit the plate 100% time (including off hand) at 400 yards, just say so. We are very friendly.

Most of you know shooting skills take a long time to develop and many of us including myself will never get there.

Camp Cook, sorry I am not good enough to do any video.

 

[Camp Cook]

Don't be sorry I'm just having fun with you remember this is the internet...

Hey DB look up campcooke12345 on youtube you'll find my video's...

Yeah I'm that old guy...

 

[7 num num]

I shoot a 8" steel plate at 1025 yards. Now this is not all the time but I can do 5 out of 10 shots. With a Ruger M77 BBL in a 6mm Remington. Shooting 95gr Nosler CT with some 4064 backing it to 2856 fps (Average). Tuned Remington cases and CCI BR primers. For a old gun this one shoots like it was new just yesterday. I know this sounds like BULL S*%T but trust me I can.

 

[X-fan]

When varminting one sets up on a sunny hillside on a warm summer's morning before the mirage sets in, and with a 20X scope sighted match rifle propped upon sandbags for and aft, will manage 4 hits out of 10 at 400 yards. Compared to the reality of Canadian big game conditions with gusty fall winds driving snow squalls, a cold, hungry and often exhausted hunter shooting a 3-9X40 scope on a whippy barreled .300 magnum from an unsteady position because intervening willows don't let him get low enough the chances of a successful 400 yard shot are shall we say diminished.

Boomer,

Just checking to see if I have interpreted your post correctly?

No wind, no mirage, and a perfectly supported shooting position, using a heavy match rifle, with a 20 power target scope (I assume dialed for 400 yards). Not to mention it is a nice warm day. Also assumed (though you do not say this) is that you have have a confirmed 400 yard zero?

Your crosshairs locked rock steady on the center of the 8 inch target (set up 400 yards away) you squeeze off 10 careful shots and feel you will receive 4 hits?

Just asking...No offense intended.
Your honest and insightful comments are respected and valued by me.

Your point of potential diminishing capabilities during a hunt are well taken. Knowing when not to shoot is probably the most important part of being an ethical hunter....Long range or short.

 

[joe-nwt]

I shoot a 8" steel plate at 1025 yards. Now this is not all the time but I can do 5 out of 10 shots. With a Ruger M77 BBL in a 6mm Remington. Shooting 95gr Nosler CT with some 4064 backing it to 2856 fps (Average). Tuned Remington cases and CCI BR primers. For a old gun this one shoots like it was new just yesterday. I know this sounds like BULL S*%T but trust me I can.

You have inadvertantly hit on exactly the point many are trying to make here, I think. So let me ask you this; If you were to take that same gun sighted in at 1025 yards and shoot at a 8" circle at 400 yards without adjusting your sights, do you think your first shot would be inside that circle?

Hitting an 8" target at 400yards with a gun sighted at 400yards is one thing, hitting that same circle at 400yards with a rifle sighted at 100-200yards is another. That's where the practicing that everyone is advocating comes in.

Around here the fall weather often hovers between bad to worse than horrible, so it is often conducive to success to wait for the stabilizing effect of winter.

That's the second week of July around there isn't it?

 

[7 num num]

You have inadvertantly hit on exactly the point many are trying to make here, I think. So let me ask you this; If you were to take that same gun sighted in at 1025 yards and shoot at a 8" circle at 400 yards without adjusting your sights, do you think your first shot would be inside that circle?

Hitting an 8" target at 400yards with a gun sighted at 400yards is one thing, hitting that same circle at 400yards with a rifle sighted at 100-200yards is another. That's where the practicing that everyone is advocating comes in.



That's the second week of July around there isn't it?

Yes you are right to hit a plate at 400 when sighted at 100 or 2 is something you have to practice at. I my self would have to hold a plate above the plate to hit it or about 1 mil dot. But to make the shot accuratly I would adjust my scope to compensate for the drop. Practice make perfect in this game,as you said and doing the same thing everytime all the time should be the golden rule of shooting.


I shoot with a bi-pod and a mono-pod on the rear off the ground

 

[Gatehouse]

Hitting an 8" target at 400yards with a gun sighted at 400yards is one thing, hitting that same circle at 400yards with a rifle sighted at 100-200yards is another. That's where the practicing that everyone is advocating comes in.

I prefer to remove the guesswork.

If the animal is 350+ yards,I use my rangefinder, twist the dials on my scope and put crosshairs on the animal and shoot.

keep in mind I already have shot (and recorded) where the bullet will be at 100, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500 yards and I've made notes on how to adjust the scope.

Still, most game is taken at under 200 yards.

 

[Boomer]

I prefer to remove the guesswork. If the animal is 350+ yards,I use my rangefinder, twist the dials on my scope and put crosshairs on the animal and shoot.

There's the correct answer! If you aim at air, you will hit air. Of course it requires that you invest in some pricy equipment, but that's the long range game.

 

[Omega]

You have the Swarvo ballistic turret Gate?
Holding on hair is the only ethical way to make any shot. I use a rangefinder all the time. Often I hunt with weapons like a ML that with a 200 yard zero is 3" low at 225 yards. Precise ranging is everything.

 

[catnthehatt]

Typically I practise out to 300 metres at the range, before I went to AFrica I shot the 300 metre pig often enough at our range off the sticks they probably had to replace it.

PROBABLY??!!
The danged thing looked like swiss cheese!!
It's all good though Martin, it was a cheaper steel pig, I knew it was on its last legs when you hauled out those TSX's!!
Cat

 

[Calum]

There's the correct answer! If you aim at air, you will hit air. Of course it requires that you invest in some pricy equipment, but that's the long range game.

Methinks this is where the value of mildot scopes come in to play, and of course the time spent at the range.

Also just because some people don't take the time these days to develop the skills does not mean I'm willing to discount the tried and true 'hold over' method for those that take the time to practice it.

On that note I would be interested in learning more about how Gatehouse sets up his scope.

 

[pricedo]

I like these skill testing task related posts. We should see more of them on this board.

I'll bet that next week you'll post a shooting task that is actually hard to perform!

I've shot moose off tree stands in logging clear cuts in Northern Ontario where 400+ yard shots are common.

Long shots are the norm when hunting Northern Ontario clear cuts with wide open spaces that literally run for miles.

If I couldn't hit a 8" pie plate at 400 yards with my well tuned T/C "Icon" .300 Win. Mag. rifle & Leupold 2.5 - 10x scope & hand loads I wouldn't bother applying for my moose tag for next year & I'd mount the rifle on a moose antler plaque as a reminder of the "good ole daze".

I remember when I first joined my local shooting club after the move from Northern Ontario & asked to see the long range shooting area. The guy took me to a bench with the berm & target frame approximately 200 yards distant.

I said, "Sorry, I meant the long range RIFLE shooting area."

200 yards may be a long shot for an URBAN deer hunter bustin brush & packin a 94 or an 870 slug gun with iron sights but it's nothing in Northern Ontario where I hunt moose in mature timber clear cuts.

 

[Gatehouse]

You have the Swarvo ballistic turret Gate?
.

Nope, I use plain ol' Leupold 2.5-8x 36 scopes, with the turrets installed by Korth. I've also used the Stoney Point turrets and they work, but are not as good as the Leupold installed ones.

I might look at a Swaro scope in the future- SO far I haven't wanted to part with that much $$$$

 

[Boomer]

That's the second week of July around there isn't it?

Hell no, that the first week of the year we can count on it not snowing. Fall doesn't come until the third week of August.

 

[sealhunter]

I'm not sure what most do, but i am not a fan of hold over.

It was only last year or the year before that I got really interested in tactical scopes.

Right now, just for example. I am setup at 0.9 inches high at 100 yrds.

I am hitting a shade high of zero at 200 yrds.

Now why the 0.9 high at 100? Simply that like a 200 yrd zero that will be MOA (zero) back to 100 and out to approx 250 or so. This also saves me quite a few clicks at 400 - 500.

I rangefind an animal at 300 and dial in 300 with the scope.
350, 400, 450, and 500, same thing.

For my purposes the 25 yrd trajectories are negligible as I can either estimate, move in 25, or move back 25.

Sounds like a buch of trouble, but when you do it, it's just so simple.

Range finder- 350 yrds
Turn knob - (x) number of clicks.

You are now zeroed 350.

Before this I used mil dots. I used that a little improperly, but was set so that
i knew waht range each mil was zeroed on. Usually got me to 350 yrds quite well.

I am off tomorrow morning and me thinks I will make a quick video of the setup.

I'm very interested is hearing Gatehouses setup.


By the way,.. as I'm sure many will agree, out to 400 and 500, the slightest pull, flich, etc make a big miss downrange.

I was shooting two days ago and was really hugging the rifle. I watched my pulse in the scope. At 100 yrds, it meant not so great groups, but if that were 300 yrds, It may have meant a miss.

 

[Gatehouse]

On that note I would be interested in learning more about how Gatehouse sets up his scope.

Not much to it, some smart guys dreamed it up a long time ago.

You shoot your chosen load at different ranges and record the zero and drop.

Then you determine how many MOA adjustments you need to compensate for different ranges, you record them and then you twist your dial up for loinger ranges, put crosshairs on target and shoot!

There are about a million articles on the web that go into detail about it, try google for a real explanation.