Hitting a Pie Plate at 400 yards

Hitting a Pie Plate at 400 yards

  • At the club off a bench - No I have not practiced routinely for the 400 yard range

    Votes: 96 40.0%

  • At the club off a bench - Yes I have practiced and can hit the pie plate at 400 yards 80% times

    Votes: 42 17.5%

  • Field - Yea I am comfortable hitting the pie plate at 400 yards in the field 80% times

    Votes: 48 20.0%

  • Field - Yea I am comfortable hitting the pie plate at 400 yards in the field 100% times

    Votes: 45 18.8%

  • Field – Although I haven’t practiced enough I will shoot the game at 400 yards

    Votes: 9 3.8%
  • Total voters
    240
  • Poll closed .
Gatehouse said:
I won't take an offhand shot past 200 yards...Unless I was flinging hail marys at previously wounded game...

But we do have agong at 330 that I fling lead at offhand. I hit about 60%- not good enough for hunting.
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In my part of the woods most shots are either off hand, resting against a tree or the rail of a stand. Prone doesn't come into play at all.

Shooting up to 200 yards is not an issue unless the game is moving fast or at a bad angle. I find handgun practice helps a lot for my off hand rifle shooting.

200-300 yards range I rely on a tree branch most of the time.

Now that I have the B&C and Varmint reticle scopes on my 300 & 308 they eliminate the second guessing on how much to hold over for the 300-400 yards shots. It is very tempting for the longer shots. :D
 
Danny Boy said:
In my part of the woods most shots are either off hand, resting against a tree or the rail of a stand. Prone doesn't come into play at all.

Shooting up to 200 yards is not an issue unless the game is moving fast or at a bad angle. I find handgun practice helps a lot for my off hand rifle shooting.

200-300 yards range I rely on a tree branch most of the time.

Now that I have the B&C and Varmint reticle scopes on my 300 & 308 they eliminate the second guessing on how much to hold over for the 300-400 yards shots. It is very tempting for the longer shots. :D
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Tree branch, rail of stand- That isn't off hand, that is a supported position. Much easier to accomplish. Even leaning your body against a tree trunk gives you more support than shooting from just standing, unsupported.

Sitting and using shooting sticks is very stable, even more so if you can rest your back against a tree or rock- Then it is almost as good as prone.

Standing and using shooting long sticks is almost as steady as using a sturdy tree branch, too.
 
In the initial posting I described the field condition as a mixed of:

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

20% shooting off hand​

Also taking into consideration that unlike shooting at the range, you have a limited time firing your shot not to mention that adrenaline flowing and heart pumping.

I am surprised that 30% of the hunters can hit the pie plate 100% of the times including 20% shots fired off hand!
 
Pie plate at 200 yrds with off hand, not too difficult for me.
As soon as we go past that range, I'm about 50/50.
The shot also has to be fairly quick.

400 pie plates? I've done it with a 325 wsm and a 300 WM
We use old records. I have killed more than one ABBA record at over 400 yrds
 
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Danny Boy said:
In the initial posting I described the field condition as a mixed of:

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

20% shooting off hand​

Also taking into consideration that unlike shooting at the range, you have a limited time firing your shot not to mention that adrenaline flowing and heart pumping.

I am surprised that 30% of the hunters can hit the pie plate 100% of the times including 20% shots fired off hand!
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I have seen a couple of guys be able to make consistent, long range hits form offhand. The Swiss has a shooting event built around this type of shooting, and they were Swiss, so go figure...:)

The average Joe hunter that kills a buck at 400 yards with an offhand shot is either lucky as hell or a poor judge of distance. Or possibly they sent enough lead in the direction of the buck that they were able to shoot it in the ass and slow it down and follow it up with a few more hits here and there...:p
 
Prone with a sling and with a rifle zeroed at 400, I couldn't absolutely garantee a hit on a pie plate at 400. With one sighter, I think I could promise a hit with the second shot. First shot hits would probably run at 90%+. In competiton, I've shot more than my share of "4's" at 400 meters with the first sighter and the occasional "3". Nobody is going to hit the pie plate 100% at an unknown 400 yds, with a hunting rifle, in the field. Regards, Bill
 
Leeper said:
Prone with a sling and with a rifle zeroed at 400, I couldn't absolutely garantee a hit on a pie plate at 400. With one sighter, I think I could promise a hit with the second shot. First shot hits would probably run at 90%+. In competiton, I've shot more than my share of "4's" at 400 meters with the first sighter and the occasional "3". Nobody is going to hit the pie plate 100% at an unknown 400 yds, with a hunting rifle, in the field. Regards, Bill
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Well said.

With the advent of laser rangefinders, a solid rest- be it prone, off a pack or bipod, no gale force wind, and some practice a 400 yard shot at a pie plate should be attainable for most.
 
I would not even try a shot at 300 let alone 400 yards. I just havent practised enough at long range to feel comfortable trying. I hunt in timber so quick well aimed shots at 30-100 yards is what i have used and what i generally practise. Actually come to think of it, 100 yards is a real far shot for me even though i live in Alberta. My last deer was taken at about 40 yards and i used a kneeling position even for that.

I am hoping to get in some long range practise this summer 300+ with my scoped guns and some 150-200yard practise with my 30-30. But I dont think I will be chancing any long shots anytime soon.

Luke
 
Camp Cook said:
They will hit a moose in the kill zone everytime though... :D
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Hitting a moose in the kill zone at 400 yards with the first shot isn't very challenging to some people, as long as weather conditions are favorable.

For some, it is virtually impossible, regardless of rifle, ammo, optics or weather.
 
Leeper said:
Prone with a sling and with a rifle zeroed at 400, I couldn't absolutely garantee a hit on a pie plate at 400. With one sighter, I think I could promise a hit with the second shot. First shot hits would probably run at 90%+. In competiton, I've shot more than my share of "4's" at 400 meters with the first sighter and the occasional "3". Nobody is going to hit the pie plate 100% at an unknown 400 yds, with a hunting rifle, in the field. Regards, Bill
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I can't agree with you more when taking into account 20% is via off hand.

I don't question ones ability shooting with a rest or prone. But shooting off hand and score 100% at 400 yards is like winning a 649.

Camp Cook can tell you more about shooting in the Internet or is it s**tting.... :D:D:D
 
You guys are good humour...

First you promote that anyone can make 400 yard kill shots everytime and now your backing off and saying that many shouldn't... :jerkit:

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... :p

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