using a gps for ranging

[bingo1010]

i was out the other day trying to use my gps to set up some steel out past 1000 yards for the upcoming season, problem is the gps stops counting in yards at 1000, then switches to miles. i want to set up out to 2000 yards so using a range finder is out of the question, i am also shooting across a river valley so i can not range it in a couple steps. the gps starts counting up in .1 miles which is 176 yards which is a liitle bit much for getting half ass close drops when you are talking about 1500+ yards. it is a garmin e trex summit model, i was wondering what you guys that are using gps for ranging are using? thanks

 

[Trotter]

change the settings to meters. Set-up menu>>Units>>Distance/Speed metric

 

[armorman]

I had the same problem. What I did was had a known point at slightly less than 1000 yards. Then I ranged anything further than 1000 from that point. So for example I would have 5 waypoints(targets) marked. Say the last one before 1000 was 865 yards. Then I'd go to my map screen and measure the distance from the 865 waypoint to the waypoints that were further than 1000. Do some math and voila. I think you can also range them in meters and then convert back. I believe you can range past 1000m.

 

[Max Owner]

There are web sites that can convert this stuff.

I too am wondering about ranging using a GPS. Are they any good and accurate?

 

[Redlight35]

They should be within 10 meters on the outside if they are set right for up north...

 

[B.Ruddick]

Can you not use Google Earth to zoom into your shooting area and get down close and pin point you shooting base, then use the ruler feature in KM's or miles, to your target location (1.136 miles or 1.829 Kms is 2000 yards), find a feature on the ground that you can recognize near where 2000yards falls.

I've done this with several locations (it could be done to 2000 yards, but I've never needed anything that long) and I'm generally with in few yards, 5 yards at most, have reconfirmed distances (only up to 900 yards) with a borrowed range finder the next time I had visited these locations after measuring with G.E.

Just a thought you could try, if your bullet path is fairly level then this will work fine.
I know some areas are not detailed enough to use this method, hopefully it can work for you.

 

[geologist]

Triangulate from your side of the river valley.

 

[Max Owner]

Thanx Redlight.

 

[Allen Gun Works]

Most GPS will give you a +/- so many meters. This is how far you could potentially be off when ranging with a GPS. All depends on how many satellites you have that day.

 

[Colin]

Also depends on the arrangement of satellites, this may screw up your positioning,

 

[treebutcher]

1000 yrds = 0.568182 miles 914.4 metres.