What's the farthest you've ever shot with a long rifle?

[Shot deer]

What's the farthest you've ever shot at an animal/target with a long rifle? How was it's accuracy, and what mistakes did you make (if any), and how not to do them. By the way, do any of you know why I'm back to "pilgrim" instead of 32cal? Sorry for the change of subject.

 

[EC121]

My longest shot was probably at the Southeastern NMLRA rendezvous at Ft. Toulouse, AL. They had a steel plate maybe 2-3 ft. square hung on a tree branch over the water across the Alabama River. I'm guessing 200-250 yds. Maybe a little farther. It wasn't measured. We could see the ball splash and know the drop. I found an aiming spot in the riverbank above the plate and could ring it pretty often offhand. For safety we had to shoot in the intervals between boats passing by. The public visitors loved it.

 

[azmntman]

180 yds. Once at a bull, once at a buck. STUPID though. I had never shot that far with the bull, I guessed and shot what I thought was 3' over his shoulder (zeroed in a 75 yds with a .54 420 gr conical). Was actually a very good hit. Was the last day at night in a field. Woods would have been too dark to see sites. I try that 9 more times and I bet I have 5 misses and 4 wounded bulls.

Next, again last day and I needed meat. 180 yds at a trotting deer (Yes, I got stupider). I aimed at his neck and hit way back in the guts just clipping the liver enough to bleed when we circled and jumped him 5-6 time over 5 hours and 4.9 miles. Now if I ever did that shot again I would know to aim at his nose. I am MUCH older now and wont disrespect the animal like that again. I had side lock traditional equipment and had NO business trying either shot.

How was its accuracy? see above. What mistakes did I make? see above What did I learn? NOBODY needs a deer that bad to take a 1 outta ten chance at a hit/kill. Thats 9 suffering (incredibly) beautiful animals laying alone and cold wondering "what happened, I didn't do anything momma said not too"? all night (or nights) while they die. Same for a head shot. Miss low and wonder how youd like to lay around for a week or so and not be able to eat of drink. Thems the easy tales, then there the ones that are circled by coyotes or a bear and eatin rear end first while alive. Now I HUNT the animal or go to Safeway and get a beef roast.

Disclaimer, I have no issue with those that have a gun sited in to do the job, know the gun and practice at that range, I was in no way ready to chance the shot either time and outta been itch slapped.

 

[Zonie]

...
By the way, do any of you know why I'm back to "pilgrim" instead of 32cal? Sorry for the change of subject.

The forums software is having some hiccups at the moment. Angie is working on it.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I shoot my MZLs at the 200-yd gongs all the time. They are centered on a nice big ~50’ tall sand hill so it's easy to adjust your aim, provided you held steady that is (as I myself only shoot offhand, less load development).

But otherwise the longest shot on our MZL-only range is 80-yds. If not crowded and only a few shooters, we can get 100-yds out of it; leaving 1 shooter standing by and watching the access road.

We have firing ranges out to 600-yds, but the rifle needs adjustable sights and you need your load data to shoot past the 200-yd line; as part of the range use ‘certification’ policy ... but I digress ...

 

[sawyer04]

285 yards with a 58 Zouave, surprised every one, including myself. It was the top cut from a 50 gallon barrel hung on a low branch.

 

[Juice Jaws]

We have a gong the size of a 50 gal. barrel at 175 or 200 yds. I have it a few times with my 54 rifle. But I bounce shots into more than once. Some guys hit it all the time.

 

[tenngun]

Target four hundred yards, hit close enough to scare it. Animal, fifty six paces of left foot, approximately one hundred and ten yards. Muleli in New Mexico. Since I moved to the ozarks in ‘82 I don’t think I’ve shot more then forty, a lot at fifteen or less.

 

[8 BORE]

I have a .50 cal 42" 1:70 GREEN MOUNTAIN barrel in a under hammer
Lock with redfield palma sights and have shot a buffalo gong target at 300 meters consistantly after getting it sighted in

 

[hawkeye hugo]

I shoot a 38 cal underhammer with custom 1-16 twist barrel up to 440 yards

 

[8 BORE]

I shoot a 38 cal underhammer with custom 1-16 twist barrel up to 440 yards

What bullet do use in a .38 cal.

 

[hawkeye hugo]

It's a custom Bac mould 365 grain pope style bullet

 

[Griz44Mag]

54 Great Plains. Last weekend I set up and after a few shots was doing well at 200 yards hitting a 11x17 paper target 10 shots in a row.
I took a whack at our 535 yards 16" gong at the deer lease, never even saw where it was landing. Went to the truck and got that "other" and hit it 7 times in a row. I felt vindicated...

 

[Shot deer]

Thanks for the replies, I'm going to try to shoot a 55 gal drum at 80yds to start.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Deer, 130yards as close as we could tell. Mule deer buck that is. One shot was all he needed. Targets, Old tin picnic table, with a deer painted on it. Clobbered him high in the back at 200 yards. the only shot I fired, but this was with a homemade Jaeger type rifle. I'd held all the front sight blade up above the rear sight and it worked for some reason. Have photos somewhere!

 

[billraby]

I took a couple shots at 1000 yards with a smooth bore. Did not hit anything.

 

[Huntschool]

It was either the first or second year we had silhouettes at Friendship. Back then it was just a bit of a game. I shot it with a .54 Hawken with .535 speer balls and varying powder loads. At the 200 yd standing bear target I loaded 120 gr of 3fffg GOEX and held off left for the wind and up a bit (top of head). My gun is/was sighted in at a 100 yds with a 100 gr and a 6:00 hold below the black on a slow fire pistol target so I am shooting a "bit" high with that load. First shot dropped the bear, same for second. Missed the third. Wind shifted... really. Dropped the fourth. This was with fixed iron sights and from a prone position. I had the lead for a day or so until the "dial a prayer" sight guys got their range marks figured out. There were no "divisions" back then.

Next "long" shot was with a smooth bore at a "voux" with a hanging gong about the size of a steel drum top. We shot from about 150 yards. The gun was not mine and it may well have been on of the first 10 shots fired from the gun. I rung it like a cathedral bell.

Next was an "unknown distance" with the .54 again. ya got three shots.... I hit three times.... yardage when I paced it off was 235 yards. My hits were inside a 12" circle in the middle of the gong.

Now.…. all this was as much as 49 years ago..... good eyes and not bad muscle structure and a bunch of practice …… Not any more....

Just sayin.....

 

[longcruise]

Target? 200 meters at the 500 meter ram. Quite a few shots over time with .45, .50 and .54 round ball loads. I maintained a consistent 40% percent with all three calibers

Animals? One coyote at 147 yards off a rest with a .50 ball. One elk at 131 yards with a .50 maxiball. Those are the only shots I've ever taken over 100 yards

 

[bang]

A quarter off fence post at 40 yards. 45 T C Hawken.
Lobbed 290g hollow base, same rifle, right at 200 yards. Went real well once I got the load down to where they didn't walk a foot right. Wound up at 58 grains and wild elevation. Rainbow trajectory and way better eyesight then.
Fired a 6 inch round 4 ft long log out of a hollow tree. 1/4lb 3f, sand packed around log. Can't say much about accuracy but it was awesome. Stripped all the limbs on one side of tree.

 

[Carbon 6]

About 238,855 miles
I use to shoot the moon. Don't believe me? just look at it you can see my bullet splatters all over it.