LAST EDITED ON Mar-03-10 AT 00:40AM (MST)[p]I have two guns set up for pretty long shots a game. The first is a older Rem 700 ADL action with a New 25" #3 pac Nor MG barrel chambered in .280 Ackley Imp. I'm shooting 60 gr. of 4350 pushing 140gr Nosler Combined Tech bullets at 3250 FPS. I regularly practice out to 600 yds and feel very comfortable at 500 provided calm conditions.
With this setup, Burris BP 4X12 Sig series, my rifle is set on at 300yds, -8 at 400, -18 @ 500. The Ballista plex lines for distance, correlates very close to my findings measured at the range. All my targets are placed by using my hunting rangefinder and all my bullet drops are hand measured with a tape measure.
My first buck killed, edit; "with this setup", was at 460 yds, one shot broadside mid mass behind the shoulder. Bullet exited leaving about a 1" hole, buck dropped in his tracks. Second buck, Wy 2005, was at 360 yds, i was in the prone position and dropped one in his high shoulder area shooting at a very steep uphill angle while he was standing quartered away. Bullet went thru facing shoulder and out about 3" below the spine on opposite side. Nice wound channel but not excessive, again, animal dropped in his tracks.
My other rifle setup for longish shots is a custom tuned, Winchester Mod 70 in 270 WSM. Again zero'd for 300 yds, I was shooting 150 gr Rem Premium Accutip ammo(150SST's)@ 3150 FPS and 1748 FPE @ 500yds. First buck taken was 528 Yds broadside in slight left to right breeze. I used the second line down on my ballista-plex scope, aimed high shoulder and allowed about 8", front of his shoulder, for the light breeze. The buck went maybe 10' before going down. Two others nice animals this yr were taken with this setup, both with Winchester Factory Accubonds 140 gr @ 3200 FPS. about 200 yds, massive wound channels, large exit wounds, extreemly dead, very fast.
I still very much feel comfortable taking game at 500 yds or maybe a bit more. None of those shots were in any way difficult or even very hard. I say that because i had good rests, of all the range time i'd put in, and was just that comfortable with my equipment.
Joey