Shooting Long Distance

[dds]

Greetings All,

I know we must have some long shooters out there.

Prior to getting my Coues tag next year (probably dreaming), I am pondering the purchase of a new scope.

I am concerned with the change in the point of impact associated with the changing of power with a variable power scope. I understand that the best scopes out there, such as Leupold, Nikon, and Swarovski are suppossed to be relatively free of parallax error. However, I would like everyones input.

I am especially interested in knowing what people do when sighting in their Coues rifles. For example, I read that if you sight in using the highest power, when you turn your scope to a lower setting the error is minimal.

Thanks.

Darren

 

[fisrtcoueswas80inches]

when i sight my coues rifle in i sight in at 6 or 7 because thats where i carry my simmons atec set at. i have never looked through one of the better scopes but i am very satisifed with my rifle.
casey

 

[Bura Nut]

Darren: I am no expert on this but hopefully I have a few suggestions that may help. First, dont make the mistake I did if you buy the Swarovski scope, make sure you get the TDS reticle system that has the extra lines in it for long distance shots. I am upgrading my scope and it is costing an additional 250.00 to put the system in. If you buy leupold, there is a great reticle system called Premium Reticle or something like that where they have the lines and red dots on the various yardages.......Allen Taylor......

 

[edhunter]

I shoot a Leupold 3X9X40 and it is sighted in on 9X. I set bullet impact for 1" at 100 yards. For every Coues killed at 400+ yards there are 20 killed at less than that. I've seen some long range shooting and even done some myself but very seldom have I seen long range killing. I can't pull off 400+ yard shots even with shooting sticks, custom guns and quality optics.

Maybe this is why I haven't killed a 100 pt or better buck? Not really, my problem is passing up a beautiful 90ish buck and holding out. I've seen a few that would push over the 110 mark and never had a tag in my pocket. Hope this helps. The main point is if you are going to attempt shooting long range then go to the range and shoot, shoot and shoot some more. Then pray you don't find your superbuck at 230 yards, the shot might just sail right over his back. What a kick in the balls that would be.

Ed, www.swhounds.com

 

[AZNative]

Darren, I will let you in on the setup that I use. I have gone to the Burris 6-24X Ballistic Mil-Dot with Posi-Lock. This new Burris Signature Series riflescope may well be the perfect long range hunting scope. With a magnification range of 6-24X, a trajectory compensating mil dot reticle, flush mounted adjustment knobs (1" tube), posi-lock reticle control. You will be hard pressed to find a scope with all these features, anywhere near the price. One of the loads I use is the 130-grain bullet out of my Lazzeroni Warbird. The benefits of this load are it's 3,950 FPS speed and laser flat shooting ability, allowing me to sight in dead on at 350 yards and not hold above or below the point of aim all the way out to 400 yards. My favorite is the 168-grain. It is far more accurate. The velocities are around 3,450 fps from a 26" barrel with a 12 twist, at 72? F. The benefits of this load are not only it's accuracy, but lower muzzle pressure and felt recoil help make it a pleasure to shoot. This load can be expected to shoot three shot groups at 100 yards between 1/4 and 5/8" and between 3/4 and 2" at 300 yards from a clean, cold barrel. Using the Ballistic Mil-Dot for long range can really build the confidence on the hold over when shooting the longer ranges. Practice, Practice and more Practice is the key.

Kent

 

[dds]

I really appreciate everyone's input.

Thanks.

Darren

 

[Breeze]

I believe for me the moost important item on my rifle for LD shooting is a bipod. Having a rock slolid rest is critical especially when the scope is cranked to 12 or 14 power and the cross hairs are all over the place. My next toy is going to be a accurest which screws up and down and mounts on the butt plate of the stock for even more stability. Its great to have a flat shooting round but knowing the bullet drop and taping the info to the butt of my stock for quick refrence has been beneficial also. The less I need to think about at the moment of truth the better. Just for the record the longest I have shot and harvested a coues at was 425 yds and that was my smallst deer to date(last day 3x3 65"). My biggest buck to date was 108"gross at 55 yards with a bow and 95"gross at 120 yds with a rifle(7mm) go figure?
Tom

 

[dds]

Breeze,

Your point is well taken. I am actually thinking of creating a rest type of apparatus that transforms my spotting tripod into an even more stable bi(tri)pod.

Thanks,

Darren