shooting issues

BUCKEYEhunter140 · 06-17-2009, 10:44 AM

hi guys where i live there are two big fields on each side of my house. however there is a state road between my house and the one field. my dad wants the hogs in that field shot but when you cross the road they bolt. so since there is about a 1 mile straight strech we wait for no cars in sight and shoot. but we can never hit them. they are about 275 and some are 375 yards out i'm using a 308 that is deadly and have killed hogs at 600 and 650 yards easy. so what we think is happening is the heat coming off the road is making the bullet rise when it hits the hotter air?? what do you guys think

skb2706 · 06-17-2009, 11:01 AM

Pig fever. You make shots at 650 yds. and miss at 275 ? A .308 sighted in for 200 yds. would still let you aim on hair at 275. Use a good set of shooting sticks and practice.

also re-measure those successful 650 yd. shots........................

popeye · 06-17-2009, 11:02 AM

BUCKEYEhunter140 · 06-17-2009, 11:24 AM

idk all i know is that we always throw dirt on them but can't hit them but when we shoot in the field that doesn't cross the road we do fine. me and my cousin have 308's ands it's all the same story.

popeye · 06-17-2009, 11:42 AM

Do you know where you're bullet is landing, short , long, left or right. Might help people give you an answer. I'm not a long range shooter, 300yds or so is where I draw the line so I cant help you.

You might want to consider crossing the road and trying to ambush them at closer range. At 200+ yds, even if they run, I wouldn't think they would go very far and you should still be able to get a good shot.

Be careful shooting across a road, even if it's legal in Ohio it's still dangerous.

BigJ71 · 06-17-2009, 12:07 PM

Aside from the legality of shooting across a state road

I would think you should be able to get a little closer to them for an easiershot.

That being saidand getting back to your original question "is the rising heat from the road causing you to miss" I can pretty confidently say no. It's not going to be enough to cause a complete miss on a hog.

It's either operator error or your not sighted in properly for the yardage you are shooting. You state that you can kill the pigs out at 600-650 "easy" so I would assume you aren't holding Kentucky windage on them and your .308 is sighted in at that distance. If that's the case then you will be way....WAY off at 275-375yds.

Something ain't right and it's not the heat off theroad.

P.S. Stop shooting across state roads.

bugsNbows · 06-17-2009, 12:48 PM

I would think that shooting across a road would be illegal as all get out. Better check your local regs.

rjhans53 · 06-17-2009, 01:25 PM

Guys, although I doubt it, any possibility of the heat waves coming off the road distorting the sight picture when you are looking threw it, and for what it's worth any state I've ever lived in it is against the law to shoot over a state road

Ridge Runner · 06-17-2009, 01:26 PM

mirage from the heat coming off the road, so you can't be sure of your hold. setup on the far end accross the road.
RR

skb2706 · 06-17-2009, 01:29 PM

Throwing dirt on them is a sure sign of shooting a bit short. Sight in your rifle for 200 yds. and just aim at them where you want to hit. Very few shooters who can 'easily hit at 650 yds. would have any trouble hitting at 275 or even 375. To accomplish the easy hit at 650 takes some practice and you pretty much have to know where your gun shoots along the entire bullet path to do it regularly.

Unless you actually laser the range even fewer shooters can estimate range beyond 150 yds. or so. I see people try it all the time out on the prairie.