would i take this shot, after a day in the woods, cold, without a proper rest, shaking due to cold and adrenaline... probably not under those circumstances.... would i take it from the bench with bags and a cup of coffee on coyote and woodchuck... all day long... i do it all summer, fall and winter with the 222 and 280 remington.... a man has to know his limitations... his equipment, his physics and his mathematics... the latter is why i always carry the trajectory chart for my load... and work on adjusting for wind drift... and i'm no "expert" i learn something new every time i shoot... to be honest.. the longest shot i've ever taken on a deer in the past 18 years of hunting... is 168 yards (GPS yardage), 2 seasons ago... 1 shot head on in the brisket with the 280... slightly offhand with a sapling for a rest and not in the most comfortable of positions... 98% of all shots i've taken hunting deer have been less than 75 yards

these are a couple of "load development" targets.. please notice loads #4 and #9... 4 rounds each group, Custom 700 remington... 35 Whelen AI, 225 grain Nosler BT, 125 yards... from the bags... i take my shooting, ethics, handloading, gunsmithing and hunting VERY seriously....