BarnesAddict

Its most commonly referred to as distance beyond 200yds.

flint head

Getting close is what makes muzzleloading fun to me... 100 yards or so is the longest shot I've ever taken,,, most have been less than 50. I have my Accura set up this year with 110 grains of Black MZ and a 270 grain Powerbelt Platinum... this will be a shoulder busting load for sure!

falcon

The vast majority of my muzzleloader shots are <60 yards. i don't practice for shots longer than 100 yards. In the past i have made three longer shots on deer and hogs. One at 226 yards, one at 192 yards and another at 170+ yards.

BarnesAddict

Makes a difference which part of the country one hunts.

Thousands of Midwest hunters hunt over agricultural fields, where getting close isn't always an option. Some might have a blind or stand setup in a fence row and watch more whitetail than harvest them. Maybe 100 acres of beans on one side, another 100 acres of corn on the other. Long shots in those situations can be common with practiced seasoned long range shooters.
The part of the country hunted, is a huge contributing factor in how hunters hunt, the distances shot, and it is very often over looked by others making recommendations.

hunters_life

To be completely fair, Falcon and I both hunt areas where shots over 150 yards would be common unless you wanted to stalk up on your quarry or really pattern them well to set up ambush points. Which, from what I gather from Falcon, he and I both do. I grew up Eastern hunting mainly heavily wooded areas where my long range shots would be 100 yards. But whenever we would go out west to hunt, I would have shot opportunities out to 1000 yards. As BarnesAddict put it, long range is definitely dependent upon your location for definition. What some Eastern hunters consider long range, a Western hunter wouldn't even consider that a chip shot.

ronlaughlin

One parameter, in my opinion, that determines what long range is, is the power of optic allowed by regulation. If only 1X optic, or iron sight is allowed; 150 yard is long range, long range indeed. If 4X or more optic is allowed, in my opinion, long range becomes 250 yard.

Another parameter that determines the meaning of long range is wind. Unless one practices shooting though wind, one has no idea how muzzle loader bullets of all shapes are affected by wind, even just 200 yard out. Wind flags aren't common out there whilst hunting. Wind truly limits the range of a muzzle loader hunter.

Understanding ballistics is a factor that extends long range. Personally, my longest kill was accomplished, because in the early morning there was no wind, and i was able to 'dial' elevation for range, after reading distance with the laser.













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TN Lone Wolf

Definitely.


That's been my experience. Rather, my sister's experience. I helped her take down a long coveted buck at 221 yards on opening morning of muzzleloader season after testing the Pro Hunter's ballistics, ranging the deer, and telling her which BDC circle to use at that distance. I wouldn't have let her taken the shot if the wind had picked up, though.

lemoyne

Well to get back to the original topic of KNOCK DOWN power ,I am inclined to doubt that there is any such thing.
There is FPS of energy, and brain and spine hits that kill instantly, there is also hydrostatic shock and when the mushrooming bullet is placed on the group of arteries over the top of the heart but very close to it or on the carotid artery in the neck, you can get an instant kill, especially if the game has not been startled.
I realize that I have opened a can of worms, but this is a subject that could use a bit of discussion and it is in line with the original topic.

BarnesAddict

I think there are a lot of hunters that rather they want to believe it or not, admit it or not, rush shots at game. One thing for pretty much certain, proper shot placement will put meat on the table. Game can do some pretty questionable things when struck with a bullet, and after decades of putting meat on the table, nothing surprises me any more.
One that still makes me think today, was one I had a pass thru on, taking out the entire top of the heart, yet that whitetail still ran at minimum 100yds, running directly into a fence. The fence not only stopped the deer, but after it stretched, it threw the deer back 20yds. Laid there GYD.
Now I will say that there are good bullets, but there are also worthless bullets. There are good longer range bullets and good medium range bullets. Proper shot placement is the key, along with excellent penetration and consistent bullet performance.
Now there are some who don't like or care much for target shooting. This I will say, practice makes a great start. Confidence corrects mistakes. Practice + confidence = meat on the table.

lemoyne

I have had that experience several times, my aim is for just above the heart but it is s precise place and if I hit a bit low into the top of the heart they run flat out for a fair distance. I think hitting the heart must release all the adrenaline in them. On the other hand if I hit that knot of arteries right above the heart and they have not been spooked they drop right there.