noway

For long range shooting, 300 to 500 yards. (It is my question so I am limiting it to my personal limit of 500 yards).
Do you prefer using one of the ultra kicking magnums and maybe not being able to shoot that hard kicking rifle as well or shooting a standard caliber like the 25-06 to 30.06 that is more comfortable to shoot well but may not have as much power at long range. What is your opinion on the trade off? Remember I am talking real world in the field accuracy not bench accuracy.

For me I prefer the standard calibers with generally better field accuracy for long range shooting of deer and antelope. I am willing to give up a little generally worse field accuracy with the magnums at long range for more power on elk and bear.

James B

I have had and done a lot of shooting with almost every caliber rifle around up to 416 Rem Mag. I shot 500 meter steel silhouettes for about ten years. Magnum rifles were not allowed in our silhouette shooting. I have had some magnum rifles that shot well and that I could shoot well. All of this said, If my life depended on a long range shot it would be with my 6.5x55 swedish mauser. I can shoot long range best with that rifle. As long as you know the trajectory of your rifle and most importantly have confidence in it, you do not need a magum rifle to shoot long range. The best example of this would be the documented long range shots made by the old 45-70 with black powder. You cant get much further from a magnum than that. 90 percent of the silhouette shooters including me shot 308 rifles with 190 grain BTHP bullets. The bullet is what count more that what shoots it.

GTBuzz

A " Magnum" is certainly no subsititude for practice or accuracy. Bullet placement is what matters more in hunting. I have a 1944 Turkish Mauser that I can shoot reasonably past 500 yards (with iron sights).

I personally think 300 yards is a more reasonable limitation for most hunting situations.

NE Hunter

sounds like I need to get out more. Where I hunt 100 yards is a long shot and most of the shots will be under 50 yards.

Rangerlab

Are you talking about shooting at animals or targets out at 500 yards? At 500 yards, a 1 MOA rifle will shoot about a 5" group, usually from a bench with no wind, picture perfect shooting forum, and all the planets lined up perfectly. If you can shoot that well under " real world in the field" conditions at live animals, you are damn good shot, much better than me. I' m still trying to figure out how to sneek up to within 200 yds!

James B

I agree on the long range shot at game animals. I will take a 300 yard shot at big game with my 6.5x55 because I know I can hit them in a good spot at that range. I have done it quite a few times. It does however have to be calm and the animal must be up on the flat and not near the breaks. I have shot one antelope at a little over 400 yards and one deer about 425 yards. both were hit already before I shot. Where I hunt shots at 200 yards are about the average. Many shots are across canyons in the river breaks.

stubblejumper

I will not use a rifle that I can' t shoot well.I do however use 7mmstw' s and 300ultramags which are magnums.I am able to consistantly shoot 1/2" groups with all of my hunting rifles so being a magnum does not prevent a rifle from being shot accurately.Accuracy is a product of good equipment and regular practise and if you have the dedication you can learn to shoot well with most rifles and cartridges if they are well made and properly developed loads are used.

NewYorkHunter

Where I hunt there are many wide open meadows, so I have taken some long shots. My deer rifle is equipped with a front sling stud mounted bipod. With much pratice, and a good understanding of my gun' s ballistic characteristics, it is easily possible to take long shots accurately. (I use a .30-06, .308, and 7MM Rem Mag)

Duffy

Remember in the original question, he is talking about long range accuracy ON GAME ANIMALS not targets. So we have to consider 1. can I hit it? and 2. does the bullet hitting it have the power to kill it humainly?

I have never shot a 6.5 X 55 Swedish but have always herd good things about it. James B says he has taken deer at 400 plus yds.

Looking at a Winchester ballistic chart (I know that these factory loads are not near as hot as a good handload could be) the muzzle energy (power) of a{140 gr. bullet} 6.5 X 55 at 400 yds. is still 1048 ft.-lb. That is more than a 30/30 at 200 yds. and is probably quite enough for deer sized game. By 500 yds. it has fallen off to 878 ft.-lb. ( the figures for a 25/06 with 120 gr. bullet are about the same) Is that enough power to effectivly kill a deer? Well it is more energy than a .44 rem mag. handgun 240 gr. bullet has at 50 yds. (623 ft.-lb.)

However look at the energy of a{140 gr. bullet} .264 win. mag. at 400 yds. (1389 ft.-lb.) and at 500 yds. (1139 ft.-lb.)

Or a {150 gr.} 7mm rem mag. at 400 yds. (1448 ft.-lb.) and at 500 yds. (1160 ft.-lb.)

To kill game at long range you must :1. hit it in a vital area (accuracy and shot placement) and 2. hit it with enough force or power to kill humainly.

Robin

patrkyhntr

At Chuck Hawks website, he has an article on Maximum Otimal Ranges for various rifle calibers. The web address is:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/game_range_caliber.htm
I hope the link works for you.

In the article, there is a chart that gives the maximum ranges at which various types of game could be taken with quite a number of calibers, including the 6.5X55 for which the maximum range for taking animals of 200 lbs or less is given as 400+ yards.

I do believe that if one wishes to try shots at game animals at such ranges, one should spend some time on a rifle range finding out exactly what his rifle does at such distances. Personally, I have taken game (a large bull elk) out to slightly over 500 yards with my .300 Weatherby. I also shoot fairly frequently in the local groundhog shoots where we shoot five rounds each at 200 Meters, 300 Meters and 500 Meters. 500 Meters is about 545 yards. I know exactly where my bullet will strike at 500 Meters, and carry a rangefinder and a table on a card in my wallet that tells me how much drop to allow for at 100 yard increments.