Need help on judging distance.
05-26-2004, 11:28 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Crawfordsville, Indiana
Posts: 118
Need help on judging distance.
I have a Ruger model 77 .223 and i cant judge distance worth a darn. i hunt coyotes with it shooting a .65gr bullet. is there any advice on how to judge distance and how much to aim above or ahead of a coyote?
05-26-2004, 01:50 PM
#3
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 77
RE: Need help on judging distance.
A lighter bullet will give you a flatter trajectory while still being quite lethal. This will extend your max. point blank range a bit which makes range estimation easier.
You did not mention how you have that .223 sighted in or what reticle you have in your scope. Determine your MPBR for say a 5" circle and then stay within that as your max. shooting range. You can use a duplex reticle to help you determine that distance if you work with a known target dimension on a range at a known distance with the scope power adjusted as needed. It sounds harder than it is.
With a good load in a .223, you should hardly ever need to hold over, and you won't need a lead if you stick with stationary targets. Good luck.
You did not mention how you have that .223 sighted in or what reticle you have in your scope. Determine your MPBR for say a 5" circle and then stay within that as your max. shooting range. You can use a duplex reticle to help you determine that distance if you work with a known target dimension on a range at a known distance with the scope power adjusted as needed. It sounds harder than it is.
With a good load in a .223, you should hardly ever need to hold over, and you won't need a lead if you stick with stationary targets. Good luck.
05-27-2004, 05:21 PM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Posts: 65
RE: Need help on judging distance.
I carry a Leica rangefinder in the truck with me all year round. Just for fun we use it to train ourselves in estimating distances. I only took it with me on hunting trips once or twice, found it was just another piece of equipment I had to keep track of. Use a rangefinder for training and you will get sufficient range estimation skills to handle coyotes within the .223's range.
Hitting a moving coyote (you asked "how much in front ..." ) is another story. Lots of practice needed - I presume just like in shotgunning there are different styles: a sustained lead, catch up on the coyote and pull forward, shooting at a spot you think the coyote will arrive at. Follow through is important. I shoot a single shot so I don't bother practicing this. I have friends with bolt actions who usually are as disciplined with their shooting as I am, until they spot a coyote running in an open field. Then they unload, but because they don't practice such shooting they almost always miss totally.
Hitting a moving coyote (you asked "how much in front ..." ) is another story. Lots of practice needed - I presume just like in shotgunning there are different styles: a sustained lead, catch up on the coyote and pull forward, shooting at a spot you think the coyote will arrive at. Follow through is important. I shoot a single shot so I don't bother practicing this. I have friends with bolt actions who usually are as disciplined with their shooting as I am, until they spot a coyote running in an open field. Then they unload, but because they don't practice such shooting they almost always miss totally.
