Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum LOOONG Range Shooters, how do you get a reliable range?

LOL, ok your forgiven.

I agree, if you spend thousands of dollars and hours and hours of practice, most people could shoot that range, but see, most people aren't going to do that. They want to use a regular 3x9 scope and shoot 500-700 yards and that ain't happening on a regular basis. Remember, a blind hog will find an acorn every now and then.

We've got several areas where you could shoot literally as far as you want to. So it's a little different where I hunt. I killed three deer last year at 350,360, and 450, but I just need a reliable way of ranging. Sounds like a rangefinder upgrade is in the works.

I know there are some guys on here that shoot 500 and even 1000+ bc I had bullet questions they answered early in the season. Hopefully they'll chime in.

Thanks for the input.

Sounds like beam deviance may be my problem. I have a very good turret dial scope (MOA/MOA) and my bullet has a very good BC and is matched to my gun's twist rate. I have a ballistics calculator I use on my phone. My main problem has just been not being able to get a laser on a deer. In your exp. will something like a Leica be able to hit a deer at say 500-1000 yards?

Shooting a Steyr 300 Win Mag. Loaded with 180 Grain Nosler Accubonds (high BC). I have a Vortex 6-24x50 (SFP) MOA/MOA scope. I shoot 4" groups at a known distance of 500 yds. My problem has just been getting a reliable long distance range in the field.

YEs. I have swapped my Vector 4 with a Aldeer member I hunt with. He has the 1600 Leica. I hit trees out to 1800 yards with it. Also hit deer out to 800-900 yards. Now , I was using the rail, on tripod to steady myself. The Lecia is a great unit for the money. You can also screw it in to a = cradle that Lecia sells and use that with a spotting scope type tripod. This works great!!! My other friend has one that we have used to range rocks to shoot with 338 Lapua, 375 Cheytec, and 50 BMG. It will hit 2100-2200 yards on a tripod. SO get a Lecia 1600, and go from their. The new Lecia even has Ballistic Program and Heat and temp . functions

Ill add my .02 and that is listen to what shooters is saying. However most of us will not be able to afford a 10k$ vectronix. Any rangefinder manufacture besides vectronix WILL NOT range on soft targets, such as game, what is stated on the box. At best you will get 3/4 of the stated ranging capabilities. I myself shoot and deer hunt in the same location so I pre-range everything and have most memorized past 700 yards.

Just a side note, make sure your caliber has enough energy to kill before you go shooting at animals. Paper and steel is a different story

According to Leica, the Leica 1600 B will range soft targets. One piture I have seen has an deer at 500 yards. The other has a moose at 500. Also in a review I read, they used it on coyotes at 900 yards. The small beam deviance is what makes Leica 1600 B a good choice for small targets

That's good to know. My father got froggy and bought one that supposedly ranged to 1300, don't remember the manufacture maybe ziess. I was highly disappointed when it wouldn't hit steel at 1100. Have a leupold 1000 and it will barely even range a deer at 500. Such is life. I hate the don't make the terrapin anymore.

Just My Opinion... But y'all don't need to be shooting at deer that far. There's something about ethics and humane kills that get's lost in the "Best of the West" TV shows where they conveniently don't show the guide/producer dope the gun for the shooter... and of course on the Mall Ninja internet where everyone has a capable rifle at 1k + yds.

I shoot over 1k all the time. Just at Paper, Crows, Groundhogs, etc. And with a heavy barrel benchrest rifle. Too many variables come in to play and the further you get past 400-500 yds. The errors tend to multiply exponentially the further you go.

Isn't hunting supposed to be about hunting instead of shooting? If you want to just see if you can hit something paper is great.

Look - To each their own. If any of you have a different opinion, that's great don't want to argue and you're not going to change mine. I shoot that far regularly. I know the answer. Shooters shoots that far regularly. Probably ok for him to sling one. However if you don't like that think to yourself... if you are that good you'd be shooting competition we wouldn't be having this conversation because you'd have already known the answer to the OP's question. I'm not seeing where many knew the answer.

Goat where do you go groundhog hunting around these parts? I assume you are traveling for this.

TN Groundhogs, Prairie dogs Montana

That,s amazing hiring, 2100 yards even with any type tripod or rangefinder. I'm not saying you can,t shoot that far but funny thing is I just. Watched a war show about Iraq,and Afghanistan. The longest shot ever made was 1 and a half miles on a human enemy.it was in Afghanistan, the guy was a well trained sniper with a high tech 50 caliber sniper rifle.It was set up with all the best scope ,rangefinders ,the work,s.The guy that made the shot,said he has practice shooting,the same replace as the actual shot.It took 3 shots for the kill,and that was with another sniper sporting for him.1 mile is about 1800 yards,so 2200 yards is close to what this sniper did,almost unbelievable. The second longest kill shot was a mile again by a different sniper in Iraq,again took 3 shot,go do this.They even tried going out with retired army personal to practice these 2 shots it has not been repeated as to the date of the film I watched.so it's hard to believe a deer rifle can do close to a 50 cal.

Any bullet will go that far though there are several different factors that have to be in place for it to be accurate. There are several calibers out there that are more well suited for shooting 2000 yards than the 50 BMG. The military uses the 50BMG for the different rounds that can be shot through it that can be great for multiple situations, not necessarily because it can shoot far.

Better suited for 2k... maybe 14.5x114 or 12.7x108

Shot a truck at 2k with a dshk mounted in the back of a pickup. Theoretically possible, however not realistic to walk one in on a deer in a AL clear cut. Take you too much time to mount on your double ladder stand.

I'd just move said stand about 1800 yards closer.

Dont count on every Lecia 1600 B ranging to 2100 yards. Some will , some want. Just like Swaro rangefinder. Guys on Snipers Hide , have them hitting large rocks at 2200-2300 yards. I have owned 2 differnt Swaros and neather hit father than 1900 yards. Some times you get a good one , sometimes you get a great one. Just luck off the draw. I have hit 5400 yards with the Vector 4. Vectronics claims Vector 4 will hit 7000 yards. I dont doubt this is possible, on a steady tripod with a highly refelective target. I can get 3000 yards plus just free hand it. Bushnell 1 mile does fair. I had 1 that would hit large rocks out to 2000 yards. For 699 its a good binocular/rangerfinder. BUT you may have to send 1 or 2 of them back to get a 1 mile unit. had a friend that had new 1 mile Bushnells that never hit past 1500 yards , no matter what.

shooters, problem is those of us in LA don't have huge rocks to range

Any reflective target will work. I used glass building in Destin Florida to test rangefinders before. Go to the beach and range some boats, thats always fun! Watertower work well too! I know you guys in LA have watertowers!

That we do. Although I doubt a dealer will let me walk out of the store to range something 1000 yards away. I have been looking for a rangefinder that can consistently range a deer 1300 yards and under for quite some time now and haven't found one that will consistently do that. The most cost effective as I stated earlier was the terrapin. However I could not afford one before they D/Ced them. For my goals in shooting if I cant range a deer sized animal at any given distance then I don't need it.

If you want to spend $2600 you could buy this:

Barrett BORS

It will make some of the calculations for you. While you are at it get a M107A1 and can make 1000 yard shots pretty consistently. But $12,000 is to much for me. Ill just keep my shots out to about 350 yards...