Any Need to Shoot Beyond 500 Yards?

[McPatrickClan]

I am considering a new rifle and it seems the usable distance of it is about 500 yards. I have never hunted beyond 100 yards. Is there any reason I need to consider upgrading to a rifle that shoots over 500 yards?

[splitbeam145]

Depends on what you're gonna do and where you may hunt and how much time you put in on practicing those distances and having good rangefinder and dope. I hunt in New Mexico for elk and mule deer and it's a big plus to shoot 500+yds in area we hunt.

[fish4food]

Because it’s better to have and not need, than need and not have.

What do you currently have, what are you considering?

[Drycreek3189]

It also depends on whether you think it’s ethical to shoot at an animal that could take a step or two between the time your brain tells your finger to squeeze the trigger. That’s happened to me at 200 yards, 500 yards would be magnified. Ultimately, it’s your choice.

[McPatrickClan]

Currently do not have a bolt action and am considering the Unitah Precision AR pattern bolt action gun in 6.5C…

I never hunt outside of Texas but if I did I would probably buy a gun for that trip.

My home range maxes out at 200 yards.

[McPatrickClan]

It also depends on whether you think it’s ethical to shoot at an animal that could take a step or two between the time your brain tells your finger to squeeze the trigger. That’s happened to me at 200 yards, 500 yards would be magnified. Ultimately, it’s your choice.

Are you saying that it may be unethical to shoot very long distances because the animal could be wounded, not killed?

[BrianL]

It also depends on whether you think it’s ethical to shoot at an animal that could take a step or two between the time your brain tells your finger to squeeze the trigger. That’s happened to me at 200 yards, 500 yards would be magnified. Ultimately, it’s your choice.

But that is true with archery as well. We are shooting arrows @ 250+or -/fps vs a rifle at 2800+ fps. It takes as a 30 yard archery shot and a 300 yard rifle shot about the same time to reach it target. A 500 yard rifle shot the same as a 50 yard archery shot.

[Drycreek3189]

Are you saying that it may be unethical to shoot very long distances because the animal could be wounded, not killed?

Ethics are personal, but as Dirty Harry said, “a man has to know his limitations”. There are physical limitations and there are ethical limitations. Targets are one thing, live animals are another. I’ve never shot at a deer over about 300 yards and don’t plan to, but that’s me. No doubt many animals have been killed at much greater yardage, but people tend to not talk about the ones they missed, or worse, wounded. To me it’s like shooting at an animal with a bow at 100 yards. Can it be done ? Sure ! Is it advisable ? Not for me. YMMV

[mkk]

Ethics are personal, but as Dirty Harry said, “a man has to know his limitations”. There are physical limitations and there are ethical limitations. Targets are one thing, live animals are another. I’ve never shot at a deer over about 300 yards and don’t plan to, but that’s me. No doubt many animals have been killed at much greater yardage, but people tend to not talk about the ones they missed, or worse, wounded. To me it’s like shooting at an animal with a bow at 100 yards. Can it be done ? Sure ! Is it advisable ? Not for me. YMMV

This^^^^^^^

I shoot steel targets out to 1k, but it is in a very controlled environment. Wind flags, knowing the exact distance, shooting off a bench with a solid rest......

[bullets13]

Ethics are personal, but as Dirty Harry said, “a man has to know his limitations”. There are physical limitations and there are ethical limitations. Targets are one thing, live animals are another. I’ve never shot at a deer over about 300 yards and don’t plan to, but that’s me. No doubt many animals have been killed at much greater yardage, but people tend to not talk about the ones they missed, or worse, wounded. To me it’s like shooting at an animal with a bow at 100 yards. Can it be done ? Sure ! Is it advisable ? Not for me. YMMV

This ^^^. Unfortunately a lot of people have ethics until they see an animal that they want to kill that's not going to come inside a range that they feel comfortable killing it at.

[gingib]

Simple answer: NO!!!!

Tell me what you will kill at 500+ yards?

Unless you just get bored and wanna go shoot steel targets maybe?

[Big pig]

No need
You may want to someday, but you don’t have to. Sounds like a sensitive subject to some here.

Lots of really good scopes and inexpensive rifles these days if you are a short range rifle hunter like me.

BP

[McPatrickClan]

Thank you all for your answers- very helpful. I read all the gun mags, boards, etc. and hear so much about long-range shooting, I ask myself, do I need to develop some FOMO?!? I also have felt entirely satisfied at 200 yards or less- that is two football fields! So now I can add this ****** rifle to my Christmas list and leave the long-distance shots to the snipers... for now! Thanks all.

[Chase4556]

Well, first and foremost I would not spend $1200+ on a bolt action upper for my AR platform. For less than $1200 you can buy some very fine hunting rifles that will shoot 500yds without issue. .

The need to shoot 500yds on a game animal is very limited. You have to be on a hunt in wide open terrain where spot and stalk is the game. Out west people find themselves having to shoot across canyons at game, and you may very easily find yourself looking at a trophy once in a lifetime animal at 500+yds wishing you were prepared for that shot.

A Ruger American predator in 6.5creed with a Vortex Diamondback Tactical is a sub $1000 setup that will shoot 1000yds. I’ve shot steel out to 600yds with my American Predator in 308. 308, 6.5creed, 270, 30-06, 300wm… all calibers that will easily reach out to 500yds in a normal hunting rifle with authority. 25-06 will do it, but in my opinion it’s a 300 or so yard cartridge. Ruger, Tikka, Weatherby, Browning, Bergara…. All make sub $1000 rifles that will make the shot(just not going to shoot a PRS match with them).

[imyomama]

there are 2 kinds of people in this world , those who do , and those who talk...

if you're a talker ... just don't!

if you're a doer ... go for it!

let me explain ...

i own my property and i have steel out to 730 yards ... i reload , practice and shoot allot.
@650 yards is a feeder , i'd have no problem taking a shot at that distance . flight time is .78 sec , 4.2 mils elevation and up to .5 mil drift based on wind ... 1100ft-lbs of energy left.

100 yards to 300 yards is 22lr practice. i have 2 courses setup with different wind .. one range east to west , the other only a slight angle off north. all steel targets are 2 moa in size based on distance .. 2" @100 , 4" @ 200 , 6" @ 300 .... additional sight in's at longer distances to figure out wind some times 12" .

I shoot 22lr allot ... as in ordering a case of eley at a time.

No better training than shooting 22lr on a windy day to get really good at reading wind..

switch to big guns and it seems easy...

point is , i got a place to do this and get practice .. lots of it!

if you're the kind of guy who lives in the city and goes to a 100 yard public range and it's all you got, just because you bought a 300 win mag from Cabelas and the add showed a guy hunting mountain top to mountain top doesn't mean you're equipped for success.

Not saying you can't do it , or you're a bad shot ... with practice you may shoot better than me even ... but without... you might get lucky and that's about it.

15-20 years ago I shot a doe on a fence line @416 yards with my 243 and a 3x9 leupold .

looking back... I got lucky that day and probably should have passed , knowing what I know now...

it's all about repeatability and practice, and good gear and money and time...

add all of that up and anyone can stretch further to the limit of the caliber.

but if you're a city guy with a 100 yard range ... keep it 100 to 200 ... 300 if you understand more concept and can accurately range... past that, it's just luck without practice ...

my 2c.