One Day...
AH elite
this is my curse indeed! Not being a politician, and not shying away from the truth, mind you, but as @Red Leg observed in a different post, I do tend to have an analytical approach, which means that I tend to see both sides of the coin, and it is a rare coin indeed that is uni sided, therefore, what can I say, it is a rare case indeed when I see a clear cut "yes/no" or "right/wrong" situation. Drove my PhD Committee nuts 
Yes I fully agree, BUT ONLY WHEN IT IS THE RESULT OF SKILL. A good test is: was it a cold bore shot? and can you make the same shot 3 times in a row? If the answers are "no" and "no," it was just luck, which means that it could just as well have resulted in a jaw shot or a gut shot and possibly a lost animal, about which there is nothing to be proud.
I personally test those skills and equipment about once a month, shooting at 1,000 yd + at steel plates in various settings (the Arizona desert offers no lack of shooting space) so as to not know ahead of time the ballistic/wind solution. I indeed derive immense satisfaction at ringing the 12" steel at distances where I cannot see it with a naked eye (OK, my eyes are aging LOL!), but I know well enough how difficult it is to do it PREDICTABLY, RELIABLY and CONSISTENTLY with specialized equipment and consistent practice, to be very dubious about folks reporting doing it with hunting rifles and shooting two boxes of ammo per year, because indeed:
I have actually lost a couple "friends" over this, regardless of whether they lack talent, knowledge, commitment, etc. Here is the recipe: invite a couple "friends" (acquaintances is probably a better word) to come shoot an afternoon, laser range finders allowed - since most folks now have one, and whatever shooting aid they use for hunting allowed too - dang few have sticks, but many have bipods, which can or cannot be used depending on terrain, vegetation, etc. It is just amazing how many guys who "shot their elk at 634 yd" are having hell's own time putting 1 bullet - never mind 3 in a row - in a 12" steel plate off a field shooting position at 300 yd. And it is a raaaaaare case indeed when the plate paint gets scratched at 600 yd, again, from a field shooting position.
If memory serves Von S. you posted a similar drill with 12" and 6" paper plates, and you too reported pretty dismal results...
So, Good Brother Von S., this is why you read me being apparently on both sides of the issue: I know it can be done, ethically, but I also know how difficult it is to do it, and I know the failure rate....
Absolutely true. There was a time, before the wide and cheap availability of: 1) laser range finders; 2) chronographs; 3) ballistic software when I was absolutely convinced that the Weatherby cartridges gave a decisive edge to the hunter who could shot them well. This is when I bought my .300 Wby and .340 Wby. I now know that this edge is real, but not as decisive as I thought. Again, what can I say, this is just the cold hard truth...
Entirely correct. And I will add: wind gauge, weather station, ballistic software ... not to mention the rifle itself. Dylan could very well have, or could acquire, the right equipment, the right training, and the right consistent practice, to shoot predictably, reliably and consistently at untold distances, and all the power to him.
My $0.02 to share would be go ring the steel at 400, 500, 600 yd with boring predictability before he starts shooting at something alive past 300 yd...
And in fairness, I will note that Dylan never asked about hyper long range shooting but what bullet would give him consistent lightning-bolt DRT results in a 30-378
Glad to see you back and
Von S. If all of this gets a few Brothers in Arms entertained, well that is good 
Last edited:
