How far are you comfortable shooting a …..?

[mark-hunter]

What do feel is longest effective range when shooting a 9.3x62, a .375 HH and a .416 Rigby?
I know they will shoot a long distance but what is a reasonable maximum distance you shoot these calibers?

9.3x62 is my driven boar hunt rifle. Zeroed dead on 100 meters. I dont push farther, becasue of the type of hunt.

375 H&H I shot at max 209 m during hunt. But considering it has ballistics comparable to 30-06, i would go up to 250 meters, a distance to which I am comfortable with.
My 30-06, I shoot at max 250 meters.
Till know, I had no reason to push farther.

416 I dont have, never thought about it. But this is definitely DG caliber - so the question is what is DG hunting distance - and answer is, short range, up to 100.

 

[grand veneur]

What do feel is longest effective range when shooting a 9.3x62, a .375 HH and a .416 Rigby?
I know they will shoot a long distance but what is a reasonable maximum distance you shoot these calibers?

Depends primarily on the will, but also on a good knowledge of the external ballistics of the cartridge used in his rifle and also on the ability of the individual to make shots with various rifles and calibers at longer distances, meaning also before all tests and training on the shooting range at different distances. The ethically reasonable maximum shooting distance for game is around 500 yards, which many cartridges allow, including the three cited above. The limiting factor will be the terminal ballistics. We want to kill game well and not make holes in a cardboard target. No responsible hunter will feel completely comfortable shooting at game at longer distances, because such shots always involve a certain degree of uncertainty.

In practice I would have no too much concerns for shooting at the usual distances that we find worldwide and also in Africa, meaning up to 300 yards, with the three cited cartridges above, especially with the cartridge 375 H&H Magnum. I did something like that, and also at even longer distances with the cartridge 9,3x64 Brenneke, which has a similar external ballistics to the cartridge 375 H&H Magnum. I have also shot game at distances between 200 yards and 300 yards with the cartridge 460 Weatherby Magnum, so that something like that would also be possible without any problems with the cartridge 416 Rigby.

 

[dogcat1]

All,
Thanks for the replies. The reason for my question is that I have each of those calibers. I like them all and shoot them reasonably well. I scope them with Swarovski Z6i 1.7-10x42 or Z8i 1-8x24 . the Z6i has turrets. I use the turrets on anything at 400 yds or farther which is to say that I rarely use them. I use turrets on .300 WM and like rifles.
On the bigger bores, I doubt there is any need for turrets but thought I would ask this group.
I post a lot on the "other Africa site" but have found that most of the better/more experienced folks have moved over here due to the BS there.

Someone mentioned "reaction score", but I don't know what that means - is that something to do with shooting or the way this website works???? new to me.

Anyway, I appreciate your comments and help.

 

[dogcat1]

A few factors drive my answer. Like, what am I shooting with the rifle? Is it PG or DG, large or small, etc. Some animals are significantly tougher than others. Some have smaller kill zones (i.e. Croc). Which bullet type and weight am I using? Barnes TSX for example likes velocity to expand well. Swift A-Frame might open up a bit better at lower velocities and others like Trophy Bonded even more likely to expand at lower speeds. My 375 is exceptionally precise. Sub moa at 100y and has recorded tiny groups out to 400y and at that range hit a 1/2" thick AR500 plate hard enough to bend it. But, with only a 1-6x optic, I have trouble accurately placing those groups exactly where I want at those extended distances.

Answer: I would not hesitate to shoot large PG animals like Zebra or Wildebeest out to 300y but the rifle is optimized for 200y and less and that is the sweet spot. That is with 300g TSX ammo. For almost any hunting rifle, I try to limit shots on game to the furthest range that still has 2000 fps velocity or higher in order to insure that the bullet reliably expands. I took a large Blue Wildebeest this year with the 375 at 160y. The bullet expanded to 2x the original diameter and penetrated about 3.5ft. That was enough for a kill shot. I did shoot it twice more at closer range to finish it quickly. Pics of two recovered slugs for visual reference. I would not hesitate to use it out to 200y with confidence. For DG all shots would be less than 100y. The first shot on Cape Buffalo would ideally be about 70-80y max which allows enough time to get in two or more followups should he charge and at least one if he runs away. This with 300g TSX or A-Frame ammo. On my last trip the longest shot I took with the 375 was 160y. Shots with my 308 ran from 20y for the shortest to 202y for the longest. All were 1 shot kills. Nothing ran over 60y after being shot. Most dropped right there or in a few steps.

For reference, we are prepping for a PG/DG hunt next year in Limpopo and Free State. The Free State shots can be longer ranging from 200-300y typical due to more open terrain on this concession, and can go out to about 400y. These longer shots challenge the 375 a bit. I will not use it at those longer distances for that reason. I can hit the 8" KZ with it at 400y but think it ill advised to hunt game with it that far out. For that reason, I am taking a nice old Husqvarna Swedish Mauser in 30-06 optimized for those longer shots. With 180g Swift Sciroccos it arrives at over 2000fps out to 400y and groups 2.25" for 3 shots at that range. The scope is a 3-16x FFP mil mil optic that allows me to dial my dope for a longer shot if needed. But out to 300y dialing is not really necessary. It only drops 1.4mil at 300y. Below is a pic of a three shot group at 400y for reference. A 300wm might be a better choice but the 30-06 will kill any PG I will be hunting on that trip. So, it is enough and the old Husky is more accurate than all but a full custom rifle and dead reliable.

View attachment 645657View attachment 645658

375HH 300g TSX Recovered - 2.0x and 2.2x expansion
400y grp 30-06 Husky

Well written and thanks for the info here.

 

[mark-hunter]

Someone mentioned "reaction score", but I don't know what that means - is that something to do with shooting or the way this website works???? new to me.

It is the system how modern internet (and young generation) works.
The point is to get "likes" for your posts as much as possible, or to get as much as possible "followers".
Personally, I dont care about that. But many do.

 

[375Fox]

It is the system how modern internet (and young generation) works.
The point is to get "likes" for your posts as much as possible, or to get as much as possible "followers".
Personally, I dont care about that. But many do.

This isn’t Instagram. A like here is just a simple way to say “I agree” without cluttering the thread.

 

[Green Chile]

I hear the question but will answer it a different way. The only animal I’ve hunted in Africa that I couldn’t get within 100 yards was the klipspringer. I know Vaal rhebok require longer distances also. I’ve been fortunate even on follow-up shots to keep it under 100 but could shoot twice that far easily with my 375 or 416.

 

[dogcat1]

It is the system how modern internet (and young generation) works.
The point is to get "likes" for your posts as much as possible, or to get as much as possible "followers".
Personally, I dont care about that. But many do.

Got it. Never worried much about crowd approval....

 

[sgt_zim]

What do feel is longest effective range when shooting a 9.3x62, a .375 HH and a .416 Rigby?
I know they will shoot a long distance but what is a reasonable maximum distance you shoot these calibers?

9.3x62 firing higher BC bullets (like Hammer and Hornady 286) at 2400 fps+, 375 H&H, and 308 win firing 180 gr all have roughly the same ballistic arc provided they're all zeroed at the same distance.

Even with a 200 yard zero, they're all going to drop pretty precipitously past about 250 yards.

 

[Art Lambart II]

Zero the 9.3x62 and the 375 H&H for 200 yards and I'm good for a 300 yard shot. Zero the 416 Rigby for 100 yards and I'm good out to 150 yards.

Remember always aim at hair never aim at air.

 

[Nyati]

For me 200m is reasonable, but prefer to get as close as possible.

I have exceptionally taken shots at 300m, mountain hunting.

 

[grand veneur]

The question is interesting because it's about how far you can or should shoot with cartridges that are not nowadays used for long range shooting. I had to make few times a lot of effort with the cartridge 9,3x64 Brenneke for shooting game at longer distances so that thereafter I used completely different cartridges for the hunts where I knew in advance that I have maybe to shot the game at longer distances. For this reason and in my opinion, the cartridges cited above should also only be used for shooting at longer distances in exceptional situation. Nevertheless, it must be mentioned that the cartridge 375 H&H Magnum was originally designed for shooting heavy plain game at longer distances and not as a big game cartridge. Mentioned in passing, It would also have to be defined what distances are meant when we talk about long-range shooting at game. The ideas in this case often diverge.

 

[Boris11]

Not the longest shot ever made but I had two 1st round shots on target at 1 mile on a 1.7 moa target, for me that was a longest ever shot made. and it was with a Ruger rimfire

 

[grand veneur]

In my opinion, which was above all that of experienced North American authors, this distance for hunters is 500 yards. If you look at the external ballistics of some of the cartridges that are more often used for shooting at long range on game nowadays, you can shoot up to this distance by using the technic of the Maximum-Point-Blank-Range, something very practical for the hunter, without having to turn the turrets of the scope, which can lead to errors when tired, cold and lack of oxygen at higher altitudes.

 

[grand veneur]

In Africa it would be better not to concentrate too much on shooting game at long-range. There are still enough game and the opportunities to approach them are there. Nevertheless, you always hear from people who brag about the fact that they have shot antelopes at very long distances. There is no need, pure fun and animals are not shooting targets.

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

What do feel is longest effective range when shooting a 9.3x62, a .375 HH and a .416 Rigby?
I know they will shoot a long distance but what is a reasonable maximum distance you shoot these calibers?

I assume everyone is aware that we are talking about the OP’s original questions on specific calibers?

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Not the longest shot ever made but I had two 1st round shots on target at 1 mile on a 1.7 moa target, for me that was a longest ever shot made. and it was with a Ruger rimfire

Ok, I’ll bite… What caliber and what rifle on this 1 Mile rimfire shot? What scope were you using? Also, I’m not great on math. How big was the 1.7 moa target at 1,760 Yards?

I know it’s a bit off topic, but it does seem interesting. I would love to see the DOPE on this too…

 

[Rare Breed]

What do feel is longest effective range when shooting a 9.3x62, a .375 HH and a .416 Rigby?
I know they will shoot a long distance but what is a reasonable maximum distance you shoot these calibers?

I felt very comfortable at 300 yards with both my 375 and 404 due to monthly practice on my farm

 

[JG26Irish_2]

The question is interesting because it's about how far you can or should shoot with cartridges that are not nowadays used for long range shooting. Nevertheless, it must be mentioned that the cartridge 375 H&H Magnum was originally designed for shooting heavy plain game at longer distances and not as a big game cartridge.

Good points and well said. I am not as knowledgeable about the origin of the 375HH. If it was originally designed for shooting heavy PG at longer distances we should also remind all that at the time of its origin the typical Safari hunter would arrive with a heavy double rifle such as the 450 or 500NE for use on DG and those are not known to be a great tack drivers out past 50y let alone 100/200y, etc being limited to iron sights only in the 1920's. Same hunters might also bring a Griffin Howe 30-06 or a Mauser 7mm or 8mm rifle for smaller game and often those were iron sight only rifles as well. But marksmanship was taught in the schools and military and Springfield and Mauser rifles were capable of hitting game at longer ranges even if they may or may not have the energy to do the job way out there. Yet these intrepid hunters sometimes wanted a heavier option for the big Eland or Kudu or Wildebeest that was out of range of their big heavies. Hence the 375 was a perfect mid-bore. Perfect for Lion, Leopard, and Hippo, etc, and able to take down Eland, Zebra, Giraffe, as well.

Again in the early 20th century the bullet options were solids or softs and not much else. As bullet quality improved we got choices such as the Nosler Partition in the 1940's, and later Swift A-Frame and and Barnes X bullets in the 1980's. This enhance all rifles but greatly enhanced the capabilities of the 375. These offered both controlled expansion and deep penetration in heavy game animals. Where a 375 caliber solid was not that impressive on big game, a 300g A-Frame or TSX that expands to 2x bullet diameter is making a 3/4" hole in the game animal. That was mo-betta. Compared to the 1/2" hole from the 500 nitro loaded with solids and all of a sudden the little 375 is punching well above it intended weight class. It would not be my choice for Elephant but for most all the other DG animals it is a viable option. All that said, long range with a 375 is not 400 or 500y. It is more like 200y or a bit more. It loses too much energy much out past that.

As for dialing turrets for longer shots? If you take the time to learn how to do this and use a proper zero stop optic with reliable, quality turrets, you will be amazed how well you can shoot at distance. As a young man, the first time I fired my FAL loaded with 308 ammo at a 400y tgt I was stunned that the bullet dropped almost 2 ft! I was using a simple scope and was zeroed at 100y. That was many years ago and I have learned a lot about ballistics since that time. Today, I can dial and reliably hit 400y tgts with my 22lr 10 out of 10 shots. And that bullet is dropping something like 25 feet. So making the same shot at 400y with a 30-06, or 308 using a good FFP MIL scope is a chip shot. But that is shooting a steel tgt, not a living game animal. It is shooting from a bench or prone, not off sticks or a ruck. Practical field conditions usually limit us to taking game shots that are about half the distance we can reliably shoot targets at. My opinion.

To imply that dialing your dope risks making errors is in my opinion, a cop out. It is like saying, "I only use iron sights because them scopes might get tweaked or broken in the field". A good MIL optic will not accidentally get moved on the elevation turret, and it will repeatably return to zero in half a second when dialed back to the zero stop. Knowing when and how much to dial is a process of education, testing and practice. Ballistic apps are great but are only as good as the data you feed them. I always confirm my dope with field testing at discreate distances and then refine my ballistic inputs before I use a rifle on game. I almost never need to dial when hunting. If a critter is so far away that dialing dope might be an option, then I also will have time to range the target, dial the dope and judge the wind before making the decision to shoot. It is ALWAYS better to take the time to get closer before taking the shot. It is only ethical to limit my shots to those distances that I know I can make the shot and deliver the bullet with enough energy to expand and penetrate into and thru the vitals for the shot angle I am about to take. I do not use "Dust and Adjust" on any game animal except prairie dogs and those are varmints.

If I am glassing a game animal and am not comfortable with the shot, It is best to wait and try for a better shot.

 

[DLSJR]

Ross, I don’t have a 9.3; but I do have a .338 Winchester (damn near the same), .375 H&H and .416 Hoffman (damn near same ballistics as the Rigby). While I generally like to shoot game within 150 yards or as close as I can get, I’ve made some relatively long shots in Africa with all 3 rifles.

.338, I shot a Livingston Eland at a bit over 325 yards (328 lasered IIRC). Also shot a Red Lechwe facing straight away at over 400 estimated yards, perfect Texas heart shot. Shot a Puku facing me at lasered 307 yards. All 3 dropped right where they were standing when hit.

.375, I haven’t shot anything real far with this rifle as I only had it built about 18 months ago. I did shoot a Lord Derby Eland off the sticks at 220 yards. High shoulder shot DRT.

.416, the farthest shot I’ve tried was at a trotting Gemsbok that I’d wounded with a poor first shot. It was a bit over 300 yards. I managed to hit it well and it only sent a short distance.

I’ve got a Sitatunga hunt next October in Zambia. I’m debating whether to take my .338 or .264 Win as I understand shots can sometimes be long where I’ll be hunting, though most are not.