I refrence long distance/long range, and extreme long range shooting, training, and gear for the basis of my effort to become more proficient shot. More importantly this effort was in the pursuit of improving my ethical killing range or distance. I couldn't afford to rifle hunt, the way I dreamt of, in my teens and 20's. I bought on off the shelf Browning SS A-Bolt stalker in 7MM REM MAG in my late 20's and it set in my gun safe next to my many .22LR's, a few shotguns, and my grandpas old Winchester 30-30 for years. My cousin, same age as me, would go to the northern Ca Mountains an/or foothills with a tag and mostly road hunt and tent camp. Never seemed that interesting because he rarely filled a tag with a nice buck often didn't see a shooter.
No one else in my family hunted, except my grandfather who had already passed on. He grew up in the south during the depression and was a trapper and hunter because he had to to feed his family (brothers and sisters) and I suspect he really didn't enjoy it. Lots of stories about that time period... I also had a few BB guns and shot a million bottles, cans, golf balls, and army men probably some frogs, lizards, and birds too -wish I had some of those choices back. I was fortunate that I had access to my grandpas old .22 long rifles - bolt action, pump, and a semi-auto, and the fact that my uncle liked to take me shooting at an early age. We shot a lot and I became extremely proficient with open sites and 50 yards and sometimes further.
I had to pass on a nice Wyoming Mule deer on my first guided hunt because, at the time, I didn't have enough experience to figure/calculate a significant angle, on a down canyon shot at over 350 yards, and I didnt want to lob shots at it until I hit it, injure it and have it run off. Most importantly, I just wasn't interested in injuring a beautiful mule deer with a luck shot. To prove my point, it was a 2x1 hunt and the guy I was with insisted on trying to shoot the bedded deer after I turned it down. I'm back at the truck and I hear at least 3 shots go off, maybe 4! They get back to the truck and I asked what happened? He says "I missed!" Well, "no shit" I say! "I could have done that"! That's when I decided to get a custom rifle and learn how to shoot it under different conditions, distances, and angles. I did fill my deer tag and he injured a nice muley and we didn't recover it. I know this guy is a good shot, because we both shot Antelope the same trip and he has shot and killed a lot of deer and elk in his life. Must of had a problem with his scope after that antelope.
I looked for a while at different custom rifle builders of the time. I finally talked to and met Bob Beck with MOA rifles. After our first conversation we met up up at Reno SCI and after several other conversations, I chose a LH 300 RUM equipped with what I liked and what he thought were necessary. It is a custom long range hunting rifle. It also wears a Nightforce scope, and has custom ammo developed for that rifle. It also came with a shooting school. After doing more research and watching a lot of videos, I decided to sent MOA my new SAKO 85L Left Handed in .375H&H, my Tikka T3 SS, and a .22-250 (I inherited from a left hand friend who passed). I asked Bob to accurize each rifle to reasonably shoot as accurately as possible, at their greatest (respective) distances. All those rifles wear Nightforce Scopes with Zero stops, have match ammo (I reload the original recipes when necessary), the rifles were proofed at MOA, the DOPE is loaded into my Kestrel 5700 and now my Zeiss Victory RF Binos, and all the info was passed on to me for my records. The .22-250 only retains the receiver and bolt, everything else was replaced and cerakote was applied. The .243 got a new trigger and stock and some work, not much that I can remember for the SAKO .375 except they end up having a new stock sent out by SAKO to replace the original.
Except the 300 RUM, I received rifles, ammo, and all the paperwork shipped to me directly and the 300 RUM in a custom case shipped to my FFL as soon as they were all done. All those rifles, including my 300 RUM, sat in the gun safe for 18 months before I used them. I was busy for a while.
I finally scheduled the shooting school, packed up the 300 and headed to Redmond oregon. It was a great 2 day class with a bunch of like minded people, among them, some serious and accomplished shooters and hunters. We learned all the requisite math and science the first 1/2 of the the first day: Applied Ballistics -gravity drop and wind deflection, bullet speed, trajectory, and resistance to the wind. Minute of Angle, Bullet BC, Spindrift, Coriolis effect/phenomenon, how to read mirage, and now my head was spinning because I knew nothing about long range, let alone extended/extreme long range or ballistics! All I really wanted to do is be able to make an ethical 400 yard kill shot, at any elevation, and/or angle without a lot of effort. By the end of the first day we sighted our rifles for a 100 yard Zero, learned to use our Kestrel and the DOPE captured in it, as well as our RF Binos - I had Leica Geovid at the time.
Second day: Prone? I never shot prone before! I learned several things that I still use today. Different finger on trigger placement to avoid pulling, not over gripping my palm swell, actually its not a grip at all - more of a placement, alignment of the rifle and feet placement to avoid an errant shot, off hand placement, pressure of the rifle against my shoulder, breathing, relaxation, trigger pressure and timing to break the trigger rather than pull it, and not canting my rifle. There's more... I had a distinct advantage! I had no bad habits to break or preconceived notions to overcome. I just wanted to learn.
First target 400 yards! I was paired with a former SWAT sniper retired and new hunter - great! We spot for each other and I go first. I believe there were 16 people in this class. My first shot is left due to wind, slight windage adjustment, second shot hit and 3rd to validate. My longest successful shot ever and mission accomplished! This was followed at 200 yard increments, across canyon into the hills, and at different elevations. We took turns spotting for each other for each station. Most of the day repeated until we got to 1,600 yards. Then several people ran out of horsepower with smaller and less powerful rifles/calibers. At this point several tried, but I believe the 28 Nosler, 300 RUM's, 338 Lapua were the ones that were going to get to 2,000 yards. And we did. Most were 2 shots with a 3rd to validate. Truth is, once you get passed 1,000 yards, the rest seemed pretty easy. Especially given the rifles, ammo, equipment, and most importantly training.
I've been to (2) Level one shooting schools and (1) level two schools. I'm a much better shot and hunter with all my rifles because of it. With my MOA Rifle in 300 RUM, I've rang the 2,000 yard target a few times in shooting schools and their small level competitions.
It should be noted that we shot one class in pouring down rain and still hit the 1 Mile target. I believe elevation was a little shy of 4,000 feet.
I believe my longest kill with 300 RUM was an Elk at 325 yards. I belong to a couple sites that cater to long range shooting and hunting but I don't contribute to them. I'm not that technical and even though I reload, I really do not like to target shoot except for validation. It was important to me to extend my range for hunting purposes only. Truth is, my longest kill shots have been with that .243 Tikka and those were 2 at 380 yards. Again, I'm not certain if anyone in this community wants to here about Long Range stuff? I'm going to Sonora in November with the 300 RUM for Mule Deer. I expect the shot to be less than 200 yards; go figure...
To each their own.
No one else in my family hunted, except my grandfather who had already passed on. He grew up in the south during the depression and was a trapper and hunter because he had to to feed his family (brothers and sisters) and I suspect he really didn't enjoy it. Lots of stories about that time period... I also had a few BB guns and shot a million bottles, cans, golf balls, and army men probably some frogs, lizards, and birds too -wish I had some of those choices back. I was fortunate that I had access to my grandpas old .22 long rifles - bolt action, pump, and a semi-auto, and the fact that my uncle liked to take me shooting at an early age. We shot a lot and I became extremely proficient with open sites and 50 yards and sometimes further.
I had to pass on a nice Wyoming Mule deer on my first guided hunt because, at the time, I didn't have enough experience to figure/calculate a significant angle, on a down canyon shot at over 350 yards, and I didnt want to lob shots at it until I hit it, injure it and have it run off. Most importantly, I just wasn't interested in injuring a beautiful mule deer with a luck shot. To prove my point, it was a 2x1 hunt and the guy I was with insisted on trying to shoot the bedded deer after I turned it down. I'm back at the truck and I hear at least 3 shots go off, maybe 4! They get back to the truck and I asked what happened? He says "I missed!" Well, "no shit" I say! "I could have done that"! That's when I decided to get a custom rifle and learn how to shoot it under different conditions, distances, and angles. I did fill my deer tag and he injured a nice muley and we didn't recover it. I know this guy is a good shot, because we both shot Antelope the same trip and he has shot and killed a lot of deer and elk in his life. Must of had a problem with his scope after that antelope.
I looked for a while at different custom rifle builders of the time. I finally talked to and met Bob Beck with MOA rifles. After our first conversation we met up up at Reno SCI and after several other conversations, I chose a LH 300 RUM equipped with what I liked and what he thought were necessary. It is a custom long range hunting rifle. It also wears a Nightforce scope, and has custom ammo developed for that rifle. It also came with a shooting school. After doing more research and watching a lot of videos, I decided to sent MOA my new SAKO 85L Left Handed in .375H&H, my Tikka T3 SS, and a .22-250 (I inherited from a left hand friend who passed). I asked Bob to accurize each rifle to reasonably shoot as accurately as possible, at their greatest (respective) distances. All those rifles wear Nightforce Scopes with Zero stops, have match ammo (I reload the original recipes when necessary), the rifles were proofed at MOA, the DOPE is loaded into my Kestrel 5700 and now my Zeiss Victory RF Binos, and all the info was passed on to me for my records. The .22-250 only retains the receiver and bolt, everything else was replaced and cerakote was applied. The .243 got a new trigger and stock and some work, not much that I can remember for the SAKO .375 except they end up having a new stock sent out by SAKO to replace the original.
Except the 300 RUM, I received rifles, ammo, and all the paperwork shipped to me directly and the 300 RUM in a custom case shipped to my FFL as soon as they were all done. All those rifles, including my 300 RUM, sat in the gun safe for 18 months before I used them. I was busy for a while.
I finally scheduled the shooting school, packed up the 300 and headed to Redmond oregon. It was a great 2 day class with a bunch of like minded people, among them, some serious and accomplished shooters and hunters. We learned all the requisite math and science the first 1/2 of the the first day: Applied Ballistics -gravity drop and wind deflection, bullet speed, trajectory, and resistance to the wind. Minute of Angle, Bullet BC, Spindrift, Coriolis effect/phenomenon, how to read mirage, and now my head was spinning because I knew nothing about long range, let alone extended/extreme long range or ballistics! All I really wanted to do is be able to make an ethical 400 yard kill shot, at any elevation, and/or angle without a lot of effort. By the end of the first day we sighted our rifles for a 100 yard Zero, learned to use our Kestrel and the DOPE captured in it, as well as our RF Binos - I had Leica Geovid at the time.
Second day: Prone? I never shot prone before! I learned several things that I still use today. Different finger on trigger placement to avoid pulling, not over gripping my palm swell, actually its not a grip at all - more of a placement, alignment of the rifle and feet placement to avoid an errant shot, off hand placement, pressure of the rifle against my shoulder, breathing, relaxation, trigger pressure and timing to break the trigger rather than pull it, and not canting my rifle. There's more... I had a distinct advantage! I had no bad habits to break or preconceived notions to overcome. I just wanted to learn.
First target 400 yards! I was paired with a former SWAT sniper retired and new hunter - great! We spot for each other and I go first. I believe there were 16 people in this class. My first shot is left due to wind, slight windage adjustment, second shot hit and 3rd to validate. My longest successful shot ever and mission accomplished! This was followed at 200 yard increments, across canyon into the hills, and at different elevations. We took turns spotting for each other for each station. Most of the day repeated until we got to 1,600 yards. Then several people ran out of horsepower with smaller and less powerful rifles/calibers. At this point several tried, but I believe the 28 Nosler, 300 RUM's, 338 Lapua were the ones that were going to get to 2,000 yards. And we did. Most were 2 shots with a 3rd to validate. Truth is, once you get passed 1,000 yards, the rest seemed pretty easy. Especially given the rifles, ammo, equipment, and most importantly training.
I've been to (2) Level one shooting schools and (1) level two schools. I'm a much better shot and hunter with all my rifles because of it. With my MOA Rifle in 300 RUM, I've rang the 2,000 yard target a few times in shooting schools and their small level competitions.
It should be noted that we shot one class in pouring down rain and still hit the 1 Mile target. I believe elevation was a little shy of 4,000 feet.
I believe my longest kill with 300 RUM was an Elk at 325 yards. I belong to a couple sites that cater to long range shooting and hunting but I don't contribute to them. I'm not that technical and even though I reload, I really do not like to target shoot except for validation. It was important to me to extend my range for hunting purposes only. Truth is, my longest kill shots have been with that .243 Tikka and those were 2 at 380 yards. Again, I'm not certain if anyone in this community wants to here about Long Range stuff? I'm going to Sonora in November with the 300 RUM for Mule Deer. I expect the shot to be less than 200 yards; go figure...
To each their own.
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Those were from the first time I shot the rifle, first day of that first school, and at 100 Yards…
