[Afy]

Please settle an argument.

For those who have seen Shooter.. Mark Wahlberg's charachter shoots a small can of beans or something at over a 1 Mile.

I say short of a cruise missle that shot is not possible...

My friend claims "it is routine for a competition shooter"

Please help one way or the other.

[Chuck Dye]

A 15 ounce bean can is about 3 inches wide. 3 inches at 1 mile subtends 0.1628 MOA. The records section of the website of the National Bench Rest Shooters Association (http://www.benchrest.com/records.htm) show that kind of accuracy in the 100 yard to 300 yard groups but the 1000 yard information is iffy. I wouldn’t want a lot riding on consistently hitting a bean can at a mile.

That having been said, any single shot by the right shooter from the right rifle, could easily do it, especially if I have bet against it. :D

[fatelk]

"it is routine for a competition shooter"

Only in Hollywood or the minds of teenage boys. In real life, forget it.
I recently saw a picture of a 1000 yard record target, under 3" IIRC. Very Impressive! 1,760 yards (one mile) is a whole lot farther than 1000. I've never shot long range like that, but I do know that there are a lot more factors to it than plinking at a couple hundred yards.

Then again anyone that could hit a five-gallon bucket at one mile would have to be a world-class shot, and they would have my respect for sure!

I say short of a cruise missle that shot is not possible...
Haven't seen the movie, but from my limited experience I would agree with you.

[Walkalong]

The 10 shot record in 1000 Yard benchrest is now under 4". It can be done. It obviously ain't easy.:)

[bensdad]

Anybody who's moved from 100 yds, to 300 yds, to 600 yds, knows that variables become exponentially "out of control." I shoot less than any competition shooter, but I'm at the range enough to see the big boys play. Even if hitting that can was possible, it would take about a gazillion adjustment shots to find it. Even after finding the drop, you'd be waiting for calm, shooting, waiting for calm, shooting, etc. for quite a while.

But I'm sure I could do it if I was in the movies... like that scene in that movie where Henry Fonda shot the shiny things on the saddle bags and blew up the dynamite?

[cdrt]

You might want to read the book on Carlos Hathcock by Robert Henderson; Marine Sniper. Hathcock used a Unertl scope on top of an M2 .50 cal Browning to kill an arms courier at 2,000 yards. Not wanting to kill the kid but keep him from delivering his cargo, he first disabled the bike. When the kid came up shooting, he took him out with a second shot.

Navy Vet.

[innerpiece]

like cdrt said, some crazy things at long ranges can be done with a .50BMG....
Id look into some sniper forums if I were you. might get some opinions from folks quite a bit more familiar with this kind of topic.

Ive heard of coffee can ("head") shots at 1500 yds, from a couple Spec Ops shooters, and have seen unthinkable shots from snipers in the same business... but never seen a headshot at a mile.

ip.

[jmorris]

"Hathcock used a Unertl scope on top of an M2 .50 cal Browning to kill an arms courier at 2,000 yards. Not wanting to kill the kid but keep him from delivering his cargo, he first disabled the bike. When the kid came up shooting, he took him out with a second shot."
I was going to use this example as well. Give me enough rounds and I could do it. Short of a "golden BB" I wouldn't expect it in the first shot.

[Smokin Gator]

Amazing shots have been made. But as far as it be routine? SG

[armoredman]

I couldn't do it.

[SDC]

A "cold" shot, with no sighters? I have my doubts, but I wouldn't want to be standing in the immediate area. As for Hathcock's shot, my reading of his book suggests that he was TRYING to hit the guy on the bike with his first shot, since he could be readily identified as VC because he was transporting several rifles; he missed with the first shot, then rectified that with a second.

[fineredmist]

Just to give you something to think about, The Varmint Hunters Association ( I am a member) has a witnessed kill on a prairie dog at 3250 yds. This was done with a purpose built rifle and highly modified scope. The hit was with the 3rd round fired.
The VHA has desiginations for 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 yd confirmed hits and the number of members in these groups is amazing. Hitting a can at 1750 yds can be done under the right conditions by a skilled shooter but it doesn't happen every time either.

A prairie dog at 3250 yds has some of this, lucky (and skilled) shooter, very unlucky prairie dog.

[Blackfork]

Hathcox's shot has been talked about for years but I have a hard time seeing a guy on a bicycle- or a deer, at 2000 yards with a 10 power scope. You would think the crosshairs would cover up the whole man and bike, not just the hub.

Saw "Shooter" last night with a bunch of guys who were in town for the Beaumont Highpower Regional and CMP LEG match this morning. It's hard to SEE a can of beans at one mile- with any optic. The mirage compresses as you add magnification...more doesn't help. I've got a big Kowa 821 spotting scope with a 20-60 zoom eyepiece. At a mile I wouldn't be able to see a can of beans I doubt, even cranked all the way up in optimal conditions.

Hard to see how this can be done practically and in tactical situations. Certainly be fun to watch and learn about.