How do YOU define long range?

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cat_IT_guy

cat_IT_guy

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So I hear all kinds of comments about people shooting long range on this forum. Basically I am just curious, what exactly long range means to different people and what is the longest you are able to shoot regularly?

I guess to start things off, I would define long range as anything past oh, 300 yards, given that I have never had the opportunity to shoot past 250, and rarely have the opportunity to shoot past about 125. I guess for some guys 300 yards is an easy shot, but given my experiences, I would still call it pretty long, so lets hear it.
 
Long range = I can't hit it anymore. LOL

300+ yards seems to be a semi-accepted standard. Realistically, an "average" person can make hits over iron sights out to about that distance. Any further than that, and the level of training, scope, and firearm required to ensure a reasonable level of accuracy takes a big jump.
 
Over 300 yards is starting to get "long" but then again it depends on the size of the target. Example: My kid has a standard rig. A Ruger M77 Mk II in 280 Remington with a standard hunting scope-- a Leupold 3 - 9 x 40. He uses it to shoot 4-inch wide boxes of high explosive at the Boomershoot at 400 yards. He does pretty well. A heavy-barreled, out-of-the-box Remington 700 with the right ammo and shooter, with a slightly higher-end scope, can do about the same at 500 to even 700 yards. With a Winchester .30-30, it's a hail Mary-- a shot like that at 400 with iron sights is a bit of a wild crap-shoot.

If we're talking shilouette targets, then 300 yards gets a lot easier, 'cause the targets are bigger. Using a 16" barrel AK with a 1x reflex sight, we were hitting an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper at 350 about one in three or one in four shots. The same target and distance, using my Rem 700 and 14 x scope, I'd feel like an idiot if I didn't hit it most every shot.

"Long" as stated before, depends on the setup-- both the rifle/ammo/scope combo and the target in question.

Cooper's big challenge to the shooting world is 20 shots on a 20 inch target in 20 seconds at 1000 yards with a hand-carried (or hand-carriable) rifle, IIRC. So far, no one's met the challenge that I know. That's definitely "Long Range".
 
in NRA HP competition, 500 and 600 yrds are still "mid-range"
 
anytime I have to go prone to hit the target, or when the target appears to be smaller then the front sight...
 
For me, and I would assume most weekend hobby shooters, anything over 200 yards is pretty much long range. I don't even know where I could go to shoot what you guys consider long range :)
 
What are you shooting?

Here's something that I just posted on another thread but it is apropo here :

A friend of mine shoots .50BMG on a regular basis out west. He and his "50Cal" friends are equiped with walkie-talkies, computer ballistic software on PCs, hand-loaded, precision ammunition, gunsmith trued & accurized rifles and NightForce scopes. They have several courses laid out of which the shortest is 1760 yds. (1 mile). The other distances are 2640 yds. & 3872 yds. (1.5mi. & 2.2mi. respectively). They also shoot at 2.8 miles occasionally for fun.
A radio equiped guy stands 100-210 yds off to the side of the target behind a protector and calls shots. The shooter dials in the "correction" into his software and tries again. At 2.2 miles - their most frequent distance - they'll hit a 36" sq. sheet of plywood (painted blaze orange) "most of the time" after their initial zero'ing in. This is, of course, on fairly calm days. A 10 MPH, 3:00 breeze will blow them off course by 62 feet w/o any correction so you can see that wind-calling is crucial!!

P.S. "M.O.A." @ 2.2 miles is almost 40"

So..... what I'm saying is : 50 feet is LongRange for a BB gun but it takes a mile to be concidered mid- to long-range with a .50 BMG
You list a Remington 870 Super Magnum 12 ga. - I'd guess 100 yds to be it's slug limit and 200 yds is definately "long range".
 
I think long range should be defined by HOW you shoot, not by WHAT you shoot. If the range is known, you're using some sort of scope, you're shooting from a solid rest such as a bench, and you're under no stress, 400 yds. might be "short" range. I've shot out to 350 yds. at targets and gongs and found all of them quite easy to hit....off the bench. Hell, I fired a 3 shot group at 350 yds. with my 220 Swift that spanned exactly 1.1" center-to-center. But shoot prone or sitting and it's a totally different ballgame.
I suspect most of the people here who call 300 yds. "short" range, are doing most of their shooting off the bench. And most armchair ballisticians have no idea the effect of a 10 mph crosswind at 400 yds.
Just my 2¢...
35W
 
It's very subjective. Long for what? Long range for a .22lr is going to be different than for a .308.

I'd say that long range is generally a distance in which the drop of the projectile and wind drift become significant factors that must be compensated for in order to accurately place the shot.
 
The longest range I ever shot W/ a rifle was (I think) 350 yards on an M-16 range, that was at silhouette targets. I've never shot off a bench, I've never used a scope, so I guess 350's "long range" for me
 
I suspect most of the people here who call 300 yds. "short" range, are doing most of their shooting off the bench.
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negative. NRA course of fire at 300 yrds is 10 shots, standing to prone (edit: with a mag change) in 70 seconds. x ring is 3".

granted, if you know how to use a sling and jacket, it's almost as effective as a bench
 
I live on the prarie and my grandp has alot of land so long range is as far as the bullet will travel. I have never really been into shooting long range by my dad just recently introduced my to a Lee Enfield 1943 so I am going to test its long range abilities this summer.
 
negative. NRA course of fire at 300 yrds is 10 shots, standing to prone (edit: with a mag change) in 70 seconds. x ring is 3".
Click to expand...

Affirmative. You (and I...I shoot the local High Power matches too from time to time) are most likely a minority here. I also am blessed to live on 55 acres with planty of room to shoot at long range should I desire...and I do...;)

I've shot my last couple of matches with a K-31 that I modified to take a receiver sight. It garners lots of interst at the matches and it's a real tack-driver!:
53K31Group2-1.gif
35W
 
Rare to hear a term like Point Blank Range anymore.
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The term "point blank" has really taken on an entirely new meaning. Many people (and all non-gun people) think it means right up against the muzzle. As in one foot or less.

The real meaning is any range at which the drop of the projectile need not be considered.

I can't stand the shift in meaning this term has undergone.
 
So..... what I'm saying is : 50 feet is LongRange for a BB gun but it takes a mile to be concidered mid- to long-range with a .50 BMG
Click to expand...

I was gonna say that ;)

The term "point blank" has really taken on an entirely new meaning. Many people (and all non-gun people) think it means right up against the muzzle. As in one foot or less.

The real meaning is any range at which the drop of the projectile need not be considered.
Click to expand...

Durnit, I'm too late to be useful on this thread :(
 
How do YOU define long range?
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when it's too far and i cant hit it, with the caliber that i'm using...for example a 200 yard shot with my .22 is Far lol... but 200yards with my 30-06 is short... it all about the caliber.

if i can see it, i can hit it.!
 
Last edited:
Quote:
in NRA HP competition, 500 and 600 yrds are still "mid-range"

+1 to the NRA guidlines:
100-300 = short range. 500-600 = midrange. 800-1000 = long range
Click to expand...

Ditto..... NRA sets the standard for nomenclature on distance shooting.

Best regards,
Swampy

Garands forever
2007 NRA Missouri State 600 yard Service Rifle Champion.... with an M1
 
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