This random range gallon jug challenge is awesome. Some people in the hunting community need to be humbled so they know what to retrain so they don't get bad hits. 70% with wind is much better than I can do.
From reading the comments, I don't think the people that need to be humbled are being humbled. They'll miss several times, and then make an excuse, like, "Oh, that's still a good shot." No, the whole point as that the milk jug was the "good shot."
@@MrMagnanimanI agree. 1 inch off the jug is as bad as 2 feet off the jug if it means you didn't get a clean hit and have to take follow ups or have to start tracking a wounded animal.🫡
Nice job. 70% on the jugs is pretty good. I would also agree that at least 95% of your shots would have been fatal on game. You were clearly more comfortable with you rifle and caliber choice than the gentleman that attempted the Backfire challenge.
This wasn’t the same challenge though. On the backfire challenge every shot was from a different location. This creates challenges in setting up for the shot and is more realistic than what was done in this video. This video represented shooting conditions at a high power shooting competition where you have your shooting mat, front and rear rest shooting from the same position for all shots.
@@strat1080which also exemplifies the importance of realizing that not every shot is the same regardless of it’s the same distance. Maybe you can shoot 600 no issue, but you also need to be honest with yourself on if the conditions are right to take the shot. Nice calm day and a great spot to shoot from? Send it! You laying upside down in a rock patch with gusty winds at 60mph? Probably going to want to skip that shot
In Mike the Marine's defense, that challenge was set up to make him look bad. Hiding milk jugs behind bushes knowing he would not be able to range them properly was a dirty trick that few would have anticipated. Yes, sometimes the deer will be behind a bush. Give it time and it will move into the open and if it doesn't, you don't have to shoot. If it was that densely vegetated, there would have been no reason to shoot long, you could stalk in.
I enjoyed the challenge you gave yourself & nice job. A little tip a mentor of mine gave me about 50 years ago, if you keep your bolt open when ranging & letting it cool, it cools very much faster with air flow moving thru it.
Thanks for the recognition that us "Back East" hunters aren't typically shooting those "Out West" ranges and angles. I've messaged Jim on several occasions that he should do video about other setups for closer range hunting. Unfortunately he immediately reverts to the longer range stuff. My point is that even though our ranges are shorter, in thick forests, the shots can be just as tricky. The game appears quickly , it's typically obscured by the forest and is moving through the area quickly (degrees per second) from the shooters perspective. I'd like to see someone make a video addressing the different difficulties that hunters on the "other side" face. Thank you for the great video.
I can say" back east hunters" I'm from Pennsylvania and grew up hunting there. Like many I was never a " long range shooter" till I moved to Wyoming. And I agree with you on doing a video on shooting in thick cover it would be good. 👍
East or West, the principle is the same. PRACTICE the situations that you will most likely find yourself hunting in. Equipment will vary, shot presentations will differ, but our responsibility stays the same: be the best that you can be in order to ethically take the game. Paper punching only goes so far. Offhand shooting will teach you a lot about your abilities/limitations and how well you function with your equipment. I hunt the Northeast, and it’s an animal all it’s own, but you may learn singing from this fun video of practice that I do before deer season. th-cam.com/video/p1_cvc_4MLk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=6Zd3xPRHJklXYvEi
@TheTrackingArcher I totally agree. My comment above was geared toward Jims reaction(s) (to my communications with him). I suggested that every hunting scenario isn't long-range and maybe he could produce a video about other types of hunting. I don't think he fully interpreted my suggestions because in his next sentence he immediately reverted to hunting and long range being pretty much one and the same. I know he lives out west and maybe hasn't experienced densly forested or other situations. It was just a comment that he may have unintentionally overlooked.
Yes sir as a fellow in his 50s been hunting in SC all my life in mostly thick cover and some open ranges . You have to have a good accurate rifle setup and be alert for a shot may present itself for a short time and it may be a shot were you have thread the needle per say.
As a army veteran my hat is off to you. All those misses are a little windage but diffently kill shoots Which is what counts when it all over. Once a soldier always a soldier. This is from a 70 yr.old who has been there and done that.👍👍👍👍👍
You started shooting high and right. 1. You were chambering the cartridge in a hot chamber and then leaving it there for a while. That may have been increasing your velocity enough to account for a slightly higher shot. 2. That’s a thin barrel, you’ll start noticing POI change after 3-5 rounds. 3. This is the biggest one, I didn’t see you accounting for the wind. Missing after three hundred yards, when the wind really comes into play, makes sense. All that being said, even your misses probably would have been in the kill zone of an elk.
The wind looked to be right to left, so those rounds were led slightly too far. Entirely possible there was some extra velocity from those warmer cartridges. Also possible a DOPE adjustment was made for the conditions after reviewing the spotting video.
I had a Sako Carbonlite for a short time which has the same barrel on it as that Tikka he was using. Chambered in 308, groups started opening at three rounds and accuracy was rapidly diminishing at five shots. That’s a 308….7 rem mag being overbore would have a more dramatic effect still. I have since switched to carbon barrels for a lot of my rifles. It’s impressive how much they can take without getting wonky. They’re also much less picky with ammo.
No. Scope was a little off to the right. Apart from full bore shooters, who shoots with a hot barrel anyway? Great consistent shooting. The only “miss” was a spine shot. Apart from the bolt should be immediately up after every shot, this guy is a champ. Come visit sometime, Australia
I watched that Backfire episode and when the guy scopes himself with his own gun when checking zero, I knew he wasnt going to cut the mustard. Turns out he missed the second jug. You did quite well and did notice the POI change as the barrel became heat soaked. Thats the problem with these challenges because hunting situations are cold barrels and target challenges are back to back. Without compensation of that ever increasing heat in the barrel your POI will drift. My .223 is a heavy barrel and it still does it. Thanks for posting!
You owe it to the animal to be killing quickly, not "wounding reliably". Longer range ability is for follow up shots on wounded game. Get closer PERIOD!
Great shooting. That was a fun video that Backfire did. your video was even harder because you did not have anybody spotting for you. Good job. Thanks for taking the time to do it. Aloha!!
Spotter would have been nice but this was without a doubt substantially easier. Backfire had him ranging jugs without proper backstops, some under time constraints, different positions, and maybe most difficult of all for his pride haha.
Agree 100%. A spotter would have given a windage adjustment on the first shot and could have preceded to clean most of the jugs. A heavy barrelled target or PRS rifle in a chassis with a lighter bullet would have allowed the shooter to spot those misses through the scope. No chance self-spotting with a light hunting rifle in 7mm Rem mag. I'm so impressed.
Several good suggestions given. I one i most agree with concerns a hot barrel / chamber. Upon firing, i immediately firmly work the bolt, eject the hot / spent case and allow the breeze to blow thru the barrel / chamber in an attempt to keep the temp down. Only jack the next cartridge in when i've sighted the target , in position and set to shoot. And start from afar and work your targets in. .02 cents. ☆
A good and honest demonstration of the difference between shots you will make and those you might make. With milk jugs being stationary objects, your video also brings to mind the ethics in long range shots that give the animal more time to move, resulting in a wounding shot rather than a lethal one. Enjoyed it.
Im fortunate enough to belong to a rifle club with a 600 yard range. With that we have competitions weekly at that distance. In order to shoot at this distance you have to qualify. First you have to establish a good 300 yd zero. Next you have to adjust your sights and hit the target at 600 yds in 2 shots, then keep 10 shots in the scoring rings (which is a 60” circle). I’m a decent shot but we have guys that can hit the x ring which is a 6” circle 20 out of 20 times and they do it consistently week to week. We have numerous guys that can keep every shot in the 10 ring which is a 12” circle. The rifles that some these guys have are unbelievable and nothing about them is factory, nor are their loads. I would say you did above average with your shooting in this video. Good bless you and your family.
Good stuff but the kit costs a huge amount and the costs of rounds to practice is not insignificant. I served for 22 yrs in the Brit Armed forces. They lent me rifles (L1A1 and L85A1& 2) and as much ammo as I wanted. Shot at Bisley in 1992 and 1993. L85 was 5.56 2 MOA rifle with a trilux x4 sight, normally sighted at 100 yds (POI 2" above POA) for 300 yd zero. For the 500 yd shoot the bull was 10" and there was an inner. Turn the dial to 500, 2 sighters away you go. 48.5 and second place. The guy in the Backfire challenge couldn't shoot for shit.
This is same direction, wing patterns are usually more known. The slope the distance and the rest are all probably amazing. A bunting situation is different.
A 6” target at 600 yards is 1 moa. There are plenty of factory rifles that will shoot factory ammo at sub moa. I consider myself a good shooter, not a great shooter, and consistently shoot sub 2” groups at 336 yards, with a factory B14 HMR 6.5 CM shooting cheep 140 grain soft point Sellier & Bellot ammo, I don’t know why but my rifle loves that ammo. My ranger is looking at putting in a 600 yard range soon and I can’t wait. I’m also planning to take a few trips to the 1000 yard range this summer, it is around 100 miles away so will probably take the motor home and make a weekend out of it.
Outstanding. Thanks for the video Hunting, each shot is gonna be a cold bore shot. That is the problem with the backfire challenge. Shooting straight through, the barrel is gonna get hot. That makes a difference. It would take a long time to shoot this but when the barrel starts getting warmer, stop, open chamber and let it cool down. Same thing when setting zero. 98% of hunting shots are cold bore shots.
The bullets going to perform nearly the same. Tolerances may be not as tight as a custom rig but a lot of rifles Sami spec are going to run 500yards easily. Wind's the hardest thing to learn. And as long as you have a turreted scope you’ll be able to dope the drop for the range
Fun video Eric! When I first started hunting with you 11 years ago, I was just as you described…a PA guy who was comfortable at 200ish yards. You explained that our shot opportunities would be triple with the right gun and practice. I took the challenge and it is so true. I haven’t shot one over 500 yet but several in the 450 range…and a coyote with you at 440 last year. My buddy shot one with you at close to 700. We are lucky to have a 600 yard range which is the ticket. Also, learning to shoot prone is mandatory. Almost all shots are on our belly. Can’t wait for next year!
Thanks Hutch you are an example of someone that wasn't a long range shooter and with the right direction and scope combo and practice now can comfortably shoot longer ranges. Can't wait till the fall to go hunt with you again.
Great job! I appreciate a guy who has mastered his tools of the trade. Of course, in a hunting scenario, that first shot is the one that counts the most, and you, sir, with a cold barrel were laying waste to those jugs!
Factory 7mm loads are producing much - not all - the results of [my] reloading. I think it's interesting to see this reemergence of new interests: New Hunters/shooters, first-time-gun-owners, CCW Holders & new ammo and firearms manufacturing, all connecting through social media and expanding one-another's market share. Yes, politicians are very busy digging holes under us all, AND a box of ammo for my hunting rifle is currently $55, but we're living in very interesting times! Good shooting fellas.
Appreciate your honesty on this. Takes a humble yet wise man to show his failures along with successes. I shoot a lot of long range and am pretty confident on my LR with my LR rigs. My lightweight hunting rifle that would be a challenge beyond 500 for sure. Doing with a tikka t3x lite is tough shooting. Great job sir
According to a shooting school that shoots a TON of Hornady Match ammunition…….there is one round in every box that is outside the velocity range avg and it impacts differently. So one miss probably wasn’t you. The other misses were, as you’ve concluded, a hot barrel, and changing wind. Open the bolt next time to accelerate barrel cooling. Good shooting and a good test most should try, if they can, even if only to accomplish trajectory validation. You have started a trend of the Backfire Challenge now and I expect many to do the same!
very impressed! under hunting conditions would not have heated up and those were the high shots .wind was blowing all shots left. all in all awesome shooting!!!!!
What turned out to be a challenge actually has become a great training routine. Outstanding shooting and honesty how with your misses as well as the efficiency a factory rifle can get the job done!
The wind got you at 500+ yards. You could hear the wind in your microphone. Closer than 500 and the 7mm Mag's ballistics were compensating for it. If you watch Eric Cortina's "Know Your Limits" challenge, wind gets those guys, too, and most of them are competition shooters.
Daaaamn. What a shame! If you could’ve seen that you actually hit the first one you thought you missed, you would’ve known you were a little right. And the rest of your shots would’ve been on because you would’ve known to shoot left. You’re on point. I’m sure you see that now that you’ve played it back.
I really really appreciate you doing this video the way you did. I am also in wyoming and have the same thoughts as you do. I have a couple of things that i would love to share with you that i think would tighten up your equipment in just a few minutes. Let me know if you're interested. im just next door. Great job!
@backfire test was extremely challenging and great way to test one selves limitation Awesome that you challenged yourself and shared the experience with all of us 👏💪 Great shooting and thanks
I love this video Guided. Every hunter has to be honest with themselves about their limitations. The worst thing I can do is wound an animal that is unrecoverable. That feeling is the worst. Practice, practice, practice and be realistic.
Great video. Also great Challenge from Jim. What I would like is you do a redo, but 5 shot and cool down string. Then of course one thing I might heve noticed . I think I saw some muzzle jump from recoil too. Certainly a way better shot than the other guy.....my 2 cents.
Here is what I like about this and this guy is the only person I have seen shoot this well ---- WITHOUT a ballistics app, WITHOUT all of this high tech gear and WITH a simple hunting rifle.
Good video, I like that you held yourself accountable for the misses. I know how hard this is to achieve. When it warms up a little (warm weather shooter here lol) I will give this a go on steel.
Nice shooting, I've got 14'' worn out planter disc's bolted together set out randomly at my home across my land...No wind first round hits at 500-600 more often than not, a breeze or wind or gusty wind first round hits more luck then skill.lol.
Hell of a lot better than Mike the Marine from the video. You may want to try out getting square behind the rifle instead of your current bladed prone position, it's better for recoil management.
Good shooting. All your shots seemed close enough for a hit on something as big as an elk or moose. However there is a difference when shooting at a wild animal that can move at any time. Having a camera to spot you misses allowed you to adjust for the next jig. It isn't always possible to spot your shot Specially with a Tikka Lite in 7mm Rem Mag. I remember my first sniper match shooting a heavy barrelled Winchester model 70 shooting reloads at 600 meters. My first 5 shots wee hits and the 6th was a miss. Those were 6X18 inch targets. and were mu first shoots ever with the rifle. I could shot the targets but I could also miss. I only hit a few of the closer moving target. ,My personal hunting maximum range is 300 yards and maybe 350 under ideal conditions if it's a one in a lifetime trophy. I won' mention the cold bore ship.
@@Theelax42 Next you're going to tell me that she insisted on putting aside money for a down payment on a house instead of buying gaudy, overpriced diamond jewelry.
Great job! Considering “hunting conditions” I would say, each shot should be at least” cold bore” condition. Maybe cold bore + follow up shot. It would take longer but would be a better representation of each shot in a real world condition. In my opinion, though they are expensive I think a kestrel with applied ballistics is a must have for western hunting. The ability to record density altitude, wind speed, wind direction, firing direction, aerodynamic jump, corialis, spin drift etc. is a major game changer. Then you can be spot on target at any elevation, without the need for a custom turret. Just use a MOA or mill optic
Great video. There are many people on TH-cam that would not show the misses; honesty is the best policy towards improvement. Jim's test where the target is below the curve of a hill is a good real world test that has caused me problems in the past. The last time it happened I had to shoot off hand because of the hill's curve using the rifle sling for support because for once there was no trees around me. I knew I should pass on the shot, but it was the last day of the season and the deer was around 280 yards and slowly walking towards heavy timber. I had a cheap range finder that was having a hard time locking range but 280ish was the most common number range shown. I threw that ranger finder away and got a good range finder. I hit the ground between the deer's legs most likely because I yanked the trigger and pulled the rifle down because I got used to having a rest that was covering up my bad trigger habits. This year I want to carry my Bog carbon fiber Deathgrip tripod elk hunting, but after the first day or two I will probably ditch the weight because I live in North Idaho and it is steep terrain and I am now 53. This experience has led me to pass on more shots I wasn't sure of. Only when we test ourselves and are honest about our results, failures or bad practices can we improve on them.
Great video! Im looking at the Sako 90 quest in a 7mm rem Mag. Your relaxed and well adjusted to your style. I see that your finger is at bottom of trigger guard resting here on the material of trigger guard. I like! Alot of heat risers here i. Field. I took a note of the Ammo your shooting. You may have saved me a fortune in searching. Thank you for the video. Im subscribed and gave you a thumps up! 😉
Great shooting Guided! Very inspirational and I appreciate the time and effort. We can see the shaving close misses in the footage. You undoubtably are a talented marksman that knows his rifle.
Congratulations great shooting from what I can see in your video. Most of your shots were missed just right of the Targets, which is consistent with Spindrift from right twist on your barrel once you get to those longer ranges, you have to compensate left of the target for the Bullet spinning right the further away you go the more to the right the impact will be. I practice target one MOA in size all the way to 1 mile and my rangefinder and Kestrel take into account spindrift I didn’t see much wind or Mirage on the video so I’m pretty sure of what I’m saying was the cause for your missed shots . May I suggest a little hack that will help you with this when you zero your Rifle scope make sure your point of impact is 1 inch left of center. This will take care of spindrift on average once you get past 500 yards you will see one MOA PER 100 yards for example at 1000 yards your bullet will drift 10 inches right if you zero your scope 1 inch left of center at 100 yards this will compensate for Spindrift. You still have to deal with Windrift, but that is nothing but an educated guest even if you have a wind meter. I have participated in many long range matches and even amongst the best of the best Shooters the one who guesses the wind speed best wins the day. Good luck keep the videos coming I like your format simple into the point.
Past 500 yards things get tough. Your turret doesn’t allow you to compensate for Density Altitude, which is likely the cause of the high shots. Good job.
Appreciate the comment, especially coming from such an accomplished shooter. I agree with you it could have been density altitude. Thankfully, the animals that we hunt have vitals larger than 6inx10in. I do agree that the more practice a shooter has, with all factors in place, the better marksman they will be. Love your black jack challenge.
@ErikCortina . Thanks for the invite. Might have to practice a bit more before I take the challenge. I will let you know. What is your elevation there? Thanks again.
One thought on this is most of the time your first shot will be at shorter ranges and if it’s hit but not killed or missed completely with the first shot then it will move further away and the shot will be further away!
The only reason that would matter at all is so he could get a good wind call and he missed the furtherest targets because his elevation was slightly off and bad wind call. So while I see your point it really didn’t seem like that would’ve made a difference in the hit %.
@@johnarnold2278 wouldn’t have any effect on a seasoned shooter, which he was. Shooting a magnum rifle that light that many times it takes one heck of a steel nerve to keep from flinching, which almost is more impressive the way he did what he did. I just don’t think starting with the further targets would have been any different, he missed on environmentals and the benefit of starting close would be to get an accurate read on the wind, and he didn’t use that to his advantage so overall I don’t see it mattering. I see your point in the fact that in a hunting situation you only get one shot and it may be the 600yd one, so if you can’t reliably hit that your first try you shouldn’t try it in the field which I mostly agree with. However, everyone’s different I’ve went hunting with people that I wouldn’t want them to shoot at a deer past 50yds and I’ve been with guys that have never missed at that 3-6 hundred yard range in all the years I’ve been with them, not that they haven’t missed on paper or steel, but on a live animal they would never pull the trigger on a questionable target. Which is the ethical part in the discussion that never really gets brought up, nobody is making you take that shot. If you’re not comfortable then don’t shoot, whether that’s at 25yds or 900yds.
Instead of plastic jugs that need pieces of plastic to be picked up we use clay pigeons. They smaller but dont need to pick them up as theyre biodegradable.
I've noticed with my thinner profile barrel, if it's windy it appreciably cools faster with the bolt open. If you aren't worried about something falling in, it helps.
I am kinda blown away at the response of this video. Something that is normal for me, i guess is interesting to alot of people. Appreciate everyone that watched and liked. Thanks for watching Tim going to have to do another shooting challenge.
I can't agree more! This is some great practice shooting! There's just no replacement for time spent shooting in different positions and different distances. It's also a great way to gather data on how your point of impact changes when your barrel is hot, cold or cold bore. Shooting with a spotter/hunting buddy is also advantageous. Helps with quick corrections to conserve that expensive ammo. Hopefully the the ammo cost isn't the reason more folks don't practice. Anyhoo, great video!
I read all the comments and some are very insightful. One thing is for certain and that is (you are a very good shot, and are familiar with you’re equipment) Ethics were not talked about much when I started hunting 55 years ago in the north woods of MN. and most Deer were shot at around 50 yards with open sights. Times sure have changed. I have lived and hunted in AZ now for about 20 years. Coues Deer and Elk mainly. Have a 7mm rem mag also. Never even thought about trying to shoot past 300 yards. Heck, the 3 Elk and 7 Coues I’ve shot so far in AZ all have been within 100 yards. Good scouting and patience usually get the meat home. I’m more into getting so close ya can count their eyebrows these days. To each their own though.
We like to shoot small targets at random distances and angles here in the coastal mountains of Oregon, and often shoot out to a thousand yards or so with our hunting rifles. I enjoy the challenge of shooting in the mountains because of all the variables involved in each shot. Elevation, temperature, humidity, wind... You have to consider everything, and not just where you are, but also on the distant hillside where your target is. I've been doing it for decades now and still every shooting day is different from the last. Some days you can't miss, and other days you are just wasting bullets, yet it is always fun. I've put close to a thousand rounds through my .340 Weatherby and several hundred through my .257 Weatherby shooting at distant targets. It has been more fun than I can express. I'll shoot at targets out as far as my scope will compensate for, almost 1,300 yards. However, shooting at game is different. I won't take a shot I am not certain of.
Nice job, I appreciate your honesty and agree with your choice of caliber and platform for your hunting area. Game deserve a quick humane shot. Practice and smart choices. I like getting closer but that's me. At least you know your limits when you need it.
This random range gallon jug challenge is awesome. Some people in the hunting community need to be humbled so they know what to retrain so they don't get bad hits. 70% with wind is much better than I can do.
better than i can do with hand loads.
From reading the comments, I don't think the people that need to be humbled are being humbled. They'll miss several times, and then make an excuse, like, "Oh, that's still a good shot." No, the whole point as that the milk jug was the "good shot."
Agreed
@@MrMagnanimanI agree.
1 inch off the jug is as bad as 2 feet off the jug if it means you didn't get a clean hit and have to take follow ups or have to start tracking a wounded animal.🫡
Nice job. 70% on the jugs is pretty good. I would also agree that at least 95% of your shots would have been fatal on game. You were clearly more comfortable with you rifle and caliber choice than the gentleman that attempted the Backfire challenge.
Thanks! Appreciate the comment. Knowing your equipment and being confident comes with practice and experience.
This wasn’t the same challenge though. On the backfire challenge every shot was from a different location. This creates challenges in setting up for the shot and is more realistic than what was done in this video. This video represented shooting conditions at a high power shooting competition where you have your shooting mat, front and rear rest shooting from the same position for all shots.
@@strat1080which also exemplifies the importance of realizing that not every shot is the same regardless of it’s the same distance. Maybe you can shoot 600 no issue, but you also need to be honest with yourself on if the conditions are right to take the shot. Nice calm day and a great spot to shoot from? Send it! You laying upside down in a rock patch with gusty winds at 60mph? Probably going to want to skip that shot
@@jaydunbar7538This all day.
In Mike the Marine's defense, that challenge was set up to make him look bad. Hiding milk jugs behind bushes knowing he would not be able to range them properly was a dirty trick that few would have anticipated. Yes, sometimes the deer will be behind a bush. Give it time and it will move into the open and if it doesn't, you don't have to shoot. If it was that densely vegetated, there would have been no reason to shoot long, you could stalk in.
Good job. I really like how you approached the whole thing - no excuses and being respectful to Backfire.
This is the adult version of the Easter egg hunt for kids hahaha
Excellent, honest, real world effort using equipment that most hunters can afford. Love Backfire and this challenge and you did a great job with it. 👍
Thanks for the kind words. Appreciate you watching.
I enjoyed the challenge you gave yourself & nice job. A little tip a mentor of mine gave me about 50 years ago, if you keep your bolt open when ranging & letting it cool, it cools very much faster with air flow moving thru it.
True
Yup 😉
Thanks for the recognition that us "Back East" hunters aren't typically shooting those "Out West" ranges and angles. I've messaged Jim on several occasions that he should do video about other setups for closer range hunting. Unfortunately he immediately reverts to the longer range stuff.
My point is that even though our ranges are shorter, in thick forests, the shots can be just as tricky. The game appears quickly , it's typically obscured by the forest and is moving through the area quickly (degrees per second) from the shooters perspective. I'd like to see someone make a video addressing the different difficulties that hunters on the "other side" face.
Thank you for the great video.
I can say" back east hunters" I'm from Pennsylvania and grew up hunting there. Like many I was never a " long range shooter" till I moved to Wyoming. And I agree with you on doing a video on shooting in thick cover it would be good. 👍
East or West, the principle is the same. PRACTICE the situations that you will most likely find yourself hunting in. Equipment will vary, shot presentations will differ, but our responsibility stays the same: be the best that you can be in order to ethically take the game. Paper punching only goes so far. Offhand shooting will teach you a lot about your abilities/limitations and how well you function with your equipment. I hunt the Northeast, and it’s an animal all it’s own, but you may learn singing from this fun video of practice that I do before deer season.
th-cam.com/video/p1_cvc_4MLk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=6Zd3xPRHJklXYvEi
@TheTrackingArcher I totally agree. My comment above was geared toward Jims reaction(s) (to my communications with him). I suggested that every hunting scenario isn't long-range and maybe he could produce a video about other types of hunting. I don't think he fully interpreted my suggestions because in his next sentence he immediately reverted to hunting and long range being pretty much one and the same. I know he lives out west and maybe hasn't experienced densly forested or other situations. It was just a comment that he may have unintentionally overlooked.
Yes sir as a fellow in his 50s been hunting in SC all my life in mostly thick cover and some open ranges . You have to have a good accurate rifle setup and be alert for a shot may present itself for a short time and it may be a shot were you have thread the needle per say.
Jim thinks he better than everyone. I can't stand his arrogance.
As a army veteran my hat is off to you. All those misses are a little windage but diffently kill shoots Which is what counts when it all over.
Once a soldier always a soldier. This is from a 70 yr.old who has been there and done that.👍👍👍👍👍
I wondered if his scope got knocked a click to the left?
You started shooting high and right.
1. You were chambering the cartridge in a hot chamber and then leaving it there for a while. That may have been increasing your velocity enough to account for a slightly higher shot.
2. That’s a thin barrel, you’ll start noticing POI change after 3-5 rounds.
3. This is the biggest one, I didn’t see you accounting for the wind. Missing after three hundred yards, when the wind really comes into play, makes sense.
All that being said, even your misses probably would have been in the kill zone of an elk.
Agree. Also 98% of hunting shots are cold bore. This going straight through is getting barrels hot. Which impacts accuracy as well.
The wind looked to be right to left, so those rounds were led slightly too far. Entirely possible there was some extra velocity from those warmer cartridges. Also possible a DOPE adjustment was made for the conditions after reviewing the spotting video.
I had a Sako Carbonlite for a short time which has the same barrel on it as that Tikka he was using. Chambered in 308, groups started opening at three rounds and accuracy was rapidly diminishing at five shots. That’s a 308….7 rem mag being overbore would have a more dramatic effect still.
I have since switched to carbon barrels for a lot of my rifles. It’s impressive how much they can take without getting wonky. They’re also much less picky with ammo.
Show us that custom turit
No. Scope was a little off to the right. Apart from full bore shooters, who shoots with a hot barrel anyway?
Great consistent shooting. The only “miss” was a spine shot.
Apart from the bolt should be immediately up after every shot, this guy is a champ.
Come visit sometime,
Australia
I watched that Backfire episode and when the guy scopes himself with his own gun when checking zero, I knew he wasnt going to cut the mustard. Turns out he missed the second jug. You did quite well and did notice the POI change as the barrel became heat soaked. Thats the problem with these challenges because hunting situations are cold barrels and target challenges are back to back. Without compensation of that ever increasing heat in the barrel your POI will drift. My .223 is a heavy barrel and it still does it.
Thanks for posting!
Muster. Not mustard.
@@flyingirish31 lol, good catch. I purposely did that. I quote way too much from the Trailer Park Boys. , 😁
My Tikka Hunter .223 does the same thing, high and right when the barrel is warm/hot. Cool the barrel down and it is dead on again.
500 yds in Wyoming is windage, more than barrel heat. If it were barrel heat, the elevation would have been off too.
You owe it to the animal to be killing quickly, not "wounding reliably". Longer range ability is for follow up shots on wounded game. Get closer PERIOD!
Love the fact that we could see the windage and barrel heating issues. But no complaints from you!!! Great video.
Honest review!! That’s all we ask..
Thanks bro!!
Appreciate the comment. Thanks for watching.
Love the honest, realistic video done with all factory componets. It shows what can be done as well as the limitations of "long range hunting".
For sure. Factory is satisfactory. Thanks for watching. 👍
Love seeing the Backfire Challenge becoming a thing. Great job!
Great shooting. That was a fun video that Backfire did. your video was even harder because you did not have anybody spotting for you. Good job. Thanks for taking the time to do it. Aloha!!
Spotter would have been nice but this was without a doubt substantially easier. Backfire had him ranging jugs without proper backstops, some under time constraints, different positions, and maybe most difficult of all for his pride haha.
Agree 100%. A spotter would have given a windage adjustment on the first shot and could have preceded to clean most of the jugs. A heavy barrelled target or PRS rifle in a chassis with a lighter bullet would have allowed the shooter to spot those misses through the scope. No chance self-spotting with a light hunting rifle in 7mm Rem mag. I'm so impressed.
Factory rifle and loads make this a true challenge. Shows how far the facory items have come in the last decade. Nice shooting. Looks fun.
Got any openings for pronghorn this fall ?
You’ve got a great attitude and encouragement to everyone to get out and practice.
Several good suggestions given.
I one i most agree with concerns a hot barrel / chamber.
Upon firing, i immediately firmly work the bolt, eject the hot / spent case and allow the breeze to blow thru the barrel / chamber in an attempt to keep the temp down.
Only jack the next cartridge in when i've sighted the target , in position and set to shoot.
And start from afar and work your targets in.
.02 cents. ☆
A good and honest demonstration of the difference between shots you will make and those you might make. With milk jugs being stationary objects, your video also brings to mind the ethics in long range shots that give the animal more time to move, resulting in a wounding shot rather than a lethal one. Enjoyed it.
Well done, my man! Haters couldn't make 10% of those shots.
Appreciate it, always guna be haters. But that's ok. It's engagement in the comments. Thanks for watching. 👍
This is gonna be good
You the MAN!
Looks like a ton of fun. I love the satisfying pop sound. Good way to practice for any hunter.
I like how he went through the same routine with his binoculars every time.
I usually range a target 8 to 10 times, to be certain of the distance. Thanks for watching.
Im fortunate enough to belong to a rifle club with a 600 yard range. With that we have competitions weekly at that distance. In order to shoot at this distance you have to qualify. First you have to establish a good 300 yd zero. Next you have to adjust your sights and hit the target at 600 yds in 2 shots, then keep 10 shots in the scoring rings (which is a 60” circle). I’m a decent shot but we have guys that can hit the x ring which is a 6” circle 20 out of 20 times and they do it consistently week to week. We have numerous guys that can keep every shot in the 10 ring which is a 12” circle. The rifles that some these guys have are unbelievable and nothing about them is factory, nor are their loads. I would say you did above average with your shooting in this video. Good bless you and your family.
Good stuff but the kit costs a huge amount and the costs of rounds to practice is not insignificant. I served for 22 yrs in the Brit Armed forces. They lent me rifles (L1A1 and L85A1& 2) and as much ammo as I wanted. Shot at Bisley in 1992 and 1993. L85 was 5.56 2 MOA rifle with a trilux x4 sight, normally sighted at 100 yds (POI 2" above POA) for 300 yd zero. For the 500 yd shoot the bull was 10" and there was an inner. Turn the dial to 500, 2 sighters away you go. 48.5 and second place. The guy in the Backfire challenge couldn't shoot for shit.
This is same direction, wing patterns are usually more known. The slope the distance and the rest are all probably amazing. A bunting situation is different.
A 6” target at 600 yards is 1 moa. There are plenty of factory rifles that will shoot factory ammo at sub moa.
I consider myself a good shooter, not a great shooter, and consistently shoot sub 2” groups at 336 yards, with a factory B14 HMR 6.5 CM shooting cheep 140 grain soft point Sellier & Bellot ammo, I don’t know why but my rifle loves that ammo.
My ranger is looking at putting in a 600 yard range soon and I can’t wait. I’m also planning to take a few trips to the 1000 yard range this summer, it is around 100 miles away so will probably take the motor home and make a weekend out of it.
Outstanding. Thanks for the video
Hunting, each shot is gonna be a cold bore shot. That is the problem with the backfire challenge. Shooting straight through, the barrel is gonna get hot. That makes a difference. It would take a long time to shoot this but when the barrel starts getting warmer, stop, open chamber and let it cool down. Same thing when setting zero. 98% of hunting shots are cold bore shots.
Spent a day finding the best load for a hunting rifle. Stone cold bore is all I care about.
Custom dials are awesome! I have one on my Leupold 3x9 attached to a Browning 7mm08. Spot on to 545 yards. Great video!
The thing I like is that all is factory issue. Great job on showing 'real' eqpt works just fine to and beyond most people's abilities.
The bullets going to perform nearly the same. Tolerances may be not as tight as a custom rig but a lot of rifles Sami spec are going to run 500yards easily. Wind's the hardest thing to learn. And as long as you have a turreted scope you’ll be able to dope the drop for the range
Outstanding video, Sir! Thanks very much for posting.
Thank you. I appreciate it. Thanks for watching. 👍
Fun video Eric! When I first started hunting with you 11 years ago, I was just as you described…a PA guy who was comfortable at 200ish yards. You explained that our shot opportunities would be triple with the right gun and practice. I took the challenge and it is so true. I haven’t shot one over 500 yet but several in the 450 range…and a coyote with you at 440 last year. My buddy shot one with you at close to 700. We are lucky to have a 600 yard range which is the ticket. Also, learning to shoot prone is mandatory. Almost all shots are on our belly. Can’t wait for next year!
Thanks Hutch you are an example of someone that wasn't a long range shooter and with the right direction and scope combo and practice now can comfortably shoot longer ranges. Can't wait till the fall to go hunt with you again.
Great job! I appreciate a guy who has mastered his tools of the trade. Of course, in a hunting scenario, that first shot is the one that counts the most, and you, sir, with a cold barrel were laying waste to those jugs!
Factory 7mm loads are producing much - not all - the results of [my] reloading. I think it's interesting to see this reemergence of new interests: New Hunters/shooters, first-time-gun-owners, CCW Holders & new ammo and firearms manufacturing, all connecting through social media and expanding one-another's market share. Yes, politicians are very busy digging holes under us all, AND a box of ammo for my hunting rifle is currently $55, but we're living in very interesting times! Good shooting fellas.
Appreciate your honesty on this. Takes a humble yet wise man to show his failures along with successes.
I shoot a lot of long range and am pretty confident on my LR with my LR rigs. My lightweight hunting rifle that would be a challenge beyond 500 for sure. Doing with a tikka t3x lite is tough shooting.
Great job sir
I appreciate the kind words. If you don't miss you don't learn. I'm not ashamed of learning. Thanks for watching.
According to a shooting school that shoots a TON of Hornady Match ammunition…….there is one round in every box that is outside the velocity range avg and it impacts differently. So one miss probably wasn’t you. The other misses were, as you’ve concluded, a hot barrel, and changing wind. Open the bolt next time to accelerate barrel cooling. Good shooting and a good test most should try, if they can, even if only to accomplish trajectory validation. You have started a trend of the Backfire Challenge now and I expect many to do the same!
I enjoyed your video. Makes a change to have someone be so down to earth and honest. New subscriber today.
Great demonstration of skill. Props for taking up the challenge.
I saw your post via backfire, excellent shooting .. a new subscriber sir
Appreciate the sub, thanks for watching.
very impressed! under hunting conditions would not have heated up and those were the high shots .wind was blowing all shots left. all in all awesome shooting!!!!!
Appreciate the comment. Thanks for watching.
What turned out to be a challenge actually has become a great training routine. Outstanding shooting and honesty how with your misses as well as the efficiency a factory rifle can get the job done!
Thanks, appreciate you watching.
The wind got you at 500+ yards. You could hear the wind in your microphone. Closer than 500 and the 7mm Mag's ballistics were compensating for it. If you watch Eric Cortina's "Know Your Limits" challenge, wind gets those guys, too, and most of them are competition shooters.
Daaaamn. What a shame! If you could’ve seen that you actually hit the first one you thought you missed, you would’ve known you were a little right. And the rest of your shots would’ve been on because you would’ve known to shoot left. You’re on point. I’m sure you see that now that you’ve played it back.
I really really appreciate you doing this video the way you did. I am also in wyoming and have the same thoughts as you do. I have a couple of things that i would love to share with you that i think would tighten up your equipment in just a few minutes. Let me know if you're interested. im just next door. Great job!
Nice work, straight up no bs!!
Good job! Random targets, random distance 😮 Hitting targets is way harder than shooting groups!
@backfire test was extremely challenging and great way to test one selves limitation
Awesome that you challenged yourself and shared the experience with all of us 👏💪
Great shooting and thanks
Thanks for watching. I appreciate it. 👍
Oof, 20 shots in one sitting out of the awesome 7mm Mag? You made my old shoulder yell at me! Cool stuff man.😊
Thanks for watching. 👍
I love this video Guided. Every hunter has to be honest with themselves about their limitations. The worst thing I can do is wound an animal that is unrecoverable. That feeling is the worst. Practice, practice, practice and be realistic.
Thanks for checking out the video. I agree, know your equipment and limitations.
Great video. Also great Challenge from Jim. What I would like is you do a redo, but 5 shot and cool down string. Then of course one thing I might heve noticed . I think I saw some muzzle jump from recoil too.
Certainly a way better shot than the other guy.....my 2 cents.
Here is what I like about this and this guy is the only person I have seen shoot this well ---- WITHOUT a ballistics app, WITHOUT all of this high tech gear and WITH a simple hunting rifle.
Thanks for the comment. Appreciate it. 👍
Anyone else catch the “no look casing catch” on the next to last shot 😮?! lol.
Very good shooting compation I'm definitely going to try this Thanks for your help with the shooting
Saving up to put a Huskemaw on my Browning 6.8 Western. Great video!
Great cartridge choice
You can really shoot man great job
Thanks for watching.
Wind was messing with you. Great shooting
Good video, I like that you held yourself accountable for the misses. I know how hard this is to achieve. When it warms up a little (warm weather shooter here lol) I will give this a go on steel.
Nice shooting, I've got 14'' worn out planter disc's bolted together set out randomly at my home across my land...No wind first round hits at 500-600 more often than not, a breeze or wind or gusty wind first round hits more luck then skill.lol.
Very cool, awesome challenge and I agree this challenge is awesome to prepare for a season.
Hell of a lot better than Mike the Marine from the video. You may want to try out getting square behind the rifle instead of your current bladed prone position, it's better for recoil management.
Yeah, I would agree with you. I will try changing up my shooting position. Thanks for watching.
Great video. I, too, watched the backfire video. It's fun to watch someone else have a go at it.
Good shooting. All your shots seemed close enough for a hit on something as big as an elk or moose. However there is a difference when shooting at a wild animal that can move at any time. Having a camera to spot you misses allowed you to adjust for the next jig. It isn't always possible to spot your shot Specially with a Tikka Lite in 7mm Rem Mag. I remember my first sniper match shooting a heavy barrelled Winchester model 70 shooting reloads at 600 meters. My first 5 shots wee hits and the 6th was a miss. Those were 6X18 inch targets. and were mu first shoots ever with the rifle. I could shot the targets but I could also miss. I only hit a few of the closer moving target. ,My personal hunting maximum range is 300 yards and maybe 350 under ideal conditions if it's a one in a lifetime trophy. I won' mention the cold bore ship.
Well now you know where the bullets push when the barrel gets hotter ! Yardages was right on !
Come to Southern utah and try it from the different spots.
I think you did awesome that wind looks pretty crazy that looks fun I’ll have to try it
Thanks for watching
I wanna do this.. but I also picture my wife yelling "adjust fire! ADJUST LEFT 2 MIKES! YOU ARE KILLING ME!"
She sounds like a keeper. If that's the part about you that she's trying to fix, my recommendation would be to go with it.
@MrMagnaniman, you ain't wrong! she's recently complained that I need a new scope and a new Xbox...
@@Theelax42 Next you're going to tell me that she insisted on putting aside money for a down payment on a house instead of buying gaudy, overpriced diamond jewelry.
@@MrMagnaniman no, she likes her glitter, but she has gotten mad at me for getting a cheaper ring when she wanted a belt sander
Amazing!!! 324yards you can actually see the shockwave the bullet is making on the slow-mo. Fascinating stuff..
Thanks for watching.
Little to right ..wind ..good job
Outstanding job!! Better then I could do!
508 was spot on with elevation just have some windage change with the draw between you and target.
Great job! Considering “hunting conditions” I would say, each shot should be at least” cold bore” condition. Maybe cold bore + follow up shot. It would take longer but would be a better representation of each shot in a real world condition.
In my opinion, though they are expensive I think a kestrel with applied ballistics is a must have for western hunting. The ability to record density altitude, wind speed, wind direction, firing direction, aerodynamic jump, corialis, spin drift etc. is a major game changer. Then you can be spot on target at any elevation, without the need for a custom turret. Just use a MOA or mill optic
I agree. Appreciate you watching.
Those misses would have still killed a deer or even an antelope.
👍
Excellent video! I’m asking my wife to start saving milk jugs.
You also have the Wyoming winds to deal with. That adds another aspect to shooting longer ranges
Yea, that's true. Wind is always blowing out here. Thanks for watching.
Just so you know where backfire does this is South of a town called hurricane pronounced Hurri Ken/kin. It doesn't stop blowing here lol
Where Jim did that was in Arizona strip about 5 miles south of st george. Hurricane is actually North of there. And it does blow all the time.
@@rustypills1903 if it's Warner Valley and the strip area it's east of st george, why I said south of hurricane
My son lives there and anything over 200 yards needs to be figured into the shot with how much wind they have which is a lot!
Respect, Do it cold, Doing it with the Hunting Set-up, great job!
If POA is center mass, all shots looked to be close enough for lethal hits on game. Your misses looked to be 6” off at most. Good shooting.
Glad to see a fellow hunter using a Huskemaw!!! Great job!
👍
Well Done, following
Great video. There are many people on TH-cam that would not show the misses; honesty is the best policy towards improvement. Jim's test where the target is below the curve of a hill is a good real world test that has caused me problems in the past. The last time it happened I had to shoot off hand because of the hill's curve using the rifle sling for support because for once there was no trees around me. I knew I should pass on the shot, but it was the last day of the season and the deer was around 280 yards and slowly walking towards heavy timber. I had a cheap range finder that was having a hard time locking range but 280ish was the most common number range shown. I threw that ranger finder away and got a good range finder. I hit the ground between the deer's legs most likely because I yanked the trigger and pulled the rifle down because I got used to having a rest that was covering up my bad trigger habits. This year I want to carry my Bog carbon fiber Deathgrip tripod elk hunting, but after the first day or two I will probably ditch the weight because I live in North Idaho and it is steep terrain and I am now 53. This experience has led me to pass on more shots I wasn't sure of. Only when we test ourselves and are honest about our results, failures or bad practices can we improve on them.
Dude sent 100 bucks down range lol
Water jugs were scared silly!
Great video! Im looking at the Sako 90 quest in a 7mm rem Mag.
Your relaxed and well adjusted to your style. I see that your finger is at bottom of trigger guard resting here on the material of trigger guard. I like!
Alot of heat risers here i. Field. I took a note of the Ammo your shooting. You may have saved me a fortune in searching. Thank you for the video. Im subscribed and gave you a thumps up! 😉
Thanks for watching and subscribing. I appreciate it. And Sako makes a great gun as well. 👍
Those misses where the bullets are hitting right could be spin drift associated with the throat of the chamber getting too hot
Yes, I should have just waited between shots to keep it cool. Probably would have had fewer misses. Thanks for watching and the comment.
Great shooting Guided! Very inspirational and I appreciate the time and effort. We can see the shaving close misses in the footage. You undoubtably are a talented marksman that knows his rifle.
Congratulations great shooting from what I can see in your video. Most of your shots were missed just right of the Targets, which is consistent with Spindrift from right twist on your barrel once you get to those longer ranges, you have to compensate left of the target for the Bullet spinning right the further away you go the more to the right the impact will be. I practice target one MOA in size all the way to 1 mile and my rangefinder and Kestrel take into account spindrift I didn’t see much wind or Mirage on the video so I’m pretty sure of what I’m saying was the cause for your missed shots . May I suggest a little hack that will help you with this when you zero your Rifle scope make sure your point of impact is 1 inch left of center. This will take care of spindrift on average once you get past 500 yards you will see one MOA PER 100 yards for example at 1000 yards your bullet will drift 10 inches right if you zero your scope 1 inch left of center at 100 yards this will compensate for Spindrift. You still have to deal with Windrift, but that is nothing but an educated guest even if you have a wind meter. I have participated in many long range matches and even amongst the best of the best Shooters the one who guesses the wind speed best wins the day. Good luck keep the videos coming I like your format simple into the point.
Thanks for the info I will try moving my poi to the left. 👍
Past 500 yards things get tough. Your turret doesn’t allow you to compensate for Density Altitude, which is likely the cause of the high shots.
Good job.
Appreciate the comment, especially coming from such an accomplished shooter. I agree with you it could have been density altitude. Thankfully, the animals that we hunt have vitals larger than 6inx10in. I do agree that the more practice a shooter has, with all factors in place, the better marksman they will be.
Love your black jack challenge.
Bring your hunting rifle and try the black jack challenge. I bet you’ll do well.
@ErikCortina . Thanks for the invite. Might have to practice a bit more before I take the challenge. I will let you know. What is your elevation there? Thanks again.
1st cold bore shot should've been your longest target. No starting out at the shorter ranges.
One thought on this is most of the time your first shot will be at shorter ranges and if it’s hit but not killed or missed completely with the first shot then it will move further away and the shot will be further away!
The only reason that would matter at all is so he could get a good wind call and he missed the furtherest targets because his elevation was slightly off and bad wind call. So while I see your point it really didn’t seem like that would’ve made a difference in the hit %.
My point is do animals always give you the 100 yard shot. They could be at any distance. You don't get practice shots on animals.
@@johnarnold2278 wouldn’t have any effect on a seasoned shooter, which he was. Shooting a magnum rifle that light that many times it takes one heck of a steel nerve to keep from flinching, which almost is more impressive the way he did what he did. I just don’t think starting with the further targets would have been any different, he missed on environmentals and the benefit of starting close would be to get an accurate read on the wind, and he didn’t use that to his advantage so overall I don’t see it mattering. I see your point in the fact that in a hunting situation you only get one shot and it may be the 600yd one, so if you can’t reliably hit that your first try you shouldn’t try it in the field which I mostly agree with. However, everyone’s different I’ve went hunting with people that I wouldn’t want them to shoot at a deer past 50yds and I’ve been with guys that have never missed at that 3-6 hundred yard range in all the years I’ve been with them, not that they haven’t missed on paper or steel, but on a live animal they would never pull the trigger on a questionable target. Which is the ethical part in the discussion that never really gets brought up, nobody is making you take that shot. If you’re not comfortable then don’t shoot, whether that’s at 25yds or 900yds.
Good honest self evaluation.
Instead of plastic jugs that need pieces of plastic to be picked up we use clay pigeons. They smaller but dont need to pick them up as theyre biodegradable.
Real world stuff this.
Ego out of the equasion.
The backfire shooting challenge has a lot more variability to it than shooting prone on a synthetic surface.
Watch my other video it's more of what you are talking about.
I swear by a Tikka rifle for cost effective accuracy. This was a clinic on how to shoot effectively and accurately.
Thanks for watching. Love the Tikkas!
This challenge needs a deer vital sized target for it. Two milk jugs tapped together.
Nice video! Kudos for taking on the challenge, not an easy task
Thanks for the video. I’d like to see you do it again but starting with the long shots before the barrel heats up. 👍 Well done!!👏
Thanks for watching. Appreciate it.
That was a great last shot!
Thanks for watching. 👍
I've noticed with my thinner profile barrel, if it's windy it appreciably cools faster with the bolt open. If you aren't worried about something falling in, it helps.
Heck yea. Look at the likes and comments. People want content like this. Keep up the good work bro.
I am kinda blown away at the response of this video. Something that is normal for me, i guess is interesting to alot of people. Appreciate everyone that watched and liked. Thanks for watching Tim going to have to do another shooting challenge.
I can't agree more! This is some great practice shooting! There's just no replacement for time spent shooting in different positions and different distances. It's also a great way to gather data on how your point of impact changes when your barrel is hot, cold or cold bore. Shooting with a spotter/hunting buddy is also advantageous. Helps with quick corrections to conserve that expensive ammo. Hopefully the the ammo cost isn't the reason more folks don't practice. Anyhoo, great video!
Thanks for the comment. I appreciate you watching.
I read all the comments and some are very insightful. One thing is for certain and that is (you are a very good shot, and are familiar with you’re equipment) Ethics were not talked about much when I started hunting 55 years ago in the north woods of MN. and most Deer were shot at around 50 yards with open sights. Times sure have changed. I have lived and hunted in AZ now for about 20 years. Coues Deer and Elk mainly. Have a 7mm rem mag also. Never even thought about trying to shoot past 300 yards. Heck, the 3 Elk and 7 Coues I’ve shot so far in AZ all have been within 100 yards. Good scouting and patience usually get the meat home. I’m more into getting so close ya can count their eyebrows these days. To each their own though.
We like to shoot small targets at random distances and angles here in the coastal mountains of Oregon, and often shoot out to a thousand yards or so with our hunting rifles. I enjoy the challenge of shooting in the mountains because of all the variables involved in each shot. Elevation, temperature, humidity, wind... You have to consider everything, and not just where you are, but also on the distant hillside where your target is. I've been doing it for decades now and still every shooting day is different from the last. Some days you can't miss, and other days you are just wasting bullets, yet it is always fun. I've put close to a thousand rounds through my .340 Weatherby and several hundred through my .257 Weatherby shooting at distant targets. It has been more fun than I can express. I'll shoot at targets out as far as my scope will compensate for, almost 1,300 yards. However, shooting at game is different. I won't take a shot I am not certain of.
Nice job, I appreciate your honesty and agree with your choice of caliber and platform for your hunting area. Game deserve a quick humane shot. Practice and smart choices. I like getting closer but that's me. At least you know your limits when you need it.
Thanks, we get close most of the time. Appreciate you watching.
White Bison Whisperer approved!! Wide open ranges are hard to sneak onto your prey.
Great job great video on being realistic with your shooting ability. I live in Gillette so my ears perked up when you said NE Wyoming lol