{"id":335,"date":"2017-04-26T09:30:22","date_gmt":"2017-04-26T13:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.lg-outdoors.com\/?p=335"},"modified":"2019-04-05T13:43:17","modified_gmt":"2019-04-05T17:43:17","slug":"craig-boddington-extending-range-limits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/craig-boddington-extending-range-limits\/","title":{"rendered":"Extending Your Range Limits in Practice and in the Field"},"content":{"rendered":"

Range Limits: Longer Than Ever, But Still Not Unlimited<\/strong>
\n(Craig Boddington)<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

In recent years I\u2019ve done more long-range shooting than ever before. Ringing steel with relative ease at a thousand yards is not only fun, but also a huge confidence builder.<\/p>\n

Years ago I did a lot of prairie dog shooting, which provides a fantastic opportunity for field practice. The target is tiny, and it doesn\u2019t take much wind to blow the bullet clear off the mound, let alone off the varmint. And since prairie dog country is rarely calm, this is a great way to learn to read wind. If you can consistently hit prairie dogs at a couple hundred yards, big-game animals will pose little challenge at considerably longer distances.<\/p>\n

\"Wyoming
In years gone by Boddington did a lot of prairie dog shooting. The target is small and the high plains are usually windy; he rates shooting small varmints in open country as some of the very best training for field shooting at distance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

I view range practice similarly. In a range setting, if you can ring steel consistently at 800, 900, or 1000 yards you will gain a lot of invaluable confidence in yourself and your equipment. Shooting targets at extreme range prepares you for field shooting at longer<\/em> ranges, and shooting at actual distances is the only way to accomplish this. \u201cExtending your range envelope\u201d is a phrase I like. However, I don\u2019t believe ringing steel at long range enables one to ethically<\/em> shoot at game at similar distances.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"In
In order to shoot at long range it\u2019s essential to shoot at actual distances. An obvious problem is that a lot of shooters simply don\u2019t have access to ranges longer than a couple hundred yards. It is unwise to shoot much farther than you are able to practice.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the one hand, I applaud the current enthusiasm for long-range shooting. As a veteran, I think the celebrity the sniper community now enjoys is wonderful. In previous wars, our use of snipers was sort of a dirty little secret, but today, snipers are \u201cin\u201d and are receiving due credit for some truly amazing and heroic exploits. And all shooters can benefit from this development. Our snipers\u2019 less clandestine employment has led to the development of better optics; better range compensation systems; and more accurate rifles, bullets, and cartridges.<\/p>\n

\"The
The compact, accurate, and inexpensive laser rangefinder has essentially eliminated knowledge of distance as a major obstacle to long-range shooting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many of us seek to emulate their marksmanship. On the range this is good (and fun). In the field, though, I\u2019m not so sure. It seems that too many of us have developed the impression that we can replace skill with equipment.<\/p>\n

To some extent this is true. When I was a younger shooter we didn\u2019t have rangefinders, so distance was a huge variable in the field. We used to accept that a 400-yard shot was an extremely long poke. Under the typical uncertainties of field shooting that\u2019s still pretty far! Back then, however, we first had to estimate what 400 yards actually looked like, which is never easy and, in unfamiliar terrain, damn difficult. Today, we can use compact, accurate, and inexpensive laser rangefinders to have near-perfect knowledge of range under most conditions. Scratch distance off the list of variables.<\/p>\n

\"My
My Jarrett .300 Win. Mag. is topped with a Leupold 3-18X with a Custom Dial System (CDS) turret calibrated for Hornady\u2019s 180-grain SST load. I zero at 200 yards (top left group) and from there can dial the range. The system works extremely well, but it remains essential to verify the data at actual ranges.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

We also have far better optics and, on average, more accurate rifles and more consistent ammunition. Trajectories haven\u2019t flattened significantly in my lifetime, though, and will not as long as we use nitrocellulose-based propellants. Unless one sights in absurdly high at short range, the trajectory must be compensated for at longer ranges. No matter what cartridge you\u2019re shooting, this is going to happen on the near side of 400 yards. However, once holdover is required, trajectory is just a number. From printed ballistics charts to smart-phone apps to on-board computers, we have a lot of ways to know that number, and a lot of ways to properly adjust for the range.<\/p>\n

\"Using
Using elevation adjustments to \u201cdial the range\u201d is probably the most precise way to compensate for trajectory. Most optics manufacturers now offer \u201cdial-up turrets,\u201d but in order for them to work adjustments must be consistent, and values must be verified at actual ranges. This is Leupold\u2019s Custom Dial System (CDS), calibrated to a specific load.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

I would never suggest that 400 yards constitutes a \u201cchip shot\u201d at game under field conditions. However, with decent equipment\u2014and knowledge and skill in using that equipment\u2014this is now a range envelope well within reach. This is also a distance at which, under many circumstances, it is possible to learn to read the wind with adequate accuracy.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not suggesting that 400 yards is a limit for ethical shooting at game. For hunters who lack the time, inclination, or access to ranges that allow practice at such distance, it\u2019s too far. But under certain conditions of light, shooting position, and strong or unstable winds it\u2019s too far for anyone<\/em>, even those hunters who possess some combination of determination and skill that allow shooting with confidence at greater distances. An important part of the acquisition of such skill lies in knowing when the conditions are right, and when they are not!<\/p>\n

\"Doug
Shooting instructor Doug Pritchard checks the wind at a shooting position at the SAAM shooting school. It\u2019s easy to read wind at the shooter, but as range increases it\u2019s equally important to read wind at the target\u2014and in between.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wind is always a huge variable, but as distance increases it becomes increasingly important. The amount of wind near the shooter can be judged and measured, but it may not be the same at the target or at various points between target and shooter. Remember, features of the terrain can channel and change air currents.\u00a0At Tim Fallon\u2019s SAAM shooting school in the Texas Hill Country, we\u2019ve done \u201csmoke bomb\u201d tests that show the smoke blowing several different directions between shooter and target over broken ground and deep canyons.<\/p>\n

Then you get to what is, to me, the crux of the matter. Military sniping is one thing. Any hit counts. One doctrinal mission of snipers\u2014to \u201cbreak up troop formations and demoralize the enemy\u201d\u2014doesn\u2019t even require actual hits. Ringing steel at long range is one thing. It\u2019s fun, and so what if the hit is on the edge of the plate? The plate isn\u2019t going anywhere, so adjust the hold and try again.<\/p>\n

\"With
With good equipment and some coaching it isn\u2019t difficult to shoot at distance in a range setting. My daughter Caroline easily walked a 6.5mm Creedmoor out to 1000 yards at the SAAM shooting school\u2014but that doesn\u2019t mean she should try it in the field.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

When shooting at game, however, near misses don\u2019t count and marginal hits are far worse than near misses. The concept of ethical hunting is to place the first shot into the vital zone of the animal, resulting in a quick and humane death and a certain recovery. None of us accomplish this with every single shot at any distance, but we try.<\/p>\n

Near misses aren\u2019t adequate, and at longer ranges the challenges increase. It isn\u2019t just a matter of reading wind. Even when it\u2019s perfectly calm and we have the steadiness and equipment we need to make an accurate shot, other variables are still at play. As distance increases, velocity drops, reducing bullet energy and altering bullet performance. Recognizing hits or misses becomes more difficult, so no matter what you think you saw, it\u2019s mandatory to go look. Finding the spot where an animal was standing can be tough at a couple hundred yards away, and it\u2019s a lot more difficult at two or three times that distance. The buddy system helps, but you\u2019d best not attempt a long shot with limited daylight remaining.<\/p>\n

\"Long
Long shots are actually quite rare in Africa, but sometimes extremely open country is encountered and there isn\u2019t much choice. This Selous zebra was taken on an open floodplain in Mozambique at 400 yards. Using a McMillan .300 Winchester Magnum with a big Night Force scope that is a practical distance for field shooting today\u2026when conditions are right.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The decision to take a shot is a personal decision that must be evaluated every single time, taking all variables into consideration. I know how to ring steel at much longer ranges than I would ever shoot at a game animal. This is valuable; having a large range envelope on the range<\/em> gives me a larger range envelope in the field. However, the two maximum distances\u2014range and field\u2014don\u2019t have to be the same and probably shouldn\u2019t be, even if conditions are perfect.<\/p>\n

I concede that there are plenty of shooters who are better at long-range shooting than I am. Genuine students of the art who have put in the time can, without question, take game with confidence at greater distances than I would be comfortable attempting. So it\u2019s impossible to put a number on how far is \u201ctoo far.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Boddington
Boddington admits there are lots of guys who are better at long-range shooting than he is\u2026 and thus competent to make longer shots. One is John Lazzeroni, on the bipod, creator of the Lazzeroni Magnum cartridges. Lazzeroni has a 1000-yard range on his doorstep and practices constantly, but even guys like him have practical field limitations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

That said, I\u2019m appalled at some of the shooting distances on game that I hear bandied about these days. For me, the risk of wounded animals is simply too great, and thus unacceptable. And, no, I don\u2019t believe that all of the shots I\u2019ve seen on TV were edited exactly as they happened!<\/p>\n

\"
Boddington used a Blaser R8 in .300 Blaser Magnum to take this Himalayan blue sheep in Nepal at a bit over 500 yards. Under ideal conditions that kind of distance isn\u2019t his absolute limit\u2014but it\u2019s getting close.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Like so many shooters today I greatly admire the shooting our snipers (and our allies\u2019 snipers) have done in the field. Emulating their feats poses a worthy challenge on the range, but military sniping and ethical hunting are simply not the same. It\u2019s important to consider all the variables\u2014wind, velocity, your personal skill, etc.\u2014before deciding whether to take a long-range shot. When hunting, only the hunter can decide how far is \u201ctoo far.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Craig Boddington<\/a> is one of today\u2019s most respected outdoor journalists. He spent the\u00a0past forty years exploring our natural world as a hunter and sharing his knowledge and experiences in dozens of books and through thousands of published articles and essays. He\u2019s a decorated Marine, an award-winning author, and continues to be a leading voice for conservation and ethical hunting around the world.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

For autographed copies of Craig\u2019s books please visit www.craigboddington.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Range Limits: Longer Than Ever, But Still Not Unlimited (Craig Boddington)   In recent years I\u2019ve done more long-range shooting than ever before. Ringing steel with relative ease at a thousand yards is not only fun, but also a huge confidence builder. Years ago I did a lot of prairie dog shooting, which provides a … Continue reading “Extending Your Range Limits in Practice and in the Field”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[21,24],"tags":[19,20,22,23,25,26,27],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":956,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335\/revisions\/956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholesalehunter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}