Thread: just Varminting - how far was your longest shot on your last walk

just Varminting - how far was your longest shot on your last walk

This is a thread for Varminters, those using dial/up or BDC style reticles who shoot out to longer ranges on Rabbit/Hare sized animals . . not for small game shooters who use a duplex reticle and guesstamate holdovers.



i have done some LongerRange shooting using .22 Subs but now i would like to see how far i push the Higher Velocity .22 Winchester PowerPoints


inside target squares are 3" they were shot before going for a walk - first is 100yds, second is 150yrds

On last walk? Well, last mission out of the back garden more like. I don't have a photo so I guess it doesn't count.

Magpie, 137m, .22LR CCI Standard Velocity (subs). On my rifle, that's 4.4 mils hold over, or 60cm. Wind was nasty, gusting from about 4 o'clock quite hard. I guesstimated a wind hold of 1.5 mils in between gusts and let it fly. Very satisfying thwack and dead bird tumbling out of the pines.

The reticle image looks like this, I like it. Image from Strelok.



Its a 4.5-18x50 scope, but the reticle is calibrated at 10x. Its a good compromise for the normal range of shooting, for a 50m zero most bunnies and magpies are taken between 40-80m and I've gotten pretty good at remembering my holds. I have the drops table printed and laminated on a little carry card, copies of which are also stapled to posts and trees in several regular shooting spots around the block.

In the last couple weeks I have shot a maggy, 2 hares and a deer with the K hornet.
Only dialed up the hares as the were at 240 and 260 yrds.
Tried longer shots but the 40 vmax moves around in little wind and I havent got to grips with it yet.
Really enjoying having the K hornet. No where near as loud as my suppressed 223 and just as effective out to 250ish so far.

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Originally Posted by rossi.45

inside target squares are 3" they were shot before going for a walk - first is 100yds, second is 150yrds

So really anything after about 120yds (when an LR will go trans-sonic) you're just taking pot-shots and hoping they connect.

And FYI a duplex reticle has 3-5 vertical points of aim and 2 windage references.

Originally Posted by mimms

So really anything after about 120yds (when an LR will go trans-sonic) you're just taking pot-shots and hoping they connect.

go somewhere else this thread isnt for you

Originally Posted by mimms

So really anything after about 120yds (when an LR will go trans-sonic) you're just taking pot-shots and hoping they connect.

He's got a point. The subs might work better.... High velocity slowing down can get unstable. Ask a 308 shooter at 1000 yards.
My last walk was so long ago, iv forgotten the ranges. Typically 300, but always look for longer if I can find it.

Just yesterday I was out at our local range practicing with my 308 at 200 and 400 yds targets.It was getting on in the afternoon and the rabbits started to appear on the hill side behind the target area.I ranged a couple of rabbits from our 110yd bench.Around 200 yds they were enjoying the sun slightly up the hill.Scope was already on 100yd zero,so just placed the cross hairs on the top of the rabbits back and squeezed of the trigger quietly,woow the rabbit exploded,hmm this is fun.So thru the binos I found another,same again about 240yds,nailed him.Shot about 4 more rabbits out to 250yds.Using my strelok app on my phone and range finder all was working well.
Gave the tika barrel a cooling down for 20 minuts while watching more rabbits.Found one at 320yds so dialled up4.5moa,all over the hill was bits of rabbits.So the hawks will get a good feed on their evening patrol.
Belmont 150gr ssts worked well on the dialing up stats on strelok app.Must have seen 200 more rabbits as the sun was setting on the mountain top as I was driving the 1.5ks out the paddocks to the road.Rabbits tame as kittens till you fire the 1st shot but they don't run far.Well theres a wee story I do about once a fortnight.308 v rabbits.They got no chance.

Rossi I push my .22 out to 200 yard but I don't attempt any shots further,I don't have dial up or fancy apps just a 4x32 scope.Shooting the same .22 lr rifle for years has its benefit.

We have a 22 comp at the club every now and then.
Bullseye for 25, 50, 100 and then silhouettes or flasher plates at 200.
I never seem to have trouble on the 200yrd targets, even the small silhouettes with subs. As soon as I try to shoot paper at that range for groups etc, it is a wonder how I managed to hit anything consistently.
The smallest puff of wind plays havoc and 9 times out of 10 I have an obvious horizontal group at 200.
Some new browning and hornady 22 ammo turned up here and a mate that sells it wants to see how it goes over the radar.
I am looking forward to doing some testing and see how it goes.

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Originally Posted by Dundee

Rossi I push my .22 out to 200 yard but I don't attempt any shots further,I don't have dial up or fancy apps just a 4x32 scope.Shooting the same .22 lr rifle for years has its benefit.

we all know your skills @Dundee and your gear ( Legend ) in the thread you started . . . i have posted plenty on it but i do feel true Varminting does need its own thread.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

On last walk? Well, last mission out of the back garden more like. I don't have a photo so I guess it doesn't count.

Magpie, 137m, .22LR CCI Standard Velocity (subs). On my rifle, that's 4.4 mils hold over, or 60cm. Wind was nasty, gusting from about 4 o'clock quite hard. I guesstimated a wind hold of 1.5 mils in between gusts and let it fly. Very satisfying thwack and dead bird tumbling out of the pines.

The reticle image looks like this, I like it. Image from Strelok.

Its a 4.5-18x50 scope, but the reticle is calibrated at 10x. Its a good compromise for the normal range of shooting, for a 50m zero most bunnies and magpies are taken between 40-80m and I've gotten pretty good at remembering my holds. I have the drops table printed and laminated on a little carry card, copies of which are also stapled to posts and trees in several regular shooting spots around the block.

good to see your still playing with LR subs @Flyblown . . . screen shots work for me, good lookn reticle

Originally Posted by rossi.45

go somewhere else this thread isnt for you

None of your 150 shots is a guaranteed humane kill on rabbit size game. Could be a clean miss, could be gut shot, could just break their back leg.

So @rossi.45, for this thread is there a preference for rimfire varminting or can we include the full range of centrefires too?

I've always regarded varminting as a .224 max calibre kind of pursuit, just a personal generalisation. But I'm looking more and more into longer range 6mm and even 6.5mm varminting loads, using bullets in the 90-100gr range. But gut feel is we should be looking at the .17s and traditional .22s, whatdaya reckon?

Hi @mimms. PM sent. I hope you can respect the desire not to spoil this thread with this kind of argument, for the reasons stated.