longer range hunting

Hi guys i have a friend who has access to a very large property down the line with really good deer numbers so we are looking to head down before the stags drop so i can knock over my first red and hopefully my first stag(one animal would be ideal haha). I am running a tikka 308 with a 20" barrel and a hardy can mounted with a bushy 4200 elite 3-9 standard crosshair, now i am confident that the scope is up to the job power wise but i need to learn to shoot with bullet drop for the calibre unless i splash out on an early birthday present and grab a Nikon monarch or a vortex diamondback with the BDC reticles(use as a guide more than as a bible) so my question is how far out would you be confident shooting a big red with a .308? There is a lot of open country so most of the guys shoot with 300s and my mate uses a 6.5x55.
I have zeroed the rifle at 100m rather than 200m so in the bush i do not need to aim low.
regards

.308 is all the calibre you need. Practise with what you've already got as you're comfortable with it. Shot placement is key. If you're not happy with the shot don't shoot. That's the difference between a hunter and a shooter I reckon. Work out your bullet drop with your current zero at 250-300 metres so you know where it shots. You might need to alter your zero to 200 possibly. That's been the recommendation that I've seen. Also think of the K.I.S.S principle ...keep it simple stupid. Otherwise good luck n hot barrels.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yeah not going to risk wounding an animal with a poor shot. I have considered 1"high @ 100m as the old 308 as great as it is doesn't shoot quite as flat as my old 7mm08 or 270 however cannot you (correct me if i am wrong)chuck a factory 180gr down either of those for extra knock down in close bush!

There is the method of sighting in high at 100m to maximise your Maximum Point Blank Range : What is “Maximum Point Blank Range” Hunting?
I am a firm believer of using a range finder for all shots past about 200m as humans are generally shit at accurately guessing distances. You can pic up range finders cheap as chips that will do out to 500m - or realistically your Maximum shooting distancd capability.
Finding a wounded animal is no fun, even more so when it has a 400m head start and it takes you 25mins to walk to where it started running from.

As always, practice, practice.

I would hesitate to shoot a red at 600 with a 308 if conditions were right and you were confident. But as above no need to push if your not there yet. Also do you load and what projectile that will change things

Just use what you've got. Sight a couple of inches high at a hundred, or zero at 200m if you wish. Hold dead on the shoulder out to 250m, or just below top of shoulder at 300m. The vast majority of deer are shot within 200m anyway. And 300m is a long shot under normal hunting conditions for most hunters - even for the most experienced. At 300m under hunting conditions, your rifle will shoot better than you'll be able to. Don't worry about different loads for different scenarios, find one that shoots well through your gun and just go hunting. Or just buy some factory ammo that shoots well through your rifle. A 308 is a great all rounder for hunting in NZ, you don't need fancy loads. Iuse one load through my 280 from 5 metre shots on deer in the bush, to 600 metre shots on tahr in the mountains. A well place shot has the same result. For your first deer I would be placing more emphasis on the stalk rather than the shot - there is a lot more to shooting a deer than just putting one on the deck at long range. Get in close and experience the hunt.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by robhughes-games

I would hesitate to shoot a red at 600 with a 308 if conditions were right and you were confident. But as above no need to push if your not there yet. Also do you load and what projectile that will change things

---

Wouldn'the hesitate sorry!phone spell check

All good advice, i would add get realtime experience on gongs or paper out to what you think is your max comfortable range. I have gotton into the habit of shooting a ladder every time i change projectile or powder. I use a 1 metre piece of cardboard with an 8 inch diamond painted on, and starting at 100 go back to 300 firing 2 or more shots at each 100. After that i go back in 50s to 450 (as far as i can get at home). Using the same poa in every case and not dialling between strings i measure the drops and compare them with streloks figures, mostly they match if not i believe the shot result. First thing this taught me is wind is a bigger factor than drop and that while you can accurately compensate for distance wind is more a best guess and that more than distance decides if i shoot or not.

yeah i would prefer to bush stalk as i have only shot fallow so far which have been on the back of farms. Lots of open ground down there so just want to be prepared

Pick me up on the way past kuzzy :D

I think the OP question is how far away can you be and still kill the animal.

Honestly, the bullet is not the limitation, it's the shooters ability.

Enjoy your practice leading up and make sure you write a story afterwards! [emoji5]




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not a 308 expert, but I can tell you that it depends on the projectile, ambient weather and your ability.

Someone might chime in, but i'd have thought an Amax or sst would be the way to go at range, or maybe a berger. Reloading is a must.

If you were confident hitting steel at a certain distance, maybe half that will be your animal distance?

I can be confident on steel at 1000m but not first shot. I've missed chamois at 80m with that same gun - so go figure.

Chris

I've got s similar rifle. It had a 3-9x40 VX2 on it. I used that out to 400 yards with 130 Barnes projectiles.
On a Sika hunt I had a shot at a stag at 450 and for me that was too far with that scope. I've since upgraded to a VXi 4-14 with a CDS, with a softer projectile I reckon it should be good out to 500 for me.
Others probably further...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by craigc

I've got s similar rifle. It had a 3-9x40 VX2 on it. I used that out to 400 yards with 130 Barnes projectiles.
On a Sika hunt we had a shot at a stag at 450 and for me that was too far with that scope. I've since upgraded to a VXi 4-14 with a CDS, with a softer projectile I reckon it should be good out to 500 for me.
Others probably further...

---

There, I fixed it

Just did a little jam on my calculator with my boyfriend's .308, enough energy with 150gr past 900yards.

So.. The world is your oyster [emoji6]

My 2c: just get closer. It's your first animal, there's already plenty to be stressed out about. Have fun.

I've recently whacked my longest kill to date, 443yards. I happily shoot 400 at the range all the time but I tell you what, 400+ on a real live animal is a fuckin' long way away. It takes a lot of things to all come together to make those successful longer range kills happen.

Not saying anyone is embellishing the truth but it might just pay to note that anyone who tells you a distance they shoot deer at, yet don't possess a range finder, well...
Personally I know only three people that are consistently shooting animals 500-1000+yards.

There's a good thread on here somewhere about the average distance of deer shot by forum members. Good food for thought. Spoiler alert: it's around 200yards.

Anyway.. [emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

all too complicated - .308, 2.5-3" high at 100m use some 150g factory - i recommend hornady good to 250/300 outside of that focus on calculation and adjustment

limit yourself to 200m - if your further away then get closer.

may not be that easy freezer as there is alot of open ground. I really just want to be able to shoot out to 300m ish if need be. Sounds like i can just keep my zero at 100m and aim a few inches high to shoot out to 300m(wind dependant)

I shoot 150gr federal blue and the rifle likes it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by superdiver

may not be that easy freezer as there is alot of open ground. I really just want to be able to shoot out to 300m ish if need be. Sounds like i can just keep my zero at 100m and aim a few inches high to shoot out to 300m(wind dependant)

---

You can. But unless you practise it and get good you'll just ge taking a punt

300 is easy with a little practise. As said earlier 2.5" high at 100 yds. Will be dead on around 230-240 yds and about 6" low at 300. Get a rangefinder and practise.
My friend has a Sako A7 .308 and regularly shoots animals at 700yds, he does practise regularly out to 900yda though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by superdiver

may not be that easy freezer as there is alot of open ground. I really just want to be able to shoot out to 300m ish if need be. Sounds like i can just keep my zero at 100m and aim a few inches high to shoot out to 300m(wind dependant)

---

Easy? Come on John, People bow hunt thar. Your've said that the property has good numbers so just take the opportunities you can and enjoy the stalk.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JoshC

Just use what you've got. Sight a couple of inches high at a hundred, or zero at 200m if you wish. Hold dead on the shoulder out to 250m, or just below top of shoulder at 300m.

---

+1. If an opportunity is available then re-zeroing for 200m would be more forgiving of error in estimating the range out at 250-300m. If you find the elevation adjustment is repeatable then the click count can be used to switched between for bush and open country from then on.

Once you no where its going doesn't matter how flat it shoots I out shoot most of my friends with a 16'' 308 I just no the rifle very well and trust that bullets going exactly where it went last time I shoot a 5-6ish'' gong at 500 I limit animals to 300 longest shot being 320 on a samber stag kills well you have all the gun you need

The key piece of equipment is not your rifle but a rangefinder which you havent mentioned. Wihout one you will be limited to about 200m max and need to practice pacing out distances to learn how far is 100 and 200m and how good your estimation is.

Without a dial up scope you will also be relying on guesstimation how big 6" or 12" is on the deer. They dont come with foot rulers printed on. My impression seeing others struggle is a holdover reticle wiih varipower scope is little use for hunting so dont upgrade unless you go to first focal plane or a dial up turret which both cost and are not needed under 200m.

Up to 250m wind slope temp altitude even mv and bc have little effect and as far as you can hit a 6" target under field conditions you are good to go on a deer.

"Hot barrels" and have a great time !

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dougie

Just did a little jam on my calculator with my boyfriend's .308, enough energy with 150gr past 900yards.

So.. The world is your oyster [emoji6]

My 2c: just get closer. It's your first animal, there's already plenty to be stressed out about. Have fun.

I've recently whacked my longest kill to date, 443yards. I happily shoot 400 at the range all the time but I tell you what, 400+ on a real live animal is a fuckin' long way away. It takes a lot of things to all come together to make those successful longer range kills happen.

Not saying anyone is embellishing the truth but it might just pay to note that anyone who tells you a distance they shoot deer at, yet don't possess a range finder, well...
Personally I know only three people that are consistently shooting animals 500-1000+yards.

There's a good thread on here somewhere about the average distance of deer shot by forum members. Good food for thought. Spoiler alert: it's around 200yards.

Anyway.. [emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Dougie. I just wanted to say that I think 900 is a little far for a 308. Might have enough energy but not enough velocity for reliable bullet expansion. I know you are not taking shots at this far with one. just wanted to say that energy is not everything. especially with 150gr bullet in 308. 168 and 178gr amax are one of the most frangible and only good to about 1400fps. 700ish meters.
Just food for thought.

Cheers
Rob

Learn to dial or use a ballistic reticle and a rangefinder, do things properly if you're gonna do them, you owe it to yourself, and you owe it to the animal youre hunting. Its horrifying the amount of videos you see of kiwi blokes hunting on youtube, hunting at ranges longer than they can reliably shoot, and basically just taking a punt on holdover, and then after a broken front leg and a lump of lead in the guts theyre all smiles after their third round finally manages to punch a hole thats fatal, shocking behaviour.

Shocking that they dare even putting such videos on net and bragging about it!

The world is your oyster with access to a property like that.
do what stug and others have said and get a nice dial up scope later on. You can also put a couple of marks on your bushy for a poor man's dial up. You can hire a range finder for the trip also.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Learn to dial or use a ballistic reticle and a rangefinder, do things properly if you're gonna do them, you owe it to yourself, and you owe it to the animal youre hunting. Its horrifying the amount of videos you see of kiwi blokes hunting on youtube, hunting at ranges longer than they can reliably shoot, and basically just taking a punt on holdover, and then after a broken front leg and a lump of lead in the guts theyre all smiles after their third round finally manages to punch a hole thats fatal, shocking behaviour.

---

I've had people tell me that using a range finder and a range card is "unsporting."

superdiver - if you're at all interested in learning to shoot animals at ranges greater than the norm (<300m) check of Thomas Haugland's(@NORWAY) youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/sierra645
He goes pretty full-on in terms of having the best of the best equipment. But you can do the same with lesser equipment, the principles are the important part.

Nathan foster is not bad either. Very good books to read.

You may be fine out to 200 yards off your day pack, but may need a bigger scope, range finders and a bi pod If you want to shoot accurately out to 300 - 500 yards - 3 inch to 5 inch groups. What set up do your mates have?

I am going to keep my zero at 100m and just try keep all my shots within 200m. May just leave the boys to their long range stuff and go bush stalking or just pinch one of the 300s. I will shoot off a bipod anyway unless i am in the bush.

Zero at 200 or your shots will be low at bush ranges. Do the math.

Sent from my SM-G800Y using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sy270

You may be fine out to 200 yards off your day pack, but may need a bigger scope, range finders and a bi pod If you want to shoot accurately out to 300 - 500 yards - 3 inch to 5 inch groups. What set up do your mates have?

---

I HATE shooting off a bipod, plus it's just another awkward bulky item to carry, shoot out to 800 on steel piece off piss off a backpack and regularly shoot animals out past 500 off a backpack also, I'm also not a cowboy and will only pull the trigger if I'm 100% comfortable I know I can put it where I want it, each to their own though. Rangefinder, clicky bits, and knowing shot angle and what the wind is doing is a must though, air pressure is pretty important too past 300 if you want your projectile to go (exactly) where you want it to go.

I would imagine bush shots would be less than 100m so why would they be low? Off for a fallow shoot this weekend down the line and gun is grouping well at 110m(could not find clear line of sight at 100m due to small hills in the paddock haha) and i do not want to injure any.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by superdiver

I would imagine bush shots would be less than 100m so why would they be low? Off for a fallow shoot this weekend down the line and gun is grouping well at 110m(could not find clear line of sight at 100m due to small hills in the paddock haha) and i do not want to injure any.

---

Because the bullet hasn't risen to scope height yet.

cheers mate! will re-sight next time i'm at the farm and just make note of that this weekend.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by superdiver

cheers mate! will re-sight next time i'm at the farm and just make note of that this weekend.

---

200-250y zero makes the best use of trajectory and point blank range (aim at the shoulder with no hold high or low) for pretty much all common non magnum deer hunting calibers.

Hi VC, i used the 200m zero for many years but found i was always aiming 3" low which is tricky to estimate anf you need to be aware whethrr the distance is between 80 to 130 m approx. An extra 3" of error is too much to add to my shooting error so i wouldnt aim bang on.

Changed to 100m zero and now the bullets is within 2cm of the sight line from about 30 to 130m and mostly a bit low if anything. So "is it less than 150m?" "YES" --> then aim exactly where i want to hit and it covers 90% of shots for me. Under 20m you do need to allow for the shot being low whatever zero.