what's my best bet on the most accurate rifle?


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As far as I am concerned, shooting over 500 yards is not very sportsman like at all because the chance of wounding the critter is just too great!

For the most part, this is my opinion as well. There are quite a few variables that come into play when taking shots at big game animals past about 350 yards.

However............. I will not sit here and tell you it can't be done.

The first thing required is a crazy flat-shooting rifle. To get way out there with a sporter type rifle you will need.......yes.........an OTPG sort of rifle. You will also need some danged fine optics. Next thing you need is to spend countless sessions with the gun practicing at the distances you intend to hunt at........and under field conditions. Just because you can shoot a 1/2" group at 100 yards off bags from a benchrest does not mean you can hold a 6" group at 600 yards from the same setup, much less in the field. You will need precise distance measuring equipment. And you will need a rock solid rest. Not too often will you be able to get a solid enough rest in the field to pull off the shots you're wishing to take. It's a pretty dicey situation at best.

That being said........we shot a deer vital sized target at 600 yards during the fall 2007 OTPG Blast Off. There were a couple of hunting rigs in attendance that could pull off such a shot. So I won't tell a fellow it can not be done. Whether it should be done is a whole other question. :cool:

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I can see those big guns hitting that shot, but how about a .280 at 500 yards? 6" groups are nothing, more like dime sized groups, right? Hold 3-6 feet high, pray for no wind what-so-ever and BAM! you got holes that touch each other.....:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :D

I'm not aware of too many riflescopes that will allow the shooter to reliably see a dime at 600 yards. :confused:

A standard 3000 fps 140 gr. load in a .280 (sighted 2 1/2" high at 100) will be 33" low at 500 yards..........60" low at 600. I use this sight-in as an example of a standard hunting sight-in that keeps the bullet path no more than 3" above the line of sight at any range. A 3 mph breeze (and not too many folks would even think to compensate for wind they can hardly feel) will blow the bullet off by 8" at 600 yards. Pretty fine shooting to keep them all on a dime at that range. ;)

By comparison........a standard 3600 fps 140 gr. load in a 7mm STW (sighted in 2 1/4" high at 100) will be 18" low at 500 yards..........35" low at 600. Quite a considerable difference. A 3 mph breeze will still blow it 6" off at 600 yards. A great deal fewer variables........but still quite a feat to put all 5 of those on a dime, as well. :cool:

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to Be honest i was plannin on usin my .280, its very accurate you can hit 10 bullets within a nickel at 500 yards,

Strut, I am sure with that kind accuracy stretching out another hundred yards or so his 10 shot groups might open up to an inch. Heck with a deer vitals, just shootem in the eye!:rolleyes::eek::D

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Shooting a deer at 600 yards is not only unsportsman like, it would be kinda boring. I hunt to enjoy myself, and part of the enjoyment is the adrenaline rush I get when Im close to the animal I pursue. That is why I like to get as close as possible to the deer. Killing one that far would not excite me at all. I can set here in my chair and look out the window and watch deer in the hay field at 350 yards and its nice but not exciting unless maybe its a monster buck. A really good, experienced, avid deer hunter does not take 600 yard shots. Only an, unethical, want-a-good-story-to-tell person takes a 600 yard shot in my opinion.

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I would venture to say that making a 600 yard KILL shot on a deer with a 3x9 would be extremely lucky. I would further conclude that stacking 5 shots at 500 yards in a nickle with a 3x9 borders on unbeleivable. Just my opinion. That would be about a 5ft hold over, unless you had turrets to adjust for yardage. Would there even be enough room for elevation adjustment like that with standard mounts and scope?

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Being x military-I will have to call b/s on this one.I do alot of reading on here,not alot of posting but this has to be one of the most ridiculous threads I have ever read.WHY would you even want to attempt shooting a deer past 300 yards.Yea I can do it -but why.

If you reload like I do ,take up benchrest shooting and shoot all day long at targets.Taking shots at deer at 500 to 600 yards is just really ( ) I will let you fill that in.

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