1000-yard hunting with a .308

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hitting an Elk with a .308 at 1k would not be a problem.
Click to expand...

Really? Not a problem...you must be a very, very good marksman with a lot of long range shooting experience.

My problem with the 1,000 yard shot is based on shooting a .308 from a bench rest.

The problem is not bullet drop - you can easily correct for that. It's wind drift. The wind can change radically over the 1,000 yard distance. I measure the wind at the shooting position and take notes so I have a "dope book" for the range I shoot at.

The shooting problem is trying to figure out what the crosswinds are doing between you and the target. It's not the same over the entire distance. You have to very carefully study what's going on with the bushes and grasses at different distances.

When I get to the range, and it's breezy, I may spend 15-20 minutes looking at the wind patterns that day with binoculars and the rifle scope - and make notes on the conditions.

The 1,000 yard target I use is a steel plate 24-inches square. On a calm day, I can regularly hit the target. The last time I was at the range there was an average 9mph wind - and that's the problem - "average."

It was as low as 2mph and as high as 12mph - with variable directions (the range has a flag you can use for direction reference).

How do you factor all of that into a hunting location with unknown wind conditions over the distance you're shooting?

Unless you have had a lot of long range shooting training, or are an unnaturally talented shooter (I'm neither) - I wouldn't try a 1,000 yard shot on an elk.

But, I readily acknowledge my limitations...
 
Last edited:
chatter

Chalk all that up to gun shop chatter. This long range hunting thing has run wild, what with all the "sniper" interest and long range hunt shows showing dudes pasting game way out there with the latest custom built belch fire magnum from Zap'em Industries.

I will likely never get the chance to hunt elk....but I have seen enough in the wild to know they are a grand and regal animal, and I read they can soak up a good .30 cal hit at reasonable range ( not bullet proof, but a big animal) and still cover more ground than one might want. What responsible hunter wants to gamble with lobbing slugs at one from 2/3rds a mile?

One more reason I could not work in a shop.

I hate to give this too much more time, "buckhorn" has summed many variables well. .... Lets not forget too that flight time at 1000 is notable, (I'm estimating 1.5 secs), with a live, animated target. The elk/target could dang well take a step before the bullet arrives.
 
Thanks for all the responses. It seems that what I told him was correct; that's not considered a humane shot by the majority of the hunting community. That's what I was expecting when I started this thread, but I wanted to check with experienced hunters to be sure.
 
As guesstimating distance and wind, well, people shoot 1,000+ yds all the time and hit what they're aiming at.
Click to expand...
I feel certain they miss far more often than they hit when the target is no larger than the "kill zone" of an Elk, and they aren't shooting off a bench,

It's just too far to be shooting at living targets you intend to harvest
 
here are five people who made clean kills on game ranging from 800 yds to 1300 yds. Just because you or I can't do it doesn't mean we should look down our nose at those who can.
 
Ruger480 said:
here are five people who made clean kills on game ranging from 800 yds to 1300 yds. Just because you or I can't do it doesn't mean we should look down our nose at those who can.
Click to expand...
This thread is specifically about hunting elk at 1000 yards with a .308. I didn't watch all those videos, but were any of those shots done with a .308 on an animal the size of an elk?
 
These videos are irrelevant to this thread. First, I haven't seen one that specifically showed the use of a .308. And second, nobody here is disputing that killing an elk at 1000 yards with a .308 is possible (because it definitely could be done and I wouldn't be surprised if there are people who have done it), they're just saying that it's not a humane hunting practice.

For example, I'm pretty sure I could shoot an apple off my wife's head at 10 yards with my carry gun, but I'm also pretty sure that it wouldn't be a responsible thing to do.
 
Having helped on managed hunts enough to know how difficult it can be for the shooter to pinpoint the spot where a deer was standing when it was shot within 150 yards. I can't imagine trying to pinpoint where an elk was standing from 1000 yards away to begin a blood trail.
 
Ok. But I'd say what's 'humane' comes down to the person pulling the trigger to know... I personally wouldn't dream of taking at shot at those distances but I'm not going to 2nd guess the guys that do it :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
I'm pretty sure I could shoot an apple off my wife's head at 10 yards with my carry gun, but I'm also pretty sure that it wouldn't be a responsible thing to do.
Click to expand...

You're welcome to practice on my ex-wife, not sure on responsible but it'd be humane for the rest of the world.
 
1000 yard target shooting is fun to see how close you can come on paper. Not so fun "target shooting" on live animals. I get that there are differnet styles of "hunting", but I'm not seeing much "hunting" involved in shots this long.

Maybe what the guy is saying is true, but he is using a fisherman's tape measure to figure the distance. :D
 
were any of those shots done with a .308 on an animal the size of an elk?
Click to expand...

I don't know the caliber but two of those videos were of elk being taken. Both elk dropped in their tracks.

I just watched another video where the shooter took an elk, specifically with a .308 at 875 yards. That animal too dropped in its' tracks. It even appeared from the video that the bullet passed through and kicked up dirt on the other side. The shot is at timer mark 5:40.

The OP states the guy came in looking for a long range semi-auto and appeared to know what he was talking about. Also, he claims to have taken game at long range before. So why are you guys trying to tear him down for it? It might be a different story if he came in and said "I just saw a video on youtube where guys shoot elk at 1k yards. I can get my hunting license next week and I'd like a semi auto in 308. Can you help me out?"
But he didn't, did he?
I agree that most people shouldn't try this but just because someone may have a skill a little better/different than what you're accustomed to doesn't mean you should vilify them for it.

That's all I'm saying.
 
I agree that most people shouldn't try this but just because someone may have a skill a little better/different than what you're accustomed to doesn't mean you should vilify them for it.
Click to expand...

There are few videos of the missed shots and wounded game from those who thought they were skilled enough to pull off the stunts.

No one brags about the failures
 
There are few videos of the missed shots and wounded game from those who thought they were skilled enough to pull off the stunts.

No one brags about the failures
Click to expand...

Misses and wounded game happen at all ranges.
 
I think the only ethical way to do it would be to put wind flags every hundred yards, and then shoot the elk from the 9th flag from your original postiton. (JOKE ALERT!) I'd have to knock the crap out of a lot of paper elk at 1,000 before I'd even dream of BS shots like this. It's called hunting season for a reason, although the reason escapes me when I read posts like this.
 
Buckhorn, as I said "hitting a deer at a k is not a problem."
Click to expand...

No, what you've said previously is -
Hitting an Elk with a .308 at 1k would not be a problem.
Click to expand...

It's the Internet - you can say whatever you want with impunity and no backup documentation.

Unless you are a practiced, outstanding marksman, know how to read environmental conditions over the distance, and have a rifle capable of sub-MOA accuracy with a really good scope -

Hitting either a deer or an elk at 1,000 yards can be done - but it is not easy.

I guess my questions would be - how much long distance shooting have you done regularly and how do you know that hitting a deer or elk at 1,000 yards "is not a problem"?

Are you shooting the rifle from your shoulder or using shooting sticks for the "no problem" long distance shots?
 
Last edited:
Elk, Deer, whatever.
I shoot thousand yard bench rest. I have done a lot of long range shooting. The thousand yard shot is not nearly as hard as it used to be. Equipment has come a long way. Not talking about bench guns, but moving to true hunting rifles, I am confident that many people could hit a deer sized target with my Armalite Match Ar-10.
I know kids who can hit deer sized targets at 1k so long as they have someone figuring out the dope for them.
The guy in the store may or may not have been full of BS. There are guns that can do it. There are people who can do it. I am not a particularly good thousand yard shooter. There are people a whole lot better than I am, but it does not take super sniper to hit stuff at a K.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top