Gun hunting questions

McElroy · by **McElroy** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:47 am

When you are shooting at a deer 400 yards away i was wondering how high you have to aim above their back...and also if a deer is bolting as fast as it can can across a corn field how far should u lead it at 50, 100 and 150 yards?

T-bird · by **T-bird** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 12:08 pm

It all depends on how you sight your rifle in and what caliber/load you shoot.

My 30.06 is sighted 3" high at 100yds with a 165gr BST, and will strike about 14" low at 400yds.

My 300WSM is sighted 2" high at 100yds with a 150gr BST, and will strike only 7 1/2" low at 400 yds.

My 30-30 is sighted 2" high at 100yds with a 170gr SP, and would strike about 24" low at 400 yds, and velocity would be REALLY slow.

At 50yds I'd aim just in front of the shoulder, at 100yds about a foot in front of the shoulder, and I wouldn't shoot at one running wide open any farther than that. Too much margin for error. :wink:

gary c. · by **gary c.** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 1:12 pm

Unless you've had a fair amount of target practice at that distance you shouldn't try to make the shot. As T-bird pointed out different calibers and even different loads have a lot of variables. You need to go out and shoot your gun with your loads and scope to get any kind real accuracy at that distance.

ole3030 · by **ole3030** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 1:24 pm

I wouldnt try to shoot an elephant stuck in the mud at 400 yrds... :lol:

gary c. · by **gary c.** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 2:37 pm

I agree with you ole3030. But if a real monster stood out there and stared at me my better judgement would probably fail me. At that kind of distance getting closer is always the right thing to do.

quigleysharps4570 · by **quigleysharps4570** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 3:25 pm

My motto has always been "if ya gotta ask, don't do it". Not till you get alot of practice in with the rifle you'll be attempting those shots with. Then you've got other elements coming in to the picture also, wind and temperature play against you. Many hours of practice can tell you what to do better than anything.

Antler3 · by **Antler3** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:49 pm

T-bird wrote:It all depends on how you sight your rifle in and what caliber/load you shoot.

My 30.06 is sighted 3" high at 100yds with a 165gr BST, and will strike about 14" low at 400yds.

My 300WSM is sighted 2" high at 100yds with a 150gr BST, and will strike only 7 1/2" low at 400 yds.

My 30-30 is sighted 2" high at 100yds with a 170gr SP, and would strike about 24" low at 400 yds, and velocity would be REALLY slow.

At 50yds I'd aim just in front of the shoulder, at 100yds about a foot in front of the shoulder, and I wouldn't shoot at one running wide open any farther than that. Too much margin for error.

I was just wondering why you would sight your 30-30 2 inches high at 100 yards ?? I hunt with a 30-30 winchester and mine is sighted at dead on at 100 yards. Everyone tells me it should hit anything out to 100 yards. As most of my shots are 50 to 60 yard shots in these hills where I hunt. Do you think I have mine sighted properly for the 50 to 60 yard shots and under ?

T-bird · by **T-bird** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:19 pm

Some of the places I hunt with my 30.30 I can shoot up to around 175 yds and I don't want to have to hold over. The way I'm sighted, I can hold dead on from 0 - 175 yds without thinking about it. If none of your shots are more than 100 yds, you're sighted just right Antler3.

McElroy · by **McElroy** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:09 am

You said it mattered on what type of rifle I used...i use a Winchester .270...

T-bird · by **T-bird** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 11:15 am

Sight it 3" high at 100 yds and you'll only have to hold about 14" over the spot you want to hit at 400 yds. If you're going to shoot at deer that far away on a regular basis, I'd recommend a LOT of practice to get used to your rifle and load.

ole3030 · by **ole3030** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 11:48 am

quigleysharps4570 wrote:My motto has always been "if ya gotta ask, don't do it". Not till you get alot of practice in with the rifle you'll be attempting those shots with. Then you've got other elements coming in to the picture also, wind and temperature play against you. Many hours of practice can tell you what to do better than anything.

Now THATS called keepin the main thing the main thing.

jb1buckmaster · by **jb1buckmaster** » Wed Nov 24, 2004 9:52 pm

Dude - you are skeering me. First - like that other guy said. if you have to ask - don't do it.

Second off - never shoot at a buck running at any distance. Wait till it stops or don't shoot at all.

Third - aiming anywhere - except where you plan on shooting is VERY DANGEROUS! You don't know if there is a hunter - or a farm or a farmers animal over the next hill.

No DEER is worth loosing a life. It might be your Daddy or your brother or sister on the other side of that hill. How would you feel if you shot someone you loved?

One more thing. A 270 Win is a very good gun. I have two of them.
But I highly doubt if I would take a 400 yard shot with a 130 Nosler Ballistic tip - hand loads. Let alone a box of Remington Core Lock'ts.

You have to remember - to be a ethical hunter. We don't want to wound deer. We want to harvest deer.

I will say the same thing about a 30 / 06 Govt. It is a excellent gun. I have 3 of them, my dad has 2 of them, my brothers both have one.

Sitting at a shooting bench - using sand bags - at a stationary target. With a 15 - 30 power scope. You might get pretty good - even out to 400 yards. But using some old TASCO 3 x 9 x 40. Forget it.

Gun hunting questions

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