I want to shoot 1 mile

[Nojoy621]

There I said it, it’s out there.

I recently moved to Ohio and found there is a 1 mile range near me and it’s perked my interest. Added to the complication, I want to do it with a .308. The reason, besides ammo costs, is i will mostly be shooting under 800 yards, but want to try and stretch it out everyone once in awhile.

as far as my shooting ability, I have shot iron sights to 500 yards and out to 800 yards with an Acog, both in the Marines with 556. I feel strongly in my ability to be able to go the distance with glass.

The rifle, I don’t have one. I was thinking hard about the Ruger Precision, savage stealth, or starting out with a Remington 700. No glass yet, but I’m looking at Vortex and Nikons new black series, but open to anything under 1k.

I just started thinking about this and the idea is in is infancy. Has anyone shot out to 1 mile? Will I need to start reloading to get a 308 out that far?

 

[Fargo]

There I said it, it’s out there.

I recently moved to Ohio and found there is a 1 mile range near me and it’s perked my interest. Added to the complication, I want to do it with a .308. The reason, besides ammo costs, is i will mostly be shooting under 800 yards, but want to try and stretch it out everyone once in awhile.

as far as my shooting ability, I have shot iron sights to 500 yards and out to 800 yards with an Acog, both in the Marines with 556. I feel strongly in my ability to be able to go the distance with glass.

The rifle, I don’t have one. I was thinking hard about the Ruger Precision, savage stealth, or starting out with a Remington 700. No glass yet, but I’m looking at Vortex and Nikons new black series, but open to anything under 1k.

I just started thinking about this and the idea is in is infancy. Has anyone shot out to 1 mile? Will I need to start reloading to get a 308 out that far?

I'm not a long distance guru but case capacity and the transition to subsonic are both going to need to be overcome with .308. Because 308 is a modern load, I don't know that you can gain a lot of velocity by reloading.

 

[Bfish]

Anything is possible. I mean guys have done it, and anyone can walk shots in.
Based on a couple of the rifles you are considering, would you consider picking one up in a 6.5 creedmoor? Price difference won't be much different than 308 for ammo.
As far as glass I'd try and get something clear and decent. For a couple hundred bucks over the 1k you are talking can get into a Burris XTR II 5x25 and that's about the lowest in the price range of the next jump up. I mean out to 800yards most things will work. However you are going to need to drop some jack (well over 1k IMO) for some longer distances. You'll need the nicer glass to have some clarity out to the long ranges.
With the "cheaper" scopes you just don't have the glass clarity needed for the longer distances. I'd consider saving for the optic and buying it first, then buying the rifle. If you do go to the range you may ask some of the guys out there shooing too, they will know. They may let you look through their optic too so you can get an idea of where you need to be quality wise as well. Looking 100 yards across Cabela's doesn't tell you how nice the glass of an optic is.

I'm sure some of the guys who shoot precision quite a bit will be along soon. It's cool they have a range like that available. I can shoot 850 behind my house, and my buddy can do out to 1600 I think which is awesome since he has the equipment and ability, but I've never come even close to that.

 

[42769vette]

INTERNAL TRAVEL.

Outside of the obvious tracking, that will be the most important thing to look for in an optic. Your going to need roughly 90 MOA of up travel after zeroing. No optic below 1k will have that, and very few period will have that. If you dont have the internal travel then you will need at least 60 MOA of up, and plan to hold 30 MOA. 60 MOA of up travel is a lot for a scope, especially below 1k in price. For example, the Burris ETX mentioned above will have 45 MOA from the mechanical center of the scope. The short version is, either raise your optic budget, or lower your shooting goal.

The other option is get a base that has a ton of cant in it, and plan to zero at 600-800 yards.

Clarity is nice, but its no where near as important as travel.

 

[avboiler11]

308? To a mile (1760 yards)? At elevations 1000' ASL or less?

You need to readjust your expectations and break out your checkbook.

Lemme put it another way:

Mk248 Mod 1 is a military 300WM sniper load that launches a 220gr Sierra Matchking (G7 BC of .308) at a rather hot 2950fps; the military doesn't care much about reloading brass. At 500' ASL elevation, standard temp/barometer, and 0% relative humidity Mk248 Mod 1 at 1760 yards will have a drop of 21.8 mils and a 10mph drift of 4.0 mils; it also will be subsonic.

Now if you substitute a 225gr Hornady ELD-M with G7 BC of .386 and launch that insanely high BC bullet at 2900fps, you will have a one-mile drop of 18.2 mils and a drift of 3.0 mils; the bullet will also still be supersonic by give or take 100fps.

If you're looking at most of your work being 800 and in with the occasional poke further out, you'd be best served by a 26" 6.5 Creedmoor with something like a Razor Gen I 5-20x (quality glass with 'tree' reticle) on a 20 MOA base, and a few cases of Hornady 140gr ELD-M factory ammo.

 

[Alpo]

One mile? How about 2 miles?

The .45-70 at Two Miles

 

[DoggyDaddy]

All you need is a .22...

 

[printcraft]

All you need is a .22...

What glass does he need to put 13 in an ear canal from that distance?

 

[Mgderf]

All you need is a .22...

Most people I talk to are simply astounded that the lowly .22lr will travel that far, let alone still be dangerous.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

What glass does he need to put 13 in an ear canal from that distance?

 

[OutdoorDad]

At no point did he say he had, or intended to, hit anything.

Aim big, hit big.

 

[Fullmag]

Most people I talk to are simply astounded that the lowly .22lr will travel that far, let alone still be dangerous.

Always wondered if it were true. Knowing little something about ballistics it doesn’t seem possible.

 

[natdscott]

For one, you need a better forum for this kind of thing. All the evidence you need for that is the kind of things in the last 5 or 6 posts about .22LRs and Telescopes and .45-70. It's all funny unless you're serious; in that case, I recommend you get used to "your average dude" not having any concept of what you do on the weekend.

I recommend Sniper's Hide, Sniper Central, US Rifle Teams (usrifleteams.com). You are looking for "ELR", "Extreme Long Range"...things of that nature.

To be clear, there ARE people here that know things about it, but if you're serious, you need to be surrounding yourself with 10s of people who know how to do 2,000 yards.

.308 is not the way. No other way to put that...it's a TERRIBLE idea as an approach from square one. Sure, if that's what you have, then that's what you shoot...but you are not YET hamstring with a 51mm casing, so don't put yourself there intentionally. Even .30-06 is a FAR better option.

To answer another question: Bud, you need to be handloading .308 for six HUNDRED yards, much less another 1,000+ beyond that. If you are not already well versed, you need to start getting that way. Buy books, find mentors.

Despite what the internet may tell you, becoming proficient at 1,000 yards is no mean feat. Learning to read wind +/- 1 mph on that long a range...which is REQUIRED to keep a .308 inside even a TWO MOA target...is a really challenging thing to try to get the human brain to do.

I've seen good shooters lie there doing 2 rounds/minute and shade 1/3 to 1/2 of a 10" X-ring to try to stack up X count...but those shooters are almost always gray haired and overweight. That says something, if a guy listens.

-Nate

 

[blacknwhite]

I shoot quite a bit of long range. To me long range is beyond 1k yards. It’s possible to hit at a mile with a .308 but not very feasible. I’m sure you could get a hit every now and then after wasting a bunch of ammo but you would really be better served by lowering your expectations or starting with a better caliber. If you just want to go out and moon shot then go for it. You may look into any requirements that the range has for shooting that distance. I know sometimes places want to make sure the shooters are up to the challenge and not just launching lead with no idea of where it’s hitting. A guy I shoot with has a .308 and it really starts to become unpredictable at about 1350 yards......seems like it’s pretty dead at that point. Two things that don’t go together are “cheap” and “long range”

 

[sgreen3]

What glass does he need to put 13 in an ear canal from that distance?

 

[sheepdog697]

if you want to shoot to a mile i would seriously look at different calibers than .308. Even with handloads you are going to have a VERY hard time getting out to a mile. IF you insist on going that far with the .308 i would look at flatline bullets by warner tool.

 

[cschwanz]

For one, you need a better forum for this kind of thing. All the evidence you need for that is the kind of things in the last 5 or 6 posts about .22LRs and Telescopes and .45-70. It's all funny unless you're serious; in that case, I recommend you get used to "your average dude" not having any concept of what you do on the weekend.

I recommend Sniper's Hide, Sniper Central, US Rifle Teams (usrifleteams.com). You are looking for "ELR", "Extreme Long Range"...things of that nature.

To be clear, there ARE people here that know things about it, but if you're serious, you need to be surrounding yourself with 10s of people who know how to do 2,000 yards.

.308 is not the way. No other way to put that...it's a TERRIBLE idea as an approach from square one. Sure, if that's what you have, then that's what you shoot...but you are not YET hamstring with a 51mm casing, so don't put yourself there intentionally. Even .30-06 is a FAR better option.

To answer another question: Bud, you need to be handloading .308 for six HUNDRED yards, much less another 1,000+ beyond that. If you are not already well versed, you need to start getting that way. Buy books, find mentors.

Despite what the internet may tell you, becoming proficient at 1,000 yards is no mean feat. Learning to read wind +/- 1 mph on that long a range...which is REQUIRED to keep a .308 inside even a TWO MOA target...is a really challenging thing to try to get the human brain to do.

I've seen good shooters lie there doing 2 rounds/minute and shade 1/3 to 1/2 of a 10" X-ring to try to stack up X count...but those shooters are almost always gray haired and overweight. That says something, if a guy listens.

-Nate

Ill add the Accurate Shooter forums to his list as well. Lots of very intelligent guys on there who shoot a lot of long range.

Good Luck. If you intend to shoot a .308 to a mile and hit anything with even remote accuracy or predictability, you will need it. Hope you have a big check book too

 

[mcapo]

The RPR has a 6.5 creedmoor. Skip the 308 for all the reasons already stated. 308 is a great round and I love to shoot it. Too many better options past 500-600 yards to mess with it.

As a general comment to those interested in long range - master 100 yards then 250 yards then 500 yards and then 1000 yards with something like 6.5C/30 cal/338 before even thinking about 1500 plus.

Each yard PAST 1000 is exponentially harder to consistently be on target (and more expensive). The same platform for 250 to 1000 is likely not going to consistently perform at 1760 yards. Yes, I know, probably video on youtube of some guy with a 38 special hitting a gong at two miles...

 

[avboiler11]

Each yard PAST 1000 is exponentially harder to consistently be on target (and more expensive).

To that point:

First time I went to Rockcastle, I was shooting a 260 launching Hornady 140gr HPBTs @ 2860fps and went 3-for-3 including first-round hit on a 10" round target at 900 yards.

Longest I had shot prior to that was 650yd, so I was feeling pretty confident in my abilities and my dope.

At 1100 yards, I hit a 12" target on my 19th shot.

 

[Thor]

So...what's wrong with .45-70 for long range shooting? Other than it's not a point blank trajectory weapon.

The Report of the Secretary of War, 1880 Vol III under the chapter "Extreme Ranges of Military Small Arms" had this to say: "The firing was done by Mr. R.T. Hare of Springfield Armory who has the enviable distinction, so far as is known, of being the only person in the world who has hit the 'Bull's-Eye' six feet in diameter at 2,500 yards with three different rifles, and who has ever fired at and hit so small a target at that described in his report at 3,200 yards." Those distances were surveyed.

This was a result of the Sandy Hook tests of 1879 where they showed the .45-70 at 2 (two) miles was not only still flying ballistic true at two miles but would go through the 8" target leg and burry itself in the ground.

And that was with open sights...none of that fancy modern glass stuff.