Advice for long range hunting caliber

[yankee-pete]

I know I will probably get a bunch of different opinions here, but I'm looking at a good caliber for hunting medium size game at 600+ yards. What are some of the calibers you guys are using? I want a readily available round that will not spoil the animal. I currently have a 30-06, but its a beautiful old gun that I don't want to put a scope on (it would require drilling). I need a modern rifle.

[kakinuma-kun]

Take a look online for articles on the .300 Weatherby Magnum as a caliber.

It is a bit more readily available off the shelf than some of the other long-range calibers that are newer.

Do you reload?

[CSACANNONEER]

I have a friend who wrote a magazine article about a doe he took at one mile with one of his 50BMGs.

Really, for 600-1000 yards, a 30-06 will do IF YOU CAN SHOOT that far ethically. If you want a bit more power, a 300WM would be a good choice since, ammo is relatively easy to find. However, I'll bring up the ethical hunter thing again. Most people aren't good enough at long range shooting to ethically consider making a +600 yard shot. Since you're asking this question, I can only assume that you are not a regular long range shooter and don't have a lot of hunting experience. Am I correct?

[CSACANNONEER]

Take a look online for articles on the .300 Weatherby Magnum as a caliber.

It is a bit more readily available off the shelf than some of the other long-range calibers that are newer.

Do you reload?

I'd go with a 300 Win Mag because, ammo is everywhere for it. That said, .308 is the caliber for both of them .300 Weatherby Magnum is one of many "cartridges" which fires a .308 "caliber" bullet.

[Dutch Henry]

7mm Magnum has always been top choice for those long, cross canyon shots.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I'd ask these guys:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/

[Tanner68]

I wonder what the ratio is between people posting about "what caliber for xxx yds and beyond", usually something well beyond 300, and the number of deer harvested by the same posters.

OP, the answer is your favorite caliber. There are more suitable calibers than ever to choose from. There are calibers that nearly duplicate other calibers. There are so many calibers crowded into the same room that some have been known to resort to cannibalism. Good luck in your long range hunting.

And not that I have any experience with these, but what about 7mmRUM, 7mm remmag or 300 winmag. But since you mentioned you don't want to spoil meat, there are many super 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges.

Happy tracking.
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Favorite deer calibers - .54 round ball, 30/06, and 7mm/08

[toby]

I'm a Longrange hunting regular and I will tell you it's not so much the big caliber it's the chosen bullet to get the job done and before you start lobbing bullets at animals from far away learn long distance shooting FIRST if you don't already have experience in doing so. Just remember not all that many Big game animals are taken at real long distances,3-500 yrds is pretty average for most, beyond that are far and few between actually.

[Fjold]

If your only medium game rifle is an open sighted 30.06 then there is no cartridge made that will let you take animals cleanly at 600+ yards.

[Jedediah Munroe]

Also if in condor range realize you are limited on bullet selection and hence terminal ballistics.


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[yankee-pete]

I have a friend who wrote a magazine article about a doe he took at one mile with one of his 50BMGs.

Really, for 600-1000 yards, a 30-06 will do IF YOU CAN SHOOT that far ethically. If you want a bit more power, a 300WM would be a good choice since, ammo is relatively easy to find. However, I'll bring up the ethical hunter thing again. Most people aren't good enough at long range shooting to ethically consider making a +600 yard shot. Since you're asking this question, I can only assume that you are not a regular long range shooter and don't have a lot of hunting experience. Am I correct?

You are correct in your assumption. And you comment about ethics is a very valid and good point. I don't have a trip planned yet. I would definitely take time to become proficient with the weapon before attempting such a shot on an animal. Honestly, I don't know if I'll ever be shooting out that far, but I sure hope to. I want to be capable if the opportunity presents itself. A trip will be planned probably for 2016. I'm just beginning a preparation phase. The weapon is a large part of that.

[yankee-pete]

I'm a Longrange hunting regular and I will tell you it's not so much the big caliber it's the chosen bullet to get the job done and before you start lobbing bullets at animals from far away learn long distance shooting FIRST if you don't already have experience in doing so. Just remember not all that many Big game animals are taken at real long distances,3-500 yrds is pretty average for most, beyond that are far and few between actually.

Yeah, I realize that is the case. Most likely, I won't be in a position to take an animal beyond 3-500 yards but I want to be able to do so if possible.

If your only medium game rifle is an open sighted 30.06 then there is no cartridge made that will let you take animals cleanly at 600+ yards.

I wouldn't use that rifle to hunt at any distance past 100 yards.

[toby]

Also if in condor range realize you are limited on bullet selection and hence terminal ballistics.


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Easy answer here just don't limit yourself to the so called Condor range and when 2019 rolls around for non lead in the whole state just quit hunting this state all together, many like me already have for Big game.

Oh and Terminal ballistics can be very good with non lead bullets but Terminal and Ballistic coefficient are two different things, one is how a bullets reacts when it hits and the other is the flight of the bullet, in short.

[CSACANNONEER]

You are correct in your assumption. And you comment about ethics is a very valid and good point. I don't have a trip planned yet. I would definitely take time to become proficient with the weapon before attempting such a shot on an animal. Honestly, I don't know if I'll ever be shooting out that far, but I sure hope to. I want to be capable if the opportunity presents itself. A trip will be planned probably for 2016. I'm just beginning a preparation phase. The weapon is a large part of that.

The firearm and cartridge it is chambered for is not half as important as you think. Any decent rifle chambered in any cartridge comparable to .308 win or larger should suit you fine. The ammo and your skill are much more important than your choice of rifles. A good hunter will pass on a shot he/she is not 100% confident about. So, you're choice of words when you say "attempt a shot" means you have a lot to learn about hunting ethics and your abilities. I'm not trying to belittle you. I'm just trying to help you see the errors you are making before you make them in the field and leave an animal wounded and suffering or worse.

I've spent the last ten years learning to shoot 600-1000 yards. I have taken plenty of deer but, none farther than 150 yards. In fact, I'm probably going to get a bow and start learning more about real hunting this year. I think the challenge and satisfaction of taking a deer at 10 yards with a bow would be 1000 times better than harvesting one at 1000 yards. One is just knowing how and being able to read conditions and shoot long distance. The other is about being able hunt, stalk and cleaning harvest your game.

[-hanko]

A trip will be planned probably for 2016. I'm just beginning a preparation phase. The weapon is a large part of that.

I would submit it's not as large a part as you think.

I kill a meat deer a year with a Beretta 20ga O/U and a slug...I've never measured distance, but I don't think I've taken a shot at anything past 100 yards.

ETA...I haven't missed one (yet) that I've shot at, and they tend to drop like rocks.

For elk in Idaho, .270 works nicely at normal elk ranges.

Where and what do you plan on hunting with 600 yd. shots??