It is nice when you combine good quality components with good conditions.
All of these things came together for me this past weekend while shooting at 1,000 yards.
This is my best 5-shot group at 1,000 yards.
Eric Wallace (Nawakwa Accuracy) built this rig and it shoots and tracks like a dream.
Non-designated BAT action, 1-9 twist Bartlein barrel chambered in 7mm WSM, Nawakwa brake, Jewell trigger, Nawakwa bench stock (6” forend and 3” at the grip), Sightron S-III 8-32 with target dot, and I am using a prototype MAX Rest.
Winchester brass, Fed 210M's, H-1000, and 180 grain JLK's. Redding T-7 press and competition dies.
The 5-shot group was shot this past Saturday south of Sundance, WY at the 6th Annual MOA Cold Turkey Long Range Handgun Match at 1,000 yards and measured 3.8715 inches. MOA Annual "Cold Turkey" Handgun Match
We have two classes in this match, and I shot this group during the Heavy Gun Class (Specialty Handgun weighing no more than 16 pounds and a barrel not exceeding 18”).
To say the least, I am a happy camper-Thank you to all who helped me accomplish this.
Ernie

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Ernie

The applications for a 1000 yard shot are all military. And these days that is not even very far for them. They have pushed that envelope out to 2000 yards these days. Barrett Firearms Manufacturing Inc has been pioneering long range shooting in the 50 BMG and .416 calibres to extend these ranges for the military, and training them on their cutting edge technologies.

Carlos Hathcock discovered on his own that a 50 cal can reach out there a mile or more if you put a hunting scope on it, and Barrett has refined the technology to do it every time first time.

If a contraption has no military applications, then it is just an albatross.

I think the best thing we civilian hunters can do, even those of us who are x-military, is keep our hunting rifles trimmed and tuned to make those 1000 yds shots if necessary. Granted we wont be shooting at a moving target that wears a rag turban, in the wind, at a steep angle. But we should learn and know how to make a flat static shot, on a calm day, against a silhouette on the horizon.

But that's with a real hunting rifle. Not with a contraption. Just saying.

So here is the contraption I use:

Attached Thumbnails

 

This is quite entertaining.
This was a BR match, not a tac or sniper comp.
Not all 1000 yard shooting or beyond 1K is military either.
BR matches are about small groups, not first shot connections. I do tac matches against rifle shooters with some different SP's with 1st and second shot connections out to and beyond 1K.
I rarely shoot or hunt with a rifle because thèy got boring.
I am familiar with the different type of rifles that snipers use and their capabilities.
My two longest small target kills with a specialty handgun is 1590 yards and 1800 yards FWIW.
I am more of a field shooter than a bench shooter, but I do enjoy this specialty handgun each year.
No, mine are not bigger than yours, unless you are talking about cartridges. And maybe even then yours is bigger
338AX (338 Lapua Improved) center-grip XP-100
375 Snipe-Tac (375 Chey-Tac Improved) rear grip non-designated Lawton
There are numerous LR disciplines and a number of these have absolutely nothing to do with the military or hunting.
I figure if I can drop a big game animal with one of my SP's beyond 1K, then doing it with a rifle shouldn't be real difficult under good atmospheric conditions

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Ernie

Oh yeah, those were prairie dogs BTW

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Ernie

Just saying.

The 1590 yard and 1800 yard kills were on pd's not man silhouette targets.
The 1037 yard antelope was with a center-grip XP-100 shooting prone with a bi-pod and field bag under the grip. 162 A-max did the job nicely.

Actually learning to use a SP in field conditions, especially the rear-grip stocks do have a military role, since a number of our guys have folder stocks, and there are times when things are tight, and knowing how to run a field bag off of pistol grip with the stock folded is quite handy.

The 300 RUM is a nice cartridge in a rifle, but for extreme distance hunting: Beyond 1K, I will take the 300 grain Berger .818 BC out of my center-grip XP-100 any day. At 1275 yards my impact velocity is right at 1800 fps (minimum recommended by Berger) my 10mph FV wind is 5.25 MOA at 4500 feet elevation (1798 ft pounds of energy if you like that comparison). Less wind drift of course if I was in the hills.
This is a pic when I am on the bench, but I run it the same way prone in the dirt.




I don't want you in my part of the country if you actually hunt the way you described it. Just Saying...

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Ernie

Well if you can make it hunt or shoot in practical conditions, then I suppose it is definitely useful.

That first photo looked like a contraption that wouldn't do much of either.

Nice new photo though. Seems like it would be a good gun for antelope.

It is still a free country, last time I checked, so you can do whatever you want.

Yes it is.
I like playing at distance:
7WSM XP - 1037 yard antelope




666 yard cow 7mm Dakota



1450 yard pd shooting off of a bi-pod (7mm Dakota XP-100 using 200 grain ULD Wildcat bullet.


496 yard mule Deer


Son's 2011 690 yard lope - 7mm SAUM 162 A-Max


2011 Mule Deer just over 600 yards 6.5 Leopard center-grip XP

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Ernie

Wow! Incredible shooting.

Don

That certainly is great shooting. Better I think then I could ever do, but I've never had the chance to shoot long distance in hunting or taget.

What kind of pistol scopes are you using? I'm guessing they had some custom work done on them? Great pictures too. I love the west. I got to see it once but probably never again. My back and butt don't like long drives.

Thanks guys!
Jimbo,
Not using pistol scopes at all.
All pictured are rifle scopes.
6.5-20, 6-24, 5.5-22, 8-25, and 8-32.
Here is how I do it safely:
Handgun Hunter Magazine - Rifle Scopes On Specialty Handguns

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Ernie

Wow! Looks like the perfect antelope gun.

They work good for me.

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Ernie

Ernie,

I'm not sure why Mr. Shoobee's first comments were not as "complementary" as his most recent, but any shooter worth his sandbags should be saying "Wow!" to the group you shot at 1,000 yards. To put 5 under 4" at 500 yards would impress the bug eyes right outta me, so doing it at 1,000 yards is almost mind-boggling.

My son shot 3 rounds into .400" at 100 yards, a couple of Saturdays ago. In a perfect world, that would be 4" at 1000 yards, but anybody who has shot much past 300 knows groups don't always stay as tight "out yonder" as they do at fairly close range. It takes special loads, a special firearm, special equipment, and most importantly a special shooter to accomplish what you did in the OP. Don't let anyone belittle or downplay it, either...it's one heck of an accomplishment!

Now, as for big-game hunting at those distances? Well, I will simply say that I respect everyone's freedom to choose how they hunt, but philosophically, I have decided that maximum point-blank range for a given firearm is also a fair distance at which to distinguish big-game hunting from shooting. Perhaps a bit farther than that is still "OK", and on varmints any range is fine with me, but for the larger, edible critters, I feel a reverence that precludes making a "science" out of shooting them. If it requires drop-tables, a wind meter, a ballistic computer or guns costing as much as the first new car I bought, it's just not for me. To me, that's "shooting", which is a great discipline unto itself, but it's not "hunting". Again, to me, hunting is something almost religious or spiritual.

If shooting and hunting big game with a rifle, at any distance, ever became "boring" to me, I would be very sad, indeed. However, I would not extend the distance using highly specialized equipment. I would like to think I would take a long, introspective look into the reason I'm no longer excited and happy with the hunt. The words "distant" and "indifferent" are synonymous. I hope to never be indifferent toward the magic and wonder of hunting big game.

Jason

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Ask me about QDMA.

Jason,
Thank you.
I have no problems with people on how the set distance limits on how they hunt.
I am also fine if someone calls my LR kills on big game, shooting.
Some have said or implied (no one here) that the reason I hunt at distance is because I do not have the skills to get close. I have seen this logic used about other LR hunters as well.
Sometimes, I intentionally hunt at close range, like with a bow this last fall with my 20 year old Pearson.



I also hunt with a revolver some as well, when I want to get close.
A shot out to 600 yards for me is about what a 250-300 yard shot used to be.
Distance and indifference are not synonymous with me.
Whether it be close, mid, or long each has its challenge and mystery for me.
With all of that said, I surely respect how each person approaches hunting.

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Ernie

That's some fine shooting. Bet it was exciting when up close on that bull!

There's skill, whether it's a 400 yard shot with a rifle or a 40 foot shot with a bow. Each is difficult in it's own way.

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MikeG

Congrats on the 1K group. All this is truely amazing to me. Very nice photos.

Did you get your patch from the Varmint Hunters Association?

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Still Learnin' as I go!

NRA Life Member

No, I never even applied for it although Steve and I were both members.
My next LR goal is a pd over 2000 yards.
When I get that, I will get the patch

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Ernie

You're "The Man". "Just saying." Phenomenal shooting and naysayers be ****ed.

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"A gun is like a parachute.



If you need one, and don't have one,



you'll probably never need one again!"

Incredible shooting. It's always the nut behind the trigger but when the nut has good equipment it sure makes it easier. My hat is off to you XP. I've never fired beyond 1000 yards and never at game, that just isn't the way I like to hunt. But, having fired a lot of 1000 yard groups for fun, small groups are not something easily, or often inexpensively, accomplished....and I always used a rifle! You sir are a fine marksman and while I don't find your firearms aesthetically pleasing it is evident they are technical marvels. Congratulations on skills well developed and firearms equal to your skills.

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In general the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens and giving it to another class of citizens. Voltaire

There is no right way to do a wrong thing

NRA Benefactor, 2008