Distance you test at?
- Thread starter johnnyjr
- Start date
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
Rifle; I also start @ 50 most often stop @ 200.
Handgun; Start 21' to 25yards. Then 50 yards and some calibers go out to 100.
Handgun; Start 21' to 25yards. Then 50 yards and some calibers go out to 100.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
Sixty yards is what I test at, initially, for rifles/carbines. The distance, I happen to have a tent blind set up all year round. Card table chair and a camera tripod for a front rest......... stays out there all year round. Facilitates, my real life hunting situations.
Handguns, 7, 15, 20 or 60 yards...............depending on barrel length, type of sight/scope and intended use. DA for distances of 20 yards or less.
Handguns, 7, 15, 20 or 60 yards...............depending on barrel length, type of sight/scope and intended use. DA for distances of 20 yards or less.
Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
I'm probably the oddball here. For centerfire, I might start at 50, but normally just to get a sight setting if I don't have one. I then move to 100 yds. 100 yds is my primary test yardage because that is the limit to the club that is about 6 miles from my house. Good benches, lots of wind protection and rarely more than a couple shooters present.
I then go to Wilton and move to 200, 300, 400 and 500. It is not uncommon for a load to fall apart beyond 300 yds.
All this is for cast bullets.
I then go to Wilton and move to 200, 300, 400 and 500. It is not uncommon for a load to fall apart beyond 300 yds.
All this is for cast bullets.
Missionary
Well-Known Member
A 200 meter steel ram is a good test for any handgun load.... Rick is right !
Missionary
Well-Known Member
For rifle it depends on the real range I expect to see the critter then double it.
RBHarter
West Central AR
25/50 for pistols start and finish .
I usually shoot 100 yd for rifles unless I have something going on that's not working or the bullets can't find the target .
Carbines in pistol cartridges are a 50 yd deal as a rule .
I'm a nuts and bolts guy and every load is tooled for the hunt . The hunt is in flux it used to be 100-300 yd with the possibility of a 400 yd shot and 200 yd zeros , now it's like do I really need a 300 yd no/minimum hold over workhorse ? 100 yd is a long way through 2000 trees per acre where fields follow the rivers and springs and a mile of straight road is a miracle of full section homesteading circa 1849 or parallels continental railway . That means a shift from 24" 25&30-06' ,270&280 types to 16-18" 30-30&45-70 . The 6-7.5" revolvers have stayed and the companion carbine has become a useful tool rather than a range player .
25 and 40 yd for all things shotgun, never needed slugs or punkin' balls . 00B is held to full choke field standards, 100% inside 30" is the goal .
I usually shoot 100 yd for rifles unless I have something going on that's not working or the bullets can't find the target .
Carbines in pistol cartridges are a 50 yd deal as a rule .
I'm a nuts and bolts guy and every load is tooled for the hunt . The hunt is in flux it used to be 100-300 yd with the possibility of a 400 yd shot and 200 yd zeros , now it's like do I really need a 300 yd no/minimum hold over workhorse ? 100 yd is a long way through 2000 trees per acre where fields follow the rivers and springs and a mile of straight road is a miracle of full section homesteading circa 1849 or parallels continental railway . That means a shift from 24" 25&30-06' ,270&280 types to 16-18" 30-30&45-70 . The 6-7.5" revolvers have stayed and the companion carbine has become a useful tool rather than a range player .
25 and 40 yd for all things shotgun, never needed slugs or punkin' balls . 00B is held to full choke field standards, 100% inside 30" is the goal .
quicksylver
Well-Known Member
100 yds rifle 50 feet hand guns
I always like to do an initial test at 25yds for rifle, then move it to 50/100/200 & steel silhouettes at those distances. It weeds out the human factor for me if something is off, and let's me try different combos at a shorter walking distance, while reloading with a portable range kit (and making 10+ shot samples, to validate results).
It also depends on usage.... Wadcutters in a 35rem, is going to be a 50yd affair, while rnfp or swc will be out to 75/100 depending on what I want to thump with it.
Pistol... 7yds/25/50/100
It also depends on usage.... Wadcutters in a 35rem, is going to be a 50yd affair, while rnfp or swc will be out to 75/100 depending on what I want to thump with it.
Pistol... 7yds/25/50/100
25yds/100yds for handgun (25 to see where it is hitting, 100 to see if the groups hold up). 25yds (sometimes 25'!) to set sights then 100/200 for most rifle.
I've been testing carbine loads in the trapdoor rifle out to 600 yds (for a particular match)--looks like I'll be going to rifle loads for 300+ yards.
I've been testing carbine loads in the trapdoor rifle out to 600 yds (for a particular match)--looks like I'll be going to rifle loads for 300+ yards.
JonB
Halcyon member
Yep, me too.
one exception is rifle with iron sites, I use 50 yds for that.
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I see lots of fired 223/556 brass near the target backer on the 100 yd range, I suspect most of those tacti-cool AR-15 shooters like to test a 7 yds, LOL
462
California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
I have only one center-fire scoped rifle and test its loads at 100-yards. Iron-sighted rifle accuracy loads are shot at
fifty-yards, then moved to 100 once developed. That said, vision generally dictates that lever action rifles be kept to 50-yards. Handgun development is now done at 10-yards, though it used to be 25-yards off-hand and 50-yards off a rest. The range's steel reactive targets are set at intervals from 25-yards to 50-yards and I shoot them off-hand.
fifty-yards, then moved to 100 once developed. That said, vision generally dictates that lever action rifles be kept to 50-yards. Handgun development is now done at 10-yards, though it used to be 25-yards off-hand and 50-yards off a rest. The range's steel reactive targets are set at intervals from 25-yards to 50-yards and I shoot them off-hand.
I've seen local AR blasters shoot from 10-yards. Fifty-yards must be as far as their guns can shoot, because I don't recall ever seeing any shot at 100-yards.I suspect most of those tacti-cool AR-15 shooters like to test a 7 yds, LOL
Tomme boy
Well-Known Member
All rifles it is 100 to get a good load. Then shoot it as far as I am capable to do. Every gun and combo seems to have different yardages depending on what I am shooting in it. I have the luxury of shooting out to 950yds at my main place I shoot at. If I want to shoot across a gravel I can stretch it to 2000+ yds from the owners field across the gravel road. Old ladies parents I can get 1200yds.
Pistols I do most everything at 20-25yds. But do shoot farther once I have something I like. My AR9 pistol with a 8" barrel I was hitting a 12" plate at 365yds almost every shot with a red dot using Kentucky windage for holds.
The public range here is 70yds from the short range to the backstop. Then a 100yd to the same backstop. I mainly go there to pick up brass and lead. WAY to many rambo's for me to shoot there unless I have to. It is usually me and a friend if we go there to watch each others back so we don't get shot. They had 2 suicides there last year.
Pistols I do most everything at 20-25yds. But do shoot farther once I have something I like. My AR9 pistol with a 8" barrel I was hitting a 12" plate at 365yds almost every shot with a red dot using Kentucky windage for holds.
The public range here is 70yds from the short range to the backstop. Then a 100yd to the same backstop. I mainly go there to pick up brass and lead. WAY to many rambo's for me to shoot there unless I have to. It is usually me and a friend if we go there to watch each others back so we don't get shot. They had 2 suicides there last year.
fiver
Well-Known Member
depends on which pistol bay i happen to stop at.
the rope for the falling plates might be 10 foot or 30 foot, depends on if someone jerked it out of the ice or tied a new chunk on.
if i remember to bring a new piece of board to slide into the holder i shoot from here to there [wherever the rolling table is sitting]
rifles are 100 meters usually, 50 if i'm just getting a sight setting then to 100 and on out to 300 meters at the range.
at the river or up in the meadow there's a lot of 'there's a good looking rock that needs shot'.
i can't even find the stupid buffalo down to the thousand yard range so it gets a pass... it's probably laying down in the grass.
i'll give the 800yd. Elk a go from time to time though.
the rope for the falling plates might be 10 foot or 30 foot, depends on if someone jerked it out of the ice or tied a new chunk on.
if i remember to bring a new piece of board to slide into the holder i shoot from here to there [wherever the rolling table is sitting]
rifles are 100 meters usually, 50 if i'm just getting a sight setting then to 100 and on out to 300 meters at the range.
at the river or up in the meadow there's a lot of 'there's a good looking rock that needs shot'.
i can't even find the stupid buffalo down to the thousand yard range so it gets a pass... it's probably laying down in the grass.
i'll give the 800yd. Elk a go from time to time though.