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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:37:30 PM EDT
[#1]
I limit myself to 350 yards with a 6.8 Wylde
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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:37:39 PM EDT
[#2]
I’d call that a 100 yard gun. I’m certain many others on this site would feel fully confident taking a 400 yard shot directly into the heart, but in my opinion 100 yards is a reasonable limit for that kind of bullet and velocity.
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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:39:11 PM EDT
[#3]
TMK will get you to 200 easy, without running the numbers I’d feel comfortable taking GDs out to most of that.
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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:41:22 PM EDT
[#4]
Big variable would be on "deer or coyote", and who's shooting.
You don't want wound/lose a deer by trying a 250 yard shot, but some may or may not give a crap about a wounded coyote crawling off into a bush and dying. |
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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:42:03 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I’d call that a 100 yard gun. I’m certain many others on this site would feel fully confident taking a 400 yard shot directly into the heart, but in my opinion 100 yards is a reasonable limit for that kind of bullet and velocity. Quote HistoryQuoted: I’d call that a 100 yard gun. I’m certain many others on this site would feel fully confident taking a 400 yard shot directly into the heart, but in my opinion 100 yards is a reasonable limit for that kind of bullet and velocity. Agreed Quoted: Big variable would be on "deer or coyote", and who's shooting. You don't want wound/lose a deer by trying a 250 yard shot, but some may or may not give a crap about a wounded coyote crawling off into a bush and dying. Also agreed |
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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:43:27 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I’d call that a 100 yard gun. I’m certain many others on this site would feel fully confident taking a 400 yard shot directly into the heart, but in my opinion 100 yards is a reasonable limit for that kind of bullet and velocity. 100 yards is a chip shot. 200 plus easy. Try it. |
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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:45:38 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 100 yards is a chip shot. 200 plus easy. Try it. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I’d call that a 100 yard gun. I’m certain many others on this site would feel fully confident taking a 400 yard shot directly into the heart, but in my opinion 100 yards is a reasonable limit for that kind of bullet and velocity. 100 yards is a chip shot. 200 plus easy. Try it. I’ve tried it. I like some safety margin in my hunting bullets. |
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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:47:07 PM EDT
[#8]
Decide on the bullet you’re shooting.
Look up the velocity window inside which the bullet operates with best performance.. Shoot your gun over a Chronograph to determine your actual velocity. Punch the information into a ballistic calculator to determine at what range your bullet drops below its velocity window. I’d round down a bit on the range to be conservative. Go shoot at the range you decided was the max effective range. Can you repeatably hit targets with sufficient accuracy to insure an ethical kill at that range? You should be shooting in a banner that reflects how you hunt. If the answer is yes, then congratulations you have your max range. If the answer is no, then the bullet and load are not the weak link in the chain and you should shorten the distances until your accuracy is acceptable. In this case you’ve now found the maximum effective range for that bullet with that load in that gun. |
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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:56:06 PM EDT
[#9]
Can you and your ammo choice shoot MOA?
If so no worries. <200yds head shot. 200+ punch the lungs...the deer isn't going far. |
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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:56:16 PM EDT
[#10]
.....
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Posted: 8/16/2022 7:58:50 PM EDT
[#11]
 
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Posted: 8/16/2022 8:00:01 PM EDT
[#12]
11.5”? If you can see it you can kill it.
10.5”? I’d be seriously concerned it wouldn’t penetrate a thick layer of fur beyond spitting distance. Animal wearing a denim coat? A 10.5” might as well be an airsoft gun. |
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Posted: 8/16/2022 8:21:57 PM EDT
[#13]
If I had a magnified optic and a rest 200yards would be max with a bonded bullet.
I've nearly lost deer at half that because of hitting a rib or shoulder. I don't hunt with a rest so I don't hunt with a 556 anymore. A couple dozen deer with meh performance has shown me I need a bigger gun when actually hunting and not culling. |
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Posted: 8/16/2022 8:27:12 PM EDT
[#14]
I’d take gold dots to 100yds on deer. 250 on coyote seems reasonable, but largely on varmint it would depend on if you can simply make the hit in those conditions, and if you’re ok with the cost of ammo.
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Posted: 8/16/2022 9:07:57 PM EDT
[#15]
200 yards due to ballistics.
I reach my 10.5" to 300 often on a 12" plate but I wouldn't hunt with it that far. |
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Posted: 8/16/2022 9:19:09 PM EDT
[#16]
Ammo and barrel will decide your actual drop. You need to test it to make sure. Yes, charts are nice, but actual self testing is what matters.
I run a 10.5 for work and don't have an issue at 300. |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 8:17:47 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I’d call that a 100 yard gun. I’m certain many others on this site would feel fully confident taking a 400 yard shot directly into the heart, but in my opinion 100 yards is a reasonable limit for that kind of bullet and velocity. That’s one of the limiting factors of the short(er) barrel isn’t it. Got to have the velocity for expansion/fragmentation and also enough energy to drive deep enough to hit the vitals. |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 8:20:06 PM EDT
[#18]
You can kill your future hearing with just a shot of two.
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Posted: 8/17/2022 8:20:38 PM EDT
[#19]
I ran a 11.5 downrange- I considered it a 200 meter carbine.
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Posted: 8/17/2022 8:27:07 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Ammo and barrel will decide your actual drop. You need to test it to make sure. Yes, charts are nice, but actual self testing is what matters. I run a 10.5 for work and don't have an issue at 300. Hitting isn't the problem with a short barrel. Terminal performance quickly becomes an issue for hunting. |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 8:28:43 PM EDT
[#21]
What is your performance criteria. If it is 2700 FPS impact with 55 FMj, than about 10 yards. If it's 800 ft-lb energy at impact... well, I'll need to run the calc again.
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Posted: 8/17/2022 8:52:33 PM EDT
[#22]
My Spinta-barreled 10.5" pistol will make ragged holes at 50 and cloverleafs at 100 (in a leadsled
) with 75gr Gold Dots, so I don't see why you couldn't have a safe 200yd estimate.
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Posted: 8/17/2022 9:03:15 PM EDT
[#23]
Hitting stuff isn't the problem; getting quick, ethical kills is the problem. I hunted for years with a 6.8 and the kids will probably hunt with it some in the years to come. I consider it plenty for deer out to 300 yards or maybe a bit further. I killed one at ~305 with it. Several between 200 and 250.
For a 5.56 I'd drop that to ~250 with a 16" barrel and probably 200ish for your 11.5", assuming good accuracy and using one of the better bullets at full pressure/speeds for that barrel. I fully get that you can kill deer with less energy than that, but I just prefer a bit of extra cushion. YMMV. |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 9:05:40 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 11.5”? If you can see it you can kill it. 10.5”? I’d be seriously concerned it wouldn’t penetrate a thick layer of fur beyond spitting distance. Animal wearing a denim coat? A 10.5” might as well be an airsoft gun. Not sure if serious??????? |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 9:07:19 PM EDT
[#25]
300 yards with .224 Rigby.
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Posted: 8/17/2022 9:08:34 PM EDT
[#26]
With gold dot or federal fusion… 300-325 yards.
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Posted: 8/17/2022 9:08:43 PM EDT
[#27]
But why?
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Posted: 8/17/2022 9:12:02 PM EDT
[#28]
Zero a 11.5" at 36 yards for a 300 yard zero.
Shoot anything you see up to that distance with a slight hold under at 150/200. Get some 62g fusions if you can find them or a similar weight hunting round. |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 10:44:13 PM EDT
[#29]
Since deer are tiny here, I'd feel comfortable taking out a deer at 200yds max with that 64 grainer.
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Posted: 8/17/2022 10:58:01 PM EDT
[#30]
200 or less. May stretch to 250 if conditions are right/optics etc. My 10.3 mk18 is my woods gun, it wears an eotech and the furthest kill with it has been 140yds or so. I’ve taken deer out to 415yds with my mk12 shooting cbc mk262 clone.
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Posted: 8/17/2022 11:01:37 PM EDT
[#31]
If you haven't chronod your own stuff.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/ar-15/-/16-714088/? Then find the minimum reliable terminal velocity threshold for the ammo you're using and cross reference with what distance that would be. |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 11:21:45 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Decide on the bullet you’re shooting. Look up the velocity window inside which the bullet operates with best performance.. Shoot your gun over a Chronograph to determine your actual velocity. Punch the information into a ballistic calculator to determine at what range your bullet drops below its velocity window. I’d round down a bit on the range to be conservative. Go shoot at the range you decided was the max effective range. Can you repeatably hit targets with sufficient accuracy to insure an ethical kill at that range? You should be shooting in a banner that reflects how you hunt. If the answer is yes, then congratulations you have your max range. If the answer is no, then the bullet and load are not the weak link in the chain and you should shorten the distances until your accuracy is acceptable. In this case you’ve now found the maximum effective range for that bullet with that load in that gun. This. Followed by you should be shooting Sierra 77gr TMK if you’re going to push the distance. I’ve killed deer with my 11.5 using 75gr gold dots, I’ll just say under 100 yards it can be pretty nasty. I’m comfortable taking a 200 yard shot with that combo, but if I thought my shots would be further I’d be using 77gr TMK or 73gr eld. There is a amazing thread on rokslide showing people killing big game up to and including moose with 223 rifles. Lots of great info in there for the combos that work and why they work. To save you some reading though get some 77gr TMKs and keep the above 1800fps at impact and you’ll kill things. |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 11:25:17 PM EDT
[#33]
Deleted
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Posted: 8/17/2022 11:29:01 PM EDT
[#34]
Maybe 200 but would prefer 100. I'm more worried about harvesting the animal properly than the potential max range I could hit, and hopefully drop, it.
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Posted: 8/17/2022 11:30:13 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Zero a 11.5" at 36 yards for a 300 yard zero. Shoot anything you see up to that distance with a slight hold under at 150/200. Get some 62g fusions if you can find them or a similar weight hunting round. overly general advice can be poor… This relationship is very dependent on optic height, projectile coefficient and actual velocity. For example, a Hornady 75gr load (a popular Defensive load) going 2400fps out of an 11.5” with a 2.26” optic (not an uncommon rifle setup) zeroed at 36 yards should cross zero again around 251 yards and would be some 6.5 inches low at 300 yards. If you’re talking about shooting to make an ethical kill at full zero ranges… at least do the animal the courtesy of making the effort to zero your gun at the actual zero instead of approximating the zero crossings. |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 11:30:24 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: But why? Is there a single thread you can comment in and not try and ruin it? |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 11:34:05 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Is there a single thread you can comment in and not try and ruin it? I’m sorry. Because I believe in hunting animals ethically? |
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Posted: 8/17/2022 11:38:51 PM EDT
[#38]
Killed a muley doe last year with my 11.5 and XM556FBIT3 at about 200 last fall. I was honestly impressed with the performance.
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Posted: 8/17/2022 11:55:45 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Killed a muley doe last year with my 11.5 and XM556FBIT3 at about 200 last fall. I was honestly impressed with the performance. Optic? |
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Posted: 8/18/2022 12:20:02 AM EDT
[#40]
All about velocity to ensure expansion. I run a 12.5" Grendel and I dont want to go past 300, because I want the bullet to do its job. Looking at some arbitrary Google numbers....
MK262 from 11.5" shows an initial velocity of 2500. According to this post Federal Fusion has an expansion velocity of 1350. Lets call it 1600 to err on the side of caution and make sure the bullet it doing what it should. If we play with this calculator and use a Federal Soft Point 64 grain bullet with an initial velocity of 2600 that ends up at 1554 at 350 yards. So, to again err on the side of caution I'd say under 300. Now, look at it as a green, yellow red zone. I consider under 200 green zone. Send it. 200-250 transitions into yellow. Good shot? Send it. Over 250 to 300 is red zone. It better be a damn nice shot and then send it. But frankly, my limitation is my marksmanship not my velocity. Dunno how scientific the above is, hopefully others can confirm/deny (And I wont defend the above too closely if someone provides sensible numbers disagreeing) |
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Posted: 8/18/2022 12:22:23 AM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Optic? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Killed a muley doe last year with my 11.5 and XM556FBIT3 at about 200 last fall. I was honestly impressed with the performance. Optic? Steiner P4Xi |
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Posted: 8/18/2022 12:27:09 AM EDT
[#42]
I’m in the 100 and I’m club.
I’ve too many people blast away at deer on power lines with traditional scopes and rifles to recommend 200 yards with a 11.5 barrel .223. Of course, since it’s GD I know we have some bad ass mother effers who’ve never even slightly missed the hairs on a gnats ass at 500 yards with XM193, but yea… whatever, not my thing for hunting and not what I would suggest to anyone. |
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Posted: 8/18/2022 12:34:10 AM EDT
[#43]
Varmints? 250-300 yards
Deer? 150 or under. Treat it like a 30-30. I think I would rather have something else thought. Same size package in 762x39 for deer would inspire a lot more confidence in me. |
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Posted: 8/18/2022 1:17:40 AM EDT
[#44]
11" AR? about arms length.
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Posted: 8/18/2022 5:11:17 AM EDT
[#45]
 10.5in AR15 "Build" to 500yds: Practical Accuracy |
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Posted: 8/18/2022 5:15:04 AM EDT
[#46]
200 yards with a good scope would be about it ethically for me.
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Posted: 8/18/2022 5:15:38 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Hitting isn't the problem with a short barrel. Terminal performance quickly becomes an issue for hunting. this |
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Posted: 8/18/2022 5:39:08 AM EDT
[#48]
11.5” AR
I’d feel comfortable to 250 yards with just a red dot. I’ve made such a shot at 220 with PPU 75gr match. Out if a 10.3” CQBR mod 0 clone with an Aimpoint M2. Lung / heart shot DRT. |
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Posted: 8/18/2022 9:18:37 AM EDT
[#49]
Any distance you can hit the heart reliably.
16" 556 using Barnes ttsx works great on deer I've shot ( longest was ~ 100 yards) 11.5 left me wanting more power on a buck at 80 yards. |
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Posted: 8/18/2022 9:34:20 AM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Not sure if serious??????? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: 11.5”? If you can see it you can kill it. 10.5”? I’d be seriously concerned it wouldn’t penetrate a thick layer of fur beyond spitting distance. Animal wearing a denim coat? A 10.5” might as well be an airsoft gun. Not sure if serious??????? No shit... If so, then it's definitely a case of someone thinking that 1" makes the difference between 'being useless' or being ' well hung.'
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