Posted: 8/2/2001 11:01:50 AM EDT
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If you were using a good Nosler type bullet, using a 20" barrel, what do you think the maximum distance would be where you'd still do enough 'damage' to a target? I'm talking in a SHTF scenerio and you had no long distance rig to knock those blue helmets off with! [:D] Or, if you're going to have to do such shooting, a person had better make sure they have their bolt action with them? You wouldn't want your enemy getting in too close! Reason I ask is that I recently read "Patriots: Surviving the Coming Colaps" and at one point a guy with a long range rifle was picking off the enemy, but started getting concerned when they started getting within 450 yrds. (disclaimer: I have no intentions other than educational purposes.) |
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You can do damage from as far away as you can hit. With 5.56 ball, you get an impressive wound channel inside 100 yards, but past about 200 yards the wound channel is narrow. However, it actually penetrates better at 200 than 100. As long as the bullet penetrates sufficiently, you can kill with it. Certainly, with something like 75 gr Hornady HPBTs, 600 yards and more is possible. On a calm day, you could hit at 1,000 and kill the target, assuming that [i]you[/i] are capable of such shooting. |
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To be honest, I'm finding the .223 to be a ballistic pissant at much beyond 100 yards with respect to "terminal ballistic performance", at least as rated by square footage of groundhog carnage. Accurate, yes, but when I would hit a groundhog with a 110grain VMAX out a .270 or a 55 Nosler at 3500 fps out of a 22-250, I usually would see a rather explosive result. Not so with the .223, and I'm using 55 Ballistic Tips at 3200 fps. They punch nice holes, but expansion ain't great. Nonetheless, I don't think I'd want to be on the receiving end of one of them; they may not bounce off my blue helmet.. [sniper] |
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Quoted: Would I want to get one of those scopes with the bullet drop compensator built in then for the real long range stuff? Orion, What you are proposing is not near as easy as you make it sound. Long range shooting is a discipline that takes lots of time/dedication/knowledge/equipment/money and some other stuff that doesn't leap to mind. Practice is paramount--along with a place to practice. Judging distance is vital, reading wind is vital, along with LOTS of practice. Your equipment must be right, but it is not near as important as the nut on the rear of the rifle. Give up on 5.56 for long range. This, of course, depends upon your definition of long range. True long range shooting demands a .50 BMG for best results. A .300 WM is good for intermediate "long range." A .308 Win. is good out to 1,000 yds., but that is pushing it. Good glass is vital, but realizing, the scope mounted to hit at 1,000 yds. cannot be used at 100 yds. very well. A .30-06 Spfld. drops 54 [b]FEET[/b] at 1,000 yds.!!! Practice, practice, practice, beginning at 300 yds., then work your way out to the limit of your ability and your equipment's ability, then practice more and upgrade equipment. Bottom line, what you are contemplating is way more difficult than the anti's make it sound. |
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thebeekeeper1, [:O] You have hit the nail in my coffin when it comes to long range and practice. I HAVE no place to practice. The reason why I ask is that I'm contemplating turning my heavy 20" free floated barrel upper into a CQB type upper. At this point, I'd be just as successful using the force if I had to shoot at anything past 200 yrds. There is NO place that I know of in my area that I could go to. So, having the upper I have seem like a colosal waste of weight to have to carry. |