How far can your rifled barrel shoot?

[candiru]

Sighted in properly they all shoot in an arc. Even the flattest shooting magnums. The bullet leaves the muzzle and goes to or above the line of sight and then starts to drop. The barrel and the line of sight (scope) are not parallel to each other. If the line of sight is parallel to the ground the barrel is pointed up slightly. The point is that in the right gun with the right scope these slugs have the energy and accuracy to get the job done at 200 yds.

[icehousebob]

I have to agree with those who say the man holding the gun is the limiting factor. If you've only practiced at 100 yards, you have no business shooting at game past that. I once hunted with a guy carrying a new 300 Win with a 4x12 scope who told me it would kill at 400 yards. I watched him miss a doe twice at 75 yards. He had shot the gun a total of 5 times before the hunt. Of course, he blamed the scope.

My slug gun is an Ithaca Deerslayer II with a 1.5X4.5 scope. With 3" Federal Sabots, it will group fist size at 130 yards. In hunting situations, I won't stretch it past 100. If you respect the game you're hunting, you won't go for wounding shots.

[paul pachowicz]

Candiru, I understand what you are saying and appreciate your knowledge of basic ballistics. I think we are spliting hairs. A bullet, on its own can not "rise". The barrel must be angled slightly upward relative to the sights. This results in a bullet being lobbed towards the target and crosses the line of sight at two points, near zero and far zero and there is that portion of flight where the projectile is flat. If a person could position the "line of bore" perfectly parallel to the earth while holding the same type bullet at exactly the same level above the ground they would hit the gound at the same time if dropped at the same instant the bullet leaves the barrel. This is because gravity is constant. Regardless of what we do the bullets are falling even when traveling upwards. If we know that a bullet will fall 2 inches low (true drop) at a given range we aim two inches high to hit the target (apparent drop). So I'm saying that a bullet can not "rise" unless we physically angle the barrel to do so. I think we were arguing (in a good sense) symantics.

[Jackpine Rob]

I get a good laugh from you guys who say you can shoot up to 150+ with a slug gun. distances without dropping off the table.

Chuckle away. Some of us actually do our homework and range work. Making longer shots isn't rocket science - it is simple physics, coupled with practice and experience.

If your only experience with a slug gun is loading up the trusty shotgun with whatever slug was on sale at Gander and heading out Opening Morning, I can understand your skepticism.

If you get the chance to pop a few caps out of a tuned-up slug gun loaded with some of the newer sabot offerings, I think you'll be amazed at what such a rig is capable of.

[96trigger]

Quote:

If a person could position the "line of bore" perfectly parallel to the earth while holding the same type bullet at exactly the same level above the ground they would hit the gound at the same time if dropped at the same instant the bullet leaves the barrel. This is because gravity is constant.

You are 100% correct. During the physics sections I teach there are a few demos that can be done to show this. The kids get a kick out of it.

I shoot alot in the summer. I know my gun well. I also know that with open sights, there is absolutely NO way to get a good kill zone shot on a deer at 100 yards. The front sight takes up way to much of the deer, so thats all you end up aiming at is the front half. I know these slugs can travel far and still retain their energy. With a scope, I would not hesitate on a 100-150 yard shot. 200 yards, for me is really pushing it.

[Svinekotelett]

Ive always been a firm 100 yard max guy with my shotgun. Now thats not to say i dont think theres a ton of people who can get the job done at 150 plus yards. As with 96trigger i also shoot my guns alot over the summer. Not only that i shoot alot in the fall, winter, and spring. But to say there is no way to get a good kill zone shot with open sights, WHAT? Ive killed over a dozen deer (clean in the vitals) with a 20 gauge with open sights. I can put 3 slugs inside of a bullsize barly widining the original hole at 75 yards. At 100 yards just a litte wider group. Over 100, idk cause i never tried.I hunt in a riffle zone with a slug gun because the woods is to thick to shoot over 40 yards anyway. For someone who shoots alot, and is a physics teacher thats a pretty bold statment.

[Larson15]

Not a bold statement at all.....Shooting a slug over 100 yrds at an animal with open sights is not ethical. I dont care how good of a shooter you think you are. If you want to take those long range shots put a scope on

[Svinekotelett]

He dident say shooting open sights OVER 100 YARDS doesent work, He said there is no way to get a good clean kill shot on a deer with open sights period. so yes its a bold statment. Somaybe he typed it wrong but thats what he said!!! Personally i think using a shotgun for anything over 100 yard is unethical, scope or not. use a little self restraint

[96trigger]

Sorry, I meant to say at 100 yards with open sights it would not be possible to get a good kill zone. At 75 yards my front bead covered up a pie plate, last time I checked, that was roughly the kill zone of the deer. I never said that you couldn't shoot a deer at a 100 yards, all I said was that you are going to be aiming at the front half of the deer with open sights, that leaves a LARGE margin of error. Not something I feel confident in doing. But to each his own. I am very aware that the slugs are very capable of killing deer at 150 yards, with open sights, I just hope you aim for the right half of the deer.

[Gordie]

I know not everyone has military training but those guys shoot very long distances with iron sights and the key here is practice,practice, practice. I'm not saying that it sould or shouldnt be done but if you know your gun and you know how to use it then 100-150 yrd shots with iron sights are very do-able.I know my limitations when it comes to iron sights and I stick with that.

When my father started us out it was with 22's and iron sights at 25yrds and once we could drive tacks at that distance then we would move out to 50 and then 75 and then 100yrds yes 100yrds with a 22 rimfire.he said it is a lot cheaper to shoot 200 rounds of 22 ammo than busting up your shoulder and the cost of slugs. Plus it really gets you in tune with the sights. try it.

when I got older and bought my own stuff I had to scope everything I had cuase it was easier to hit stuff( targets,game) then I decided to muzzle load hunt no scopes allowed and didnt really think that I was gonna be very good after not using iron sights for quite some time well after the first few shots out of it I remembered what dad taught me and picked up the 22 and shot a bunch of rounds thru it until I had the feel back then started shooting the muzzle loader andwas back on the bulls eye.

told my dad about it and he said that I should shoot iron sights more now than ever because my eyes probally wont let me in the future. you know they thats the first thing to go again It comes down to practice,practice and more practice.

[vister]

told my dad about it and he said that I should shoot iron sights more now than ever because my eyes probally wont let me in the future. you know they thats the first thing to go again It comes down to practice,practice and more practice.

i thought thats why they make a little blue pill!

[Gordie]

dont know anything about that like a rock