[DogTrot]

When I get the next opportunity to go to some of the more open areas of public land here in Oregon, I'd like to shoot some targets further than 100 yards. How far can I expect to bring the little .22s in on bulls eye with the 3X9 scoped Marlin 60. I know ammo will influence the answer but I bet some folks here have some experience in this matter.

 

[Wind]

Hey there DogTrot -- With a zero at 50 yards, you'll find you have 44 to 48 inches of bullet drop by the time it gets to 200 yards. If you still have any adjustment left you will be needing in the vicinity of eight feet of adjustment out to 300 yards. It is a hoot to shoot those little guys that far. Best regards. Wind

 

[janott]

Just get you a Shepherd scope for that 22 and you will be ready for some short or long range fun.

 

[3691]

There's a 200yd range out near White City NE of Medford if you're anywhere near there. HTH

 

[papajohn]

Sighted in at 50 yards, you'll get five to seven inches drop at 100, and as others have pointed out, it gets a lot steeper from there. But it sure is fun seeing a dust poof on your target way out there. I once spent an entire afternoon lobbing 22 rounds across a valley, trying to hit a 1-inch exploding target. It took about 450 rounds, but it sure was neat when I hit it! Scared the horses into the barn on the farm a half mile away. ;D

 

[Fast Frank]

Long distance shooting with a .22 is all about hold over.

My model 39 is sighted in just a fraction of an inch low at 25 yards, an inch high at 50 yards, two or three inches low at 100 yards, and about four feet low at 200 yards.

If I estimate the range correctly, then I stand a pretty good chance of guessing the holdover.

That rifle will shoot 1.5 MOA pretty reliably, and will shoot near MOA on a good day if I do my part and get lucky.

If I actually shoot 1.5 MOA, then I can expect inch and a half groups at 100 yards, and three inch groups at 200 yards. Obviously, hitting something smaller than my expected group size is not going to happen.

I've been pretty reliable out a little past 100 yards, but beyond that it's pretty much a Hail Mary kind of a shot where I hope for the best and lob it out there.

Shooting reliably out at 200 yards requires "Walking" the shot in until I figure out where my aimpoint actually is. Once I've figured out where to aim for a given target, I can usually hit it at will.

My advice is to go do it. Do it as much as it pleases you. You will only get better at it with experience.

After a while, you will get good at looking at a target, estimating the range, estimating the holdover, and you will be able to hit stuff out there far more than most folks believe possible.

At that point it really becomes fun.

 

[jstanfield103]

Have not tried it yet, but I read some where on this big thing called the internet, that if you sight the scope for 25yards that the arc will realign its self again at 75 yards. Don't know about further. But if thats the case just aim approx. 1" high at a 100 yards.

 

[me]

I have 2 model 60 1 has a 6X24 the other a3X9. I have reached out 3-500yds killing beer can size rats.1 will shoot a 10 shot grp under 1.50" at 100yd ad wind and distance and it's law of averages. when I get locked in past 200 yd 1 out of 4 Is doing good.

 

[DogTrot]

Fellows, thanks large,

I enjoyed all of your replies. I suspected there were some long range plinkers here.

Next time to the range I think I'll try to zero in on some of those groups of 1.5 at 100 yards as suggested. That should keep me busy for a little while. After I get her sighted in, I'll plan for a longer drive out to the open range for more fun.

Any suggestions for targets to be used at distance? I found lots of free targets on the Internet for use at 10 to 100. My printer is good for standard paper or should I just buy something fancy at the Sporting Goods. I guess a spotting scope comes with all this fun too. My 10 X 50 binoculars is all I have to see those little holes at 100 yards and just barely that if they hit white paper.

BTW 1894cfan. White City is a ways to the south of where I'm at. I was by there last year for a pheasant shoot. No need to go into that story. Nice country. White City has a big VA facility, nice tall mountain in the distance and lots of timber and open country.

Thanks again all.

 

[papajohn]

Any suggestions for targets to be used at distance?

Clay pigeons. Easy to see, relatively cheap, and once you hit them you can shoot at the pieces for an even more rewarding challenge. (We call it "Giblet shooting".) Plus, as the bullet's energy decreases with distance, sometimes you can drill holes in them for several shots before they break. And you can also take turns shooting at them, one at a time. A hit on the rim will usually break them into pieces, but a hit in the flat center area often leaves a small hole. The guy that puts the hole closest to center wins, loser buys lunch. 8)

 

[Cascade Jinx]

Try saltine crackers at 50 and 100 yards. They leave behind bio-degradable debris that the birds, chipmunks, and other critters can feed on. They are a real challenge and cheap. I use them a lot for just plinking in the woods or desert.

CJ

 

[swany]

Two feet of fish line, 6 inch balloon on most any day all it takes is a mild wind to make them interesting and a lot of fun to take a few friends along to frustrate.

As mentioned crackers work, Necco candy wafers ditto, chicken eggs little expensive but still fun and best of all the mess is gone the next time your at the range.

Plugged aerosol paint cans work nice if you put them up against a clean background you get some spectacular spray "Art" but you have to pick up the cans.

I like shooting at a disc brake rotor with the holes plugged they ring like a bell when hit.

 

[janott]

Careful when talkin about shootin crackers there because some folks might get a little mixed up! ;D ;D ;D

 

[450 Sniper]

Careful when talkin about shootin crackers there because some folks might get a little mixed up! ;D ;D ;D

HAHAHAHAHA!!! ;D

I shoot my mil dot scoped heavy barreled 10/22 out to 400 yards with no wind. The holdover is ridiculous, but the hits are amazingly consistent. If a man bet me I could not hit him with one shot out of my 22 at 500 yards - he would require a trip to the hospital.

The key is to use a fast 40 grain solid.

200 yards is VERY doable on a 4" clay pigeon. 300 yards is about 70%. It's a crap shoot after that. The farther out you go, the lower the power setting on the scope needs to be to allow the amount of holdover needed.
IIRC 400 yards was set at 4x with 6 mil dots down giving me hits. 500 required pretty much to the bottom of the scopes field of view.

CCI Tactical 40 grain and Aguila Interceptors are my favorite long range rounds.

The CCI Tactical average 1181 fps with an ES of 55 and a SD of 19.8 out of my Target 10/22.
My 39A hates them.

The Interceptors got an honest 1450 out of my 39A. I won't shoot them out of my 10/22 - I don't want to crack my receiver from the bolt slamming into the stop pin.
I sighted my 39A's peeps at 25 yards. I was hitting jackrabbits at 200 yards with just a bit of hold over.

I like Interceptors!!! ;D

 

[Win_94]

I was getting 6 inch groups at 200 yards, then hit a water filled jelly jar at 250 yards on about the 5th try. I made a higher sight elevation blade to accomplish it.

Took me 4 tries to hit an 8x12" target at 300 yards, the shots started getting pretty wild at 300.

Look around on YouTube, there are people shooting 400 yards. I tried that but couldn't get the hang of the 17' or so holdover.

 

[Nazgul]

I shoot at 200 yards occassionally with a Ruger 77/22 with a Burris 6X benchrest scope. It is surprisingly consistant once you get the dope right.

Don