Reloading for long range hunting

[Swift One]

Hello, first time poster here. I have been shooting all of my life and reloading for about the past 7yrs. I have been quite successfull reloading for various types of rifle calibers. I have been getting into the long range game for a couple of years now. Definaltley still learning ALOT. I'm shooting a customized Stevens 7mm-08. Have had some great success with it out to 400yds and i'm starting to get around to the 500yd mark. Wind is still keeping me at the novice level though.

I have read several articles on reloading for long range shooting. But I have really only found articles for the competetion end of it. I understand that the comps and the sniper world need to be EXTREMELY accurate. But do I really need to go to the extremes with the huting end of it?

Now, I do reload with repeatability and consistency in mind. I dont mix brass, I measure the COL with a bullet comparator, and measure each charge weight with my electronic scale. Thats about it though. Im looking to get a max of 800yds with my rig and am pretty much shooting coyote size game or larger. I do hit the G-Hog fields with it in the summer months. Should I be doing any more?

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Reloading for long range hunting

If you're going to shoot that far, choose your projectile carefully. I have made one shot kills at just over 500 with Nosler Partitions. But, at the time, I was practicing at longer range a lot. I knew my rifle well. And I knew the ammo well. I won't take a shot that long on live game any more. I don't shoot enough right now to stay in practice at longer ranges. But what ever range you hunt at is the range and conditions you need to practice at.

 

[RobertB]

Re: Reloading for long range hunting

I reccomend that if your limits are say 700 yds, don't take the shot any farther than say 550. Whatever you limits are I don't believe in pushing them on live game. I don't think its fair.

 

[DBohn]

Re: Reloading for long range hunting

If you plan on hunting out to 800 yards I would recommend doing everything you can do to get your ammunition as accurate as possible. Even though you aren't shooting for the highest score you still want to hit what you're shooting at with a well placed shot don't you? You're already trying for a first round hit and most likely dealing with wind so if you know your ammo is accurate you're that much better off.

 

[Swift One]

Re: Reloading for long range hunting

Thanks for the replies fellas. I agree with you guys in the fact that I need to make sure that the shot is accurate enough to make a clean kill. And in all reality, I am no where near the skill level to shoot consistently past 450yds right now. I would not really want to put an animal through that. I guess what I am asking is that when I do get up to the skill for 700/800yds, with what I'm doing know to my ammo for reloading- is that sufficient?