# long distance coyote gun



## rookiedogger (Jan 4, 2008)

What is the best very long distance coyote gun?


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

50BMG or 338 Lapua mag are the very best. With that said the 6.5x284 is a very good 1,000 yd gun. There are so many different calibers that will do long range that it is not funny. Most use what they have and call it good. If I were to get a gun for just that it would be a 6.5x284.


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## johngfoster (Oct 21, 2007)

How far do you plan to shoot? 6.5-284 is an excellent caliber. Trouble with it though is short barrel life. Like People said, lots of great calibers that would fit the bill.


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## 10 gauge (Dec 29, 2007)

David Tubb is one of the worlds best long distance competitive shooters. And if I remember right he uses a 243win for 600yd shooting. His rifle is a custom built bolt action, but the receiver looks like an AR receiver. I also shoot a 243win as my main yote gun and have a matching one in 223rem. But there's lots of good cartridges that will make a long distant yote gun, you could go on forever with this question. I choose these calibers because they are cheap to buy, cheap to reload for and some of most common cartridges available, they also work great.


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## hagfan72 (Apr 15, 2007)

How far is "long distance" to you?


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

where do you live that you can safely shoot more than 300 yards. Any gun out there will do that.
Here in Illinois, 300 yards is asking for trouble, better know what is on the other side of that fence row


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

The thing I question about long range shooting of coyote, is how far can you actually see one?
I know this depends on where you hunt, but really, what are we talking about for long range? 300 yards is pretty far in my estimation, to put a bullet on a coyote.
I have a e-collar for Bill the Chessy, that is good for a mile. Hell, if he's a mile away...even a half mile, I'm not going to be able to see him and he's a heck of a lot bigger than a 'yote is.

I'd think a good many normal, popular, centerfires would do the trick out to 400 yards with no troubles. Obviously, some will work better than others. But the what are we calling long range?

To me, with a rifle in my hands, anything past 200 is a long shot. Others may be more comfortable with that shot but I'm not that great of shot.

Good luck,
Dan


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## 10 gauge (Dec 29, 2007)

I've never shot a yote past 250yds why? because they've never hung up past that on me.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

A good round out to about 5-600yds is the 243 win. If you want a bit more distance and longer barrel life go with a 308 with match ammo, That'll get you out there a ways. Plus you can get ammo just about anywhere and the tube life is around 8,000-12,000 rounds. I've shot them out to 700yds, I know people who have shot them out to 1100yds+, he was using a 6.5-284. Just about any larger caliber rifle that shoots fairly flat and has enough push behind it will do the job at extended range.

xdeano


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

I read posts from these 'long distance' shooters and what I would like to know is how often do you actually kill what you're shooting at? How often do you even hit what you're shooting at?

One poster says a good round out to 500-600 yards is a .243? How often does he hit a coyote at 500-600 yards and how often does he retrieve them? Nine out of 10 times? Seven out of 10? Three out of 10? One out of 20?

There's a difference between shooting "at" coyotes and "killing" coyotes.

Let's take a quick look at a Sierra Bullets Reloading Manual using a 75-grain HP out of a .243. The drop from zero muzzle out to 600 yards at a FPS muzzle velocity of 3,500 is 82.2 inches. That's almost seven feet.

This same poster mentions a .308 for longer distances, using a match bullet. Let's have some fun here. If you use a 150-grain Spitzer from 600 yards with a FPS muzzle velocity of 3,500, my Sierra manual tells me I can expect a drop of 71.23 inches, six feet. At 800 yards with this same bullet (my Sierra manual doesn't rate it) anyone who has the least understanding of ballistics knows you'd be looking at least 100 inches --more than eight feet.

A broadside coyote presents a depth at its chest of what, four, five, six inches? When you're shooting under field conditions with the possibility of a slight breeze and other variables, don't expect me to believe you're going to hit a target that's four or five or six inches deep target on a consistent basis.

These long distance shooters may fool some on this forum who know nothing about firearms, ballistic co-efficients, trajectories, velocities and so on. They may fool some about making these 600 or 800 or 1,100 yard shots -- and maybe they make the odd one. So could I if I get extremely lucky.

But consistently? I don't think so.

For those long range shooters who expect me or others who've got experience with firearms to believe you can make these shots consistently, the natural question I have is: If you're so proficient at making these 600 or 800 or 1,100 yard shots, why are you wasting your time on this forum?

Shouldn't you be shooting practice rounds with your teammates on the US Olympic shooting squad, or perhaps filling the position of the chief instructor with the US Marine sniper school?


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Great post saskcoyote!

Coyote chests are small as you said. Must be some good shooters. 8)


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## coyotehunter13 (Dec 28, 2007)

that was one HECK of a post saskcoyote!

also, like fallguy said, they must be REALLY good shooters :sniper:


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

saskcoyote... PM SENT


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

saskcoyote, if your ever in Jamestown I will show you how to put a bullet in a six inch target at six hundred consistently.



> These long distance shooters may fool some on this forum who know nothing about firearms, ballistic co-efficients, trajectories, velocities and so on.


I will guarantee you that you do not know as much about long distance as you think you do. There are a number of people on here that know exactly how far their bullets drop at 1000 yards, and how much they drift in a wind. I have three programs on my computer, and not free ones. I use a digital anemometer and do not estimate wind. Can I give you a hand getting your foot out of your mouth?


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## goosedwn (Sep 14, 2007)

Just get you a Rock River Lower Combine it with a Jewel trigger and a DOUGLAS BORE BARREL 24" 1/12 twist and a 52 grain Hornady V-max you'll kill him...ol yea better get a scope at least 16 power. LONG distance you need to pull them in a little. They ain't to big you know!!!


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## windowlicker (Dec 17, 2007)

Oh man, not this again. I'm going to pass this time. :roll:

(insert pre-typed generic response to those that think people can't hit anything beyond their own personal limitations here)


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

:lol: :beer:

xdeano


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Plainsman said:


> saskcoyote, if your ever in Jamestown I will show you how to put a bullet in a six inch target at six hundred consistently.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Absolutely, 1000 yard riflemen do exist and yearly matches at places like Camp Perry in Ohio prove it.

Unfortunately, shooting a coyote at range and punching paper is two different things. I don't know what your coyotes in Jamestown do, but the ones that I've seen in my travels around North Central ND are usually moving; some of them very swifly.

I question how you compensate for this. I mean, by the time you get everything figured out, the animal that may have move a hundred yards? It's interesting if you can do it, but I'll wager that you're not hitting that 6" kill zone in the coyote everytime at those ranges. I'm sure it happens, but let's not let ego cloud good judgement.

SIncerely,
Dan


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> Absolutely, 1000 yard riflemen do exist and yearly matches at places like Camp Perry in Ohio prove it.





> Unfortunately, shooting a coyote at range and punching paper is two different things. I don't know what your coyotes in Jamestown do, but the ones that I've seen in my travels around North Central ND are usually moving; some of them very swifly.





> I question how you compensate for this. I mean, by the time you get everything figured out, the animal that may have move a hundred yards? It's interesting if you can do it, but I'll wager that you're not hitting that 6" kill zone in the coyote everytime at those ranges. I'm sure it happens, but let's not let ego cloud good judgement.


You don't have to go to Camp Perry, there are a half dozen on this site. One is state champion in SWAT sniper competition. To do that he had to defeat a fellow who had been U.S. champion and another that was on presidential detail for a year with the secret service.

Everyone with a little experience knows the difference between paper and coyotes. Please don't insult our intelligence we are not inexperienced three year olds.

Moving coyotes reduces your range drastically, but the further out they are the less they are likely to be moving. Out beyond 600 yards I have seen coyotes stop mousing, sit down, and watch after you beep a vehicle horn at them. I often find the highest point I can and look for coyotes. The best days are with NW wind (which also changes how far you can shoot) when they like to lay up on the downwind side of rock piles and tree rows. I like to sneak in straight down wind so that I am shooting straight into the wind. This reduces the wind factor. I have shot a lot of fox in the 1960's 70's 80's doing this. Now it's more coyotes.

Of course we don't hit the coyote every time at 600 yards. Do you think everyone on here hits them every time at 100 yards? I keep hearing people say don't shoot if your not 100% sure. Those are the people that are full of bs. Only fools are 100% sure, the rest of us have to deal with reality.


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Some of the folks responding to my post have missed the point I was making by as wide a margin as I would a 1,000-yard coyote.

I agree there probably are those marksmen who can consistently put their shots into six-inch targets at the range, from distances of 600 or 800 or 1,000 yards, with the use of benchs, bags, and all the other equipment that's conducive to long-range accuracy.

Range shooting, however, was not what I was debating nor what this post is about. It's about long-distance shooting of coyotes.

What I want to know from long-distance shooters is how often they 'kill' a coyote, from ranges of 600 or 800 or 1,000 yards.

I don't doubt they've accomplished those shots. But how often do they do it? Do they do it consistently?

Do they kill 90 per cent of the long-distance coyotes they shoot at? Do they kill 70 per cent? 40? 20? 10?

If they kill 90 per cent of the long-distance coyotes they shoot at from 600 or 800 or 1,000 yards, I'd say that's 'consistent' marksmanship.

If they kill 10 per cent of those long-distance coyotes, then I'd say that's 'inconsistent' marksmanship.

So tell me, those of you who shoot at 600 or 800 or 1,000-yard coyotes, how often do you kill them?

Are you 'consistent'? Good? Lucky? :beer:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> I agree there probably are those marksmen who can consistently put their shots into six-inch targets at the range, from distances of 600 or 800 or 1,000 yards, with the use of benchs, bags, and all the other equipment that's conducive to long-range accuracy.


No I didn't miss your point. I'm not stupid sask, I understood your question perfectly. I use a bipod, no bench, no sandbags, and I would say 600 yard coyote success can easily be 80 percent. The sniper competition I talked about can only be shot from bipod. I think 600 yards would be close to 100% if you choose perfect shooting conditions (no wind). 600 yards is a gimmee. 800 yards is where you begin to miss.
I have shot about 12 deer from 800 to 1130 yards. I know you will ask the question so the answer to how many did I wound and loose is none. How many required a second shot? One. How many dropped where they stood? Six, spined them. If I started wounding animals I wouldn't do it.

We have gone over this long range thing about five or six times at least. That's why one fellow said "here we go again". In the end of all those debates people finally understood. 
Did you really think that I lugged along a bench and sandbag when hunting coyotes?

Equipment is the answer sask. Laser range finder because there is no distance guessing. A scope of sufficient power with adjustable turrets. Meticulous hand loads. Match brass, match primers, and the best bullets you can find for your individual rifle. Last you need a good ballistic program that will give you ¼ degree drop and windage. I use a ten second average on my digital anemometer before I take shots beyond 600 yards. Lastly you better have a level on you scope so your perfectly inline with your bore. If your off a couple of degree you don't miss by inches, you miss by feet so you better be very picky about where that bubble rests when you pull the trigger.

Notice my scope has a retractable ballistic program to 1000 yards for drop and windage. Windage is at the far end and not visible in the pic. Also notice the turrets and the level.


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## windowlicker (Dec 17, 2007)

Thanks plainsman. You have much more patience than I do.

Good posts! :beer:


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

LOL Holy Plainsman you impress me more every day. That gun looks like something out of an Inspector Gadget cartoon! I love it!


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## coyotehunter13 (Dec 28, 2007)

plainsmen, that is a sweet rifle u got there. if u don't mind, i'd like to kno ur secret. :beer:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Fallguy, I suppose there is a reason my friends tease me and call me gadget guy. If I don't move anything as the trigger trips that rifle will keep less than one degree angle to 600 yards. My 300 mag out shoots it. The truth is however, that I like to hunt all different ways. If there is something I have not done, that then takes top priority for me. I think I have tried every brand, and many calibers for deer hunting. I like close range with pistol, black powder, and archery. Each day that I get up to go hunting I don't know what mood I will be in. When I open my gun case I may choose a lever action 44 Marlin Cowboy action rifle, a falling block 45/70, a full tricked out AR15, or a heavy stainless fluted magnum caliber with a trigger at one pound. I decide when I wake up because I'm not sure the night before.
Sask I was irritated, but only with explaining this all over again, not with you. I enjoy many of your posts, and that isn't about to change. I'm not as fickle with people as I am with rifle choice for a day of hunting.

I love to call coyote, but I will take them any way I can get them. One of my most memorable could perhaps be called road hunting, because I was on my way to hunt coyotes when I spotted a coyote sitting on the other side of the Pipestem valley (upper end and narrow). I stopped and he just sat there. I run a range of 465 yards (not real long range), but he was far enough he felt safe. I got out of my pickup, dropped the bipod and went prone. He got up, and I thought he was going to run, but he turned broadside to me and sat back down looking south, as if to say your to far away to be of consern to me. A 50gr Ballistic Tip at 3800 fps through both shoulders changed his mind.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Plainsman

I remember you telling that story one other time. That cocky songdog you showed him!


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Plainsman, I wish I was you!!!

That gun looks sweet. I like the idea of the pull out turret. I have a laminated piece of paper taped on my stock.

I think I would get about 300% more dogs if I could shoot them at that distance. I have a hard time shooting at them over 300. Just seems like I loose confidence past that range. On the bench I feel fine, but I feel like I am just wasting money if I shoot.

I want to build a custom rifle where I can lay down and plink them buggers while they laugh and think they are fine!


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Good post, Plainsman. I enjoyed your responses --they were articulate and informative. That's quite a rig you have there and I believe what you're saying is true about your ability to make long-range shots.

The operative word in my argument is "consistent". When you say an 80 per cent kill rate on coyotes from 600 yards is possible, then that's the case and I'm comfortable in accepting that figure. I'm assuming the kill rates on coyotes from 800 or 1,000 yards would decrease in proportion to the increase in distance. If if a kill rate at 800 yards is, say, 60 per cent and a kill rate at 1,000 yards is 30 per cent, is that still "consistent marksmanship"?

Yes, it's a case of semantics, and the definition of "consistent" is a subjective one. Here's what I consider consistent.

I kill 80-plus per cent of the standing coyotes I shoot at. That lines up with my idea of consistent. 

When it comes to running shots, I've missed four out of five this season. That's a 20 per cent kill rate. That matches my definition of inconsistent marksmanship. 

I don't generally shoot at a coyote past 200 yards because I wouldn't consistently kill them. Because of the terrain around here there's lot of close-in, hard charging action and they can come from anywhere very quickly so bipods or shooting sticks would be of no benefit. I wouldn't have time to adjust bipods and shooting sticks to the position of the animal. Thus, I use whatever is available, a tree trunk, willow shrub, or just shoot from a kneeling position with no rest whatsoever.

As I've stated in other posts, I admire guys who can consistently kill coyotes from long-distance ranges -- 600 or 800 yards and more. I think what people who think about getting into long-distance shooting should consider, though, is that to become proficient at it would take a great deal of dedication, discipline and, of course, dollars.

People who think that buying a long-range shooting rig will be the answer to those far-away yotes and lead to a bigger pile of fur will be in for a big disappointment.

I usually sign off with "Good luck and shoot straight". For your and your long-distance colleagues, "shoot straight" would just be redundant.  So I'll just wish you good luck. :beer: Saskcoyote


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

nice posts guys. 
:wink: 
xdeano


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## 1shot1yote (Dec 23, 2006)

First off I want to say great post guys. I really enjoy reading threads from people who have a lot of experience in what they're talking about.

Long range shooting has really started to intrigue me the last few years. The only problem was that I wasn't really sure where to start. I didn't have anyone to teach me how to compensate for bullet drop and wind drift that was anything better than a guess so I did the research myself. I think I have a fairly good idea of what's going on now. So I just had to see if everything would work out.

There's only one way to test your equipment to see if it will handle job you have to go out and shoot. A buddy and I went out shooting the other day to see if my data was correct and to see if the equipment was up to par. To say the least I was very impressed. By the end of our session I was hitting milk jugs every shot with my .223 at 625 yards. We lucked out cause it was a very nice day with little to no wind at all. It was just a matter of figure out the range, dial the correct number of clicks off my chart into the turret, and SQUEEZE the trigger. POOF dead milkjug, (they were filled with water). It was a blast!

I don't want to ramble on because Plainsman pretty much stated everything you need to get a good start at distace shooting. I would just like to say I don't think I would shoot at a coyote at that distace yet but with some more practice I think the coyotes had better worry. I encourage people to get out and try some long distance target shooting. You just have to test all your eqipment and then once it's dialed in you have to trust it. It's a good idea to shoot at gravel piles when your that far away so you know your bullets aren't flying off to who knows where, plus you can usually see your hits in a spotting scope in the pile if you miss.

So I say get out and shoot even if you would never shoot at a coyote, deer, prarie dog, or whatever that far away it's still fun to shoot at targets. I enjoy shooting milkjugs cause they're basically free once you drink the milk, fill em up with water and shoot em they recycle the same when they are split open. Besides if nothing else shooting at long ranges will make you a better shooter and closer ranges. Get out there and burn up some ammo, you can load some more tomorrow!


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Thanks Sask.



> If if a kill rate at 800 yards is, say, 60 per cent and a kill rate at 1,000 yards is 30 per cent, is that still "consistent marksmanship"?


Perhaps more important than shooting skill is good judgment. If you know you can score 90% at 600 yards and you try it with a 22 caliber in variable wind gusting from 5 to 15 you would be foolish to shoot. Some people do, and their consistency has to be very poor. 
I threw a few 22-250 and 223 rounds at a 4 inch target at 400 yards today. The wind was 15 to 20 mph from the left. The tricky part was a hill in between me and the target that blocked the wind for about 30% of the bullets travel. A few thousand rounds under these conditions is what teaches you shooting under field conditions. A few thousand rounds a year is even better. It's tough to think about all these things when a coyote is sitting looking at you.



> People who think that buying a long-range shooting rig will be the answer to those far-away yotes and lead to a bigger pile of fur will be in for a big disappointment.


Ya, I have seen a lot of those guys. An in-law of a friend purchased one of my other friends rifles because he wanted to kill deer at 1000 yards. He is a big guy, but he thought the 300 mag kicked to much and he didn't do to good at accurate shooting. A good shooter with a bad rifle will do better than a bad shooter with a good rifle.

The darn trigger is just about as important as the barrel. An outdoor writer had an article a couple years ago long those lines. He gave ten experienced shooters very good rifles with poor triggers, then poor rifles with good triggers. Nearly all of the shooters did best with the poor rifles with good triggers.


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## Pogo (Oct 26, 2007)

I'm not going to jump in here and say yea or nea about shooting yotes at 600 or 1000 yds. It can be done and there are obviously people here with the experience and the equipment to make it happen.

I just have to say however, if you don't have the experience or the equipment DON'T DO IT. There are so many things that can happen at that kind of range it isn't even funny. Do you know how much difference the increase in wind velocity blowing up a canyon your shooting across is? At those ranges if the wind is blowing 5 mph more for 100 yds of your shot your probably going to miss.

What about elevation? When you start talking those ranges just the difference the air density is can make a big difference. You had better know where you at and what the elevation is, the terrian, how the wind blows... it goes on and on.

Like I said, lots of factors. You can learn those factors and have a decent chance at overcoming them and making a clean kill, but in the end for me it is all about making a clean kill and not making anymore of these dogs wise to people shooting at them. If you don't have the experience and the equipment, please just don't try it.

Spend lots of time shooting at those ranges. Actually mark it off and try it, 600 is along ways and a 1000 is one hell of a long ways. I see and hear of too many people who think that just because they know the drop @ 5 or 600 yards and own a rangefinder they can make those kind of shots. All it does it make yotes shy and harder to kill.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> What about elevation?


That's another good thing about the prairie states. I love the mountains and every time I go elk hunting I have to take at least two trajectory programs with me. One for 7000 ft and another for 10,000 ft. Here in North Dakota at my house the elevation is 1349, and where we hunted 70 miles north today the elevation is 1650 at the continental divide. Yup, at the continental divide between the Hudson Bay drainage and the Gulf of Mexico drainage. The highest elevation in the state, I forget exactly, is around 3800 ft.



> but in the end for me it is all about making a clean kill


Yes, that's more important to me than the fur. When I am headed out to a hunting area, I will shoot a coyote I see along the way, even if it is from a road shoulder. That's the reason a 308, and even a heavy barrel 300 Winchester mag often rides along with me. To tell the truth I don't often go hunting without three or four rifles along. It's surprising how little fur damage you get when you put a 165 gr 300 mag through a coyote a long ways out. You would blow him nearly in half at 200 yards, but a premium big game bullet, or a SMK doesn't do that much damage at 600 or 700 yards.

By the way, your advise is good for a lot of people. People just have to have good enough judgment to know which category they fit in.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

It was stated above David Tubb shoots the 6XC in a Tubb2000. The shooters who shoot the 6XC and 243's all shoot very heavy bullets. Tubb shoots the 115gr DTAC others shoot the 105 and 107 SMK.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

My buddy is in the process of interviewing with Chy Tec right now. He got to shoot the .416 today he said at 1500 yards he shot a 5 inch group. Thats with never shooting the gun before.! WOW I want one.

Alot of the times you are only as good as your gun and optics!


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Hunt4P&Y: Ever hear of White Feather? I'm sure he'd say "That's one hell of a gun" or, conversely, "That's one hell of a shooter". :sniper:


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Sorry It is CHEYTAC and it was the .408 the .416 is the Barret.

Here's a link to a Youtube video, there are many others that show how capable it is.


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