John Dunn Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 As a part of a precision rifle course I finished today we had the opportunity to join the "One Mile Club". Membership means that you were able to hit and knockdown a Larue Target (11x16") at a measured 1800 yds (slightly over one mile). I managed it on the 11th round. Six of those were to fine tune elevation, four were near misses from shifting wind, and then finally got it right. We drove out to check the target ( the Larue is self resetting, but the batteries were dead), the impact was 2" right and 1" down from dead center. They engrave the cartridge case with your membership. Cool stuff. Thanks out to Dave Lauck for the class, and for building me a rifle that lets a mediocre shot connect at LONG range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Merricks Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 Were you using iron sights? Just kidding. That's some good shoot'n. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 What do you do while you're waiting for the bullet to hit the target? Play cards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 Hey, being able to hit at a mile would make shooting in Dave Lauck's tactical rifle match a lot less hiking intensive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 That is pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 That's awesome, what rifle and cartridge? SA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 oh! not the "mile high club?" good shooting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougBarnes101 Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 That is simply amazing to me. Congratulations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 I'll echo Steve's post, what cartridge and rifle, how fast and what scope and power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 I'll guess: .338 Lapua mag ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 Recently I was looking through a copy of Varmint Magazine and there was a guy who "claimed" that he shot a prairie dog at over 2000 yds. Shot it with a 338 Lapua, overkill, ok, but what a heck of a shot. I shot a 'dog at 451 long steps, with a 250 Ackley and a 20x Leupold. Had a spotter and took him out on the third try. Way Cool, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted August 22, 2003 Author Share Posted August 22, 2003 The rifle was Dave Lauck's MR-30-PG in 300 Ultramag (D&L Sports. I was shooting a somewhat reduced power "accuracy load" that launches a 190 gr. Sierra Matchking at 3150. Scope was a 5.5-22 NXS (with a D&L reticle) cranked to maximum magnification. Lynn, Some of the other shooters were calling it the mile long club! Ther were several other shooters that made it: 50 BMG AR-15 upper unit shooting Surplus ball ammo AI 338 Remington 700 338 Another MR-30-PG in 300 RUM Basically everyone with a rifle capable of knocking the target over managed to connect. It was just as much fun to watch the other guys hit as it was to do it. This class had some serious shooters in it. One guy hauled out a huge, old German (I think) crew served range finder and we played with that awhile. Nice to see other folks further from the edge than myself! Great experience overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeeper Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 oh! not the "mile high club?" good shooting! Exactly what I first thought. I thought the "accomplishments" forum might have just changed pace a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry White Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Got to feel good about that. Good shooting. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Wow, I've still got trouble hitting 8 inch plates at a hundred yards with an AR. A mile --- now that's impressive! Congragulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Run n Gun Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 John, I’ve taken an antelope at 708 long paces, half a dozen big Montana mule deer at 500+ and many, many more at 300-400. I’ve very rarely needed more than one shot and consider myself a fairly proficient long-range rifleman. But when I read about you hitting an 11” X 16” target at 1800 yards, man, I’m just flat AWED!! Good job! (I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy, I’m not…) Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfield Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Wow John, that's impressive ! I have never shot beyond 300 meters, so a mile is reeeeeaaaaaallllllllly a long haul in my experience ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Moore Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 how can you see out to one mile? when does the curvature of the earth come in to play? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfield Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 The radius of the earth is approximately 6300 km, and hence the outline is about 40.000 km. The curvature of the earth doesn't play a role at a shooting distance of 1.6 km. And in any case, the line between your gun and the target is straight, the ground is curved. Just make sure the target and gun are placed heigh enough above the ground and the curving ground will not interfere with your line of sight (I would be able to do the math, but I'm just too lazy and tired right now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 I've always thought that you could see ~ 12 miles. I suppose I should look that up to verify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Moore Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 flex, seeing 12 miles is one thing but to see a target that is only 11x16 inches! the targets we use at 600 yards are 6 x 6 FEET!. even with a scope can one see a target only 11 inches? all i can say is WOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 flex, seeing 12 miles is one thing but to see a target that is only 11x16 inches! the targets we use at 600 yards are 6 x 6 FEET!. even with a scope can one see a target only 11 inches? all i can say is WOW! Sorry...I had drifted off to the curvature of the earth thing. Found this: Suppose that the earth is a sphere of radius 3963 miles. If you are at a point P on the earth's surface and move tangent to the surface a distance of 1 mile then you can form a right angled triangel as in the diagram. Using the theorem of Pythagoras a2 = 39632 + 12 = 15705370 and thus a = 3963.000126 miles. Thus your position is 3963.000126 - 3963 = 0.000126 miles above the surface of the earth. 0.000126 miles = 12*5280*0.000126 = 7.98 inches. Hence the earth's surface curves at approximately 8 inches per mile. And this: http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Shorizon.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j1b Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 Wow - that's a lot of data to simply say . . . WOW. I don't know about the curvature of the earth. Don't know about wind. Don't know about a lot of the factors that play into a shot like that. All I know is you smacked the target. Objective accomplished. Screw the curvature of the earth. I always heard it was flat anyhow. Great Shot! Congatulations! JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehli Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 WOW! Remind me that I need to be on my motorcycle if I ever tick you off (0-60 in 3 seconds... even with me on it.) Nicely done, man... nicely done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted August 24, 2003 Author Share Posted August 24, 2003 Thanks guys. In the first stage of the match yesterday I managed way too many misses on 8 inch plates in the 5-700 yd range, got lost, partner nearly stepped on a rattler. Still had a great time, and it is an awesome learning experience. This course and match does a great job of letting you know what is possible, and what you can reliably do in field conditions under pressure. I've got a long way to go until anyone needs to be scared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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