Very Long Range Rabbit Gun

[riohog 5,701]

The reality is I want the rifle to be capable of doing it.....

 

I am well aware that the real limitation will be the squidgy organic bit behind the trigger.

 

This is not going to be my primary rifle for rabbit control, I have a .22lr for that.

 

But I want a centrefire I can use everyday, with an accuracy level I wont get frustrated with!

 

I want this project to be a challenge so that I can get my own shooting to a higher level...

 

There will be a few hurdles to jump I am sure!

 

as allready mentioned these small rounds are very accurate ..but very wind sencertive ,how about the step up to .222 or223 !!

[mattydski 560]

The reality is I want the rifle to be capable of doing it.....

 

I am well aware that the real limitation will be the squidgy organic bit behind the trigger.

 

This is not going to be my primary rifle for rabbit control, I have a .22lr for that.

 

But I want a centrefire I can use everyday, with an accuracy level I wont get frustrated with!

 

I want this project to be a challenge so that I can get my own shooting to a higher level...

 

There will be a few hurdles to jump I am sure!

 

as allready mentioned these small rounds are very accurate ..but very wind sencertive ,how about the step up to .222 or223 !!

 

 

No doubt the round would do the business, but i was trying to keep it as cheap as possible as I don't need an out and out fox gun...I would just use the .243. I was hoping to get the load down to 0.20p.

Hence, as small a powder charge as possible for reloading!

But well see how the discussion progresses!!

 

 

[Lewdan 17]

ok........sense check.

 

If I Set my expectation at 200 yards, will the Hornet do the biz?

 

I only head shoot, so if I hand load and pimp the gun...headshots at 200 a possibility?

 

YES IT WILL, Same with most rifles and calibres, if you want to shoot accurately over long range then you must fine tune your reloading to give best groupings at the distance required, which will include Bullet head choice, powder , primers ect Then perhaps a little tinkering with the rifle itself I use a .22K hornet and i have shot many fox out to 180 yds, and a few rabbits at 200+yds and this is with no special concideration.. my standard load is --40gn sierra blitz king, 10.4 gn Vit N110, CCI small rifle primers.Doing about 2900ft/sec.When at my shooting range i can regularly get touching groups at 100 yds & 2.0 inch @ 200yds..not bad for an old godger like me PS My rifle is a Ruger..

 

LD

[ratattack 111]

So have you tried looking at just how tiny a 2inch circle is at 200yds?? I doubt you can do it even if you have a rifle capable of doing it, i don't wish to be defeatist but do you really need a rifle to shoot rabbits at 200yds when you have a .22 for rabbit control. Fine if you are body shooting for vermin control/high numbers on a regular basis but the amount of time you will need to spend on a range to get your accuracy to the required level for head shooting means you ain't gonna be shootin many bunnies.

[mattydski 560]

Yes I have mate, and your not wrong, its a tall task... I am without doubt the weakest link.

 

 

But I have the hankering to try something off the wall!

 

And I don't take you views as defeatist, I welcome all opinions as long as they are constructive!

 

A reality check is sometimes needed on these things!

[SNAP SHOT 194]

it does take time to develop an accurate load but once you have it, you have accurate bullets until a little throat wear appears....

 

which can be over a very long period of time with a mild shooting load....

 

Why do we want different things because we are human, we always want a something a little special.... just for us....

 

NO matter what the calibre, there will be always someone looking to achieve something that little bit special...

 

 

its personal.... best of luck mate...

 

i'm looking forward to some nice pics hopefully soon...

 

 

Snap.

[ratattack 111]

I wish you all the luck in the world, may be worth trying to keyhole bullets at 100 then 150 then 200, they will need to be grouping VERY tight for what you want to achieve.

 

Give it a try and if it works, then good news, if not then you havn't lost anything. It's better to try and fail than to never have tried at all

[Mr_Logic 5]

Right, given calm conditions, a 2-inch target is pretty big, even at 200 yards. That's the Hornet's problem - wind. Even a light breeze will push it off, and it's difficult to estimate that in the field, especially at night.

 

I had a calm day when I set up my new (was then!) scope, shot a 1-inch group at 200, and then excelled myself with the 1/2" group at 225 yards. So it can be done, but the wind sensitivity is the issue. Give it a bit of breeze and your drift makes life nigh-on impossible.

 

Hence the 223 argument, or 204, or 17 Rem Fireball.

 

Hornet:

 

200 yard drift - 14 inches

 

17 Fireball

 

200 yard drift - 5.5 inches

 

My current 223 load (55 Nos BT)

 

200 yard drift - 4.86 inches

 

You can see pretty clearly - Hornet has a 14-inch drift even in 10mph, and you're trying to hit a 2-inch target, so it's difficult. The 17 Fireball gives you flat shooting, low powder cost and should do.

 

The 17 Ackley Hornet might work, but it's not one for me so I've not included it.

Edited December 3, 2009 by Mr_Logic

[ratattack 111]

Right, given calm conditions, a 2-inch target is pretty big, even at 200 yards. That's the Hornet's problem - wind. Even a light breeze will push it off, and it's difficult to estimate that in the field, especially at night.

 

I had a calm day when I set up my new (was then!) scope, shot a 1-inch group at 200, and then excelled myself with the 1/2" group at 225 yards. So it can be done, but the wind sensitivity is the issue. Give it a bit of breeze and your drift makes life nigh-on impossible.

 

Hence the 223 argument, or 204, or 17 Rem Fireball.

 

Hornet:

 

200 yard drift - 14 inches

 

17 Fireball

 

200 yard drift - 5.5 inches

 

My current 223 load (55 Nos BT)

 

200 yard drift - 4.86 inches

 

You can see pretty clearly - Hornet has a 14-inch drift even in 10mph, and you're trying to hit a 2-inch target, so it's difficult. The 17 Fireball gives you flat shooting, low powder cost and should do.

 

The 17 Ackley Hornet might work, but it's not one for me so I've not included it.

 

 

And how often is there a day with next to no wind in this country?

 

Anything is possible in ideal conditions, but reality is that a 5 inch drift at a 2inch target at 200yrds in a 10mph wind is still a pretty big drift. It's a hit or miss situation, with the wind a lot of the time is more than 10mph. It will be possible on those still days but not much good in other conditions.

[SNAP SHOT 194]

really opened up the discussion this topic has...... Another thing to think off is hit rate..... for theory's sake... take MR fluffy sitting at 200 yards

 

if you need to fire 2 or 3 shots to hit him thats 60p from what costs you want to achieve.....

 

now for arguments sake, you use a .204 lets just say 1 bullet, reloading cost say 26 to 30 pence....

 

you knock that sucker over on the first shot..... thats a considerable cost saving, and you have the ability to extend the range you take mr fluffy at by a big margin over the hornet....

 

So theres lots to think about before you make a final decision, and by god with the right load the .204 is a tack driver...

 

Snap.

[mattydski 560]

All good discussion points!

[Mr_Logic 5]

Right, given calm conditions, a 2-inch target is pretty big, even at 200 yards. That's the Hornet's problem - wind. Even a light breeze will push it off, and it's difficult to estimate that in the field, especially at night.

 

I had a calm day when I set up my new (was then!) scope, shot a 1-inch group at 200, and then excelled myself with the 1/2" group at 225 yards. So it can be done, but the wind sensitivity is the issue. Give it a bit of breeze and your drift makes life nigh-on impossible.

 

Hence the 223 argument, or 204, or 17 Rem Fireball.

 

Hornet:

 

200 yard drift - 14 inches

 

17 Fireball

 

200 yard drift - 5.5 inches

 

My current 223 load (55 Nos BT)

 

200 yard drift - 4.86 inches

 

You can see pretty clearly - Hornet has a 14-inch drift even in 10mph, and you're trying to hit a 2-inch target, so it's difficult. The 17 Fireball gives you flat shooting, low powder cost and should do.

 

The 17 Ackley Hornet might work, but it's not one for me so I've not included it.

 

 

And how often is there a day with next to no wind in this country?

 

Anything is possible in ideal conditions, but reality is that a 5 inch drift at a 2inch target at 200yrds in a 10mph wind is still a pretty big drift. It's a hit or miss situation, with the wind a lot of the time is more than 10mph. It will be possible on those still days but not much good in other conditions.

 

Actually I've found it's much rarer than you think, for the wind to be 10mph+ constantly. Gusts are pretty common, but a solid 10mph wind much less so.

 

While the 5-inches is a fair amount, what is more important is the difference between, say 8-12mph wind. You can estimate and allow for windage otherwise, but wind shifts and gusts occur regularly. Under those conditions, you should still be hitting with 17 FB and 223, but you'll be missing with Hornet. As a mark for comparison, my 243 55-gr load would have about 3.8" of windage at 200y in 10mph, so much less again.

[6br/17rem 0]

take a look at "the sensational 17's" by todd kindler of the woodchuck den,just google the woodchuck den and you should be able to get on to his web site,lots of info there

cheers

[harrygrey382 1]

Forgive someone with little experience jumping in here, but would the ability to cast bullets make a difference? I've read about a lot of people having huge success with casting buillets for hornet, but how about the others? If you could cast that does some SERIOUS cost cutting...

[mattydski 560]

You are not able to cast bullets of this type. They are semi jacketed, with means the lead core is covered in a hard coating with is not possible to replicate in the home environment. Shame though!!

 

Edited to add, they are jacketed to prevent fragmentation because of the high energy they are subjected to in firing and impact on the target.

Edited December 4, 2009 by mattydski