The discussion on rifles and the bashing of certain calibers is always interesting to me and this my 2 cents. My state is in the middle and has diverse terrain, one corner has dunes, one corner has gator swamps, one side is flat going north into canyons, antelope hills and foothills, the other is rolling hills with various forest from oaks with heavy brush to pines with little undercover.The wind blows here constantly and 30mph is common, 50 mph is not even unusual in the spring and fall when I hunt the semi flat side.
Having set that up now go to http://www.winchester.com/Pages/Home.aspx and view the ballistics calculator. Plug in your caliber and info and push shoot then look at the stats page and tell me how far off you are on a 30mph crosswind at 500yds. For my 30-06 it's 89 inches. This is assuming it's a steady wind which is laughable for any country with terrain, the wind may not even be blowing the same direction in the canyon or hillside you are shooting across.
Most of the "Experts" are touting that if your rifle can't do in a brown bear at 700 to 1000 it's not even worthy of handling. Sure would like to see that in late November in western Oklahoma. I can tell you from experience anything over 300 can become very difficult with wind. It's not to say you can't make a shot but a shot and a good shot are not the same.
One of the instructors who blasted my rifle (unknowingly) showed up later with a 7.62X39 AK47 to teach a course. hmmm. (Him)Well it's compact and recoils less.(Me) ahhh so it's what you would probably have then. (All)oooohhh. After listening to him for years, guess what he has never shot anyone or anything at long range with any caliber. Why, well there was no need, no shot etc. hmmmm. He's not a hunter, not a sniper and never served in long range territory and used the small military caliber he was issued and survived. Some "Expert".
But in combat I need to...., ok maybe. Post SHTF I'm not sure at 1000yds it might be best to be quiet. I know where some of you live, 800 yds is not gonna happen unless your shooting down the highway. LOL
If I shoot someone in the chest at 700 yds with 5.56 ball they will cease to become an immediate threat because they are treating a sucking chest wound at which time I will use the backdoor and leave or indian up and finish them. I'm 46 yrs old with old military busted body parts and I aint gonna be running around with a M14 and all the the hangy things and 250 rds and 3 days of gear and body armor. Do not think for a minute you are invincible because I carry a weaker caliber, I have seen alot of folks with .22 caliber death blows and small stab wounds that bled them out before we showed up.
A 5.56 is not a 300 win mag and never will be. No my 6cylinder chevy motor isn't a 500 hp Hemi either but I see you all at Lowes, stockyards and deercamp just the same don't I? In SHTF I'll take my 15yr old girl with a light caliber over the guy I know who shows up on the first day of deer camp trying to sight in his 300 ultra mag and $1200 scope that hasn't been used since last november.
The important thing is know your rifle, know your caliber, shoot often and shoot outside the comfort zone whenever you get the chance.
Having set that up now go to http://www.winchester.com/Pages/Home.aspx and view the ballistics calculator. Plug in your caliber and info and push shoot then look at the stats page and tell me how far off you are on a 30mph crosswind at 500yds. For my 30-06 it's 89 inches. This is assuming it's a steady wind which is laughable for any country with terrain, the wind may not even be blowing the same direction in the canyon or hillside you are shooting across.
Most of the "Experts" are touting that if your rifle can't do in a brown bear at 700 to 1000 it's not even worthy of handling. Sure would like to see that in late November in western Oklahoma. I can tell you from experience anything over 300 can become very difficult with wind. It's not to say you can't make a shot but a shot and a good shot are not the same.
One of the instructors who blasted my rifle (unknowingly) showed up later with a 7.62X39 AK47 to teach a course. hmmm. (Him)Well it's compact and recoils less.(Me) ahhh so it's what you would probably have then. (All)oooohhh. After listening to him for years, guess what he has never shot anyone or anything at long range with any caliber. Why, well there was no need, no shot etc. hmmmm. He's not a hunter, not a sniper and never served in long range territory and used the small military caliber he was issued and survived. Some "Expert".
But in combat I need to...., ok maybe. Post SHTF I'm not sure at 1000yds it might be best to be quiet. I know where some of you live, 800 yds is not gonna happen unless your shooting down the highway. LOL
If I shoot someone in the chest at 700 yds with 5.56 ball they will cease to become an immediate threat because they are treating a sucking chest wound at which time I will use the backdoor and leave or indian up and finish them. I'm 46 yrs old with old military busted body parts and I aint gonna be running around with a M14 and all the the hangy things and 250 rds and 3 days of gear and body armor. Do not think for a minute you are invincible because I carry a weaker caliber, I have seen alot of folks with .22 caliber death blows and small stab wounds that bled them out before we showed up.
A 5.56 is not a 300 win mag and never will be. No my 6cylinder chevy motor isn't a 500 hp Hemi either but I see you all at Lowes, stockyards and deercamp just the same don't I? In SHTF I'll take my 15yr old girl with a light caliber over the guy I know who shows up on the first day of deer camp trying to sight in his 300 ultra mag and $1200 scope that hasn't been used since last november.
The important thing is know your rifle, know your caliber, shoot often and shoot outside the comfort zone whenever you get the chance.
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