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BULLET BULLETIN
Hunting at longer ranges is best served by the proper projectiles.
THE GOODS THAT GO THE DISTANCE Six long-range bullet lines with the consistency, accuracy, terminal performance to get job done on game. STORY BY PHIL MASSARO • PHOTOS BY MASSARO MEDIA GROUP
here are times when, as a hunter, you simply can’t get any closer to your game animal. Certain species live in an environment that affords little cover, making a stalk – and getting close in general – a difficult prospect. I am a diligent rifleman, and practice as often as possible in order to kill quickly and cleanly, but I am no proponent of unnecessary long-range shooting at
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unwounded game. That said, there have been instances where 400 or even 500 yards is the closest I could get to a game animal, and with the proper tools and training, that is a shot that can be made consistently. I have also spent enough time at long-range shooting courses, like the SAAM, or Sportsman’s All-Weather All-Terrain Marksmanship, courses at the FTW Ranch in Texas, to learn how easily things can go awry out beyond those ranges, with a bad wind call turning a vital hit into a gut shot. At any rate, I always try to have the best gear possible, so that I am
the weakest link in the chain. This includes a proven rifle with a properly tuned trigger, the clearest and most rugged optic I can afford, a quality rangefinder, and ammunition loaded with a projectile best suited for the job. These days, that means more than just a spitzer bullet, or even a traditional spitzer boattail bullet; though they will certainly cover the distance, they are prone to show the effects of atmospheric drag and wind deflection more than those radical designs we’ve seen come on the market of late. It is those bullets – the sleek americanshootingjournal.com 41
