1000 yd Rifle Range (Gillette, Cody, Jackson: live, moving, rail)

[F350]

I'm looking to do some long range target shooting this spring and was wondering if anyone knows of a decent facility anywhere in the Cody area. It doesn't have to be too fancy - just well set up so I don't accidentally throw rounds on to someone's property and have them start throwing them back... . Thanks in advance for any ideas.

[molon labe]

I've lived over there and am in Gillette currently... there aren't any official 1k ranges that I know of. I looked... the closest facility I know of is north of Gillette about 50 miles and it's more of a training/tac range that hosts a LR shoot once a year. What I do for LR is find some BLM land and range it; I'm positive you have some over there if we do in Gillette. All you need is 1k yards and a backstop (hills or mountains of course). There should be plenty of that in your area on BLM. You might have to drive a few miles, but I wouldn't think many.

[ImAHobbit]

There's some good places out in McCollough Hills, but since I'm all the way across the state, I can't show you where...

The road in there goes in by Willwood dam, from there you are on your own.

Is Ballard Rifle or GainTwist still in Cody building guns? They do some LD shooting and they can probably tell you where to go also.

[Ltdumbear]

Head to the Irma (Silver Saddle Lounge) @ 7pm, look for a fellow named Monte Jackson...he'll know of a few places up the Southfork, where you can set up and go through a few boxes of ammo, totally undisturbed.

[F350]

Thanks for the info. I've never really done much shooting over 600 yds but figured I'd see what happens with the new scope on my M1A. If I remember correctly - the last time I was prone at 1000 yds it was more than 20 years ago on Parris Island and it wasn't with a rifle. I was equipped with a pair of scissors and a ruler cutting grass in the South Carolina sun after p*ssing off one of my Drill Instructors... lol. Good times.

[Ltdumbear]

ahhhhh yes...standing at attention (rifle in hand) for hours on end in that LOVELY South-Carolina Heat and Humidity...

...sand-fleas eating me alive...trying like hell to avoid 'twitching' and incuring the wrath of a Smokey-Hat wearin' Bull-Dog D.I.

Good times for sure.

(btw...I could tell you some stories about snakes and leaches that would make ya pass out...LMAO)

[Jared]

> new scope on my M1A

Hope it works out for ya -- I've heard some of the scope mounts can be finicky. Which one did you go with?

[F350]

The mount is a UTG four point rail and isn't too difficult to affix. I have a Leatherwood M-1000 scope with a bullet-drop compensator and I'm curious to see how well it functions out to 800(+) yds. I've heard some people knock the glass in these but the optics, to me anyway, seem just as good as anything else I've looked through. It would seem that the most challenging thing won't be the drop but the windage in Wyoming... I'll be dialing in 100 feet left or right just to get on paper

I actually prefer to shoot iron sights @ 200 yds with this rifle - makes me look like a better shooter than I really am. If your not in the black with an M1A at under 300 yds you need to find a mirror and take a look in it - there's your problem... ha!

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by F350

The mount is a UTG four point rail and isn't too difficult to affix. I have a Leatherwood M-1000 scope with a bullet-drop compensator and I'm curious to see how well it functions out to 800(+) yds. I've heard some people knock the glass in these but the optics, to me anyway, seem just as good as anything else I've looked through. It would seem that the most challenging thing won't be the drop but the windage in Wyoming... I'll be dialing in 100 feet left or right just to get on paper

I actually prefer to shoot iron sights @ 200 yds with this rifle - makes me look like a better shooter than I really am. If your not in the black with an M1A at under 300 yds you need to find a mirror and take a look in it - there's your problem... ha!

A couple of things to think about.

A factory loaded 30-06 or 308 will have approximately 76 inches of drop at 1000.

If you don't have a good back drop, so you can see dust kick up and locate yourself, get a buddy to lay on top of you and site over your scope. He'll be able to see copper flash and watch to see where the bullet is going. Naked eye, no scope. He can put you back on paper. I've competed with iron sites out to 1500 with a garand.

Get some wire pieces about 3 ft long. Tie 12 inches of ribbon (neon) on top of each and place them every 200 yards all the way to your target. You'll be able to read your wind a lot better. The biggest problem I've had in Wyoming is reading mirage. I've actually had mirage moving down on me. A little disconcerting to say the least.

A 1000 yard target is 72 inches tall and they're hard to find. Bullseye is the size of a paper plate.

[FreedomThroughAnarchism]

Originally Posted by molon labe

What I do for LR is find some BLM land and range it; I'm positive you have some over there if we do in Gillette. All you need is 1k yards and a backstop (hills or mountains of course).

Is that a broadly permissible thing to do on BLM land? They won't say anything if you are shooting on it, in contrast to say other federal agencies like the Park Service or US Forest Service?