There are probably more long range shooters in hunting, varmint, bean field etc than bench rest or some of the other long range competition. Several of us years ago were about as anal as one can be about such. Way too much time and money was spent chasing the illusive/elusive (both are correct) one hole group. Guns are like women and no two are alike. Even identical twins have different likes. Just in the reloading end of it. Cases were sorted by volume/weigh, neck concentric, inside ream or outside turned. Even primer weight and diameter check for uniform size etc. Bullets checked and sorted. Powder charges each measured. Groups often fired using same case reloaded for each shot. Neck sized just enough to hold bullet. Bullet loaded and round check to insure bullet seated square and to perfect length. Wait the for wind and conditions to be as perfect as possible. Insanity at its finest. In this state of great wisdom I once bought a custom barrel blank. Ends turned on center. Cut rifled, hand lapped, gauged to be as perfect as possible. Dropped $400 on just the blank, then it still had to be turned and fitted. Chambered, head spaced and crowned. Yes it was amazingly accurate, but the end resulting group is still no better than person shooting. Guy bought a Savage 243 bolt gun with scope and factory ammo for his kid. Had less than $400 in package. Brought it to the house to zero for deer and coyotes. First 3 shots were under 1/2" outside to outside. My gun would out shoot it, but he had a fun gun for him and his kid. I had an on going exercise in futility fed by an anal insanity looking for a Perfection that did not exist. After much thought reality brought me back around to just doing the things that were fun. Now I buy barrel blanks for under $100 each, few for 1/2 that. Reamers are seldom custom grind. Groups that are minute of whatever critters gun is for are acceptable. Long range can be fun. Hitting something at 1000 yards or more consistently will make your hat get tight and put a grin on your face. Don't start there, work towards there, when it becomes an obsession back off. That is when the fun leaves. As a side note, much of the anal insanity of match/long range shooting is not really necessary. Really good guns are not always the most expensive. Careful but not anal reloading for a gun when load it likes is found works great. It is load the gun likes that counts.
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I'll be playing around with 500yds come spring time 
but all the effort, not to mention $$$ that gets put into teensy tinsy groups at ridiculous distances is just beyond me. As you said, every rifle is different. I'll be happy if I can even hit a steel plate with any consistency at 500 yds, to be perfectly honest. That's probably going to be my summer goal - 500yd plate with .223, .308, and 7.62x39. I may even try 303 BRIT, 300 BLK and 7.62x54R just to be silly.
but all the effort, not to mention $$$ that gets put into teensy tinsy groups at ridiculous distances is just beyond me. As you said, every rifle is different. I'll be happy if I can even hit a steel plate with any consistency at 500 yds, to be perfectly honest. That's probably going to be my summer goal - 500yd plate with .223, .308, and 7.62x39. I may even try 303 BRIT, 300 BLK and 7.62x54R just to be silly.
I used to shoot IHMSA handgun metal silhouette shooting with a pistol. The degree of difference with many long range long barrel pistols and revolvers is slight. In that sport, accuracy and knockdown is everything. This becomes a case of picking the best caliber for you and fine tuning the load. I went from 30-30 in various barrels with a Thompson Contender to .357 Maximum for Production Shooting. I moved from a .35 Remington barrel to 7mm International (7mm necked down from 30-30) in Unlimited class. Ruger Blackhawks and Dan Wessons were common with revolvers.
Knocking down a ram at 200 yards takes a good round and a solid hit.
I used my rifle shooting to develop solid pistol loads. The difference is that there is less room for error with a long range pistol.
Knocking down a ram at 200 yards takes a good round and a solid hit.
I used my rifle shooting to develop solid pistol loads. The difference is that there is less room for error with a long range pistol.
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Two of those three ain't silly at all. The 303 and the 7.62x54 date back from an era when 300 was just on the longish side of what was expected to be normal engagement ranges. WWI era rifle battle sights were routinely set for a 200 yard zero. Now, the volley sights could get stupid with the ranges, but 300 isn't a stretch for any of the guns of that era. That 500 plate isn't out of the question either. I'd dare say it would come down more to the sights and the shooter than the gun or the ammo if the barrel ain't shot out.I'll be playing around with 500yds come spring time
The Enfield shoots well out to 100 yds (that's the farthest I've had the opportunity to shoot it as, so far) and the iron sights do come set at 200. I put a fairly cheap scope on it because my eyes don't do 100 yds very well anymore, so it should be good to go with some decent reloads - but I'm not terribly confident in the Greek surplus I scored a few years ago - it was doing nearly hours of angle as opposed to minutes at 100 yds and some cheap 124gr powder coated bullets that I was loading up with Red Dot were much more accurate. BUT, the real reason I bought the surplus was that it's brass and boxer primed, so still ,kind of a win/win.
The Mosin that I'll probably be trying out isn't shot out either, but a mad-sized silhouette at 500 yds (18"x30") will still be something of a lucky shot most likely. Plus, I've never fired at 500 yds and the last time I even did 300 was more than two decades ago (holy crap, nearly 3 decades now!) in the Army. It'll still be fun though
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