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Every now and then you hear about a new long-range world record set at unbelievably long distances. However, often times you find out that the shots were fired on quite a large target and only one of many fired rounds hit the target. Should we really count such hits as records? I mean if you keep firing at a large enough target at the distance that your gun is capable of throwing bullets to, sooner or later you’ll make a hit. So there must be some standards and criteria.
Apparently, there are. In 2017, ERL Central has published a set of guidelines and standards to which they determine the world records. These guidelines define the conditions, timing, target size, hit and other criteria that should be met to count as a world record. In a nutshell, you need to hit three times a 36″x36″ target within three minutes from the first cold bore round fired. And that is exactly what Corbin Shell did firing at a 2,118-yard target. Below I’ll quote the announcement posted on ELR Central Southeast’s Facebook page.
New World Record set today at the ELR Southeast “South Georgia Shootout” at Arena Training Facility.
Per the ELR Central Guidelines, Corbin Shell made 3 impacts in under 3 minutes on a 36″x36″, free hanging, BEST Targets AR500 square plate. The range was 2118 yards as verified 3 times each, from 3 different range finders before the shot. The ranges were reverified with all 3 LRFs from the shooters position immediately after the shot. The attempt was made before the commencement of record targets for the match and Corbin was the 2nd shooter to attempt a new record and shot at a clean target. The target was equiped with 2 indicators and viewed from the firing line with spotting scopes as well as a TARGETVISION camera system. The attempt was witnessed by 21 people including the match director.
I think it is a fairly good method of registering a world record and ensuring that the hit was not just good luck. If you can make such consecutive hits, it means that you and your weapon are indeed capable of consistently delivering practical accuracy at a given distance.
Corbin Shell used a rifle chambered in .416 Barrett loaded with 550-grain Lazer projectiles by Cutting Edge Bullets.
You can download the ELR Central World Record Criteria by clicking here (pdf file).
Images from www.cuttingedgebullets.com and ELR Central Southwest Facebook page
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