Extreme Long Range, or ELR as commonly known, is the sport of taking shots at targets that exceed a mile. Some of you may have heard of an event called King of 2 Miles, where competitors from all over attempt to hit targets at increasing distances. In this event, and others like it, popular cartridges such as 375 Cheytac, 338 Edge, 338 Lapua, and other purpose-built ELR calibers dominate. But what about ELR with a more, well, historic cartridge? More specifically, what about a round that has been involved in nearly every conflict for almost a century? That’s what MarkandSam AfterWork are trying to achieve in their latest video. But instead of distances like a mile or two thousand yards, they aim for hits at 3,000 yards.
Hailing from Down Under, Mark and Sam, the owners of 4AW in York, Western Australia (a specialty shop offering ELR solutions), are looking to stretch the limits of the famed 303 British. It’s a cartridge that proved infallible during two World Wars and has since been relegated to the tomes of history, but it has been rejuvenated to test its limits. Anyone who has attempted shots at extremely long range knows the sport requires specialty equipment. For Mark and Sam, that includes specialty bipods, bag riders, a Zero Tech optic, TACOM HQ Charlie Tarac (which works similarly to a periscope and adds elevation, something that is a requirement for shots at extended distances), and a custom rifle. They took a HOWA 1500-long action for this project and had a heavy profile Swan barrel spun up. Once assembled, they mated the barreled action to an MDT Oryx chassis. This chassis provides the shooter with adjustments to offer the perfect fit—something that is essential for taking long shots—and increased rigidity with its aluminum chassis.
The atmospherics must be perfect when shooting at these distances, especially with a round that pales compared to modern ELR cartridges. Too much mirage from a rising sun or just the right amount of left-to-right wind can turn an attempt like this upside down. Will Mark and Same achieve a first-round hit? Or will they have any success at all? Check out their video to find out! If you want more ELR content featuring unique guns and cartridges (like an 1874 Sharps Rifle), visit their channel.
