Yep. BUT they didnt just take 69 shots from 4.4 miles. You guys act like they just started shooting at 4.4 miles and shot 68 rds then hit on 69 th rd Here is what most likely happened. They used a ballistic program that went to leta say 4000 yards. Theu shot 10 and verified the program. Moved to 4500 yards with data they thought would work mathematically. 10 shots. Then 5000 yards. Then 5500 yards then 6500 then 7000 yards then 4.4 miles. Get rhe picture now. They basically had to build their own data. Corroliss affect that far??? At 3000 yard its about 1 foot. Thats right. The earth movea 1 ft or alittle more in 3000 yards and lets say 7 seconds flight time. So what is it at 7700 yards ??? Dont know. NO ONE Does ! So they had to figure it out.

If your not impressed, you go take 100 shots at 4.4 miles and see how many you get on an 8" bullseye.

.

A 6' group at 2 mi. is better than I was expecting. That is awesome. And quite impressive too !
Here are some quotes from the article.
Thanks !

A bit after 7:00 a.m., when winds are typically the calmest in the high desert of Western Wyoming, Winston sent the first shot, which landed within 30 yards of the target —a promising start.

We did not take into account the Coriolis, as much of that is lost in the weeds with respect to wind (6-9 mph), temperature rising (constantly adjusting elevation) and time of flight.

“We could obviously put a few more shots in the bullseye right in a row right now, but we are tired, so we will stop shooting and strut away now,” Shepard joked. “‘Luck’ isn’t the right word; perhaps ‘probability’ is a better word. Had Winston shot another 50 shots, none might have hit the target, or at best, perhaps a few would have, and they probably wouldn’t have been in the bullseye.” In a strange coincidence, it was their 69th shot that hit the target, breaking Paul Phillips’ 4-mile record shot which also landed on the 69th shot

Oh, its impressive, for sure.
But, I'll bet you them very same folks could shoot another 100 rounds an not hit that bull again. Even 200 likely.
Might hit that 80" circle again tho .... maybe.

To me ES or extreme spread is everything. Some people dont get it. Take a 1/4 moa rifle at 100 yards. That rifle is 1/4 MOA still at 1000 yards ? NO WAY ! Its can not shoot 1/4 MOA at 1000 yards = 2 and 1/2 s. But Why ? You say ? Barrell harmonics. Barrell harmonics = think tuning fork. MAY let a AR 15 shoot 1/2 MOA or 1 and 1/2 inch group at 300 yards BUT take same gun to limit of 800 yards ? 5 shot group will be huge. Cause ? Barrell harmonics and ES. I guess I have had 20 or so custom build rifles or so in my 50 years on earth. Farley Black Widows. BAT action Stolle Panda’s. Rebel. Stugeon actions and afew Blue printed Rem 700s. All ran = Bartlein Krieger or Broughton barrels. Out of 20 maybe 4 have had 10 shot ES of teens. Having a Custom Rifle that shoots 10 shoot groups in the low teen or single digit is like hitting 4 out of 6 on lotto. I have a 6 mm BR Stolle Panda on a Lee 6 stock that has a single digit ES. Built by Lester Bruno YEARS ago IT IS NOT for sale at any price

Like I said
69 hail Mary's wing n'- a prayer

Here is a final clip from the article:

"This adventure took ...................... months of practical testing to get to the point that the bullet even landed on the hillside, much less the target. The final result was six of the last eight test runs having the majority of our shots landing within a 75-yard radius of the intended target."

For reference, that's a circle covering 3,65 acres. And only a majority of the shots of six of the last eight test run shots landed in it. Just to say over half.
So, that was close enough to go for it.

I contend that hitting a 3.65 acre circle consistently at 4.4 miles would require an extreme amount of skill and would be a fantastic achievement.
To hit a gopher dead center in the middle of it ...... is called luck.
Even hitting the 1 MOA 80" circle would require at least as much luck as skill.
IMHO

Environmental changes happen everyday. So your shooting one day In 79 degrees at 29.59 barromic pressure. Then another day at 84 and 30.11 add that up at 7700 yards and see what you get ? O Wait. No one has a computer ballistic program that goes that far ! So you have to relied on your past data

....... and your 68 previous shots that very day

Also,
"......over 20 months of dreaming and 1,500+ focused man-hours of studying, building and testing a never-before-built system of rifle, ammo, optics, and gear; bunkers and ballistics study and the subsequent custom builds; extensive terrain scouting at various ranches in four states; months of practical testing "

would have provided all of the data and NEW ballistic computations necessary ...

Crowfoot, luck would have been hitting the plate the first shot.

Chis I’ve come to the conclusion with this group that of the ones that can do , don’t think anyone else should try.
Of the ones that can’t do , don’t think anyone else should try .

"This Group" Usually provides a Clear thinking concensus...
And 69 shots is still "shoot till the gong rings" and then proclaim 1 shot was made at several miles - leaving out embarrassing details.

A successful and precise 1000 yard cold bore shot in field conditions impresses me more. No benches, rear bags, and fancy gizmos and gadgets. Just there’s the target, you’ve got about 12 seconds to dope it and send it.

I’ll give credit where credits is due though. Those guys have way to much time and money on their hands! Lol

GB. I would LOVE to give 7700 yards a try! I have took 416 out to 3616 yards. We have GREAT rocks to shoot at ! Here is a Factory 338 Lapua at 2100 yards. Before I rebarrelled That crack is = 3 ft wide and 8 inch talk. I got 1 of 5 in that 8 inch hole at 2100 yards. Group was about 18 inchs

I agree

Chris most on here have never even tried to shoot past 200 yards let alone 2000 yards. One in 5 at 2100 is impressive to me , I’m still working on a thousand yards and a much lower budget, lol .