Long-range shooting is something I have a deep respect for. The idea of hitting a target from thousands of yards despite things like the wind, the bullet’s path through the air, the patience to wait for the right moment to take the shot, all are beyond me as a shooter. As a result, I have a deep respect for those who can make those long-range shots.

Now, a gentleman in Texas claims to have made the longest shot in history.

A West Texas man has taken aim at becoming one of the world’s top marksmen.

Bill Poor, 41, says he hit a target from 3 miles away with a .408 bullet on Jan. 14 near Midland.

Hitting a target from that distance would break the record of 2.8 miles set by retired Navy SEAL Charles Melton in September.

For Poor, it was a shot that was three years in the making.

“It didn’t happen overnight,” he said. “It took a lot of homework and a lot of science.”

His efforts have brought him attention from reporters and firearms enthusiasts, but establishing his record may prove difficult.

Guinness World Records did not recognize Melton’s shot — and probably won’t acknowledge Poor’s either.

“They do not recognize shots with optics,” said Poor, who used a large scope on his rifle. “Several guys have tried and sent them in everything, but for some reason they just don’t want to take it.”

Guinness argues that because optics vary so much, they want a level playing field and thus, no shots with optics get counted.

Which, of course, means that no shot at this range will likely ever be counted as a record. I mean, how are you going to see a target from three miles away?

Regardless, it’s the longest known shot taken and does top Melton’s shot from September of last year. Even if Guinness doesn’t recognize it, we sure as hell will.

Poor’s rifle was built by a gunsmith who specializes in precision rifles for long-range shooting. He and Melton both used the same base for their weapons, a .408 CheyTac.

It’s reported that Poor took only eight shots to hit the target, which is even more impressive. By comparison, Melton took 38.

Of course, it’s not like these two men should be compared to one another to any real degree. While Poor may have broken Melton’s record, both men and their shooting skill are impressive to an insane degree. Let me just say it again: Three-mile shot.

Seriously, I have trouble hitting targets beyond 300 yards in perfect conditions (yeah, yeah, I know…something I need to work on), so I can only stand in awe of people who make shots like this. I think most of us do.

Hell, even the most boastful guy at the local gun store tends to look at this and think twice about trying to top a story like this one, mostly because even he knows everyone will spot his BS and call him on it.

Stuff like this doesn’t just happen every day, so I want to congratulate Mr. Poor on one hell of an awesome shot.