The maximum range of firearms during the late 1500s was generally considered pretty high. The effective range is a bit more difficult to pin down and likely varied depending on the quality of troops and battlefield conditions.

Robert Barret gave the caliver a range of 400-480 paces. Barnabe Rich gave the caliver a range of 360-400 paces and the musket a range of 480-600 paces. According to Humfrey Barwick, a musket with good powder could kill an unarmored man at up to 600 paces, a man in common armor at 400 paces, and a man in good quality "pistol-proof" armor at 200 paces. He recommended taking the first shot with a musket at 480 paces while the arquebus and caliver should be used at shorter ranges.

Barwick is notable in that he felt firearms were tricky weapons which would take months or even years of training to learn to shoot properly. Inexperienced soldiers who failed to compensate for the massive recoil of their weapon or didn't take the time to aim properly, may help explain why some commanders preferred to hold their fire until 30 yards or closer.