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Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

E

egarabedian

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 11, 2010
37
14
41
Fresno, CA
Dear Sniper Hide Forums,

This is my first post on this site.

I'm looking for a good beginners book for long range precision rifle. I'd say "beginners sniper book" but that seems like somewhat of an oxymoron.

Does anyone have any ideas of a good beginners book? If so could you please reply. Ideally something that includes information on optics/optic adjustments, reticles, ranging targets, ammo/ballistics, etc,...but for beginners.

Thank you
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

Plaster's Ultimate Sniper, 2nd edition. (I think that's the latest) Been out awhile and probably could use an update, but since you asked for a beginner book, it fits the bill.
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting


<span style="font-family: 'Verdana'">Study and learn everything written by <span style="color: #000000">Bryan Litz, David Tubb, Glenn Zediker</span>
Learn <span style="text-decoration: underline">Prone and Long Range Rifle Shooting,</span> by Nancy Tompkins.
Tubb has several videos on YouTube. Study them.
Then shoot and read and shoot.......ask questions and listen.
Too many ask and answer they're own questions.

Except for one or two, periodical magazines are junk. Avoid them.

Take lessons from a High Master, or the like.

Shoot! In the wind. A lot.</span>
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

+1 what Casey said. Attend a HP Clinic, one authorized by the CMP. Find a mentor at one of these, someone with credentials as Casey alluded to. Attend the rifle phase of the USAMU's Small Arms Firing School next year at Camp Perry. After you get into it you'll come to understand the marksmanship fundamentals of LR are the same as lesser distance shooting but require perfect execution for the best results, it's an angular thing.

While the stuff you said you want to know about: sights, range finding, ballistics, etc are all important, the essence of good results at LR is perfection of basic marksmanship skills. Developing both picture and motor memory to perfection is key. There are countless losers with the right equipment who have knowledge how to use it and still can't produce results with it because they did not begin their journey with knowledge about the fundamentals.

You can learn a lot about what's important to good shooting at LR using a Service Rifle. My passion today is in NRA LR, Service Rifle Division. I shoot an iron sight internally modified commercial equivalent of the M16A2. This division is ideal for someone who is interested in developing marksmanship skills in general. I like this division since it is more challenging than the other divisions. It demands more from the shooter for the best results, and it shows. My scores with the Service rifle are now typically about 11 points down from scores shot using a 6.5/284 match rifle with either irons or scope; but, I'm improving.
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

First off welcome to the Hide, please complete your profile and add your location, this will help us help you, somebody lives close to you, and can help you FTF. I found a LR club in my area that hosted F-Class Club matches twice a month, showed up, shot, kept my mouth shut and ears open, learned a lot by shooting and listening, I recommend that you not watch one but enter, if you finish last no biggie its a learning experience.

Equipment
Remington 700 in 308 Winchester
175 grain Ammo from Federal or Blackhills
Harris 6-9 Swivel with Notched legs
Pod-Lok for the Bipod
One Piece scope base with 20moa cant
Rear Bag of some sort
Tab Sling, TIS Sling, 1903 leather Sling, these are more than carrying straps
Log Book
Rings, hieght will depend on which scope you buy, but 42mm bell Lows, 50mm bell Mediums, 56mm bell Med-high
As far as scopes go, IMHO you need to spend at least as much as everything I listed above on the scope, but a 300 dollar 10x Super Sniper is a great beginner scope, the only problem with it is the reticle and knobs don't match, that is very important.

Everything except the weapon and scope can be bought from http://www.triadtactical.com/home.php and at the best price.

Super Sniper Scopes are only available from http://swfa.com/default.aspx

Lowlight has a great article on MRAD scopes that I suggest you read, http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1851301#Post1851301 Fredo posts

And finally online training, not free but well worth the price.
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 427Cobra</div><div class="ubbcode-body">First off welcome to the Hide, please complete your profile and add your location, this will help us help you, somebody lives close to you, and can help you FTF. I found a LR club in my area that hosted F-Class Club matches twice a month, showed up, shot, kept my mouth shut and ears open, learned a lot by shooting and listening, I recommend that you not watch one but enter, if you finish last no biggie its a learning experience.

Equipment
Remington 700 in 308 Winchester
175 grain Ammo from Federal or Blackhills
Harris 6-9 Swivel with Notched legs
Pod-Lok for the Bipod
One Piece scope base with 20moa cant
Rear Bag of some sort
Tab Sling, TIS Sling, 1903 leather Sling, these are more than carrying straps
Log Book
Rings, hieght will depend on which scope you buy, but 42mm bell Lows, 50mm bell Mediums, 56mm bell Med-high
As far as scopes go, IMHO you need to spend at least as much as everything I listed above on the scope, but a 300 dollar 10x Super Sniper is a great beginner scope, the only problem with it is the reticle and knobs don't match, that is very important.

Everything except the weapon and scope can be bought from http://www.triadtactical.com/home.php and at the best price.

Super Sniper Scopes are only available from http://swfa.com/default.aspx

Lowlight has a great article on MRAD scopes that I suggest you read, http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1851301#Post1851301 Fredo posts

And finally online training, not free but well worth the price.


</div></div> 427's equipment list is right-on. Yet, the nature of F-Class can deceive a new shooter. Make no mistake, there is no substitute for learning basic marksmanship. Progressing to the highest plateaus of good shooting demands it.
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting


I thought about this and improved my opinion:

Study and learn everything written by Bryan Litz, David Tubb, Glenn Zediker
Learn Prone and Long Range Rifle Shooting, by Nancy Tompkins, among others.
Tubb has several videos on YouTube. Study them.
Then shoot and read and shoot.......ask questions and listen.
Too many ask and answer they're own questions.

Except for one or two, periodical magazines are junk. Avoid them.

Take lessons from a High Master, or the like.

Shoot! In the wind. A lot.
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

Looks like "Prone and Long Range Rifle Shooting" is out of print. I couldn't find a copy in any of the usual place. The web site mentions that another printing would be ready in summer 2011, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

—Andreas
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

Wow, so I just want to thank everyone for replying to the post.

For some reason I wasn't getting emails updating me that people have replied to my post and I'm assuming I can find that setting somewhere in my account settings. But nonetheless, thanks again for all the replies.

Anyway, looks like I've got some work to do.

Some recommendations were to take a class and there's a class going on locally next month with Patrick Garrity (from the movie Shooter) but it's $1000 to attend (not including supplies, ammo, etc). Seems like a LOT for a 4 day class. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks all... (oh, and I'll update my profile asap, thanks for the tip)
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sterling Shooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 427Cobra</div><div class="ubbcode-body">First off welcome to the Hide, please complete your profile and add your location, this will help us help you, somebody lives close to you, and can help you FTF. I found a LR club in my area that hosted F-Class Club matches twice a month, showed up, shot, kept my mouth shut and ears open, learned a lot by shooting and listening, I recommend that you not watch one but enter, if you finish last no biggie its a learning experience.

Equipment
Remington 700 in 308 Winchester
175 grain Ammo from Federal or Blackhills
Harris 6-9 Swivel with Notched legs
Pod-Lok for the Bipod
One Piece scope base with 20moa cant
Rear Bag of some sort
Tab Sling, TIS Sling, 1903 leather Sling, these are more than carrying straps
Log Book
Rings, hieght will depend on which scope you buy, but 42mm bell Lows, 50mm bell Mediums, 56mm bell Med-high
As far as scopes go, IMHO you need to spend at least as much as everything I listed above on the scope, but a 300 dollar 10x Super Sniper is a great beginner scope, the only problem with it is the reticle and knobs don't match, that is very important.

Everything except the weapon and scope can be bought from http://www.triadtactical.com/home.php and at the best price.

Super Sniper Scopes are only available from http://swfa.com/default.aspx

Lowlight has a great article on MRAD scopes that I suggest you read, http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1851301#Post1851301 Fredo posts

And finally online training, not free but well worth the price.


</div></div> 427's equipment list is right-on. Yet, the nature of F-Class can deceive a new shooter. Make no mistake, there is no substitute for learning basic marksmanship. Progressing to the highest plateaus of good shooting demands it. </div></div>


+1 on the above,...F class ceratinly won't "teach" you fundamental marksmanship!
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

I'm also new to the precision rifle side of the house-most of my experience is in CQB. SH has been an awesome forum to learn from others experience, and I've read almost every book recommended in this post; some of them twice. I really like Plaster's book, and that one has the most notes in the margin. You may want to buy Magpul's latest video, "Art of Precision Rifle" if you're more of a visual learner. Todd Hodnett is the instructor in that series and with video you can study closely the finer points.
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

I actually did grab the Magpul DVD, it's very informative.

I'm looking forward to reading some of the books too.
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

yes, the US ARMY AMU dvd's for sale at the odcmp store are crazy good deal

servie rifle, SQUAD dm, and cqb rifle, i think are the titles

i have all of them but am not gonna go check , lol

and for $7 each ??? doh!

get extras, they make terrific gifts, for shooting buddies
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

I'm going to have to pick up those AMU dvd's too! The Magpul series is good, but there's so much information you'll find yourself rewinding a lot! I've been doing some practicing with my .270 (not ideal, but it's trigger time and I get to use what I read), but I've just ordered a Rem 700 SPS Tactical to really jump into the precision world. Wonder if I can get a laptop for my drag bag to watch the DVDs while I'm stalking?!
crazy.gif
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

Going to tag this post. Good info guys!!
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

Another +1 for David Tubb. Liked both his books "Highpower Rifle" and "Rifle Shooter"
Lots of good info.
 
Re: Beginners Books for Long Range Shooting

Books to help a shooter with LR, I've read plenty; yet, none have had enough emphasis or words regarding the 5 factors of a steady position. I believe it's only when the shooter can rebuild the position to be identical shot to shot that the best results will be possible. I'd even go out on a limb to say rebuilding the position to make it exactly the same in every manner it can be described is the most important thing to LR. I'm speaking of course in context to NRA LR, where a string of fire is directed to a singular scorable target. This sort of LR shooting can reveal whether or not the shooter has mastered basic marksmanship.
 
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