Books

[LeadSlinger585]

I've got a job in SE Alaska where I'll pretty much be working 7 days a week and confined to the job site with limited access to entertainment. I imagine it'll be much like being on a carrier at sea.

Anyway, since I'm just starting my precision rifle journey, I was wondering what books to read. As a former smallbore shooter, I understand marksmanship fundamentals, so not looking for that.

Ballistics
Wind reading
Distance judging
Understanding scopes/MOA/Mil-dots
Mindset

Whatever else you'd suggest I'm open to. Including books unrelated to the topic of long range precision.

Thanks!
Jay

 

[wvfarrier]

I cant believe no one has responded. I just read a couple of the walt longmire books. Really good.

 

[LeadSlinger585]

Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson

Walt Longmire is Sheriff of Wyoming's Absaroka County.

Looks good. Cool thing is, I used to camp in Absaroka-Beartooth wilderness in between hitches of working for the Forest Service.

 

[Vektus]

Well i haven't read any books like you mentioned but heres some good ones

American sniper about/by chris kyle
Marine sniper: 93 confirmed kills its about carlos hathcock
Lone survivor: the eyewitness about marcus luttrell

 

[aur0ra145]

Unintended Consequences
Winds of War
War and Remembrance
War and Peace
The Caine Mutiny
Ordinary Men
Art of War
On War
Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife
Flight of the Intruder
Ender's Game
Old Man's War (fucking awesome book series)
Childhood's End
The Forever War
The Diary of a U-Boat Commander
Clear the Bridge
Black Sheep One: The Life of Gregory "Pappy" Boyington
All Quiet on the Western Front
Fight Club
Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds
Lone Survivor
Ghost of Onyx
Infantry Attacks
Ghost Soldiers

That should get you started.

Edit:
I also suggest you watch two movies:

To End All Wars
Das Boot

 

[LeadSlinger585]

Great list!

Can't find Unintended Consequences in print though.

Bump for LRP books.

 

[Niles Coyote]

The Red Circle: My Life in the Navy SEAL Sniper Corps and How I Trained America's Deadliest Marksmen
By Brandon Webb

Then read the account of two of his students
American sniper by Chris Kyle
And
Lone survivor by Marcus Luttrell

 

[LeadSlinger585]

Red all 3.

The first, I bought from a member here on SH.

 

[Niles Coyote]

and don't forget
“Applied Ballistics” as well as “Accuracy and Precision for Long Range Shooting” , both by Bryan Litz

 

[SD26]

Unrelated to shooting directly...more to the philosophy and morality of life...

I enjoyed David Hackett Fisher's "Paul Revere's Ride", and Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged".

 

[Unknown]

For true hard shooting information, that teaches things from the beginning, to most advanced:

1. The Marine corps Sniper Manual (great starter stuff)
2. The Complete 50 caliber shooting course (written by a SF sniper instructor, truly great stuff)
3. The Art of The Rifle (By Jeff Cooper, more of an over view)
4. A Rifleman Went To War (by McBride, a WW1 sniper, really interesting)

For more thoughtful, philosophical stuff relating to tactics, life and such:

1. A book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's "sword saint"..as relevant today as it was 400 years ago
2. Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, by Aurelius, an actual Roman emperor
3. The Art of Worldly Wisdom by Baltasar Gracian, probably the most thought provoking book I hace ever read, and I look HARD
for thought provoking books. After reading it 4 times, I still learn every time I read from it...EVERY TIME!
He also wrote "A pocket book for Heroes", but I didn't find it as captivating.

 

[wilecoyote]

to add to the lower list here above : Eugen Herrigel: "Zen in the Art of Archery"_ (don't worry: not "bow" only, exactly as 5Rgs.book isn't about "sword" only)

 

[BALLISTIC]

To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth by Jeff Cooper. It's not a full length story/single topic, but a group of some of his articles over the years.

 

[LeadSlinger585]

Thanks guys!

and don't forget
“Applied Ballistics” as well as “Accuracy and Precision for Long Range Shooting” , both by Bryan Litz

Awesome, exactly what I want.

Is there a "puzzle book" of a fixed target size in a mil-dot cross hairs where you figure out range?

I suck at milling (via Shooter Ready). I'm always off by .1-.3 mils, and I need practice. A puzzle book of milled targets with answers in the back (like crossword puzzle books) would be cool. Does such a thing exist?

 

[WPG]

A Rifleman Went to War

 

[Decoy]

The Art of War. - by Sun Tzu

 

[Fred @ Bison Tactical]

I believe you can find Unintended Consequences online. While I would love to point you to a source for it that is legit - I don't know of any. I borrowed a friends copy - and its a incredibly good book.

If someone hasn't suggested them yet, I can also suggest some of Boston T. Party's books, as well as Matthew Brackens series (fictional).

I highly second the Litz books - they are really good. If you can work you way through Handloading for Competition some also really enjoy it - I can't deal with his writing style - but it does contain a bunch of good info.