Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

[JoeMartin]

Tonight at our Tuesday .22LR gathering (Match), we had 9 folks show up which included my son and I,,, and for the most part we just plinked at metal anywhere from 25 yards out to 200 yards. Kind of a warm up for the matches to come every other Tuesday evening.

This got me to thinking about my quest for 200 yard paper target shooting. I like the challenge of it, but I find I really enjoy shooting at the metal gongs and silhouettes that are stationed beyond 100 yards. The closer ones are all right, but not much of a challange for either me or my son.

On the way home we got to talking about putting up some metal gongs at various ranges for the two of us to practice on. I don't think the Tuesday night crowd will be very responsive to our idea as they seem to prefer shooting close range targets. This is something the two of us will do on our own, and if a passer-byer would happen to catch wind of this - they are welcome to join us.

We're going to station gongs at the follow distances to plink at from different shooting positions, (offhand, kneeling, setting, and prone).

6" x 8" - 150 yards (one shot from each of the 4 disciplines above)
8" x 10" - 175 yards (same as above - 150 yards)
10" x 12" - 200 yards (2 shots prone, 1 shot kneeling, 1 shot setting)
12" x 14" - 250 yards (same as above 200 yards)
14" x 16" - 300 yards (4 shots prone)

20 shots in all... The gong sizes are pretty generous, but this is not about how small of a group we can put on paper. It's about getting that little .22 bullet to the target. We just want something a bit different, and something we don't have to make a lot of trips down range to see the results of our shots. We're just kind of looking at this as some good ol' long range plinking fun.

 

[Mag 300]

Re: Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

Good way to mix it up more challenge more fun

 

[wksinatl]

Re: Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

Joe,
Good idea. I would like to get something like that going here in Georgia.

Keith

 

[JoeMartin]

Re: Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

I was thinking last night and this morning if we should set a time limit on each of the 'four shots' we will take from each range? Any suggestions?

We want to take into consideration the use of single shot rifles and magazine fed rifles, of all actions... Just in case we take this as match competiton someday?

I was thinking 3 minutes for 4 shots but that seems a bit to generous even though the shooter will be moving into different shooting positions through the first four ranges of 150 through 250 yards, with the 5th range being 4 shots Prone out to 300 yards.

Something tells me 2 minutes would be more then enough for a shooter to get four shots off even if they were shooting a bolt or break open single shot action. It is not like they would have to move immediately to the next target. There would be a time delay space involved before they shot at the next range distance.

Any thoughts in this area?

 

[YAOG]

Re: Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Joe Martin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was thinking last night and this morning if we should set a time limit on each of the 'four shots' we will take from each range? Any suggestions?

We want to take into consideration the use of single shot rifles and magazine fed rifles, of all actions... Just in case we take this as match competiton someday?

I was thinking 3 minutes for 4 shots but that seems a bit to generous even though the shooter will be moving into different shooting positions through the first four ranges of 150 through 250 yards, with the 5th range being 4 shots Prone out to 300 yards.

Something tells me 2 minutes would be more then enough for a shooter to get four shots off even if they were shooting a bolt or break open single shot action. It is not like they would have to move immediately to the next target. There would be a time delay space involved before they shot at the next range distance.

Any thoughts in this area? </div></div>

Joe,

Have you considered really mixing it up? You might want to try a 2 gun shoot. Start with the longer targets limiting time on each to 2-3 minutes moving to closer and closer targets until you get inside 50 yards. Then switch to .22LR pistols. Make the pistol targets small enough to be interesting inside 35 yards shooting as close as 7 yards or so. You could also make your targets fractional standard man shaped silhouettes to simulate distance and grow them to full size at close range for the pistol shooting portion. Just a thought.

HTH!

 

[JoeMartin]

Re: Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

Hadn't really considered adding handguns because so few out here where I live shoot their handguns at our Range. As a matter of fact we have a Pistol Range that no one uses.

My son and I enjoy pistols as well as rifles. We each have the S&W Mod. 22A, and we really like them, but we're not that interested in competing in any events with them, seperate from what I was thinking about.

You never know, someday maybe?

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

I think the details are less important that the idea of getting the rimfire shooting into the forefront.

Rather than doing this as a warmup; maybe it's somthing that, with proper forethought and preparation, can stand as an event all on its own.

These times might well favor recreational events that can be run at less cost to the participants, and can be supported with less consumables, like paper targets, etc.

Greg

 

[JoeMartin]

Re: Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

You bring up a good point, Greg.

I still feel some kind of time restriction is needed, but starting out it probably wouldn't have to be real stringent. One should be used in my opinion as to acclimate those who are taking part in such an event to the idea of timed events.

Naturally the time could be adjusted as the potential competition grows and a better conclusion can be drawn after several events are ran and reviewed.

I believe these events could very easily stand on their own, just like the tactical .22LR ones being held in So. California.

 

[JoeMartin]

Re: Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

Going to do a little more rethinking on this latest Tuesday night shooting.
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The following (from my original post) is out... Void the following;

We're going to station gongs at the follow distances to plink at from different shooting positions, (offhand, kneeling, setting, and prone).

6" x 8" - 150 yards (one shot from each of the 4 disciplines above)
8" x 10" - 175 yards (same as above - 150 yards)
10" x 12" - 200 yards (2 shots prone, 1 shot kneeling, 1 shot setting)
12" x 14" - 250 yards (same as above 200 yards)
14" x 16" - 300 yards (4 shots prone)
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The gong sizes are just to generous in my humble opinion. Also setup time needs to be taken into consideration. Therefore, I think we'll go with the following (Plan B) as setup should be quicker, we can run 3 shooters at a time (which should help), and we're covering the four shooting disciplines. To many of us here the targets will still appear to be to generous - but for those who do not normally practice good marksmanship, it might just be the ticket to getting more doing so, and getting more shooters involved once they start hitting metal.
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Here is the new Course of Fire:

Round #1
5 shots - 25 yards - offhand - 5x5 gong (3 stations)
5 shots - 200 yards - prone - 8x10 gong (3 stations)

Round #2
5 shots - 50 yards - kneeling - 6x6 gong (3 stations)
5 shots - 200 yards - prone - 8x10 gong (3 stations)-(Same Station as Round #1)

Round #3
5 shots - 100 yards - setting - 8x8 gong (3 stations)
5 shots - 200 yards - prone - 8x10 gong (3 stations)-(Same Station as Round #1 & 2)

Scoring: 10 points for each hit.

We are not worried about tie breakers at this time as this is just to try and get people involved so that a higher grade of competition might grow from this on down the road.

Those who come out and do not want to shoot this course of fire can plink on the short range .22 metal targets.

 

[bigwheeler]

Re: Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

Just a thought, after shooting your coarse several times you can get actual times
down and cut the time closer to reality and then drop the required discipline
allowing the shooter to pick his discipline for the stages. A shooter that is very
confident in off hand may choose it over sitting if he gains enough of a time
advantage. Great concept though. Got me to thinking about setting up the same
for me and my kid. I have a similar shoot coming up in two weeks out to 200
hundred. Got my range cards made up and am trying to memorize them right
now. Some local heavy weight bp cartridge shooters will be competing so it won't
be a cake walk to place.

 

[JoeMartin]

Re: Rethinking My Long Range Shooting Goals

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bigwheeler</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a thought, after shooting your coarse several times you can get actual times
down and cut the time closer to reality and then drop the required discipline
allowing the shooter to pick his discipline for the stages. A shooter that is very
confident in off hand may choose it over sitting if he gains enough of a time
advantage. Great concept though. Got me to thinking about setting up the same
for me and my kid. I have a similar shoot coming up in two weeks out to 200
hundred. Got my range cards made up and am trying to memorize them right
now. Some local heavy weight bp cartridge shooters will be competing so it won't
be a cake walk to place. </div></div>

I like your thoughts on this. I believe it is something that we will incorporate. Appreciate the suggestion!

Good luck and good shooting on the event coming up in two weeks. Also, your mention of range cards gives me the idea that I should make some as well, and also give them out to those who are going to take part (or may want to take part), so that things can move along at a decent pace.

Thanks!