Advanced Marksmanship What’s your long range shooting procedure?

[teddy12b]

When you show up to the range do you just sit down and start shooting or do have a procedure that you follow? What I mean by that is, do you show up and start measuring the temp, barometric pressure, obviously wind, and the other stuff?

I’ve been shooting long range for about a year and a half now and for whatever reason I don’t seem to hitting the targets as consistently as I’d like to be out past 500 yards. I know the rifle can do it, because it already has on all the nice calm “perfect” days for shooting. I’ve hit targets at 1000 yards, but only on the not too windy days.

I need to get a better understanding of how the environmental conditions effects my shots. If anyone knows of a good book to read I’d be happy to read it. If anyone uses the little wind, temp, pressure gauges and thinks it’s worth buying I’d appreciate some guidance there too.

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: What’s your long range shooting procedure?

99 percent of it has already been done before I've even driven up to the range gate on match day, much less on the firing line. So, yeah, I just lay down and shoot-focus on the front sight and smooth trigger control. That's to say. those are the only things, other than follow-through, I'm thinking about. Wind does not require thought, just an understanding for what's needed to counter its effects.

 

[Sig685]

Re: What’s your long range shooting procedure?

I took a while before deciding to get in this thread. As I get to the range, I already know the wind, speed and direction and the effect that it will have on the shoot. I checked the weather forecast the night before and I look at the flags along the highway as I drive to the range. When I get to the the firing line, I have the elevation dialed in the night before and I just put in what I think is required for the windage. I may touch up the elevation depending on temperature, humidity and back or face wind, according to the databook.

When I get on the line, I just focus on getting in a proper position, making sure of my natural POI and looking for anything that will cause me issue on the ground. Then I just get my score card/plot sheet on the metal binder, swap my glasses for safety glasses and I begin my string. I may make a few corrections on the scope from the sighters, but overall, just like SS says, I plunk down and shoot and work on my position, trigger control and follow through. I check the flags, I peek at my fellow shooters' targets to see what they are experiencing and then I just get into my zone.

I do find that I spend some time prior to the shoot, after registration, talking to my friends (all the shooters,) and helping the new shooters. But all the time, I know that I am ready to go.

I do have a Kestrel that I may pull out, to record the actual conditions in my databook, but I already know what I'm going to correct for.

 

[RayDog]

Re: What’s your long range shooting procedure?

Range target, dial elevation, dope wind, send it, ring steel. Pretty straight forward.

If your having a hard time reading the wind get a meter and practice. I can't seem to walk down the street without making a wind call. Practice practice practice

 

[Lindy]

Re: What’s your long range shooting procedure?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If your having a hard time reading the wind get a meter and practice. I can't seem to walk down the street without making a wind call.</div></div>

Good advice. It works for learning to judge distance, too - make an eyeball estimate, then check it with a laser rangefinder.

 

[308sako]

Re: What’s your long range shooting procedure?

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[Sterling Shooter]

Re: What’s your long range shooting procedure?

One suggestion, for anyone interested in LR, first learn how to put em all in one hole at 100 yards, then you will clearly understand 1000 yards is not something esoteric, that's to say, it does not have a peculiar marksmanship doctrine.

 

[308sako]

Re: What’s your long range shooting procedure?

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