First a disclaimer and explanation about this post, and yes I am still an Amazon affiliate, and I will receive monetary compensation from any purchases made using my links to products on Amazon. What is my purpose with these blog post. Essentially, I am putting a guide together for novice or limited experience shooters to find gear. I would like for this to be an inclusive list that a new shooter can read and find good quality, reasonably priced gear to get started. I am doing post on handgun, and pistol. I plan on leaving these up and adding new or better gear as it arrives. Please read and share these post as they can help new shooters gather gear and make it easier for them to find. Thanks Scott
These target stands from our, old 500 yard, match have a 12,8,5,3, and 2 inch plates hanging. Novice or newer shooters can hit the 12 and 8 inch plates, somewhat, consistently. The 5,3, and 2 inch are something completely different. You have to be able to read wind and you have to practice to be able to consistently hit a 5, and 3 inch target. The 2 inch, although not impossible to hit, is exceedingly difficult to hit more than once in a string of fire. To practice, I pick really small targets to shoot at 100 yards. How small you ask, normally the point of aim for me will be the intersection of grid lines. In other words as small as possible, to make me aim and check breathing and try to shoot small groups.
The better we become at shooting groups in all types of conditions, using proper fundamentals, the easier it is to put ourselves in a position to make good hits. As I have said before, consistency and repeatability, leads to accuracy. This means I have to set up on my gun the same, every time I am on the gun. (If it is possible) You have to put yourself in the best position possible for the conditions you are in. Use good targets, every round you fire at the range should have intent and purpose behind it, this means you are actually aiming and trying to hit a specific spot on the target.
I know, I can hear it now, my crosshairs are too big I can't see the intersection of the 2 lines on the target. Maybe so, if that is the case do the best you can with what you have and think about upgrading optics. If you want to shoot, accurately at distance, your optic plays a huge role in your ability to do that. If the crosshairs in your optic are 1 moa crosshairs (means they cover 1.047 inches at 100 yards; which means they cover 10 inches plus at 1000 yards). This should help you see, that your gear selection is important for long range shooting. I shoot an Athlon Ares BTR in 4.5 x 30 - 56 it has a .2 moa floating dot in the reticle, makes it pretty easy to pick a repeatable point of aim on a target.
The Nightforce that is listed here is an optic that is used primarily for benchrest, and F-class type shooting. It has big magnification and fantastic parralax adjustment for clearly seeing targets out to 1000 yards. The Leupold is geared more toward ELR type shooting, beyond 1760 yards (1 MILE)!!!! Extreme long range shooting is gaining popularity and people are building guns and jumping in the competition. It is fun, challenging, and expensive, but highly rewarding. When you put rounds on a target at 1 mile plus, and can do it repeatedly. Oh, that is addictive!
What about seeing our misses, I know, none of you guys reading this miss targets, but us mortals need a spotting scope to help see misses and make adjustments. Spotting scopes are great for helping us see misses, but they require a person, or camera attachment to see the misses. As with rifle optics, the spotting scope market has variability in pricing and I encourage you to get the best you can afford. This is not essential to getting started in long range shooting, but if you have a spotter this helps. But!!!!, Scott I am a bad dude or dudette, and I can spot my own misses. Maybe, but I bet your gun jumps up and left and anything under 800 yards you are going struggle seeing misses. Now using some of the gear I have shown in the last 2 blog post will help you tame that gun hop, and shoot tighter groups, so get to outfitting and come see me to set up a time to train.
I have not talked about rifles or caliber, and that is because you have to figure out what your budget is, and then work to get the best gear you can afford in your budget. Pro tip you can't put all your money in a rifle, you have to have good glass to be accurate at distance. Plus you have to choose a caliber capable of flying beyond 1000 yards and being accurate. If this is something you are thinking about diving into I will be glad to help you. I teach long range rifle, and would be happy to set up a time to help you shoot better. There is an abundance of useful information that I have purposely omitted from these post. I wont call it trade secrets, but I do have a day job, and that is working at Way Out West Shooting Center. Where I sell Rifles, Pistols, Optics, Ammo, and Gear. I teach Texas License to Carry Class and many other classes as the Owner and Lead Instructor for Sweating Bullets Firearms Training. I do not have all the answers, and I am not a guru or wizard with rifles and pistols, but I will take you as far as I can with my knowledge base.
Until next time
ALWAY LEARNING.....ALWAYS EVOLVING
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