Any LONG-RANGE shooters here???

[MoBoost]

Your stories just keep getting better. Shooting jugs in 25 mph breeze ... snipers forgetting elevation ... I can't wait what's next!

Here is some non-anecdotal reading on wind:
http://www.6mmbr.com/winddrift.html
http://www.6mmbr.com/windreading.html

 

[Master Carper]

These guys were not snipers! They were Police Officers and State Troopers that stopped by for a visit and wanted to see first hand the effects of shooting in the wind at different distances. They also wanted to see how to "dial-in" a scope, something none of them had done before. Like most hunters, they figure once a scope is set, you don't need to mess with the windage and elevation adjustments any more. Just set it and forget it....

 

[fluxed]

Just spent Friday and Saturday with my 15 year old son at Texas Pistol Academy training in their Long Range Rifle class. 16 or so hours total training time. The training is mostly set up for hunters looking to take long range shots at game, but could be tailored to just about any scenario. It covers: safety, gun cleaning methods, dressing the rifle ( military sling use for different positions, stock packs and cheek weld, action screw torque, etc) It also covers surprise trigger break using a method they developed. It was a great help for me when using my 300 WSM. The first day was MOA dial-up on the range. The second was re-enforcing that and learning holdover. We did 100, 200, 300, 400 , 500 and 600 yard shots. My son and I were both able to make 1/2 MOA 3 shot groups at 600 the first day from the prone position. The second day we both stacked shots one on top of the other at 600. Multiple center punch, heart sized shots all afternoon. We did roughly 5 hours of classroom the first day and maybe 1 hour the second day. The rest of the time was on the range. Shot about 200 rounds total each, with a cleaning regimen every 10 shots or so. This is mostly to help get a more predicable cold bore shot. I was skeptical a little bit, but the results were proven all day.

The second day was wind calling using dial-up and hold over with our mil dots and hash marks. We would call "fire in the hole" and the spotter would call "send it". He would watch the shot and call the changes needed.

We shot multiple calibers. Our 6.5-284 Norma, 300WSM, 308 Winchester and one of their almost identical 308 Winchesters. I must tell you that ballistic charts are great and fine, but one MUST get out and verify their rifles at different ranges. Using the same ammo from the same manufacturing lot and two nearly identical Remington 700 rifles had a difference of nearly 20 inches of bullet drop and 600 yards! This would be a huge miss at a deer sized animal. One rifle was newer and must have had a tighter bore was about the only explanation I came to.

I little trick we used to deal with recoil all day was wearing Kevlar vests. The vests spread the recoil across the chest and allowed us to be comfortable. After 200 plus rounds in two days I have no soreness at all and my 120 pound son does not either.

I would highly recommend this course to anyone. The owner is great and he had a helping trainer who was great too. This course is either one on one or father and son or daughter. There is a second course that stretches it out to 850 and goes into shooting from a 4 story elevated position, etc. We will be taking that as well. Safety and building safe rifle use skills was a big big thing. Worth every penny. I get nothing from talking about this. Im just happy.

 

[Master Carper]

Way to go guys! Sounds like you really had a good time. Glad you got to do some long range shooting...

Let us know how your 850 yd. shooting goes. That should be even more fun, as well as educational....