Proper long range shooting technique?

[ergceo]

I have hunted deer for years and am comfortable with the bolt action rifle but I am no more than an average hunter and am no expert. What tips, techniques or pointers can some of you experts provide me, the lay rifleman, that will improve my shooting? I rarely shoot standing off-hand without support and mostly shoot off my knee, off shooting sticks, rail of my tree stand, prone, etc.

Anything at all appreciated.

[RBetts]

The Basics, Starting Out - LongRangeHunting.com Online Magazine and Forums
Go through all the basics. It is best to use a video camera to document your progress. This will also give you an insight as to where your technique may not be optimum. Once you can identify those breakdowns, you can correct them. Without the video work you may continue with bad habits without even knowing your doing it.
If you cannot identify any mistakes/bad habits, have someone that instructs or a good local gunsmith eithere have you shoot or at least watch your video work to help you.

[Michael Eichele]

Rule #1: Do all of your development, testing, tuning and experimenting on the bench.

Rule #2: Practice with your pet loads at the range the same way you will be hunting. Prone with a front rest of sorts.

Rule #3: Offhand, kneeling, or squatting only help you take quick shots up close. These practice sessions typically make very bad habits such as punching the trigger or trying to time the trigger. Go ahead and practice these things on occasion, but for LR shooting, long range practice is key.

[dirtball]

This article by Buffalobob got me shooting F-Class and that has been a HUGE help along the way.
Dave

F-Class Competition As Training For The Hunt

[Catfish]

My first rule when hunting is to rest the gun if possible no matter what the range. For deer hunting most deer rifles will shoot point blank to at least 300 yrds. and some to over 400 with a proper scope setting. To shoot out there and from there out you will need a good range finder and a cheap 400 or 800 yard range finder is not good enough. With a good range finder and a good drop chart range is all sience. BUT, wind drift is an art. With a 10 mph cross wind at 500 yrds. a 150 gr. .30 cal bullet at 3,000 fps will drift almost 24 inches. That is if it is constint, but in the field the wind can not only have several different velocities within 500 yrds, but often different directions, especially in the mountains. So I also recomand that you get a divice to measure wind speed. To check my drop charts I use a Kawasaki Mule. I have a shooting bench in the back then lazer off 100 yrd. segments to check the drop chart.

[royinidaho]

My variation of Michael's rules.

Originally Posted by Michael Eichele

Rule #1: Do all of your development, testing, tuning and experimenting on the bench.

Rule #2: Practice with your pet loads at the range the same way you will be hunting. Prone with a front rest of sorts.

Rule #3: Offhand, kneeling, or squatting only help you take quick shots up close. These practice sessions typically make very bad habits such as punching the trigger or trying to time the trigger. Go ahead and practice these things on occasion, but for LR shooting, long range practice is key.

1: Do all of your development, testing, tuning and experimenting prone with bipod and rear bag, the same way I'll be shooting at game.

2: Practice with pet loads the as in Rule 2 and in the same place you'll be hunting. Do it in the off season when no big game are in the area.

3: These positions apply to me only during coyote hunting which is done a fairly shot range.

For some strange reason my life got better when I did away with the shooting bench. I have no idea as to why.... Guess it's a personal choice.

[Michael Eichele]

That is good advice Roy. My only problem is for me to practice where I hunt would take a lot of time, energy and coin to get there only to shoot a few bullets! It will either be a 3 day excursion or a 650 dollar super cub ride!!