How did you get proficient in LR shooting?

[ukenout]

Woddmaster, you are absolutely correct having a good wife who doesn't look at you weird with buying rifles, gear and such.

 

[tom m.]

Once it dawned on me that there were scopes out there that would track and repeat. And I figured out the deer didn't really care if I had 22 MOA dialed in instead of 20 moa. I learned how to tune loads for precision, in cartridges that are forgiving and not so overbore. Went through that spell in life when I thought velocity matters, like everyone. Then lots of practice!

Tom

 

[7magcreedmoor]

Hunted Montana for the first time and had my eyes opened as to just how "open" the land is out west, and realized that being able to shoot well at 300 yards was not even getting off the porch.... Started collecting books on LR shooting, learning the science (at least the practical application of it), had some improvements done to my existing rifles, found The Best of the West and later Long Range Pursuit as "TV tutors", stumbled across this website (and a few others), watched about four million Youtube videos (okay, maybe that is an exaggeration), built better rifles, bought better glass, learned along the way to not be cheap about it (culminating in the purchase of a G7BR2), and of course launched several thousand bullets downrange.

 

[woodmaster]

My bench rest skills have splashed over into my hunting. I do not hope I will get the deer, I get the deer if its @100 yards or 500 yards its going down. Shooting is a mental game, there is a book that was available but not in print I think anymore called that. It is, if you do not believe that you will hit the target you most likely won't.

 

[The Oregonian]

I am taking the EOL class in a couple of months and also will be getting a few days of private instruction from the guys at 406Precision...reading here has helped a ton with theory, but ready to get out and learn from experts. Then will be using the 600 yd range here...so far it has been the 200 and 300 yd range.

 

[woodmaster]

What ever they tell you about wind listen, try to get every ounce of wind knowledge from them. At a 1000 yards your biggest enemy is the wind. You can buy the best equipment there is and build the best rounds all the same, learn to press the trigger the same each time but if the wind changes and you do not catch it you will miss. I can put 4 inside 6" usually its the one that is at 11" that gets me usually. At a match that makes it a 11" group. I am sure the 11 is a mis read wind change. I will get better at not misreading the wind but that will only happen with trigger time. Log ever shot you make direction to shoot for coriolis effect, humidity, wind direction loaded rounds data and where you thought it would hit and where it did. Eventually the data will start to make sense to you. It is discouraging at first. Also barrels are gone after 2500 or so rounds, cut rifling, not button pulled for your replacement.

 

[Wyodog]

I'd like to think I'm 100% self taught but the facts are that I have spent hours and hour researching the subject then I apply what learn in the field and practice, practice, practice. There is never a shortage of. Wind in Wyoming so I have a lot of opportunity to practice reading the wind. I'm am currently working on reading the mirage and I think that it is important to understand that mirage and wind are not the same thing at all.

Here is a tip for practicing shooting in the wind. At least it works for me. I like to shoot random targets like rocks. I pick out a rock at random range. I use the MOA marks in my scope to measure the size of the target, ie a 1 moa rock at 1000 yards is close to 10 inches. I get a max wind reading and I also get a series of wind readings perpendicular to the target (90 degrees from the direction the gun is aiming). Based on this info I estimate the windage correction. I fire a round at the target and if I hit center I move on to the next target. If I don't hit center I measure how off center I am with the MOA marks in my scope, take another wind reading and send another round. This practice works for me and its fun at the same time. I think its important to mention that I can see my hit because of low recoil. If I'm shooting one of my rifles with more recoil I use a friend as a spotter.

 

[Greyfox]

At 63, I would say that I evolved my at my long range shooting. I was slways intrigued by the "long shot" ever since I got my first 22 as a kid. The turning point on consciously seeking to get proficient at long range came when I read book calked The Ultimate Sniper" by Major John Plaster. This was back in the 90's. It's an easy to read, comprehensive book. I decided I wanted to see if I could apply the mindset, skills, and equipment to hunting game at long range. Over time with lots of practice, it worked !