Long Range Shooting Instructor

[Hudge]

I'm new to long-range shooting, but after shooting rounds this past week to 500 yards, I'm hooked. I'm interested in learning to shoot out to 1000 yards. I know I'm a ways away from being able to do that, but I was wondering if anyone could recommend an instructor near the DFW area? I've seen the training classes at Tiger Valley in Waco, but they seem like they're more than one day. I'd like to find someone local who could do shorter classes, more frequently. Does anyone have a recommendation of a facility or class that might be a fit?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[diriel]

I do not know anyone in your area, that being said I can give you a few pointers. One pretty good read is the AMU Rifle book, there are actually a few, but you can find the most current at CMP for pretty reasonable.

If you do not have a .22LR, I would highly advise you get one sir. The good old 22lr is an awesome way to learn elevation and windage. One of the first things to work on is setting up some Good Flags, and learning to Read Them! Work on wind reading with those flags, and also work on learning to read mirage. Begin this with a .22lr, trust me! I know it is not glamorous, but that 22lr will teach you the basics without beating you up, without breaking your bank account, and it will allow you to get *A BLOODY LOT LOT LOT* of Trigger Time. Once you can reliably hit 2" or so targets at 100 to 150 yards with some wind using your .22lr, then it is likely time to move up to something like a .223 or a 308win out at around 300 to 500 yards and once again begin working on wind reading and mirage.

I would personally advise getting a 10x or 16x SWFA super sniper scope and learn to use the Mil Reticle. Some folks say "too old school", but trust me, once you learn that basic bit of math and how to range, how to use your knobs, you are MILES ahead of the average joe who might shoot 20 rounds of ammo a year hunting.

There are some "tricks" to shooting prone from the bi-pod, but you can likely pick those up from the AMU book. I was lucky enough to have a Viet Nam era Army Green Sniper teach me how to shoot, and how to reload.

One thing that is really helpful is to have a shooting buddy who is interested in learning as well. Watch each other for things like "Flinching" if your bud says "Dude you flinched" don't argue! Stop, take a moment, and figure out how to stop flinching! It is little things like this where having a 2nd person can be of SOOO much help!

Be warned, LR shooting can be worse than heroin! hahahaha Prepare to learn to reload, or go broke trying to get in enough trigger time to advance yourself!

Good Shooting,
Gary

 

[Broz]

I know you would have to plan and travel, but I feel it would be well worth your while to talk to Shawn Carlock at Defensive Edge and attend one of his classes in ID. I have never heard of anyone that took them and was not impressed. In fact, I have been shooting and huntng to distances past 1000 yards for several years now and I am attending Shawns class in July. I am sure I will learn something.

Jeff gun)gun)

 

[BH Hunter]

1+ for Shawn.. You will enjoy it Jeff. I learned a lot.

 

[tlk]

Kind of a basic question, but it is important: do you have your own rifle or were you using a buddy's? What is the caliber? Are you a new to shooting or just new to shooting long range? How you answer those questions would define which classes you would need vs what you want - at first. There are folks in your area that can help out but some require basic skill sets first. +1 on the 22. And the book.

 

[Hudge]

TLK:

Thanks for the message. I'm not new to shooting, only new to long-range shooting. Until a few weekends ago, the furthest I had ever shot was inside 100 - 150 yards.

And I did buy a gun to use in developing medium, long-range shooting techniques. It's a Tikka T3 Varmint, which has a heavy barrel, chambered in .223. I figured .223 was the least expensive round I'd be able to find, outside of 22LR, and it maintains enough umph to be effective out to 300-400 yards with very good accuracy. I've got a Mark 4 6.5-20 on it now, with a mil-dot reticle.

I'm inside 1 inch at 100 yards, which I know isn't lights out, but at this point, I'm comortable that my gun is capable of significantly better than me. I'm still working on finding the right bullet in my gun; it has a 1 in 8" twist, so I'm working through some of the heavier .223 rounds.

Hopefully that gives you a little more info regarding my post. I'm anxious to hear your thoughts.

Thanks,

 

[tlk]

Take a look at North Texas Rifle Precision. Josh Ruby. He can help you with the reloading too. He will be a good starting contact.

 

[Hudge]

Great tip - I'll reach out to him. Thank you!

 

[azsugarbear]

Texas is a big state. I'm not sure where Kingsville is located in relation to DFW, but rifles only is reported to be quite good. Here's the link:

Rifles Only

Lots of good write-ups over on Snipershide.com. I believe they sponsor their annual shoot.

 

[tlk]

+1 on rifles only. But there are a few in the North Texas area where he is located.

My $0.02: The biggest thing with any of them is to have yourself squared away - especially on range rules - before you go. Don't worry about your abilities - that is why you are there. Humility and a willingness to learn what you paid for will go a long way. A lot of these guys get phone calls from wannabe "snipers", internet "experts" who want to argue, various classes of morons and others who want to haggle about the price of classes (not wanting to accept that good training can run as high as a rifle) so they tend try to filter out these issues up front. It is good to understand that when you call and you realize that you are not the only one asking questions.

 

[captacademy]

Another for Shawn Carlock!!! Great class!

 

[lamiglas]

I know its a long ways, but another vote for the shawn carlock defensive edge class. I have taken the class, and I personally know 4 others who have taken the class. by the end of the second day in each one of the classes me and my friends were involved in everyone in the class was making hits out to around 1000 +yds.

With shawn or his dad calling the wind/conditions, everyone would be making hits!
they do teach the skill behind shooting and you will find with thier instruction, shooting is the easy part.

the class is also focused on teaching you how to read the wind and call a shooter, or yourself onto target.

I went to the class thinking i was going to learn to shoot longrange and couldnt wait to get behind the gun. i quickly learned that what i was really thier for was to learn how to read condtions etc. with the right calling of the conditions hitting the target became a peice of cake!

I believe that by the end of the second day of class (as long as your gun is capable and you have the equipment necessary) you would feel confident out to 800 +yards on mild weather/conditions day and out past 1000 on a no wind day. since the class i have made 1st round hits up to 1650 yards. i took the class last june or july, and in september i shot a bear at 1065 yds, and in october. a nice 6x6 bull elk at 603 yds. my wife went out shooting with me on a regular basis and she shot a cow elk at 535 yards.

it would be worth the travel time and distance for sure.

 

[Jerry Mckenzie]

Give Rodney Beveridge in Weatherford tx a call. I know that he has placed in the top ten shooters at the King of the two miles event a year or so back. You will good basic instruction on ELR.

 

[waveslayer]

If you are in Texas, get with Accuracy First or Rifles Only, the two best schools out there. Todd Hodnett invented the Tremor reticles and had pioneered the whole side of the industry. There you will learn the most important lesson. WIND.

Start there