Need Advice for Long Range

[smokey3842]

Hello,

I have two rifles I practice with at long range in excess of 300 Yards. I know for some this is not too far but before I go longer I need to master this distance.

My problem is consistency. At 200 yards plus i do not have a good grouping. I fee the problem is with me in breathing and reacting to the shot before it fires. I am looking for some advice and good sources for help in this area. I believe the reason for the issues is in the fact I see the problems with different rifles.

I am mainly using this two sets:

Weatherby Mark V Synthetic .308---Bushnell Banner 6-24 x 40mm

Savage Axis .223---Bushnell Banner 6-18 x 50mm

Thanks for any advice!

 

[barnesuser28]

Hello,

I have two rifles I practice with at long range in excess of 300 Yards. I know for some this is not too far but before I go longer I need to master this distance.

My problem is consistency. At 200 yards plus i do not have a good grouping. I fee the problem is with me in breathing and reacting to the shot before it fires. I am looking for some advice and good sources for help in this area. I believe the reason for the issues is in the fact I see the problems with different rifles.

I am mainly using this two sets:

Weatherby Mark V Synthetic .308---Bushnell Banner 6-24 x 40mm

Savage Axis .223---Bushnell Banner 6-18 x 50mm

Thanks for any advice!

Get a good trigger job on each, I have the savage axis in 223 and the trigger is really heavy and there is quite a bit of creep. I am sure this will greatly improve your accuracy. Also reloading will help a ton.

 

[smokey3842]

Thanks, forgot to think of the ammo.

 

[angus-5024]

those Bushnell banners get bumped really easy.

 

[submoa]

those Bushnell banners get bumped really easy.

+ 1 on the scopes
and + one for the trigger job

 

[twoftagl]

Dry Fire lots and lots.

It will help you get more consistent in several different ways, including breathing and especially with flinch. Once you get to the range, concentrate on exactly the same thing you did during dry fire. If you find yourself flinching, go back to dry fire.

A good exercise with revolvers is leave a chamber or two empty and give it a good spin. Sometimes you get a live round. Sometimes you get an empty chamber. When the hammer falls on a dead chamber, if the pistol moved then you flinched.

You can replicate this with a rifle if you have a shooting partner. Load up the magazine, and look away while your friend closes the bolt. Instruct him to every now and again push down on the round in the magazine so it doesn't load. When the pin drops on an empty chamber, you'll know if you flinched.

About the scopes....here's a good read. I'd go with his recommendation on the break-in.

A Discerning Look Inside The Riflescope: Why Guns Fail To Remain Sighted

Good luck.

 

[COBrad]

Dry Fire lots and lots.

I think this is on the right track. It doesn't sound like it is a gun or ammo problem, yet. Your shooting skills need to exceed the guns' capability before you can assess mechanical issues
I would suggest you work on the basics. Along with dry fire, do a lot of shooting with a .22. From there work up to your .223. Be sure to wear good hearing protection. The loud blast of a centerfire rifle will often cause us to flinch. Don't worry about shooting a lot of shots with the centerfire at first. Better to shoot a few shots with no flinch, good breathing, and good follow through, than to shoot until you lose your concentration or start to flinch again. A lot of practice is of no value if it is not reinforcing the right technique. Some days I just have to pack it up and go home.

 

[RMulhern]

I told a friend this once upon a time:

"When you start burning more money on powder, bullets, cases, and primers.....than you do beer, whiskey, and cigarettes....maybe you'll become a good marksman!!

 

[twoftagl]

Here is a great article on how to practice dry firing.

It goes along with the saying "Perfect Practice Makes Perfect"...doesn't do any good to it up off the gun rack and pull the trigger over and over. Get everything set up as you would shoot---prone in the living room works great---and practice just as if every dry fire was THE defining shot of your shooting career.

Of course, ensure there's no ammo anywhere near.

The F_ _ _ _ _ Word: Flinching

Chris