Thread: Long range shooting techniques

I have started this thread in response to a question from Walkabout about long range techniques.

I try and keep it really basic.

Equipment
Accurate rifle, 0.5 MOA is nice but anything under 1.0MOA will work
Velocity of your ammo
Repeatable scope, one that you can dial, you can use a BDC type reticle if you prefer.
Laser range finder
Wind meter
Ballistic calculator, one on a computer or a handheld. I use Shooter on my iphone.

Step 1: Spend the time getting a good accurate load for you rifle that you know the velocity of, either over a chronograph or by shooting drops at different ranges and then playing with a ballistic program to get a muzzle velocity.
Step 2: Use the ballistic program to get a drop chart which you can then verify.
Step 3: Get out there and shoot at different ranges to see if the drop chart matches what is actually happening on paper. Something like 200, 400 and then 600 yds.
Step 4: practice , practice, practice. Eventually you will feel comfortable at shooting an animal at your chosen range.

There are a whole lot of other things needed but they only come with experience. The main one is reading the wind. A wind meter will tell you the velocity where you are, but not where the target is. Wind going up a slope will lift a bullet, wind going down a slope will "drop" the bullet. Wind will be the main thing that causes you to miss the target.

Pressure, atmospheric pressure effects the drag on the bullet. Low pressure means the bullet will take longer to slow down so it will shoot higher. High pressure increases drag so the bullet slows down faster and will hit lower. Inside 500 -600 yds you can get away with using std atmospheric pressure (1013 mb) and just adjust you altitude. Past 600 yds you really need a barometer to measure actual pressure where you are shooting. If using a barometer just enter actual pressure and set altitude to zero.

There is heaps more detail to get in to, but I have run out of time for now. Read up heaps, but in the end just get out there. My mate uses a stock standard Rem 700 SPS 308, a Leupold VII 4-12 x 40 and a handload of 150 Nosler BT and can get 3 shots onto an A4 piece of paper at 600 yds.

Thanks for this Stug. After attending a shoot that El B organised I am rapidly developing an interest in long range so this is useful information.

Is it ever wise to adjust BC on a programme so that the click value it gives you matches the ACTUAL click value you are dialing? I have heard people adjust their velocity until everything reads right but when you have chronyed already it doesnt make sense to alter velocity does it?

After finding the calculated drops in shooter where off after about 600-700 yards and just getting worse out to 1000, I have started using the multi BC / velocity feature of shooter to correct my drops over distance. I did this by recording my drops at my locale range from 300 to 1000 yards then started adjusting the BC of the bullet at 500fps increments, difference starting at 3000fps and working down to 1500fps.
I have now found by doing this the calculated drops are within cooee of the real bullet drops.

Sometimes it is the scope adjustment that is out rather than the ballistic program. You need to check that 1 click = 0.25 MOA or what ever your adjustments are. The usual way to do it is to clamp the rifle and scope sight at a target at 100 yds then move 40 clicks/10MOA the scope should move 10.47 inches. (1 MOA is 1.047" at 100 yds). If it moves more or less you will need to calculate what the click value is. Inches moved / 40clicks/1.047 will give MOA per click. Most ballistic programs allow you to enter click value.

Otherwise fudge muzzle velocity or BC to match actual drops, based on the further the better. ie get it as close as possible for the furtherst range you expect to shoot. If it is a bit off closer in it won't be out by as much. 1 MOA at 300 yds is 3" but 8" at 800 yds. So being 1MOA out at 300 yds will be 3" off but 0.5MOA at 800 yds will be 4" off.

Bullets do have different b.cs at different speeds dont they? Sierra lists their b.cs depending on bullet speed.

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Also just started using a rear bag on the range and in the field, improved my shooting no end.

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Originally Posted by CreepingDeath

Bullets do have different b.cs at different speeds dont they? Sierra lists their b.cs depending on bullet speed.

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Yep your right, mainly if you use the G1 BC. If you use the G7 BC it will change less as velocity changes. Just remember that you can't use the G1 number and tick G7 for example the Hornady .284 162 a-max has a G1 BC of .625 and a G7 BC of .317 (these numbers are from memory but are close)

Thanks for the that. Have just set up my new Tikka t3 7mm rem mag with a muzzle brake, optilocks rings and leupold mk 4 4.5-14x50 scope. Looking forward to learning all about long range shooting. Just need a calm day to sight in and try different loads over the crony.
Got the muzzle brake from Mark at Waitaki engineering which looks fantastic.

Originally Posted by yogi

Thanks for the that. Have just set up my new Tikka t3 7mm rem mag with a muzzle brake, optilocks rings and leupold mk 4 4.5-14x50 scope. Looking forward to learning all about long range shooting. Just need a calm day to sight in and try different loads over the crony.
Got the muzzle brake from Mark at Waitaki engineering which looks fantastic.

Hey Yogi, got any pics of the muzzle brake? This is my next OCD obsession, so many choices, so little money...haha

Just curious what would be considered good field shooting. By field shooting I mean using bipod and sling but no bags or backpaks. Just like one would do when shooting at game animals. If the gun/load can give 3" 10 shot groups at 400 yards from the bench with sandbags what would be considered good from the belly? I suppose there are some who can shoot groups as small from their belly with bipod and sling but not likely many of us can do that

I use a rear bag in the feild its great. Worth the carrying weight

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I use a bipod and rear bag for field shooting. I don't worry too much about shooting 10 shot groups. The first round hit is important. If you can hit an A4 piece of paper or a dinner plate you can hit a deer. The range that you can hit the paper will vary. A good indication of "good" is what is the range that you can shoot a 3 shot 6" group or smaller.

Heading away for the weekend, but will sort out photo's next week.

Cheers stug, that demystifies long range more than anything else I've ever read.