Any long distance shooting instructors?

[Grgkng]

Just looking for an instructor that specializes in longer distance 200+yds?, any around MN?

Thanks!

[OldmanFCSA]

Do you have a range available?

[Grgkng]

The only one I know I could access is the Oakdale gun club, but I think its just a 200, which would be great anyways for some fundamentals I'm assuming.

[OldmanFCSA]

What rifle ?
What cartridge ?
Do you reload for accuracy ?
Do you want to try benchrest or prone or offhand or ..... ?
Tell me more of what you want.

I shoot 1000 yards and out to 1.5 miles.

[OldmanFCSA]

sorry - deleted double posting

[minnesotatv]

suggestion:

Start with .22LR. Focus on the fundementals and hone your skills with that.

Work up to 200 yards. The ballistics of .22LR at 200 yards are quite similar to
.308 at 800 yards or so.

Once you've honed your skills with the .22LR at 200, then you can step up.

And, practice/training with .22LR is A LOT cheaper than centerfire if you're buying
your own ammo.

[Rip Van Winkle]

What is it you intend to learn? or what kind of shooting do you plan to do?

There are plenty of competitive shooting sports and venues locally.

Here's an example of some, MRRA .org

[GunClasses.Net]

John at Gunstop Reloading in Excelsior can tell you more about long range shooting than many people have forgotten and if you hang out there a while you'll find other customers who know what they're doing, too. Gunstop the gun store is out of business but the Reloading side is alive and well.

[Duane J]

If you are still searching, I have been known to do some one-on-one precision rifle instruction.

[Rip Van Winkle]

I think we may have scared him off.

[wildfan1]

Glad this was posted as I planned to post something similar.

I will probably not be able to begin shooting distance until spring now with deer hunting here and cold here.

I have a .17 HMR I would like to get proficient with, and will likely have a .22 rifle here shortly. I do have a semi auto I got as a kid, but more interested in a precision rifle. Any suggestions on a good, reasonably priced .22 rifle?

My next rifle will be center fire. Considering most of the smaller calibers. .223. .22-250, .220 swift, .243, and even considering bigger, like .308, .260, .270, etc. Will likely eventually get a magnum as well. But for distance shooting, thinking the .260 or .270 will be a good choice. I have access to a 1,000 yard range up north, and 100-300 yard ranges locally.

I don't intend to be a sniper and shoot a mile, and I don't need to perforate the same hole at 500 yards consistently. But I would like to learn the fundamentals of distance shooting and how to hone my skills and be able to hold tight, consistent groups out to 500-1,000 yards. Unfortunately I do not have the time to hand load, so it will be purchased ammunition for me.

Suggestions?

[farmerj]

Every gun has it's own "flavor" of bullets it seems to like. You can start with trying to find that if you are looking to only use shelf ammo. When you find that "lot", buy as much of it as you can afford. Because once it's gone, you'll start the search all over again for that "perfect ammo".


To be good at the range game, it's about practice. If it seems like an ugly day to go shoot, go shoot anyway. The dope you'll learn is valuable. Even the changing light will effect your ability to shoot.

Practice estimating ranges. Notice the little details. when eyes become distinguishable. Facial details etc. You may want to start with a laser range finder to give you distances as you estimate. After a while, you'll notice it becomes more the same.

Learn what Natural point of aim is. Practice it.

Learn what positions your body likes. Practice getting into and out of them. Practice from all of those positions as well.

Get OFF the shooting bench. Shoot from next to the bench, on the ground. Sitting, kneeling, prone, standing.

Use a felt tip marker. New Sharpies are best for this. Using a rubberband or hair tie, attach it to the end of the muzzle. Hang a piece of paper in front of the muzzle allowing the marker to touch it. Watch what happens. You SHOULD see a figure-8. It's your natural wobble and your natural breathing. The smaller you can make that figure-8, you are doing good. Practice breaking your trigger as your approach the center of the 8 where it crosses.

Stop shooting from the 100 yard line. Start at the 200 more often and move to the 300 for part of the day.

Learn what Maximum point blank range is, and how it effects your shots.

Learn how to read wind. More shots are probably missed off this or shooter error.

Don't be afraid to video tape yourself shooting. You'll be amazed what even you can spot yourself doing wrong.

[GunClasses.Net]

Glad this was posted as I planned to post something similar. ... Considering most of the smaller calibers. .223. .22-250, .220 swift, .243

Some initial thoughts to help you get started, and I'm by no means any guru in this area...

Small calibers require heavy bullets. Going to 1,000 yards may mean a heavy bullet -- one that may stick out of the brass enough to not fit in a magazine. You might have a single shot gun for it if going small-caliber. Even .308 will 'keyhole' at 1,000 yards unless it packs a good punch out of the muzzle.

There is nothing magical about 1,000 yard shooting (well, except bragging rights). Even at 600 yards, you will need to know how to read the wind and you will likely experience variant winds (wind blows light from left to right at the muzzle, is dead at 200 yards, and at 600 is gusting from right to left - what do you do?!) Once you master 600 yards, consider trying an elk hunt where the range is unknown, for a REAL challenge. The trajectory of a bullet means the drop from one distance to another, at long ranges, is surprisingly significant. Depending on the bullet and components behind it, and the barrel it's shot through, a .300 Win Mag can drop 30 to 60 inches between 200 and 500 yards. And, it only gets increasingly worse as you go out further!

Keep a log of every bullet you shoot and the conditions under which it was shot.

Know your cold barrel zero vs not-cold.

Do not trust ballistics tables for precise expectations. Make your OWN tables from your OWN experience with your particular equipment. Use a table or online calculator for reference only.

Loading your own bullets will get you to your and your equipment's optimal results.

Spend time at ranges where people shoot 300+yards and learn from them; the leg up you'll get will be priceless. Trial and error is more fun when you can reduce the trial and lower the expense of an error!
They can help you select equipment;
i.e.: what rate of twist your barrel should have for the weight of bullet you'll use, what power or brand of scope they like,
They can also help you with handloading tips.
They'll know what powders burn fast or slow.
They'll tell you which primers they like best, which powders, which bullets, which reloading dies RCBS/FORSTER/etc.
And, if you join one of their clubs, you might be able to buy your components cheaper.

Be prepared to spend a few bucks on good optics ... at or past 300 yards, it does matter quite a bit. Nightforce scope? US Optics? Swarovski?

There is no 'do all' gun that will perform for you at long range AND serve as an IDEAL hunting or defensive close range rifle. That said, your ideal long range rifle starting out is also not the ideal long range rifle you'll peak with. Invest first in your knowledge and technique before investing in fancy equipment. You're trying to become a better shooter; not move up from silver to gold at the olympics (well, not yet). For example, the difference between a Remington 700 and a 40-x will make or break a serious competitor. If you're competing mainly with yourself, the 700 is well equipped. The one thing I would recommend on one for an upgrade would be a new, adjustable trigger; maybe a Timney.

Take a trip to Camp Perry. It's in Ohio. You'll meet the best of the best there.

NEVER feel you know it all. None of us does!

Check out forums and information on
http://www.longrangehunting.com/

Get a good book on the topic
http://www.amazon.com/Gun-Digest-Book-L ... 0896894711
Don't stop there; make it the first in your library on the subject.

Google Major John Plaster and learn from his books and videos.

I don't know a lot on the subject, so keep asking!

Have fun!
-Grant

[Rip Van Winkle]

Glad this was posted as I planned to post something similar.

I will probably not be able to begin shooting distance until spring now with deer hunting here and cold here.

I have a .17 HMR I would like to get proficient with, and will likely have a .22 rifle here shortly. I do have a semi auto I got as a kid, but more interested in a precision rifle. Any suggestions on a good, reasonably priced .22 rifle?

My next rifle will be center fire. Considering most of the smaller calibers. .223. .22-250, .220 swift, .243, and even considering bigger, like .308, .260, .270, etc. Will likely eventually get a magnum as well. But for distance shooting, thinking the .260 or .270 will be a good choice. I have access to a 1,000 yard range up north, and 100-300 yard ranges locally.

I don't intend to be a sniper and shoot a mile, and I don't need to perforate the same hole at 500 yards consistently. But I would like to learn the fundamentals of distance shooting and how to hone my skills and be able to hold tight, consistent groups out to 500-1,000 yards. Unfortunately I do not have the time to hand load, so it will be purchased ammunition for me.

Suggestions?

I don't know what to recommend for a "reasonably" priced 22. Most people could probably get by, and learn a lot with a bargain basement Mossberg bolt rifle with a cheap scope and sling. The other end of the spectrum would be an Anschutz but I'm sure you don't want to spend $2 - $3,000 on a smallbore rifle.

For a center fire rifle I would recommend starting with either a AR based rifle in .223 or a bolt gun in .308. Most of the other calibers you mention may shoot flatter or move less in the wind but the 223 and 308 have both BTDT, accurate ammo and components for them are plentiful and available. You might have push the envelope some to get the 223 to work at 1000 yards but it's doable.

As for Long Range shooting fundamentals, it makes no difference if your shooting Smallbore rifles at 50' or Palma Rifles at 1000 yards, the fundamentals are the same. The biggest difference will be the environmental effects (wind and light) have more effect the further you are shooting.

If your interested in learning the fundamentals of rifle shooting I just so happen to put on an annual CMP clinic. this year it will be on June 1 2013 at Post 435 Gun Club.

[farmerj]

If your interested in learning the fundamentals of rifle shooting I just so happen to put on an annual CMP clinic. this year it will be on June 1 2013 at Post 435 Gun Club.

anyone would be silly to not attend one of those clinics.

The only things that can come close are getting into an Appleseed clinic.

(no, I have not, nor have I got plans to attend either event. I have competed in HP and service rifle matches both in Gopher Rifle and in the army as well as the Winston P Wilson Match in Little Rock AR. The army guard was also kind enough to send me to the Army SDM instructor course as well.)



ETA:

The .223(5.56) and the .308(7.62 NATO) have going for them that their ballistics are rainbows. But the fact remains, there are TONS of load data and ballistics available for them. Especially if you shoot a CMP AR rifle or else the venerable M14(M1A). Taking those into account, you'd have tons of shooters at your disposal to assist you in developing load books, dope books and assisting you to get on paper and work with you.

In other words, DON'T reinvent the wheel while you are starting out.