Long-Range Shooting Tips for Beginners

Long-range shooting is a sport that’s both different and specialized. It involves aiming at targets at much greater distances than usual. To be most successful when it comes to long-range shooting, you should keep the following points in mind.

Optics are Critical

The scope plays a critical role in long range shooting success. You should strive to buy the best scope for your skill level as well as shooting distance needs. The right scope is one that’s capable of adjusting for elevation and windage and can help you in low light conditions too. Read more about optics to learn why they’re important.

Mounts and Rings

It is always advisable to invest in the best possible mounts and rings to ensure that the scope is mounted properly to the rifle.

Check Your Screws

You should always make it a habit to regularly check your rifle screws. You need to ensure that everything is properly tightened.

Clean the Barrel of the Rifle

Cleaning your rifle barrel might seem obvious, but it still has to be stated. If you have a dirty rifle barrel that’s full of dirt and debris, your accuracy will be negatively affected. Since the entire purpose of a scope is increasing your accuracy at great distances, you need to ensure that everything is working to your best advantage.

Break in the Rifle

You need to break in the rifle before doing any serious hunting. Breaking in a rifle is not difficult, you simply need some good time. Shooting the rifle and immediately cleaning it to get rid of any residue or copper is a good way to break it in. You can use cheap ammunition to do this.

Use the Right Bullets

Long range shooting is incredibly specific. You have to ensure that you have the right equipment, which includes bullets. Ensure that you purchase bullets that are the right fit for the rifle as well as the type of game that you will be shooting.

It could mean having to pay a bit extra, but having the right ammunition can go a long way towards a successful day on the range.

Know the Elements

Long-range shooting is typically done outdoors and regardless of the equipment you might be having, it is impossible to regulate the weather. You have to learn shooting while the wind is blowing. You should practice shooting in different types of terrain as well as in windy conditions.

Level Bubble

If you are out in the field, it is just not possible for you to level your rifle by sight. For successful long-range shooting, you need to use a level bubble. You mount this tool to the body of the scope and level it to the crosshairs.

Bipod

When shooting at long ranges, the position that you use matters. If you decide to use a bipod, ensure that you lay straight behind the rifle. You can move forward using your toes and load the rifle into the bipod. Using this position helps reduce muzzle jump during recoil.

Steel is Ideal

You should use steel targets to have a full appreciation for long-range shooting. Nothing is as satisfying as hearing that sound the bullet makes when it hits the metal. You can also paint the targets white to spot them more easily. Using a steel target can also help you see where you hit.

Use a Rangefinder

A rangefinder is one of the best tools you can use for long-range shooting. It is a handy device that can help you get a correct range reading. This is critical to making the right adjustments on the elevation dial of your scope.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.