PRECISION LONG RANGE

SHOOTING AND HUNTING

VOL. 1: GETTING STARTED,

CALIBER AND EQUIPMENT
CHOICES
JON GILLESPIE-BROWN

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 COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Copyright Jon Gillespie-Brown 2018.

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Published by TeachMe Interactive

4450 Arapahoe Ave, Suite #100, Boulder, CO 80303

Book Release Version: 3

To order print, e-books or the online course visit:

www.teachmeinteractive.com

ISBN-13: 978-1976182679
ISBN-10: 1976182670

Production team:
Jon Gillespie-Brown - Publisher and editor
Luca Gillespie-Brown - Video production
Alex Behrens - Photography and video
Nicolae Stoia - Illustrations
Andrew Maurer - Copywriting and testing team
Kathy Telford - Copy editing
Ed Oswald - Copy editing
Mark Finning - Art, print, design and web
Jane Berman - Admin and accounting
Paul McHugh - Copy editing (Outdoors writer, novelist and author of
the thriller, "The Blind Pool")
Darrell Holland - Copy editing (Owner, Hollands Long Range Shooting
School)
Greg Wood - VP, Partnerships and sponsors

Copyright notice:

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All rights reserved. All images, drawings, videos, illustrations and
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Interactive logos are trademarks of TeachMe Interactive.

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 CONTENTS

Join Our Long Range Community

I. An introduction to long range shooting

Getting started in long range
What's your mission?
Why shoot long range?
Long range is the fundamentals on steroids
What is long range?
How to "ring steel" at 1000 yards
The Zen of long range shooting
Long range hunting
Safety and legal
Keep in touch

II. Units of measurement

MOA vs. MILS
Yards vs. metres
Energy
Speed
Weight

III. Choosing a caliber and ammunition

Ballistic coefficient
Choosing a caliber
Factory vs. hand loaded ammo
Components of a cartridge
Bullet
Case
Propellant (powder)
Primer

IV. Choosing a precision rifle

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 1. Equipment choices
The precision rifle
Semi-auto vs. bolt action
2. Rifle anatomy
Stocks and chassis
Action (receiver)
Triggers
Safety
3. Barrels
Barrel anatomy
Rifling
Contour
Length
Barrel break-in
Barrel "seasoning" and equilibrium
4. Rifle accessories
Muzzle brakes
Suppressors

V. Choosing optics
1. Scope anatomy
Scope external anatomy
Scope internal anatomy
Reticles
Scope rings and bases
2. Scope selection
Introduction
Reticle choices
Focal plane
MOAs and MILs
Turrets
Is bigger always better?
Field of view
Eye relief
Use in low light
Scope rings and mounts

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 Bubble levels
3. More optics
Spotting scopes
Digiscoping
Range finders
Binoculars
Special "secret" free gift

VI. Essential tools and accessories

1. Rifle support options
2. Wind and anemometers
3. Hearing protection
4. Shooting glasses
5. Maintenance equipment
6. Ballistic calculators and apps
7. More useful tools

VII. Ballistics tables and DOPE

1. Gathering DOPE
2. Using a chronograph to collect DOPE
3. Measuring groups to determine accuracy
4. Ballistic tables
5. Generating a ballistic table

VIII. Ongoing learning and practice

1. Practice drills
2. Long range schools
3. Useful websites

Join Our Long Range Community

Next steps…Get Book Two
More long range shooting books, videos and courses…
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Legal Notice & Disclaimer
Warning notice

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8
 PART ONE

AN INTRODUCTION TO LONG
RANGE SHOOTING

Welcome to the TeachMe Interactive Book Series on Long

Range Precision Rifle Shooting and Hunting.

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 This is a comprehensive book and companion multimedia
online course focused on helping you become a proficient long
range hunter or target shooter. Unlike other books we have
included over 500 images and illustrations to make learning faster
and more enjoyable.

This first book is aimed at the total beginner to Long

Range Shooting and has a detailed explanation of
everything from the ground up.

Who is the course for?

This book is aimed at
anyone who wants to get into
Long Range Shooting. It will
cover all the basics needed to
understand the sport in detail, but
it does assume you have at least a
basic understanding of what a rifle
is and how it is used. The course will be valuable for any
level of shooting experience, even those that have been
shooting for years.
If you are just thinking about getting into the sport, we will
explain it all to you and help you achieve the amazing feeling
of hitting targets out so far they are hard to see with your
eyes alone. For those that have already achieved some success,
we will help you dig into the details that will help you be more
consistent, and to understand areas that might affect your ability
to make long range hits every time, no matter the conditions.

Novice or experienced, the knowledge in this course

will help you increase your ability to consistently
achieve long range success.

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 Long range precision rifle shooting is a big topic that we cover
in detail so we have broken the course into two volumes - the first
is an introduction to the sport and covers all the basics,
terminology, gear and impartial buying advice required to get
started. The second covers the more technical aspects of
technique, ballistics and reading the wind. Get them together, or
separately as suits your goals.

We will answer these questions

in depth:

What is long range shooting and how do I "ring" steel at

1000 yards?
How to choose the right caliber, rifle and associated gear I
need to get started?
Advice on buying a scope and precision rifle, including
detailed discussion on the options and accessories.
How to set up and use the equipment needed for long
range.
Explanation of ballistics and the associated techniques
required to get on target.
Explanation and use of MOA and MILs/MRAD systems.
A detailed explanation of the fundamentals of precision
shooting.
How to read the wind and use tools to make adjustments
requirements for long range.
Much much more, with over 300 pages of easy to absorb
skills.

Volume 1

An introduction to long range shooting

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 Choosing a caliber and ammunition
Choosing a precision rifle
Choosing “glass”
Essential tools and accessories
Cleaning and maintenance
Ballistics and DOPE
Ongoing learning and practice

Take away these key learnings:

How to be a safe and confident long range shooter.

How to choose the right rifle for your personal "mission".
Good glass does make a difference - across scopes, range
finders and binocular.
The math part is really not that big of a deal, especially if
you have the right tools.
Wind is the big equalizer.

Learn in 5 minute chunks -

when & where you want!
We have also broken down every area
into "bite sized" chunks and made them
easy to absorb quickly and in small time
increments - now you can learn any time
and anywhere where you have a few
minutes to pick up more about long range
shooting. This is good for breaks,
lunchtimes, when you are commuting or

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just have some downtime available - now you can learn during
that previously boring time.
Finally, we have included quick takeaways from every
topic.
In the online interactive version, we include a recap in the
form of a fun quiz to check how you are picking up the knowledge
as you go along. This helps you gauge where you are in a
complex learning process, and, also allows you to go back until
you are happy that you have a section fully understood. There are
also lots of videos and other content to help you learn faster and
with more fun.
Our approach is to coach, not be a "Sergeant Major"!
With all of our training materials, the information provided is
designed to help people get more out of their sport, and also
explain how to become more consistent, accurate and proficient.
It is not a dogmatic set of rules, more a friendly set of
suggestions or information to allow you to base your own learning
style on. In our view, learning should be fun and flexible in order
to meet your own needs.

A dvisory notice
This course is not meant to be a replacement for
practical training. Our goal is to prepare you for any
practical course you wish to attend where you will learn by
shooting and how to manage the complex factors affecting
long range accuracy. This course will help you focus on the
core practical aspects, having understood the theory in
detail before you attend.

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 GETTING STARTED IN LONG RANGE

One of the first things you might be thinking is, what does
it cost to get started in long range shooting? As we
discussed, that tends to be related to your mission, but in this
section, we will quickly discuss the basic setup to get started in a
general sense.
This will give you a feel if it's for you in terms of equipment
and budget. Can you afford to get into long range?
Long range rifles used to be designed for practiced military
snipers, often based on the Remington Model 700 and other
similar actions. Today, with the sport having become popular
worldwide, manufacturers have stepped up, offering more cost
effective options for the general public.

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 For as little as $2-3000, you can put together a long
range "system" (rifle, scope, bipod, range finder, wind
meter, cleaning kit and accessories) capable of nailing
long range targets out past 1000 yards, using quality
ammunition.

Expert tip: “I don't believe you need a wind meter, LRF

and other gadgets to really get started. Rifle, ammo, bipod
and rear bag; along with a printed dope card is how we
shot long range competitions long before the PRS was a
thought in someone's mind.” Mike Rogan, K&M Precision
Rifle Training

So we know we need the “basics” to get started, it is best to

focus on your core equipment of rifle and scope first - get the best
you can, or save, and make sure you have the right tools to get
going. Then you can add on extras. A rifle and scope can be
acquired used to save money, it’s all about the quality of the
system that matters as you will read in this book.
Examples of budget rifles that all claim sub-MOA accuracy out
of the box at long range, are the Remington Model 700 SPS
Tactical, the Ruger Precision Rifle, The Tikka T3, Browning X-Bolt
Long Range, or the Savage 12 Long Range Precision just to name
a few. Today we are spoiled for choices at reasonable prices.

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 Of course, there are options to spend a great deal more, such
as custom rifles from the likes of Gunwerks and GA (who
specialize in long range hunting rifles built to your specification),
or the more military type from Accuracy International, Cadex
Defence, Surgeon, Barrett, Blaser, Steyr, and many more.

The options are vast, and as usual with any large purchase,
taking time to try out what you can, and asking questions at your
local club, dealer or Facebook group helps with making the right
decision. The time honored saying of "you get what you
pay for" generally applies here as does "measure twice
and cut once" - Get the very best you can afford, especially with
optics (you often want to spend more on optics than the rifle), to
avoid having to keep trading up later. You would also do well to
consider your "mission" and therefore what caliber rifle you need
(hunting, target or match) before you go shopping.

Expert tip “While generally a good suggestion it is not

always the case for a brand new shooter to have to spend
more on a scope. Better to get the best scope that s/he can
afford and get learning rather than suffer discouragement
due to budget. I know a lot of shooters ringing long
distance with the lesser expensive models. The Athlon
Argos BTR for example priced under $400 or the Ares for
$800 which is an amazing scope. In this case the scope

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 does not have to be more costly than the rifle. Yes it may
result in an upgrade at some point but it’s better to get
started on whatever budget you have than be discouraged.”
Pete Potosky, inventor of the Tracer Hit Light

This course dedicates a large percentage of its content

on equipment choices to help you navigate this decision
process.
In the end, you need a heavy-barreled rifle with a good trigger,
bipod and quality stock, plus a good quality higher magnification
scope to get started. You will also need high quality "match"
ammunition, and few more optional tools, like a range finder, wind
meter and spotting scope, that we will cover in detail later in the
course.
Long range shooting is certainly more costly than a
basic hunting or target setup, but is also accessible to
most shooters with a reasonable budget.

Expert advice: “Don't get caught in the equipment

race. No amount of money or equipment will buy you a
spot in the winners circle. Buy the best equipment you can
afford, find a good load for it and go practice your
technique at short range, a lot. Once you are hitting the
mark at 100 yards consistently and shooting little bug hole
groups then it is time to shoot longer range. Guess what
the wind is doing and take a shot. Observe what happened
and record that information for later use. Now rinse and
repeat often.
So many people think it is about the amount of money
spent. In reality it's about the amount of time spent
practicing.” Daman Pinson (Advanced Long Range
Reloading & Shooting Techniques)

Takeaway:

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 For as little as $3000, you can put together a "system" (rifle,
scope, bipod, range finder, wind meter, cleaning kit and
accessories) capable of nailing long range targets out past 1000
yards, using quality ammunition.

The first place this course is going to start is on caliber

selection as the basis of defining the shooting system you
choose - so let's get started…

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 WHAT'S YOUR MISSION?

This is a good place to start your

journey into long range shooting.
Choosing your mission is the
key to everything.
You need to be clear at the
outset what you want to do in
the sport. Is it target shooting from a bench, is it competition, is
it casual, but not the main shooting area you want to focus upon,
or is it long range hunting? Is it all of the above, or are you just
generally curious?
Depending on your mission, you will want to choose different
cartridge and load combinations, the rifle type and weight, and
the scope and supporting system elements.
With these things in mind, consider your application
first, and then use this course to select each component of
your shooting system in order to meet your own needs.
In addition to the outcome of this process, you will likely want
to consider your budget and how to allocate that between the
equipment choices you will make.
The logical place to start, is with the cartridge you will need to
achieve your mission(s), as this will then lead to other decisions,
such as the rifle you select to match.

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 Takeaway:
Throughout the course, we refer to your "mission". Understanding
why you are shooting (and often which shooting community you
belong to) gives you a path of learning, and also helps with
various choices along the way, so it's very important.

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 WHY SHOOT LONG RANGE?

It's great fun and a real

challenge shooting out at long
distance. Many shooters who have
mastered the basics of target or
hunting, like to test themselves by
trying more sophisticated
techniques associated with the
sport.
Long range shooting can be used for many things, outside of
military and law enforcement. It's mostly about ethically killing
game out beyond the normal short range hunting distances.
What often makes it interesting for non-professionals, is the
more complex and technical elements associated with shooting a
long way vs. the fairly simple technique of short range shooting.
Long range requires the shooter to take into account many more
factors, like the wind and ballistics, and therefore, the
achievement of hitting a distant target is all the more gratifying.
In addition, there is a greater set of tools, techniques and
weapon systems required to be successful. Building out a
solution to be able to regularly shoot out past five football
fields is rewarding, and very cool.
It's takes some refined technical skills to make a first-round
impact at 1000 yards. It's not as easy as entering your caliber,
velocity and bullet weight into a phone app. You have to go out
and practice shooting at a target, and see how all the pieces of
the long range puzzle work together to be a consistent shooter.

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For many of us, long range shooting is a natural next step in
learning more about our sport.
For those who are hunting for a trophy animal, the
need to hit targets out at challenging distances is often a
requirement for success.

There are also lots of fun competitions for the long range
shooter such as F-Class and PRS.
By far the fastest growing precision rifle shooting sport, F-
Class is shot prone at distances of 300 to 1200 yards. Competitors
may use almost any caliber rifle up to a .338, a scope, and a front
and rear rest or bipod. F-Class is an ideal sport for beginning
competitive shooters, both male and female, young and old.

The precision rifle series competition is a relatively new long

range competition format which seeks to find a balance between
speed and precision, often involving movement and shooting from
unusual positions with a time limit, at both known and unknown
distances.
In summary - Long range shooting is both challenging
and fun!

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 LONG RANGE IS THE FUNDAMENTALS
ON STEROIDS

Our goal with this course is to improve both precision and

accuracy. Precision is the tightness of your shot group
whereas accuracy is about getting the shot on target.
The basic requirements to shoot a rifle, the fundamentals, are
extended greatly with long range shooting. Every small bad
habit or poor technique is incredibly amplified when the
bullet "time in flight" can be almost two seconds.
Therefore, the fundamentals have to be "right" every time to
have any chance of consistent success. In addition, there is the
requirement to build a firing solution that is more complex than
the usual point and shoot of short range.

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 For example, at less than 300 yards (or meters), you need to
focus on the basics and be consistent, but there is a lot more
room for error and you can still hit the target or take down big
game. There is little bullet drop to consider on a flat shooting
cartridge, or even wind - just aim and shoot, possibly with a little
bit of adjustment for bullet drop at the edge of that distance.
Outside 300 yards and on to 1000 yards, you now need
to compensate for things like spin drift, the Coriolis effect,
density altitude, temperature, wind, drop, ballistics,
angles, BDC turrets and reticles, as well as consistent
application of the fundamentals. It can be tempting to focus
on all of these factors instead of the fundamentals - but that
would be a mistake.
Be aware that all of these other issues with long range can
take your focus away from the fundamentals, but it's no good
worrying about the coriolis effect if you haven't factored in the
correct bullet drop to the target, or the density altitude when you
don't follow through after a shot - don't let that happen to
you.

Without the proper application of the fundamentals, nothing will

work. It's better to get the basics right first and foremost, as they
tend to have the greatest influence on the shot anyway.

Shooter consistency is really the name of the game when it

comes to "long range" - having the best equipment you can
afford, the best ammunition, and the experience to apply these in
a replicable fashion every time you shoot at distance. The more
variables you can tightly control, the better shooter you will
become.
The ideal is to build a "total shooting solution" that has all the
working parts tuned together, from the range finder, to the
ammunition and the rifle/scope - all tested together to remove
many of the variables other than the shooter.

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 Expert advice: If you are not getting the results you
want…“always blame the shooter first. Everyone wants to blame
the gun , ammunition , or whatever they can think of when 9 times
out of 10 it is more than likely the shooter. If everyone started with
this mentality they would save a ton of money and trouble trying to
fix something that isn't broken.” Daman Pinson, Advanced Long
Range Reloading & Shooting Techniques

Shooter consistency is what this course will help you

learn quickly and put to the test in the field.

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 WHAT IS LONG RANGE?

Wikipedia defines long range shooting as "a collective term for

shooting disciplines where the shooter has to engage targets at
such long distances that he has to calculate ballistics, especially
with regard to wind."
Bryan Litz, Founder and President of Applied Ballistics LLC,
defines long range as "where you need to make significant
adjustments to your zero to hit a target due to gravity drop and
wind deflection."
There are likely many ways to categorize what long range
shooting means to people, but for the sake of these training
materials, we are defining the various ranges as below, since we
are going to be shooting long range:

Short range is less than 300 yds.

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 Long range is 300-1200 yds.
Extra long (ELD) range is greater than 1 mile

Shooting at the range at the usual 1-200 yard distance

requires very little compensation for all the factors that come into
play at longer ranges, including some physics, a little
trigonometry, and a few formulas to use for long distance
shooting. So the definition is essentially the difference between
just shooting at the target directly, and having to make changes
to your point of impact based on a number of factors you will be
learning in this course.
In the U.S.-based shooting
community, we tend to use the
term MOA for how accurate a rifle
system is, or how big a group or
target is in size. MOA refers to
Minutes of Angle which is an
angular measurement system that
relates size to distance. 1 Minute of
Angle, or 1 MOA, is considered the standard accuracy minimum
for a long range rifle. A rifle that is said to be a 'one minute gun'
is capable of producing a group of shots equal to 1 MOA at any
distance.
That means if the rifle is fired at
a target 100 yards away we can
expect the group size to be 1 inch
in spread from the center of one
shot to the center of the shot
farthest from the group and if it's
1000 yards, it would be 10 inches
in spread.
Don't worry we will explain
MOA in detail in the course, but it's an important part of
the jargon used in the long range community.

Takeaway:

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The goal for many longer range shooters is to make good quality,
sub-MOA hit on a target, whether it be a paper target, steel or an
animal, out at 1000 yards or more.

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 HOW TO "RING STEEL" AT 1000 YARDS

There's something very cool

about shooting a very long
distance - at targets that are
hard to see with the naked eye
without the aid of a scope.
Then, when you actually hit the
target and hear the steel "ring" it's
an even better! Believe us, it really
is an amazing feeling being able to achieve that level of accuracy.
This course aims to help you master the requirements to hit
out past 1000 yards. The coaching is orientated around several
key areas you need to master to be consistent out at distance:

Understand and practice the "fundamentals" of shooting -

working on your technique
Choosing and setting up the right tools for the mission:
the weapon system and associated equipment
Using high quality consistently accurate ammunition
(match or hand loaded) in the right caliber for the mission
at hand
Using a range of new skills and knowledge about how to
modify the firing solution and zero, based on
environmental factors
Practicing and testing the chosen setup at distance and
noting that information (DOPE) as you improve

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 Training, and experience, are the most important
factors to success.
There is a lot of information inside of all of these simple
sounding areas of learning, but we will break them down so they
are easy to digest and you will be able to put them into practice
right away.
Before you know it, given application of the advice
here, you will be hitting steel out at 1000 yards with
regularity.

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 THE ZEN OF LONG RANGE SHOOTING

In addition to the fun and

achievement of long range
shooting, something quite
remarkable is experienced by
many long range shooters - a
Zen-like calm! Call it being in the
"zone" or "bubble", but when you
are there, you are hyper-focused
and you can block out the rest of the world.
A loud and animated sport like shooting doesn't seem very
"Zen" on the face of it, until you get into it more.
Most long range shooting is done with a bolt gun vs. a
semiautomatic rifle, so, shots are generally less frequent and
more considered - the first element of slowing down. If you wish
to be consistent and accurate, you also need to focus on removing
"you" and your errors from the shooting system as much as
possible.
As you do this, you will realize that for many of us, the need to
just relax, and block out the world while we consider our
technique and the target, takes us to a place of calm and
concentration - not unlike meditation.
This place of Zen-like concentration is appreciated by
many of us who lead busy lives of constant interruption
and stress - here, we can remove that hassle for a while
as we ring steel or take down our prey out at distance.

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 LONG RANGE HUNTING

Hunting past a few hundred

yards in range is a hotly
debated topic, is it ethical? As
noted at the beginning of this
course, we are defining long range
shooting to be past 300 yards, and
likely more like 500-1000 yards.
As you now know, at these
distances we need to not only point
and shoot, we will also need to consider many other factors,
including bullet drop and terminal ballistics. We also will likely
need different equipment than what your granddaddy left you to
shoot with, tools designed for the job at hand.

So what is "ethical" hunting, and how

far is far enough to be ethical?
There is no legal definition of "ethical hunting". Everyone has their
own opinion, and they seem to revolve around a few topics. Some
believe the animal being hunted should be given a fair chase, and
a chance to get away. In addition, most hunters agree that the
animal should only be shot if the hunter can get a good clean kill

32
shot off in the conditions, and that the animal should die without
undue suffering once hit.
So with long range vs. short range, the argument goes, that
we are more likely to miss the shot due to the issues with distance
(and therefore the greater chance of environmental effects
changing the point of aim), and also the time in flight (meaning
that the bullet will take possibly several seconds to reach the
target after leaving the barrel), in which time the animal may have
changed position. In both cases, instead of being point blank
shots, these are more of a gamble with the wind, the animal, and
with the shooters ability.
Also, because the long range hunter is less likely to be seen or
heard by the animal, there are some that argue it is less fair than
stalking up close, and taking a shot where the animal is more
likely to detect you.
These all seem like reasonable arguments to consider.
In the end, it has to come down to the hunter to decide if
the shot is reasonable and will meet their definition of
what is ethical.
Although, in theory, the chances of a point of aim change on
the animal are real, and therefore, a potential bad shot, wounding
the animal non-fatally, or in such a way the animal suffers unduly.
We would argue that it's much more likely at long range,
that the hunter will either get a good hit in the kill zone,
or miss altogether.
Most big game animals are not that large of a target at range,
so a good shot, sub-MOA will be a kill shot or a miss. MOA here, is
defined as being capable of putting repeated shots onto a target
at one hundred yards that measure 1 inch or less in group size.
The same MOA capable shooter can hit 2 inch targets at 200
yards, 5 inch targets at 500 yards, and 10 inches at 1000 yards.
Indeed, one benefit of long range hunting is that the report
doesn't give away your position. Unlike most shooting at live
targets, you may get a second chance after a miss to get a better
kill shot on target.
To illustrate the above point, lets review a few possible targets
and their kill zones at a distance, of say 500-1000 yards - so MOA
is 5-10 inch groups.

33
 Here are some estimated "vital area circle" diameters
that correspond to the approximate (heart/lung) target
area:

Pronghorn antelope = 8.5"-9"

Small deer = 8.5"-9"
Medium size deer = 10"-11"
Large deer = 11"-12"
North American wild sheep = 12"-13"
Mountain goat = 13"-14.5"
Caribou = 14.5"-15.5"
Elk = 14.5"-15.5"
Moose = 18"-21.5"

So the hunter can now decide, if they are an "MOA"

shooter, if they can hit the target effectively and at what
range. At 500 yards (5 inch groups), the shots are more
applicable to the smaller end of the scale, and as you go longer
(5-10 inch groups), the larger animals are more reasonable,
perhaps. Remember that accuracy gets harder the longer you go,
so an MOA shooter at 500 yards is more likely than an 1.5 MOA
shooter at 1000 yards, due to factors like the wind.

34
 The point being, that you are likely to get a hit if you are an
accurate shooter, or, if you miss, you should be able to get back
on target from long range and put the animal down ethically.

Note: this assumes you have taken the time to train yourself, you
use a cartridge that matches both the distance and energy
requirements of the shot, you have your shooting system setup well
and fully tested, and you yourself can control your responses (such
as buck fever) in order to get off a good quality shot.

As a rule of thumb at long range, you want to use a 1.5

MOA accuracy, or half MIL, as a guide to a range that
works.
So for each target animal, you can set a max. distance that
you are comfortable shooting, by working a quick calculation
based on the vital zone. For example, using the moose with the
18′: divide the animal's vital zone size by 1.5. Then multiply by
100 for a quick max range (at 1.5 MOA or half MIL), = Max range
1200 Yards, or for a small deer at 9", you should set a max range
of 600 yards (9/1.5 x100).
Assuming you don't over-estimate your own abilities, you
should be able to make long range harvests ethically. If the shot is
beyond you, just wait for another, or try to get closer and then try
again. Others may just decide you are not good enough to take
that shot, and that's where the debate rages on.
We would like to think that you are taking this course
to ensure you have the skills to decide if to take the long
range shot, and if you do, you can make an ethical kill.

35
 SAFETY AND LEGAL

Before we start, we should

always refresh ourselves on
the safety required to go
shooting. Long range precision
shooting can be very safe. Chose a
suitable location where you have
permission to shoot, and then set
out your shooting area with safety in mind, just like you should do
at all times while shooting. It's no different.
Long range shooting only really varies based on the need to
consider a much larger "danger zone" over which you are firing,
since 1000 yards is way more area to consider safe. However, if
you are carefully checking out the area looking for targets,
whether hunting or target shooting, and being careful not to shoot
over people to get to the target, you will be safe.
Also, the kinetic energy of the bullet has to drop below the
point of injury and well past the range of your target. This means,
that the energy per foot-pounds needs to drop below its terminal
velocity. For example, a .308 round carries approximately 566 ft.
lbs at 1000 yards. In order to ensure you will not injure someone
beyond your target's range, make sure you create a safety zone
several hundred yards past your target, and with ultra long range,
safety is measured in miles.

36
 Note: A careless attitude when handling firearms is a dangerous
one, and will result in damage to your shooting system, injury,
and/or death. We encourage you to use common sense when
handling firearms, and always follow these five rules of safety.

NRA safe gun handling rules:

Always keep your gun pointed in a safe direction.

Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to
shoot.
Always keep your gun unloaded until ready to use.
Know your target and what is beyond.
Never rely on your safety. Your safety is a mechanical
device and can fail.

Other safety rules:

Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting

activities like long range shooting require additional safety
precautions.
Never use alcohol or drugs before, or while shooting.

37
 Use the correct ammunition, as precision rifles are more
likely to need specific ammunition to function well.
Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting.
Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before shooting.

If your firearm fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, handle

with the utmost care! Remember anytime that a cartridge is in the
chamber, the firearm could still discharge, so keep your muzzle
pointed in a safe direction. Engage the safety. Keeping your face
from the breech, carefully open the action to unload the cartridge.
Dispose of the cartridge safely.
More safety tips here:
https://gunsafetyrules.nra.org/
https://www.nssf.org/safety/

WARNING: FIREARMS CAN CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO

THE USER AND TO OTHERS.

The course encourages the safe and responsible ownership

and use of firearms. You agree and acknowledge that there are
risks associated with firearms training, including but not limited
to: risk of serious injury or death due to firearms discharge by
you or another individual, exposure to loud noises, and exposure
to noxious fumes and hazardous material. Despite the risks, you
knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently choose to participate in this
firearms training course even though you will not be doing any
live fire during this theory-only course.
At all times, TeachMe Interactive intends for the gun safety
information contained in this class to be used for educational
purposes only. No information presented within this class should
be construed as advice requiring professional licensure and a
relationship with a patient/client, including medical, psychological,
legal, or any other regulated profession. No doctor/patient,
attorney/client, or other such legal relationship is formed or
intended to be formed by your participation in this course.

38
 KEEP IN TOUCH

T hanks for reading our book , we worked hard for a few years to bring you
what we hope is a punchy, but comprehensive resource you can rely on for
years as you enjoy your sport.
We have setup a newsletter you can join to get access to a ton of extra
content we couldn’t add to the books as there’s a limit to the available
space.
Get “early access” and unique reader-only sneak peaks into new
products and even free access to beta versions! In addition, we like to offer
freebies, specials, guest posts, manufacturer deals and other benefits to
our readers this way…so don’t miss out visit the site to sign up today!

visit this page on our site:

https://www.longrangeshootingbooks.com/

39
 PART TWO

UNITS OF MEASUREMENT

Before we get into the main part of the training, let's

discuss the units of measurement we will be using in the
course.
We all tend to relate things to "known standards". We cannot
measure things without reference to something we know and
understand, like inches or cm. However in shooting, inches can be
helpful, but as far as shooting at a target is concerned, we tend to
use an angular measurement instead of inches.
MILs/MRAD and MOA differ from an inch because they are
angular, not linear, measurements. If we want to describe a

40
distance or size, we need to be able to imagine what that means
in our minds, and the same goes for shooting as well as any
compensations we need to make out at distance. This is often
critical when working with others, as you will often need to tell
them precisely what to do. For example, if you are calling shots to
direct someone else (as a spotter), then you must be able to tell
the shooter exactly what to do, like "shoot 2 MOA left" (to
compensate for the wind at the target). This is a precise distance
that they can measure in their scope reticle to change the point of
impact.
This version of the course will primarily use the U.S.-
based measurement system, but we will also throw in the
metric system at points, as well, as many shooters do
adopt the more European/Military systems of
measurement like Milliradians (often shortened to MRAD or
MILs), for example.

This mix up of measurements can be confusing, as it's used in

discussion, the use of reticles, scope turrets, and in calling shots.
So it's important to learn what makes sense based on
your "mission". If you plan to hunt in the U.S. only, you
will likely focus on MOA (a U.S.-centric measurement of
angle), whereas if you plan to shoot some competitions,
they well may use MILs instead. This then means that
everyone in the community you will be shooting with will be using
this measurement "language", and so you need to be able to
"speak" it as well.
The same goes for different training schools you may wish to
attend for practical skills, especially since any that are more

41
military focused may well use MILs and Meters for measurements,
whereas hunting focused schools use MOA and Yards in their
teaching. The same applies to distances, some may use the metric
Meters vs. Yards, or cm vs. inches. Miles vs. Kilometers per hour is
much less likely! It can be an odd mix of units, but it's not
too hard to understand once you have the basics down.
All you need to do is pick the mission, and your community,
and then understand what "language" they will be using. Also
take this choice (MOA vs. MILs), into account with
equipment purchase, especially in scopes. The good thing
about other tools is they usually can accommodate these differing
measurements. For instance, ballistic software will allow you to
pick your system, as do good range finders, etc.
Also, if you understand the basic differences, you can then
work with anyone and convert between systems as required, and
this can be very helpful when working with new people, especially
new spotters.

Takeaway:
Be aware of your "mission" and what units they will be using.
Also, be prepared for a mix up between inches and angular
measurements, and know how to "speak" as many unit languages
as you can.

42
 MOA VS. MILS

A MIL or an MOA linear equivalent increases

proportionally with distance. With the MOA and MIL
systems, you correct the position of the reticle inside the
scope, based on wind deflection and trajectory of the
bullet at the target's distance.

43
 We use an angular measure, as this is very applicable to the
flight path of a bullet. Angles are independent of other units of
measure, and therefore, simple formulas can be memorized and
used by the shooter in ballistic drop tables and wind calculations.
The MOA (minute of angle) measurement system is by a wide
margin, the most popular among shooters in the United States.

MOA
There are 360 degrees in a circle and each degree is divided into
60 minutes. Hence "minutes" of angle - it's a circle broken into
increments of minutes (total: 21,600 minutes). If we round to the
nearest 1⁄100 of an inch, at 100 yards, 1 degree measures 62.83
inches. One MOA, 1⁄60 of that, measures 1.047 inches. This
is usually rounded down to 1.04 to simplify the math.
A minute of angle, usually used as a measure of group size,
target size or shot dispersion, spans 1.047 inch at 100 yards but
we round down to 1”. To calculate MOA at any distance,
multiply 1.047 by the distance in yards and divide by 100.
There's another measure known as Shooter's MOA (SMOA)--
rounding down MOA's true measure of 1.047 inches at 100 yards,
to a much-simpler-to-calculate 1 inch at 100 yards. This is fine for
short distances, but at 1000 yards this basic measure is too
inaccurate, as it's not 10 inches but 10.5 inches.
For simplicity, using SMOA here, a single minute
roughly equates to 1 inch at 100 yards, so shooters get

44
used to thinking of MOA in terms of inches. 2 MOA at 100
yards is 2 inches, 1 MOA at 400 yards is 4 inches, and so
on. It's great to use angles because, as you can see, they
increase proportionally with distance.
As long as the shooter sticks with 100-yard increments, the
math is pretty simple to do in your head.
MOA scopes are often adjustable by 1/4 (0.25) MOA
increments (approx. 1/4 inch at 100 yards).
You will hear the term MOA used a lot in long range. For
example, the term is often used to describe the size of targets, so
a target at 500 yards that is 2 MOA in size (usually width), means
that the target is 10 inches wide. 1 MOA at 500 yards would be 5
inches, therefore 2 MOA would be 10 (2x5) inches. However, if
you are using an MOA reticle in your scope, you will use MOA as a
measurement and not inches, and you will use the markings
(subtension) in the scope reticle that size up targets or make
adjustments. The same goes for a MIL scope reticle.

MILs/MRAD
MILs, or Milliradians, are a unit of measurement dividing radians
in a circle. A radian is equal to 57.3 degrees, with 6.2832 (π x 2)
radians in a circle. There are 1000 Milliradians in 1 radian, and

45
therefore 6,283 Milliradians (or Mils) in a circle. Thus, 1 Mil at
100 yards is equal to 10 centimeters, or 3.6" inches.
A mil is so large, it's usually broken into tenths in order to
make precise adjustments.
So 1 mil equals 1 yard at 1,000 yards, and 1 meter at
1,000 meters. It doesn't matter if you use metric or U.S. Scale,
and that's its beauty.
Milliradian scopes are often adjustable by ‪1/10th‬ (0.1) Mil
increments. At 100 yards, a 0.1 mil click is 0.36 inch, and a full
mil is 3.6 inches (Practically speaking, 1⁄10 of a mil equals 1
centimeter at 100 meters).
MILs, like MOA, is an angular measure, and the length it
represents, increases proportionally with distance. For example, 1
mil at 100 yards equals 3.6 inches, and 7.2 inches at 200 yards.

Comparing MILs and MOA

There are 21,600 MOA in a circle, so a little quick division
determines there are 3.4377 MOA per mil. At 100 yards, 3.4377
MOA equals 3.599 inches (3.4377 x 1.047). Rounded up, one mil
equals 3.6 inches at 100 yards.

46
 To convert MILs to MOA = MULTIPLY BY 3.5 (The
precise math is Mils x 3.438 = MOA)
To convert MOA to MILs = DIVIDE BY 3.5 (The
precise math is MOA / 3.438 = Mils)

You may need to be able to do this conversion if you're

shooting with a spotter with a MIL spotting scope, while you are
using a MOA rifle scope. Converting between the two can be
crucial to making proper adjustments. The same is true when
using off the shelf ammunition that may have data on your
ammo's drop (at given yardage), in a unit of measurement your
scope isn't setup for, and you don't have time to use a ballistic
drop table to switch to your reticle and turret type.

Subtensions and turrets

Subtension, the measurement of a section that a reticle covers at
a certain range, is also important, especially when trying to
estimate range or calculate for wind or trajectory by holding off
the target. Like MILs and MOA, subtension is an angular
measurement.
What you need to watch for, is a mix of different reticles and
turrets, in terms of MILs and MOA. For example, you are shooting
with a mil-dot reticle (one that uses MIL dots as measurements)
and a MOA scope with 1⁄4-MOA clicks. Here, you might need to
convert what you see through the scope in MIL measurements
into MOA clicks (on the scope turrets) - this means doing math at

47
a time when you are likely to need speed and a quick adjustment.
It's hassle you don't need, so try and match the reticle to the
turrets.
This is even worse if you are using a second focal plane scope
that has differing measurements in the reticle, depending on the
magnification you have set. Reticles in the first focal plane (FFP)
maintain the same relationship to the target regardless of
magnification. Reticles in the second focal plane (SFP) cause the
subtension/relationship to change, as magnification is altered.
Reticles set in the second focal plane are usually calibrated to
work at the scope's maximum magnification, so beware (see the
section in Scope for more details). See the chapter on “choosing
optics” for details on focal plane (FFP and SFP).

Takeaway:
Once again, be aware of your mission and decide if you plan to
"talk" meters/MILs or yards/MOA. Better yet learn both systems
and always be able to communicate with your fellow shooters. Be
careful not to mix your reticle and turrets between systems.

48
 YARDS VS. METRES

When we are shooting we may need to be able to convert

between metric units, such as the MILs already explained, but
often, distances measured in either Metres (or meters) or Yards.
We can credit the French for converting much of the world to
the metric system. The system is based on three fundamental
units: the meter (m), which quantifies displacement, the kilogram
(kg), which quantifies mass, and the second (s or sec), which
quantifies time. The meter and kilogram are divided into fractional
units, and enlarged into multiple units, according to a power-of-10
prefix multiplier. For example, there are 100 centimeters or 1000
millimeters in a meter, and 1000 meters in a kilometer. Time,
however, is denoted in the same way as in the English system.
There are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, and 24
hours in a mean solar day, in both systems.

49
Definition: Yard
The Yard (symbol: yd) is a length unit in the Imperial and U.S.
customary systems, originally taken to be the average length of a
stride. Since 1959, a yard was defined to be equivalent to 0.9144
meters exactly. A yard is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches.

Definition: Metre (Meter)

The metre, symbol: m, is the basic unit of distance (or of
"length") in the International System of Units. The internationally-
accepted spelling of the unit in English is "metre", although the
American English spelling meter is a common variant. A meter is
100 centimeters.

How to convert yards to meters:

1 yd = 0.9144 m
1 m = 1.0936 yd

50
 Example: convert 15 yd to m:
15 yd = 15 × 0.9144 m = 13.716 m

Simple shooter calculations

For the shooter, a simpler formula is easier to work with. First,
remember that the meter will always be the smaller number of the
two. If the meter is longer than a yard, then apply the 10% rule.
An easy way to recall which is the smaller is to think of the
position of the (m) in meter, being before the (y) in yards, and
therefore, the bigger unit of measure.

To convert meters to yards = add

10%
To convert yards to meters = subtract
10%

Takeaway:
A meter (metre) is larger than a yard by approx. 10%

51
 ENERGY

Energy is important in shooting when measuring the

energy of the bullet leaving the muzzle or when hitting a
target. In the U.S. we measure this energy in foot pound
(symbol: ft/lb) whereas the rest of the world uses Joules.
Muzzle energy is the kinetic energy of a bullet as it is expelled
from the muzzle of a firearm. It is often used as a rough
indication of the destructive potential of a given firearm or load.

52
The heavier the bullet, and especially the faster it moves, the
higher its muzzle energy and the more damage it should do.
Practically speaking, a lot of energy at the muzzle can make
the rifle less enjoyable to shoot (more recoil), and therefore, it
can be harder to create a consistent performance. Not enough
energy at the target can result in the loss of an animal, or more
likely, unnecessarily injuring the animal due to lack of "knock
down power". Some jurisdictions stipulate minimum muzzle
energies for hunting, for this reason.
However, it's too simple to say that if you have more energy
when hitting the target you are more likely to kill it, as it doesn't
take into account how most game is killed - exsanguination
(bleeding out). Therefore the design of the bullet (and its ability
to expand and fragment and cause multiple wound channels)
combined with the energy are critical. A bullet carrying more
energy when it hits the target has the potential to do more
damage than a bullet carrying less energy. Energy drives
functions such as penetration, bullet expansion, and
tissue destruction.

53
 Also, It seems like having a greater muzzle velocity will be the
best round for a hunter in terms of "retained" velocity at the
target, but as it turns out, that's not always the case. For
example, a slower 7mm Remington Magnum (3050 fps)
outperforms the 300 Remington Ultra Mag (3360 fps) at 1000
yards by a margin - retained energy 1924 fps vs. only 1598 fps for
the 300 RUM. The difference is a higher BC of 0.640 for the 7mm
vs. 0.410 for the 300 R.U.M.
So, you can see that different "missions" will help you choose
a cartridge with the right balance of muzzle energy recoil, bullet
design and weight. Target shooters will likely want less recoil
(achieved with less muzzle energy and a heavier barrel), whereas
big game hunters will likely want more energy (a lighter rifle
system), paired with the right bullet weight.

54
 Examples of muzzle energy levels of different types of caliber
and bullet weight
We will be reviewing terminal ballistics, the study of the
behavior and effects of a projectile when it hits it's target, and
transfers it's energy to the target, later in the course.

Takeaway:
It's too simple to say that if you have more energy when hitting
the target you are more likely to kill it, as it doesn't take into
account how most game is killed - exsanguination (bleeding out).
Therefore, the design of the bullet (and its ability to expand and
fragment and cause multiple wound channels) combined with the
energy are critical.

55
 SPEED

Speed in shooting refers to several classifications: Speed,

Velocity and Acceleration.

Speed

56
 The bullet "speed" is the speed we send a round (bullet) down
range - the amount of distance travelled over time. In the U.S. we
use feet per second (fps) to measure how fast the bullet is
traveling through various parts of it's trajectory from muzzle to
target. The metric equivalent is meters per second (m/s).
The average bullet travels at 2500 feet per second
(around 1700 mph).

Note: the precision rifle shooter is looking for faster speeds

than average, 2500 f/ps is too slow.

The key is getting the projectile to the target as fast as we

can, so that it will experience less of the key environmental
factors discussed later in the course. This is often called "bucking
the wind", and it makes sense that the less time the bullet has
gravity and other factors applied to it, the less issue we have with
point of impact changes.
Another key measure is the speed of sound. If we can keep
the bullet going faster than 1,100 fps, we will avoid the problems
with the Transonic zone, discussed later in the course.

Velocity

57
 In shooting, we measure the velocity of something like the
wind. Velocity is different from speed, in that it indicates
speed with direction, it is a "vector".
In the U.S. we measure wind speed in miles per hour
(mph). The metric equivalent being kilometers per hour
(kmh). Then we apply the direction, in the case of wind this can
be in degrees (an angular measure) or the hands of a clock. For
example, 6 o'clock has the big hand facing south, downwards on a
clock face, so everyone knows which way the wind is moving in
their mind.
Wind speed is critical in long range shooting. It's arguably the
hardest part of the sport to master, and therefore it's an important
part of this course, and is discussed in detail in several sections of
the course.
We need to measure wind speed at our location, at the
target, and over the terrain the bullet passes to get to its
target. The thing to remember, is that we describe wind
as speed/vector.
Examples are: the wind is at 5mph from 6 o'clock, or we have
a left to right wind of 10mph. Or another example is that we have
wind coming from 45 degrees at 10mph (often called a quartering
wind).
There are several tools and techniques to estimating the wind,
and we will get into detail about that later. But you now have a
feel for the way we "call the wind" when it comes to discussing
the measurements.

Acceleration

58
 In shooting, we are mostly concerned about gravitational
acceleration, in relation to getting the bullet to the target with the
lowest effect of gravity.
Gravitational acceleration is the acceleration on an object
caused by the force of gravitation. Acceleration is a measure
of rate of change of velocity. Gravity is an acceleration
(approx. 32.174 ft/s/s or 9.8 m/s/s), and the longer the bullet is in
flight, the more time that gravity can apply it's force to the
trajectory of the bullet.
What many people may not know, is that the bullet will
drop faster and faster over distance - it's not a constant.
The drop will accelerate, so the further we shoot, the more we
have to compensate, and the greater elevation we have to
account for, in the firing solution.
Again, this will be used and discussed in the "Ballistics" section
of the course.

Takeaway:

59
Be aware that speed, velocity and acceleration are not the same.
They are used for differing purposes in shooting and have
differing measurement parameters. Each is very important in
calculating our firing solution.

60
 WEIGHT

In shooting, we tend to use the term "weight" in relation

to the projectile we send to the target (the bullet), and
also of the powder charge used to do so (powder weight).

61
 These measures are expressed in an old fashioned measure
called "grains" (gr), that is nominally based upon the mass of a
single seed of a cereal. One pound is equal to 7000 grains, and
there are 437.5 grains in an ounce. In metric, 1g (gram) unit is
15.43gr.

Bullets can weigh anywhere between 15 grains for the lightest

17 HMR bullets all the way up to 750 grains for the heavier .50
BMG rifle loads. Bullet weight is just one of many factors that
determine a load's effectiveness against living targets, as well as
part of the puzzle in beating the wind.

Note: just having a heavier bullet does not mean it

will be more effective at killing a target. Shot
placement is key as many animals have been
harvested throughout history by a round lead ball or
a light weight bullet in the right place.

We will be discussing this topic in detail in the section

"Terminal ballistics".
As for powder charge, the term also refers to a single particle
of "gunpowder", the size of which varies. Todays propellants are
not the same as what we think of as gunpowder, or black powder,
since most bullets use carefully made, smokeless gunpowder
granules coated with graphite. These come in various form
factors, such as flakes or cylindrical grains. The three common
forms of modern smokeless powder are flake, ball and extruded.

62
 Powder charges are often measured out for use in a
round in grains (or grams), in ammunition.

Takeaway:
In the U.S. both bullet weight and powder charge is often
measured in an old fashioned measure called "grains".

63
 PART THREE

CHOOSING A CALIBER AND

AMMUNITION

The first place this course is going to start, is on caliber

selection as the basis of defining the rifle you choose.
Most long range rifle manufacturers offer a number of calibers,
but it will help narrow the field if we define our mission(s)
first, and then choose the right caliber, and then the best
rifle for the budget, that's available in that caliber. Not all calibers
are in the rifle you might want based on its use.
Choosing the right caliber can be determined by whether you
are a hunter, competitor, or a recreational shooter (the mission).

64
These can be mixed and merged, and the finer details will help
with deciding on the right caliber and rifle system you need,
based on what you plan to use them for. In general, in long range,
you will ideally choose a flat shooting caliber that will offer the
right amount of terminal energy to get the job done - if that job is
a paper target or steel, then terminal energy is much less
important than if it's a tough skinned elk as a target.
In essence, pick the application i.e. target vs hunting.
Then consider the powder charge, size and BC of the
bullet to be used for this application, and the associated
barrel twist and action sizes, etc.

Takeaway:
Choosing the right caliber is important and can be determined by
whether you are a hunter, competitor, or a recreational shooter
(the mission).

65
 BALLISTIC COEFFICIENT

It's important to understand the fundamentals of bullet

design as part of the process of choosing your ideal
cartridge. For long range shooting, bullet shape is very
important.
Ballistic coefficient (BC) changes with the shape of the
bullet and the speed at which the bullet is traveling, while
sectional density does not.

66
 The pointed "spitzer" bullet shape is a more efficient shape
than a round nose or a flat point. A boattail (or tapered heel)
reduces drag compared to a flat base. Both increase the BC of a
bullet.
Ballistic Coefficient is a measure of how streamlined a bullet is;
it is the ratio of a bullet's sectional density to it's coefficient of
form. Ballistic Coefficient is essentially a measure of air
drag. The bigger the BC number, the lower the drag.

67
 The models are named Gx, where X is a projectile type. The
letter G comes from the “Commission d'Experience de Gâvre” a
french survey of data in 1881 that later became accepted as the
“Gavre drag function” and a standard set of models.
A high BC bullet retains velocity well, and will have less
drop and wind deflection. Understanding BC is critical for
any type of long-range shooting.

68
 Choosing a high BC bullet, combined with the right design
(target vs. hunting) and weight, is the key to having your ideal
cartridge and rifle setup. Long range bullets are designed for
flatter trajectories, and this increases their ability to resist
some of the effects of the wind.
It seems like having a greater muzzle velocity will be the best
round for a hunter in terms of "retained" energy at the target, but
it turns out, that's not always the case. For example, a slower
7mm Remington Magnum (3050 fps) outperforms the 300
Remington Ultra Mag (3360 fps) at 1000 yards by a margin -
retained energy 1924 fps vs. only 1598 fps for the 300 RUM. The
difference is a higher BC of 0.640 for the 7mm, versus 0.410 for
the 300 RUM.
This is explained further in the topic on "External ballistics".

Takeaway:
For long range shooting, choosing a high BC bullet is the key to
having your ideal cartridge and rifle setup.

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 CHOOSING A CALIBER

Long range shooting requires calibers that can shoot long

distances, maintain velocity, and avoid deflection from the
wind as much as possible.
So, for long range hunting or target shooting, we now know
we need to choose a caliber that has a high BC, and so the key
difference between target and hunting will be around the ability of
the caliber to take down the target animal - small, big or large
game. In addition, we should consider other factors such as
cost, availability, and recoil. The length of time it takes a
round to remain supersonic, and its retained energy on impact,
are two more of the many considerations we discussed in the
previous chapter, on speed.

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 A common caliber for hunting (and military long range
shooting) is the 300 Winchester Magnum (Win Mag), and for
target shooting today, is the family of 6 and 6.5mm cartridges.
However, there are many calibers to choose from, and it can be
overwhelming trying to figure it all out. Some would say that the
300 Win Mag has been superseded by calibers around the 7mm,
due to having a better BC and more range. But then again,
getting ammunition can be more difficult, so each choice has
different considerations.

Compare various cartridges

There is an amazing amount of choice in cartridge type, caliber,
bullet weight and design. Here we show a range of the options
and their relative sizes vs. a .50cal round.

71
72
 You should also consider if the round is for a single
purpose, or will it serve multiple roles such as hunting
different size game, or just target shooting. If it serves
more than one purpose, compromises will have to be
made, and this starts with the caliber you select.

Image credit: BassProShops

Hunting different sized game

One of the most fundamental caliber choices is about the game
you are hunting. There are a huge range of cartridges available,
but they can usually be classed into groups by game size or type.
The good thing for long range shooters, is that a choice like .300
Win Mag or 7mm Rem Mag will work very well for most game, has
good range and knock down power, and good BC's. They are
overkill for smaller varmints and predators, where you might want
to choose a smaller and faster caliber such as .223 Remington.

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 For North American big game, the 7mm diameter bullets have
much higher BC's than the 30's or the 338's (for reasonable
hunting weight bullets).
The chart gives an excellent roundup of the best caliber, based
on your hunt. It's mostly based on U.S. older style calibers, and is
missing popular new calibers like .338 Lapua and R.U.M calibers,
but it's a good general guide.

Recoil
Consistency is key to performance, and so many people are
choosing calibers where there is less felt recoil, allowing for less
"flinch" effect, faster target re-acquisition, and comfort. The
longer you shoot, and the harder the rifle kicks, the more likely
you are to flinch. These are good things to remember when
comparing rifle cartridges.
Certain calibers have less recoil than others. The
6/6.5mm calibers have been chosen by many competition
shooters for this reason, and hunters are also using the 7-08
Remington, all with much lower recoil than traditional big game
calibers.
Chuck Hawks (http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm)
has done some useful research on recoil. Here is a quick summary
(based on various bullet weights, so these figures are approximate
and measured in recoil energy in ft. lbs):

6mm - 5 ft. lbs

7mm-08 Rem. - 12 ft. lbs
6.5mm - 13 ft. lbs
308 and .270 Win. - 17 ft. lbs
7mm Rem. Mag. and 7mm WSM - 20 ft. lbs
300 Win. Mag. and 7mm Ultra Mag. - 25 ft. lbs
338 Lapua - 37 ft. lbs
50 BMG ft. - 70 ft. lbs

74
 Installing a muzzle brake can cut your recoil
considerably. A muzzle brake redirects some of the gasses,
pushing the bullet through the barrel to counteract some recoil.
The problem is that muzzle brakes can dramatically increase
muzzle blast. Also, rifle weight is a crucial factor in the recoil
equation, inversely proportional to recoil. Increase the gun weight
by, say 25%, and the recoil goes down by 25%, hence the
suggestion of a heavy contour barrel for long range rifles.

Barrel life
Different calibers will degrade the rifle performance
faster. Typically, what wears out on your barrel, is the throat. The
life of a barrel being defined as the expected number of fired
rounds before accuracy degrades below one minute of angle at
100 yards distance. This is more significant for competition and
target shooters than hunters, where there is a greater margin for
error. A rule of thumb is heavier and higher velocity bullets wear
faster. There is no fixed "lifetime" of a barrel, as every case is
different. Just be aware that different calibers wear at a different
rate when choosing. For example, the use of .308 may be 5000+
shots, a 6.5-284/6.5 Creedmoor may be 1500-2000, .243
Winchester and 7 mm Magnums might be around 1500-2000,
whereas a .300 Win. Mag is more like 1000 shots per barrel.
One consideration is to get a rifle that you can change the
barrel on. If you plan to use larger calibers, newer rifles like the
Ruger precision rifle allow easy barrel changes, making this issue
less of a problem for long range shooters.

Energy
A suitably constructed, high-velocity projectile causes hydrostatic
shock--the shock wave that runs through the body's liquid mass,

75
short-circuiting vital systems. A sturdy, high-velocity projectile
causes cavitation, or the destruction of residual tissue surrounding
the actual wound channel.

Effective range
A higher velocity cartridge allows you to extend the range
at which a given bullet will perform. In the case of hunting,
that means (excluding the bullet design) you can knock down
targets further away-this is one area where magnum cartridges
provide a real edge, especially with heavy bullets. Therefore you
need to check the velocity at the distance you plan to shoot.
Check the load data charts for a cartridge out at your target
distance, where the bullet is still traveling supersonic i.e. 1100+
fps, and you will see a big difference between your choices. There
are not many cartridges that can achieve 1000 yards. This is often
where the more modern, high-BC based cartridges with heavy
bullets and magnum powder loads will do very well. For example,
6.5 mm, 7 mm, .338 and .300 Win. Mag. all work well out past
1000 yards with .408, .416 and .50 cal being the extra long range
calibers.

Bullet weight (vs. speed)

A heavier bullet is not always a disadvantage. For example
a 300 Win. Mag in a 220 grain bullet will fly slower than a 168
grain bullet; but over longer distances, the 220 grain bullet will
stay supersonic for longer, and that can be a big advantage over a
lower weight bullet that ends up going transonic. Also, it's
interesting to note that 6.5 mm rounds achieve a similar trajectory
as a 300 Win. Mag, even though they are smaller. This is due to
their ballistic coefficient, among one of the other things we will
discuss in the "Ballistics" section.

76
The law
You may like to use certain calibers after some analysis,
but you also need to know that certain states and cities
(plus Federal law, rules for National Parks and BC land,
etc.) may restrict the use of certain calibers. California, as
usual, is one such example where you cannot use 50 cal (.50
BMG). You will also have take into account, where you can use
certain bullet materials. Again in CA, when hunting, you may not
be able to use lead ammunition and that may affect the bullet
weight and its effectiveness. You will have to use a 100% copper
or copper alloys (gilding metal - 95% copper & 5% zinc). You
need to review the effectiveness of round choices, but if you
compare the same caliber and same weight bullets, the non-lead
bullet is likely to have greater penetration and more likely to have
an exit, while having an initially narrower wound channel. Also,
some states are banning the use of the Internet to source
ammunition (CA again), and so you will be relying on your local
store to stock the ammunition you need.

Availability, cost and longevity

The issue of costs and availability may be part of the
question, both for buying and loading the caliber too.
Obviously calibers like NATO based rounds will be a much more
volume production, and therefore will be more easily available at
lower prices (e.g. 5.56mm/.223 and 7.62mm/.308 Win.).
Availability should also be a consideration if you are picking an
"exotic" caliber like the .338 Lapua. You may not be able to drive
to any Walmart or Big 5 and grab these off the shelf. This is a big
deal when hunting or traveling to places where ammunition is
harder to source. Also, some states are banning the use of the
Internet to source ammunition, and so you will be relying on your
local store to stock the ammunition you need. Again, the more

77
tried and true volume calibers will be much easier to source.
Finally, is the caliber a "trendy" but less popular one and therefore
not going to be around for the longer term, leaving you with
supply issues or a worthless rifle?

Reloading
Precision shooters often find themselves wanting to
reload their own ammunition, so you need to consider the
cost and the availability of reloading components for your
caliber of choice. Bigger magnum calibers tend to be more
costly and less easily available, whereas it's easy to find bullets for
the popular calibers like .308 or .223. One of the benefits of
reloading, other than a more consistent load, is that you can avoid
the issues of Internet bans from some states, as relating parts are
generally not included. Also, consider that for a few years in
recent times, that easily getting reloading parts such as smokeless
powders was a problem.

Competition and community

If you plan to compete, this will drive the calibers you
choose and they may be mandated in the matches you
attend. Many of the precision matches are now based on the
6/6.5mm calibers, for example. The same goes for your friends,
and shooting group... if they tend to use a caliber to hunt or
shoot, you could get the same. This can be helpful to you in
sharing ammunition, knowledge, and possibly reloading supplies.

How to make your final choice?

78
So as you can see, there's a lot of choices and things to
consider. Many of us will review what our community is doing,
our mission, and then what rifles can we get, based on a few of
the calibers that will come to the forefront from the investigations
we have done.
If you want to be more scientific about it, you can make up a
table of your shortlisted calibers and compare some of the key
factors. The way to evaluate choices is to look at cartridge, bullet
weight, BC, bullet drop amount (MOA or MILs), as well as the
local conditions/wind and muzzle velocity.

Takeaway:
Choosing the right caliber for your mission is much more
important for long range, than regular shooting. There are many
considerations, but once you have decided upon a caliber, it then
allows you to build your precision rifle system from that start
point.

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 FACTORY VS. HAND LOADED AMMO

Accuracy depends on consistency. The one thing many new

shooters don't understand is that precision comes from having a
"system". A big part of that is the ammunition and the rifle, and
no combination of these two parts shoots the same! That
means your rifle will shoot differently with the same ammunition,
out of the same box as your friend, and so as you get more
interested in shooting more accurately and consistently, you will
need to test your own rifle and ammunition, and look to improve
on your own unique system.
The benefit of hand loading is that you have the
opportunity to check that each and every cartridge is
exactly, precisely, the same as the last one. You can ensure
that every bullet measures right, every powder charge is right,
and the seating depth is perfect. That's not the case when buying
off the shelf. In this case, the shooter is in complete control of the
performance of the cartridge.

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 However, making your own
ammunition requires an
investment in equipment,
reloading components, and
time. If you are a volume user of
ammunition, you may be able to
"up your game" and save some
money in the long run, but you will
sacrifice convenience. Hand loading also has more risks than shop
bought ammunition, as it's up to you to get the "formula" right
and not to over-pressure your cartridges, etc.
Factory ammunition, while convenient, is generic. It's made to
suit many different types of rifles, and those rifles will have
differing twist rates, barrel lengths, and more. It's not made or
designed to shoot well from your specific rifle. However, you can
try and match the rifle you buy as close to the specs used in the
testing rifles (for a specific box of ammunition to remove some of
the variability), but the trick is in finding ammunition that works
well in your rifle.
Also note that cheaper ammunition can be poorly
made, it's made to budget after all, and therefore, it can
be very inconsistent or even inaccurate. That's why long
range shooters tend to use "match" quality ammunition
for starters, as this is the best you can get in terms of
quality.
In the end, if you get into long range shooting, you will want
to consider hand loading if you want the most precision
ammunition, but match ammunition is great to get started.
One thing to note for hunters in this equation, is to consider
that if the "match" ammunition you are choosing also has the
right bullet design to effectively kill game, vs. just hitting paper.
For example, Hornady makes match quality ammunition in their
ELD series, and they have one type for paper, and another for
hunting. They are both high quality, but they each have a
purpose, and choosing the right bullet and type is important for
your mission.

81
Note: It is not seen as correct to use standard match
ammunition when hunting by some, as these projectiles
often pass right through animals and could cause
unnecessary suffering, as they are not specifically designed
to cause internal damage and exsanguination, like hunting
projectiles.

Takeaway:
If you get into long range shooting, you will want to consider
hand loading if you want the most precision ammunition, but
match ammunition is also great to get started.

82
 COMPONENTS OF A CARTRIDGE

It's helpful to have an understanding of the ammunition we use,

for several reasons. In long range shooting, "precision" is very
important, and one area that makes a big difference is the choice
of ammunition. That choice is not just about caliber, but the whole
cartridge and also the manufacturer.
It's important all cartridges are identical for accurate
consistent shooting. This is often the reason precision
shooters hand load (make their own) cartridges. Different
parts of the cartridge (the case, the propellant (powder), and the
bullet shape in particular) all have an effect on precision, and
therefore your consistency and accuracy at longer ranges.

83
 Image credit: Tim Gardner

A cartridge is a type of ammunition packaging a bullet or shot,

a propellant substance (usually smokeless powder), and a primer
within a metallic, paper, or plastic case that is precisely made to fit
within the firing chamber of a firearm.

84
 The main parts to be discussed in this topic are:

Bullet
Case
Propellant
Primer

A complete cartridge is an assembly of all these parts, and has

some terminology that you should have some understanding of,
especially if you choose to start loading your own ammunition, as
many long range shooters tend to do.

85
 This image shows the key terms used in describing the
external parts of a cartridge.

This is the typical sequence of firing a cartridge from a

rifle.

1. Cartridge is loaded into the chamber.

2. Trigger pressed and firing pin strikes the primer, igniting
compound inside.

86
3. Primer flame ignites the propellant inside the cartridge.
Gases produced then push the bullet forward into the
rifling - land and grooves.
4. Gases rapidly expand, forcing the bullet down the bore
and into a rotation in the direction of the rifle "twist", e.g.
right hand twist.
5. Gases continue rapidly expanding, forcing the bullet out of
the bore.
6. As the bullet leaves the rifle bore completely, the gases
also exit and create the "report" you hear when a rifle
fires. The last part of the rifle involved in this process is
the "crown", and many believe this has an effect on the
point of impact, as the uniform expulsion of the gases
makes a difference to the bullet trajectory, hence making
sure you don't damage the crown of a rifle.

Takeaway:
Understanding your ammunition helps when looking at every
factor for precision shooting, and each component should be
carefully selected if you want the most consistent performance.

87
 BULLET

A bullet is a projectile expelled from the barrel of a

firearm and not a cartridge, which is a powder filled case
with the actual bullet mounted at the end. This is a common
misuse of language, or even perception. The bullet is the only part
of a cartridge that ever touches the target or game animal. They
come in many shapes and sizes, and are of a diameter specific to
the bore of the firearm.
For long range shooters, the shape, the consistency of
manufacturing, and ballistic coefficient (BC) of the bullet
in the cartridge are all critical. These will change somewhat
depending on your mission, as generally, hunting needs a different
bullet design vs. target shooting, although you can use the same
bullets for the same purpose, if required. Picking a specialistic
bullet design for the right purpose is better.

Selecting the appropriate bullet

88
 Target shooting
When selecting a match bullet for target competition, there are
two paramount technical considerations: the maximum accuracy
that a match rifle can deliver, and crosswind deflection.
A bullet's deflection in a crosswind depends on two factors: the
muzzle velocity and the ballistic coefficient (BC). For muzzle
velocities above 1600 fps, crosswind deflection decreases as
muzzle velocity increases. Crosswind deflection always decreases
as bullet ballistic coefficient increases.
In this case, we choose the best quality match bullet that we
can source in the caliber and cartridge that suits our budget and
purpose.
Hunting
Many more variables are involved in most hunting situations,
and these strongly influence bullet selection. Of vital importance
will be the velocity, retained energy, and the penetration and
expansion properties of the bullet and cartridge for your intended
game animals.
The first considerations are what type of game will be hunted
(varmints, small game, medium game or large game), and what
rifle/cartridge combination will be used. For the long range
shooter, a combination of high ballistic coefficient and high
velocity will minimize wind deflection and other environmental
effects.
- Small game
Hunting using a smaller caliber, shooters may want a bullet
that expands for instant kills, or if shooters want to preserve the

89
hide of an animal for - mounting, they may want a bullet that
does not expand, leaving small entry and exit wounds.
- Medium game
When hunting medium game (deer, antelope, sheep, mountain
goats, etc.), hunters need a bullet that penetrates light bones and
expands in flesh to produce a wide wound channel.
- Big game
While hunting big game on the North American continent
(buffalo, elk, moose or bear), or heavier medium game on the
African continent, shooting a rifle chambered for a larger caliber
may be preferred. These situations require a bullet that smashes
through large bones and expands reliably in flesh to produce a
very large wound channel.
We will explain BC, and more details about how bullets affect
our shooting in the "Internal Ballistics" topic.

90
Parts of a bullet (projectile)

Base – Rifle bullets are virtually all flat based.

Heel – The curved bottom that aids in insertion into the
casing.
Boattail – A boattail is important for the long range
shooter, improving accuracy.
Bearing Surface – The portion of the bullet that is the
bullet's full diameter, and that contacts the lands and

91
 grooves of the rifling in the barrel. Bearing surface length
consistency is important in creating precision shooting
ammunition.
Head Length – The distance from the top of the bearing
surface to the meplat. Again, for precision shooting, the
ratios between the head length, neck to shoulder junction,
and the outside case dimension must be as identical as
possible in a batch of ammunition.
Cannelure – The cannelure is simply a crimp mark, so
that consistent bullet seating is made easier. By placing
the mouth of the casing on the cannelure mark, it can act
to help hold the bullet securely in place, reducing any
possible setback of the bullet into the casing during firing.
Shoulder – The shoulder is the point of transition from
the bearing surface to the ogive of the bullet.
Ogive – The curve of the bullet, beginning at the shoulder
and going forward to the tip. Small variances in this,
particularly in how those differences affect the seating
depth of the bullet in the casing, can again be an issue for
precision shooting.
Meplat diameter – In the event that the bullet tip is
simply flat, it is the diameter of the flat surface. Should a
tip be applied to the bullet, it is the diameter of the base
of that tip. Variations in the meplat in manufacturing have
lead to the development of tipped bullets to ensure
consistency.
Nose, Tip, Point – is the area at the end of the bullet
between the Meplat Diameter and the very end of the
bullet.

Takeaway:
The bullet or projectile needs to be chosen based on the mission.
Do you need a hunting, or target bullet design? You may also
need to take into account the law, as some places now require
you to use non-lead ammunition in order to hunt.

92
 CASE

The cartridge case (or the "brass") is a container designed

to house the other three components of a loaded
cartridge. Rifle cartridges are usually made of brass so they can
be reformed and reused by a reloader, and is the only component
of a cartridge that can be reused.
If you are reloading, then brass preparation is an important
consideration, as is checking for consistency in each round you
are preparing. Bulk brass cases can be sized differently for
example, and this can lead to meaningful capacity differences,
and therefore differing pressure/velocity between rounds.
A general rule of thumb for a large rifle case is +/-7
grains of brass weight, which means more or less case
capacity, equating to nearly 1 grain of powder. Changing a
load by one grain of powder can cause a difference in velocity of
50 fps, well outside the minimum extreme spread criteria for long
range precision shooting.

93
Parts of a case

Mouth – The end of the casing that receives the bullet.

This region physically changes shape each time the
cartridge is fired. To maintain precision, this area may
have to be trimmed to proper length as well as being
milled, to retain its concentricity, thus insuring the bullet is
properly positioned to go down the center of the barrel.

94
 Neck – Receives the bullet. This area may also require
some machining between the firing of the cartridge and
then reloading it to insure the cartridge is as centered in
the barrel as possible, and properly fits the chamber.
Shoulder – The transition area between the body and the
neck.
Body – The container for the powder and the combustion
chamber.
Extractor Groove – Where the ejector mechanism grabs a
spent casing and extracts it from the chamber of the
barrel.
Rim – The edge of the cartridge with the caliber stamp,
and a hole for a primer.
Head – The base region of the casing consisting of the rim
and the extractor groove.

Takeaway:
Using good quality brass is another core element of a precision
cartridge.

95
 PROPELLANT (POWDER)

The propellant or powder charge is the component of

ammunition that is activated inside the weapon, and
provides the kinetic energy required to move the
projectile from the weapon to the target.
There are a lot of different powder options to choose from, but
they are all one of two types: single base or double base. Single
base powder is made of nitrocellulose while double base powder
is made of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine.
Of the two, double-base powders produce more energy. These
two types are cut into three basic powder configurations:

Cylindrical or extruded powders deliver some of the most

consistent performance. The shape of the powder delivers
high-load densities for superb accuracy. These powders
are offered in a variety of cuts. The finer the cut, the
better it meters through powder drops.

96
 Spherical or ball powders deliver consistent charges, and
meter the best through powder drops, making them a
great choice for loading large quantities of rounds.
Flake powders generally have more surface area than
other powders, so they burn faster, which makes them
good for shotgun and pistol cartridges.

Powder is loaded in the cartridge in precise amounts, to

generate a specific velocity and pressure.
For the long range shooter, choosing the right powder
can be very important based on the mission, as different
powers can be affected by the environmental conditions
like temperature, and therefore powders that are less stable in
varying conditions will create inconsistencies in the ammunition.

Temperature stability

Temperature stability is an often overlooked phenomena that

can have a significant effect on muzzle velocity. Select a powder
that is known for it's consistency in temperature extremes, as you
want to have the same velocity and point of impact on targets

97
whether hunting in the desert in 90 degrees, or at 0 degree in the
mountains.

Takeaway:
Recently, getting powder has been a real issue. Those that plan to
reload, should find a good "load" and stock up on their chosen
powder. When choosing powder, find the most temperature stable
type you can if you plan to use your rifle in the field and in varying
conditions.

98
 PRIMER

The primer ignites the powder and seals the base of the
cartridge. The Primer is a metal cylinder located in the center of
the case head for centerfire cartridges, and it is, in fact, one of
the distinguishing features that give centerfire cartridges their
name. The firearm firing pin crushes this explosive between the
cup and an anvil to produce hot gas and a shower of incandescent
particles to ignite the powder charge.

99
 There are two main designs for centerfire cartridges: Berdan
and Boxer primers. American cartridges primarily use
Boxer primers, and European cartridges use Berdan
primers.
The primer size is based on the primer pocket of the cartridge,
and you will need different sizes (charges) for differing cartridges
and loads. Small and large rifle primers, and magnum size are
common choices.
The primer's explosive charge is based on the amount of
ignition energy required by the cartridge design; a standard
primer would be used for smaller charges or faster-burning
powders, while a magnum primer would be used for the larger

100
charges or slower-burning powders used with large cartridges or
heavy charges.
Match-grade primers are made
with tighter tolerances, which
increase the accuracy of your load
through more consistent ignition.
For long range precision
shooting, primer selection can
have a significant effect on the velocity and the extreme
spread of your load. The worst thing about primers is that
there is no indicator for the best choice, other than trial
and error.

WARNING: Using the correct primer for your cartridge is

paramount for loading safe, effective, and accurate
ammunition.

Takeaway:
Primers should be chosen for their reliability, and match grade
primers are the best choice, as they have been more rigorously
QA tested.

101
 PART FOUR

CHOOSING A PRECISION RIFLE

102
 ONE
EQUIPMENT CHOICES

Now that we have one or more shortlisted calibers we

wish to use for our long range rifle, we can start to look at
choosing our "system", including a rifle and associated
components.
Long range shooting gear includes a lot more components
than regular bench shooting due to the need to compensate for
things like spin drift, the Coriolis effect, density altitude,
temperature, wind, drop, ballistics, angles, BDC turrets and
reticles, as well as consistent application of the fundamentals.
In this section, we will go in-depth into the rifle,
scopes and other "glass", plus essential tools such as wind

103
meters and range finders along with the support systems
used for long range shooting.
One consideration, now that you have an understanding of
caliber option, is to decide if you have more than one "mission".
We suggest that you buy a rifle system for the mission, the
long target shooter having slightly different needs than the hunter.
In other words, if you plan to do both long range hunting and
target, it could be a better choice to get a rifle for each activity.
There can be overlap, but there tend to be big differences, not
least of which is stock design, weight issues, and caliber required.
For as little $2-3000, you can put together a "system" (rifle,
scope, bipod, range finder, wind meter, cleaning kit and
accessories) capable of nailing long range targets out past 1000
yards, using quality ammunition.

Recommendations form experienced

shooters
Kurt Laughton, an experienced PRS competitor says: “A 300 rifle
with a $3000 scope will generally outshot a $3000 rifle with a
$100 scope.”

Shooting buying mistakes

One of the best ways to learn what to get for long range is to
examine buying "mistakes" you can avoid, and the lessons
learned.
The key rule here for many shooters, is to "measure twice
and cut once". In other words, buy the very best tools you can
afford, rather than getting cheaper parts and then having to sell
and trade up later.

104
 Tip: Buy the very best glass you can, then the rifle and support
accessories, in that order.

Each to their own in this regard, but most of us have

learned this the hard way!

Takeaway:
Measure twice and cut once when choosing your setup. Buy the
very best tools you can afford, especially glass.

105
 THE PRECISION RIFLE

What is a precision rifle?

Let's start by defining what we mean by a long range precision
rifle. We consider a rifle to be "precision" if it can shoot better
than 1 MOA accuracy at our target ranges, in this case 1000 yards
and perhaps beyond. Now there's a lot of manufacturers that
make this claim, so on top of this, you may wish to look at the
rest of the package on offer and check the quality of every part of
the setup you are considering. In the end, you are looking for an

106
action, stock, and barrel that will consistently shoot sub-MOA
groups at long range.

Why choose a precision rifle?

As you have read several times already in this course, being
successful at long range is about consistency. It therefore means
getting a rifle system that has been built to the highest standards
you can afford, with the best parts made to the lowest tolerances,
so that it shoots the same every time. Today, most manufacturers
of rifle systems make a special line designed to achieve sub-MOA
accuracy, and we feel that while your Granddad's rifle may shoot
as far as 1000 yards, that doesn't make it a precision rifle.
We recommend getting a rifle designed for the job, or possibly
making a rifle you already own more accurate by upgrading the
components we will discuss in this chapter.

Choosing the best rifle for you.

As with any purchase, you can choose a rifle system to suit your
budget, and there are some excellent rifles available for amazingly
low prices today.
Examples of budget rifles that all claim sub-MOA accuracy out
of the box at long range, are the Remington Model 700 SPS
Tactical, the Ruger Precision rifle, The Tikka T3, Browning X-Bolt
Long Range, or the Savage 12 Long Range Precision, just to name
a few. Today we are spoiled for choices at reasonable prices.

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 Of course, there are options to spend a great deal more, such
as custom rifles from the likes of Gunwerks and GA (who
specialize in long range hunting rifles built to your specification) or
the more military type from Accuracy International, Cadex
Defence, Surgeon, Barrett, Blaser, Steyr and many more.

The more you spend, the more consistent your gun will likely
be in the barrel, trigger, stock bedding, and action.
Let's start by making the fundamental decision
between an AR style semi-auto or Bolt action rifle system.

Takeaway:
Today there are many choices for a precision rifle system, so get
the best you can afford and one that is best suited to your
mission. The stock design of a bench rifle is usually very different
to that of a hunting rifle for example, as is the weight and overall
concept.

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 SEMI-AUTO VS. BOLT ACTION

You can make the decision between an AR style semi-auto

or bolt action rifle system based on your "mission".
A bolt action is generally considered more accurate (in the
hands of the average shooter), but the semi-auto will get you
back on target faster, if you are looking at multiple shots or follow
up shots.
The bolt action rifle, when fired, has only one stage of recoil,
this being recoil to the rear--into the shooter's shoulder pocket.
The semi-auto precision rifle, when fired, has three stages of
recoil: One being to the rear as the bullet exits the muzzle,
another to the rear as the bolt hits the buffer, and the final stage,
as the bolt moves forward to pick up an additional cartridge. The
semi-automatic precision rifle will always have a moving part in
some section of the rifle, usually in the upper and lower receiver.

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This can lead to some shooters finding it harder to achieve
accuracy vs. the bolt action that is more "stable" in the hands of
the shooter.
The bolt action rifle, by contrast, has only the bolt as a
moving part, which is manually operated by the shooter.
Once the bolt is locked, the entire rifle is merely one solid
component, thus making it easier to control through
recoil.
Another major benefit of having a bolt-action rifle is the lack of
malfunctions they produce vs. semi-auto, and this can be very
important when taking a "one shot kill" at a long range hunt.
Finally, there are a lot more caliber choices for the bolt action rifle
vs. the semi-auto, and many more designed for the job of long
range, especially in hunting.
Modern semi-automatic rifles can be exceptionally accurate
when designed with long-range shooting in mind, but in most
cases it's more about the shooter and their ability to manage and
operate a system that also has more issues to manage as
mentioned. With that in mind, the precision rifle shooter generally
prefers the bolt action rifle due to its lack of moving components,
and by extension, simplicity and reliability.
For this course, we will be focused on the bolt action
rifle to coach you on long range shooting.

Takeaway:
The precision rifle shooter generally prefers the bolt action rifle
due to its caliber choices, simplicity and reliability.

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 TWO
RIFLE ANATOMY

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Next, let's review the makeup of a long range rifle system, so that
you can make intelligent choices when you choose your own.
A long range precision rifle is made up of various parts:

Stock/chassis
Action/receiver/bolt
Trigger
Safety
Barrel
Muzzle brake/suppressor
Bipod/support systems
Scope/mount/rings

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The stock or chassis
The stock supports the action and the barrel, and we can break
stock designs into two major styles: chassis systems and the more
traditional "hunting" type stocks.

Action/receiver/bolt
The 'heart' of any precision rifle is the action that runs in the
receiver. The action is used to open and close the breech of a rifle
(where you place the cartridge), and is operated with a bolt.

Trigger
The trigger group controls the firing of the rifle and comes in
various types such as the single stage and double stage trigger.

Safety
The safety can be found in various places depending on the rifle
manufacturer, but in all cases, you use it to control access to the
firing process, and setting it disables the ability to discharge the
rifle mechanically.

Barrel

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Barrels come in various shapes and sizes, but their function is
simply to impart stability and direction of travel to the projectile.

Muzzle brake/suppressor
Optional accessories like muzzle brakes and suppressors help
control recoil and limit the noise, and in the case of a suppressor,
of the rifle when fired.

Bipod/support systems
Support systems like bipods allow you to get a stable position
when firing, essential to precision shooting.

Scope/mount/rings
Precision rifles tend to use scopes, often more powerful ones to
see the distant target. Getting a quality scope (glass) and the
associated mounting hardware (mount and rings) is essential.

ALL THESE COMPONENTS of the precision rifle are

explained in detail in the following sections.

Takeaway:
Every part of the rifle system has to be chosen for precision. The
quality of each varies a great deal, and given the choice, you
should look for the best of breed of every component.

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 STOCKS AND CHASSIS

A good stock will enhance accuracy through stability and

recoil management qualities. A bad stock design can be
the opposite, and damage accuracy through a lack of
stability and barrel harmonic issues. Stock shape, material,
and design all tend to be driven by your mission, once again.
Look for some of these features when choosing your
rifle system, depending on your activity.

Stock shapes
For precision rifles, we can break stock designs into two major
styles, chassis systems and the more traditional "hunting" type
stocks.

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Chassis systems
The chassis systems are more like military looking styles that are
ideal for benchrest and target shooting. They can be heavier,
bulkier and less mobile than a hunter style stock. Weight is your
friend when on the bench, offering lower felt recoil and greater
stability. They are designed to be flexible and to allow the easy
mounting of scopes, lighting systems and bipods. They often have
removable magazines, a pistol grip and very adjustable (often
folding) stock designs. They can be constructed of various
materials, including metals and synthetics, sometimes with metal
hand guards like their AR cousins. Chassis are more expensive
than rifle stocks.

Traditional stock designs

We all know the look, they have been around forever. Today's
hunting stocks are generally designed for more mobility, lower
weight and ruggedness then chassis systems. Hunting rifles often

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have to be carried all day, and often get more abused in the field
than a range-based gun. They have greater use of synthetic
materials in the stock and forend, mimic use of heavy metal parts
in the stock, have no pistol grip, and often have an internal fixed
magazine to save weight. Most have sling studs to allow for slung
carrying and shooting.

The forend
One key consideration for more traditional stock designs is to have
a large enough, flat, forend for bipod use and good grip. Older
style stocks are thin, and often not flat at the forend, which can
contribute to lower accuracy. So look for a modern design with a
beaver tail forend, and a sling stud, or Picatinny mount for your
bipod. Having a longer forend and a flatter design also lends itself
to resting on your backpack, sticks, or an object (like a rock or a
barricade), on a hunt or competition. This concept of a flat forend
apples to both metal hand guards as well as synthetic stocks.

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Butt design
On a long range precision rifle, a straight recoiling stock is critical.
It needs to recoil backwards in as straight a line as possible,
avoiding recoils upwards. In terms of design, the higher the heel
of the butt (top line of the butt), and the squarer the butt is to the
line of the bore, the straighter the recoil. Gunwerks have designed
theirs specifically to help eliminate this issue of muzzle lift
("moment" issues) with their Magnus stock. The toe line is
radically flat and has a negative comb. The result is straight
tracking, low muzzle lift, and fast target re-engagement.

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Folding stocks
Folding stocks on chassis systems can be useful for storage and
transport, allowing them to take up a lot less space in a case, bag
or safe.

Recoil pads
A good recoil pad will not only make shooting more comfortable,
and therefore reputable, it will absorb more recoil. Less felt recoil
is better. So look for a stock with a good quality recoil pad, or
switch yours for an aftermarket version if required.

Cheek risers and adjustable length of

pull

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Having an adjustable stock with cheek risers allows for more
comb height (so you can see down your scope comfortably),
depending on your scope height and rings. The same goes for
adjustable length of pull. The length of pull (LOP) is the distance
from the middle of the trigger to the end of the gun's stock. It is
one of the most important aspects of a gun's dimensions and
determines whether the gun will fit you. Meaning how comfortable
the gun feels to you, and how accurately you can shoot it. With
the correct length of pull, you will have quick sight acquisition,
better control, better accuracy, and feel more comfortable, so
having an adjustable LOP is an important choice.

Stock materials
Changes in weather can make a wood stock twist and swell,
ruining a rifle's accuracy, and wood is heavy, so very few precision
rifles are made of wood anymore. "Synthetic" is the go-to stock
material superiority, as it's unaffected by water, weather, heat,
cold, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. The long range shooter
must have absolute confidence a shot will go where aimed
without environmental issues coming into play, in a stock.

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Correct bedding
A precision stock has to be properly "bedded" to ensure rigidity of
the action/stock assembly. The best synthetic stocks have an
aluminum chassis to avoid any compression, and they should be
fully bedded into the stock, with no space for movement. One
thing to look out for in selection, is a fully "glass bedded" stock.
Glass bedding ensures the best possible connection between stock
and action surfaces, resulting in an increase in consistency.

Quality vs. barrel harmonics

One issue with cheap stocks is that they are poorly made, and can
often be touching the barrel. This is a real problem as it affects
the barrel harmonics, and therefore it's accuracy. You always want
a free floating barrel (the barrel must not touch the forend at any
point), that can fit at least 3 sheets of printer paper stacked
together, between the barrel and the forend.

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Colors and paints
One thing many don't discuss, but that can be both practical and
fun, is the customization of your stock to your taste. Gone are the
days of wood stocks all looking the same, now you can have
practically any color and design you wish. Either when store
bought, custom build, aftermarket or do it yourself painting. The
availability of a certain color can drive the decision of a rifle
purchase for many people.

Takeaway:
The stock choice is way more important than most people new to
the sport realize. It's very important for a precision rifle, and
should be considered in detail when buying your rifle system.

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 ACTION (RECEIVER)

The 'heart' of any precision rifle is the action that runs in

the receiver (hence the name bolt "action" rifle). The
action is used to open and close the breech of a rifle
(where you place the cartridge), and is operated with a
bolt.
An action is the mechanism that handles the ammunition
(loads, locks, fires, and extracts the cartridges), and it also offers
the attachment points for the scope rings or rail mount, the
trigger group, the barrel, and the stock. It also accommodates the
ammunition feeding mechanism, and must therefore be large
enough to handle any magazines or calibers you might wish to
use.

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 As such, a precision action needs to be rock solid to prevent
any scope movement or inconsistency in the delivery of the round
to the breech.
Also, the running of the bolt in the action is the only moving
part the shooter actuates and feels, and therefore it's very
important for shooters. Most are looking for a "smooth as glass"
feeling as the bolt moves in the action, and that comes from fine
tolerances in the fit between the bolt and the action. A big
difference between lower cost precision rifles and the high end
ones is the "feel" of the bolt in the action or how smooth it is.

Actions come in various sizes, and as the name suggests, are

measured as the distance between receiver screws, (mainly short
and long sizes) with a magnum option for both. Different rifle
manufacturers (and action makers) have differing sizes for short
and long actions.

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 Almost all rifles are based on standard actions, like the
Remington, Winchester or Mauser action, unless they are a full
custom or high end precision rifle. There are also plenty of
"clones" and special actions used by the independents (Defiance,
Surgeon, AI, Stiller and McMillan, to name a few) if you are
building a rifle system out of the best parts available.
You must choose the right size action for your caliber cartridge
of choice. The following website gives details on popular calibers
and their "action" sizing:
https://www.midwayusa.com/content/HowToGuides/size_action.ht
m

Bolts
The bolt assembly locks a cartridge into the chamber and carries
the firing mechanism, the firing pin. The bolt release allows you to
remove the bolt of your rifle for both safe transportation, and
cleaning your rifle. It is found on the left side of the rifle if it is a
right handed gun, and on the right, if it is a left handed gun.

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 All the popular bolt actions feature locking lugs which are
situated near the front of the bolt. Bolt designs tend to come in
two variants based on the number of bolt lugs, two or three lug
designs. The short lift bolts are usually 60º because they use
three lugs instead of two, as the two lug style offers a ninety
degree throw. In theory, the benefits of a 60 degree, or "short
throw", are that you don't have to lift the bolt handle as high,
which makes for a little faster 2nd shot, as you can cycle the bolt
faster. However, some complain that the bolt is harder to release
than the 90 degree throw bolts.

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Extractors & ejectors

Different bolt designs have differing methods for extracting

and ejecting spent cartridges and they both perform well. The two
types are controlled-round feed (Winchester Model 70 or the
Ruger 77) and the push-feed. A controlled-round feed means the
cartridge is grasped by the bolt (claw-type extractor) immediately
when the bolt pushes it forward, and the round exits the
magazine box. In the push-feed design, the round is free to move
about after it exits the magazine and before it enters the barrel.
There are also two main types of ejectors, a plunger
ejector and a standing ejector. The plunger ejector places
constant spring pressure on one side of the base of the cartridge.
As the cartridge is withdrawn from the action, the mouth of the
case drags on the barrel and receiver ring until it is flipped out the
ejection port. It is ejected with the same force, regardless of how
the bolt is withdrawn. A standing ejector places no pressure on
the cartridge. It is not even in contact with the cartridge case until
the bolt is pulled to the rear and the ejector extends past the bolt
face to flip the case out of the action. The benefit of a standing
ejector is that the speed and force of bolt operation control how

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the round is ejected, so you can pull the bolt back slowly and the
empty case can easily be removed from the action for hand
loading.

Bolt handle designs

The bolt handle offers no real
advantage over another, but many
shooters like to have differing styles
of bolt handles. Bigger bolt handles
can help some shooters cycle the
bolt easier, and others just like the
aesthetics of differing shapes and
designs.

Takeaway:
Much like everything else, there are many options in design and
functionality of the rifle action, and the same rule applies, get the
best you can afford. Most rifles come with a clone, but if you are
building a custom rifle there are some excellent choices from
independent suppliers to consider.

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 TRIGGERS

The trigger is a critical part of the accuracy setup in the

rifle. Whilst it does a pretty simple job, the way we use it
is very important to consistent and precise shooting.
Lower cost rifles often have a very "heavy" trigger (for
"theoretical" safety reasons), and this can lead to less accuracy.
They also often have "over-travel" issues where the trigger causes
movement after the shot, causing point of impact changes or
"trigger creep" where the trigger feels heavier than it is, before
the break, causing jerking of the trigger.
Many good long range rifles come with a reasonable trigger,
but there's a big aftermarket in high end trigger sets that allow for
great control and adjustment of pull weight (e.g. Jewel and
Timney make drop-in trigger groups for many rifle systems).
A quality rifle doesn't always need a new trigger, if it
has an adjustable trigger, it may only need "lightening the
trigger" in order for you to see greatly improved groups.

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Trigger movement

The trigger has several stages depending on it's design. These

movements have a sequence and names: Pre-Travel (Take-Up >
Wall > Creep) > Break > Over-Travel > Reset.
The pre-travel is the phase where you pull the trigger back
until it causes the rifle to fire and includes the take-up, wall and
creep parts of the movement. The take-up is the part where you
pull the trigger until you feel the resistance of the "wall". The wall
is where the trigger action first engages the resistance of the sear,
and this is where you start to feel the trigger engaging. As you
pull the trigger, and before it breaks, you have creep. So you keep
pulling until the gun "breaks" where the sear releases the striker,
and the rifle fires. Finally, you have the continuing travel of the
trigger backwards until it stops. Then the trigger is released and
resets the cycle.

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 These areas need mastering and understanding in order to
have a consistent trigger pull, and they tend to be different for
each rifle system and trigger group. These factors are often why
precision shooters change to different trigger solutions than those
that come standard with their rifle.

Setting a light trigger

The concept of a "light" trigger comes from the idea of pulling

a trigger rearward, and allowing it to "surprise you" because you
don't know when it will "break" and fire. The idea of allowing the
rifle to surprise you is designed to prevent jerking the trigger in an
anticipatory flinch that beginners often get with the loud noise
and recoil. With a less experienced shooter, you will see them
start to flinch and jerk the trigger so that it fires when they're
expecting it. It's a subconscious way to prepare yourself for the
recoil. More advanced shooters can train themselves to avoid
flinching, and therefore can choose what weight, or if a two stage
trigger suits their style of shooting.

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Adjustable trigger group

If you are focused on getting great precision shot groups, then

getting your trigger setup how you like it is critical. Adjustable
triggers allow you to manipulate the amount of force (pounds) it
takes for the trigger to break. This means trying different pull
weights (the amount of pressure you put on the trigger before it
"breaks" and fires a shot) that work for your style of shooting.
Adjusting a trigger is easy, with a few simple tools and
a trigger pull gauge.

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 Set what works for you, based on your accuracy at the range -
many shooters prefer a pull weight of 2-3 lbs (sniper rifles used by
the Army have triggers that are set between 3 and 5 pounds).

Two stage trigger

There are also several different key types of rifle trigger

groups, one and two stage triggers. A two-stage trigger has a
"stop" (breakwall) built into it, whereas a single stage trigger does
not. The one stage trigger fires in one stage of trigger movement,
whereas with a two stage trigger, when you begin to press
rearward, you get the break wall, and additional pressure is
required to break the trigger.
The benefit of the two stage trigger is the opposite of
the one stage, as it allows you know know exactly when
the trigger will break, allowing you to stage and predict
the moment of ignition.

Takeaway:
Getting the right trigger, setup with the right pull weight and
break is important. Look for a good, crisp, adjustable trigger

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group.

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 SAFETY

The safety provides a mechanical protection against

accidental or unintentional discharge when in good
working order, and when properly set.
The rifle safety is a switch (on most types of rifles) and is
designed to allow you to prevent accidental discharge, so you can
set the safety to "On" and the rifle will not fire until you are ready.
Some use a cross-bolt safety button, and others a wing safety at
the rear. Bolt action rifle safeties have three positions: "Fire"
which allows the gun to fire, "Safe" which does not allow the gun
to fire or the action to open, and an "Intermediate" third position
which cannot fire, but allows the action to be opened in order to
unload the rifle.
To set the safety on most rifles, simply pull the lever
rearward towards the "Safe" or "S" position. Safeties can be
located in many different positions on differing rifle designs, but
most are located around the grip.
The three position safety

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 In the image above we are illustrating the three position safety
of the Accuracy International AX308 rifle.

Note: The safety lever only operates when the rifle is

'cocked' and does not block the trigger in any of the three
positions.

1. 'Second Safe' position - Safety lever is in the rear position

2. 'First Safe' position - Safety lever is in the centre position
3. 'Fire' position - Safety lever is in the forward position (as
shown in the image)

Second Safe' position;

• The firing pin is drawn back from the trigger mechanism and
is physically blocked from moving forward.
• The bolt is locked in the closed position
'First Safe' position:
• To apply the 'first safe' position the lever must be brought
back to the 'second safe' position then moved forward to the 'first
safe' position.
• The firing pin is drawn back from the trigger mechanism and
is physically blocked from moving forward.
• The bolt is unlocked and may be used to unload cartridges in
a safe manner.
'Fire' position:
• The bolt is unlocked and can be manipulated.
• The firing pin is not blocked and the weapon can be fired.

Note: Remember, the safety is a mechanical device and can

fail, so it is best to always have safe shooting practices in
place instead of relying on the safety itself.

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 Always set the safety when handling, loading, or
unloading your shooting system. You can disengage the
safety by pushing the lever into the Fire, or Intermediate position.
Your shooting system is ready and will fire when the trigger is
pulled, so do not disengage the safety until you are on target. It is
a safe practice to have your fingers and any other objects outside
of the trigger guard while you are disengaging the safety, and
until you are ready, so as not to accidentally discharge the
firearm.
It is usual in hunting to load your weapon ready to take a fast
shot, but to keep the safety on until the point of use. Many new
shooters often get excited and can forget they have the safety
engaged, and then go to take a shot and nothing happens.
Practice and dry firing before the hunt can help you get used
to the safety and process before firing.

WARNING: There is no consistent rule for which position

is Safe or Fire. Often, there is a color indicator that the
weapon is ready to fire, such as a red mark, to warn the
shooter.

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 THREE
BARRELS

The barrel is another key part of a precision rifle system,

and in this section we will break down the parts of a
barrel as well as discuss how almost every part of the
firing process creates different vibrations that we need to

138
understand. A typical bolt action rifle's barrel is just a one-piece,
solid metal tube that gets threaded into the front of the action
(receiver).

Barrel harmonics
It's important to know that a barrel is not static during
firing, it moves (sometimes described as "ringing",
"harmonics" or "whip"), and therefore you need to
consider this when shooting and buying your barrel.
It's interesting to note that most three shot groups are
virtually triangular in shape.This is caused because as the barrel
vibrates through its "circular arc", say one bullet leaves the muzzle
at 12 o'clock, another at say 4 o'clock, and the third at maybe 9
o'clock. The larger the arc of the barrel, the less accurate the rifle
will be, and the larger the triangle.
As a rule, the less mass a barrel has, (thinner) the
more it is affected by the vibrations, and this is the reason
that a "heavy" barrel appears to shoot more consistently
than a thinner contour barrel. A shorter barrel of the same
diameter will also have less amplitude to its arc of movement, and
should also shoot smaller, more consistent groups too. In general,
choosing the thickest, shortest barrel that is practical for your
intended use will yield the best accuracy.

Barrel mounting
In terms of the mounting of the barrel on the rifle, the key
takeaways are that the barrel of the rifle must not touch
anything during the shot, as it is "free floating". The barrel
must be free to vibrate along its entire length, without touching
the forend of the stock (hence the space "paper test" between the
barrel and forend, described in the "Stock" topic).

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 Also during shooting,
nothing should touch the barrel
either, for the same reasons.
Don't rest the rifle on it's barrel
when shooting, only the stock or
something attached to the rifle
system (bipod, etc). Only in this
way, will the vibration, and
therefore the point of impact, be consistent from shot to shot.
We also know that the amplitude of the barrel vibration waves
depends essentially on barrel thickness/length, and on the rigidity
of the action/stock assembly. Shorter and thicker barrels are
stiffer, and thus considered more accurate than thin and long
barrels. In addition, a tight and solid assembly (as described in
"Bedding" in the Stock topic) between the action and the stock
generally guarantees better accuracy and consistency.
Finally, during a shot we know there are lapses in
vibration called "nodes". It is possible to tune a specific
barrel (barrel timing - making it shorter or longer ), and
adjust the powder charge weight (to make the bullet exit
when the barrel wave is at a node) to a specific
ammunition load formula in order to try and achieve
greater consistency.

Image credit: Lilja Precision Rifle Barrels, Inc.

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Barrel fluting
As far as long range precision shooting goes, there are various
opinions as to whether barrel fluting affects accuracy. Fluting is
usually done to save weight, and give the barrel more surface
area, which can help it cool a little faster, and also for aesthetic
reasons. According to Bartlein Barrels, "Effects on accuracy are
based on how the barrel is made. They say don't flute on a
"button rifled" barrel, as button rifling induces a lot of stress into
the steel. Any secondary machining work like fluting can cause the
bore to go sour (open up on you). On "single point cut rifling",
machining flutes into the barrel should not cause a problem with
the bore opening up/going sour like you do with a button rifled
barrel. Also, be careful not to flute a barrel too deep and cause
harmonic and vibration problems which can effect accuracy."
Most match shooters don't use fluting, as they are less weight
sensitive. There is some anecdotal evidence from studies, that
flutes heat unevenly leading to the possibility of point of impact
shifts. But for long range hunting, where weight is more of a
concern, it may be an option worth considering.

Carbon wrapped barrels

Carbon wrapped barrels (such as Proof Research barrels) are also
an option today, and in theory the offer the shooter the stiffness
of a heavy contour rifle barrel, as well as a much lighter rifle.
According to one manufacturer, the benefits "provide superior

141
performance, including extreme accuracy, unprecedented
durability, and increased barrel life. Up to 64% lighter than
traditional steel barrels of similar contour, match-grade accuracy,
improved heat dissipation for cooler and longer lasting barrels, no
point-of-impact shift during high-volume fire, reduced harmonic
barrel vibration, and unprecedented durability". These benefits
come at a higher cost than traditional barrels, however.

Custom and match grade barrels

As with everything else, in
precision rifle shooting you can pay
more and get a special component
for your rifle setup, and a custom
barrel (e.g. Bartlein and Hawk Hill
barrels) is no exception. Almost all
competitive shooters have a custom barrel, and it's clear if more
time and care is taken in the manufacturing process, the final
result will shoot better. The barrel is a key component and, so
considering buying your rifle with a custom setup is an option.
These benefits come at a higher cost than factory barrels, and
may be unnecessary if you are simply looking for a 1 MOA hunting
rifle vs. competing.

Takeaway:
The barrel is a much discussed item in long range shooting, and it
will pay to get the very best "match grade" barrel you can in your
rifle setup. You may also wish to consider the twist rate and
length, depending on your mission.

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BARREL ANATOMY

143
A rifle barrel is made up of various parts along its length:

Chamber
Free bore
Throat
Rifling
Muzzle
Crown

The chamber
The chamber is the area at the back end of the barrel in which the
cartridge is inserted before firing.

Freebore
The freebore (the leade) is the area ahead of the throat in a rifle
barrel where there is no rifling. The freebore varies considerably in
length and in the angle at which the rifling is cut. Normally it is
quite short, and the rifling starts at 1/32nd of an inch from the

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bullet, but in some rifles the freebore might allow over half an
inch of bullet travel before it contacts the rifling.

Bullet travel
This is sometimes called the bullet "jump", and is the space
between the projectile and the rifling where the bullet will jump
into, before it's forced down the bore of the rifle. This is often set
at 1/32nd of an inch, however many rifles deliver their best
groups when bullets are seated just touching the rifling.

Throat
The throat is the area in the barrel immediately in front of the
chamber neck that allows the bullet in a loaded round to project
out into the rifled part of the barrel.

Rifling (lands and grooves)

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Rifling consists of helical grooves in the internal (bore) surface of
a gun's barrel, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long
axis. This is further explained in the next topic.

Muzzle
The muzzle of a firearm is the end of the barrel from which the
projectile will exit.

Crown
The crown is the exit point of the barrel, at the very tip. The
crown is important because it is the last part of the rifle to affect
accuracy as the bullet leaves the muzzle. In theory, a bullet can
be pushed off center by an uneven crown, or crown with damage
as the high pressure gas has to vent to evenly or it can affect the
point of impact.

Threaded muzzle

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The other option for your barrel is to have it threaded, enabling
you to add a muzzle brake or silencer/suppressor. See the topic
"Brakes and suppressors".

The bore
The bore is the inside cylinder of a gun's barrel, the tube through
which the projectile (bullet or slug) passes through when the gun
is fired.

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 RIFLING

Rifling is a series of spiral grooves, cut into the sides of a

barrel from its chamber to the end. The purpose of rifling
is to impart spin to the projectile. A projectile that spins along
its axis is gyroscopically stabilized, and therefore more
aerodynamic and accurate. The higher the rate of twist, the more
spin is imparted to the projectile. In some cases, the twist rate will
increase down the length of the barrel. This is known as "gain
twist" and helps reduce wear and tear on the barrel.
Most of the big named manufacturers use hammer-forged
barrels that are drilled, and the rifling is formed by forming the

148
external steel around a mandrel. The match barrel manufacturers
tend to use a buttoning technique (pushing or pulling a mandrel
slowly through a pre-drilled bore forming all the grooves at once)
and then there is cut rifling, the oldest method (cutting one
groove at a time with a machine tool). The latter is thought to
create the least stress in the metal, and therefore be a better
match for a fluted barrel.

Note: There is no inherent difference in accuracy of either

barrel machining process. If you flute a button barrel after
it's been chambered, it will affect the accuracy which isn't
the case with a cut barrel.

Lands and grooves

In a rifled barrel, the cuts down the barrel (the slices cut out
during the rifling process) are the "grooves". The "lands" are the
raised sections of metal left untouched by the rifling process.

149
The projectile twist rate
Twist rate refers to the rate of spin in the rifle barrel, and is
represented in inches per turn. It's important that your barrel has
an adequate twist rate to stabilize the bullets you're shooting. A
barrel that is a 1:10" twist means that the rifling will spin the
bullet one revolution in 10 inches.
The longer the bullet, the faster it must be spun to
remain stable in flight. This necessary spin rate is determined
by the rifling's rate of twist, which is the linear distance needed
for the grooves to make one revolution.
Determining proper twist is
a factor of bore diameter,
velocity, bullet weight, and
bullet construction. There is no
"fixed" twist rate for all firearms,
but most manufacturers will match
the caliber to a twist rate. Matching
the twist rate in your rifle to the
appropriate ammunition will ensure
the bullet is properly stabilized in
flight. However, if you don't match the bullet to the twist rate, it's
much more likely to yield poor accuracy and terminal
performance.
Larger and heavier long range projectiles will perform better at
a "gyroscopic stability factor" of 1.5 or higher.
See the box of your chosen match ammunition as one place to
start with twist rate selection, or you can also use a calculator
such as the Berger one, here:
http://www.bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/ if you are
hand loading.
Your preferred bullets will determine the rifling twist you
should buy vs. just buying the rifle first. For long range shooting,
you will need a high BC bullet, and therefore a fast twist rate
barrel. The best way to determine the twist you'll need is by
consulting a bullet maker such as Hornady, Barnes, Berger, Nosler,

150
etc. and you can then see the recommended twist rates for their
high BC match bullets, which will then help you choose the best
rifle for you based on the required twist rate.

Takeaway:
It is important to understand the twist rate of your barrel rifling
and to match that to the right ammunition for best performance.

151
 CONTOUR

The contour of a barrel is it's shape or profile, from

straight to tapered.
Each manufacturer has a set of specifications on their website
for the various profiles they offer, and for long range shooters,
depending on your "mission", heavier "bull" barrels are preferred.
If you are hunting, then weight and length may be more of a
concern, and so a lighter and shorter profile may be a
consideration.

152
 There are various contours, or profiles, ranging from #1, which
is light sporter, to #6, which is a heavy bull. Numbers 2 and 3 are
magnum, number 4 is varmint, and numbers 5 and 6 are bull
barrels, with little or no taper. 5 is the most popular
compromise between full tactical and hunting rifles.

Takeaway: Pick the right contour for your "mission". Generally,

the bull barrels are the best for long range shooting, but you may
need to consider weight depending on your intended shooting.

153
 LENGTH

Barrel length is another important choice for the long

range shooter, and your "mission" will help drive the
barrel length choice. If you are target or competition shooting,
you may want to go long, as most PRS style match shooters are
using 24-26+" barrel lengths. If you are going to use the rifle for
hunting, you may want to choose a shorter length, giving you a
rifle with less weight and greater maneuverability in the field. The
longer barrel will give you more velocity, more weight and more
stability, but could be a hassle in tighter hunting environments or
if you are mountain hunting where carrying weight will be a
consideration.

Longer vs. shorter barrels

154
Many people have the false belief that longer rifle barrels are
inherently more accurate than shorter barrels.
Longer generally equals more velocity. For example, the
difference between 20″ and 24″ barrels can be velocity changes
up to 160fps (40fps per inch), depending on the rifling. Between
24-28" you can expect an additional 25-30fps per inch velocity
increase. So in reality, at long range, it's about wind deflection
due to velocity. That is the issue, not barrel length per se'.
In recent scientific studies, it was shown that shorter
barrels were much the same as longer barrels for accuracy
in the real world.
Indeed, shorter, stiffer barrels should help reduce the vibration
and therefore, make group sizes smaller, but practically speaking
that's likely a small factor. Also, if you have a drilled, not forged
barrel, the likelihood of manufacturing issues is lower in a shorter
barrel, in theory.

Takeaway:
Pick the best barrel length for your mission. It should not have
any real world affect on your accuracy.

155
 BARREL BREAK-IN

Barrel break-in is a topic where there are a lot of opinions,

and it comes down to your own testing and position.
In the past, where the manufacture of guns was done
differently than today, especially with precision rifles, there may
be less of an argument for the need for excessive break-in rituals
many espouse, due to the smoother chamber areas that are now
more prevalent.
In reality, despite what many people seem to indicate, this is
not about the barrel itself but about the throat area, the idea
being that we want to remove imperfections in the throat so we
get consistency. The idea that constant cleaning after every new
round shot through a barrel, will help here, seems spurious. The
facts that seem most relevant to a precision shooter are that the
throat will get worn, and therefore smoothed out after the first
100 rounds or so through it. This is the break in period!
There is a lot of real world evidence that a new barrel
will speed up after the 100+ shots through it, and we
need to be aware of this as precision shooters.
It's also clear that the first cold bore shot is usually different to
those shot afterward, as well as the difference between a clean
and fouled barrel. So, it's important to understand these
conditions and to factor them into our shooting routine.
You have to decide if you wish to follow a break in routine of
shoot, clean, and then shoot for a period before you let your rifle
settle down. There are various differing opinions on how much to
clean between those initial rounds down a new barrel. There are

156
also those that think you should just shoot, and clean before you
store the rifle.
A sensible routine we suggest, is to shoot the gun for 10 or 20
rounds, then run wet patches with copper and then carbon
solvent through the bore, to ensure you don't have any excessive
amount of fouling in the barrel, then shoot the rifle some more.
Repeat this process as you shoot. After the first 1-200 rounds
down the barrel, you should have a broken-in rifle. The
barrel at that point will likely have some build up of deposits and a
smoother bore - some liken this process to the "seasoning" of a
cooking pan.

Barrel break in process

Check with your manufacturer for the best break-in process. Here
is an example:
To break the barrel in, clean the gun according to the
following schedule:

Shoot one shot, and clean

Shoot second shot, and clean
Shoot a 3-shot group, and clean
Shoot a 5-shot group, and clean
Shoot a cold bore first shot group, and record your
performance

This is from the Accuracy International AX manual.

Before a new rifle reaches a customer it has been already shot
several rounds. The rifle is first 'proof tested and then tested for
function and accuracy by firing at least two five-round groups.
The rifle and barrel are cleaned thoroughly after each of these
processes.
If user wishes to continue a barrel break in procedure on the
receipt of the new rifle, we would suggest the following, using
standard ball ammunition. The barrel cleaning procedure

157
described in section 12 of this manual should be followed while
carrying out any barrel breaking in procedure.

Shoot 3 shots and clean

Shoot 5 shots and clean
Shoot 5 shots and clean
Shoot 10 shots and clean

It is important to maintain a good cleaning regime for the life

of the rifle.

Shoot a cold bore first shot group and leave fouled or clean the
barrel, and lightly oil the bore after each cleaning if you are not
hunting, and need the barrel to be fouled for consistency. You will
be shooting at the target with the first shot out of the barrel.
More information on cleaning is discussed in the topic
"Cleaning and maintenance".

Takeaway:

This is a personal preference vs. strict requirement, so you need

to decide what works best for you, having read the manufacturers
suggested routine.

158
 BARREL "SEASONING" AND
EQUILIBRIUM

Like a good Lodge pan, some liken

the rifle barrel after break in as
"seasoned" when there is a balance
in the amount of fouling in the
barrel.
In other words, a barrel that's
scrubbed and polished is not in
balance, it needs a "coat" of copper
that leaves it in a state that is consistent and reliable for a DOPE
point of view.
Like a Lodge pan it needs some seasoning, but if we scrub out
every time too much we lose the utility. There is good copper and
bad copper in our bore, and the good copper helps with accuracy
and consistency. If you clean every time, it's like resetting all your
data, and the rifle may well shoot differently every time vs. a
balanced system that you can reliably predict. The "seasoned"
barrel is the sweet spot.
Most serious long-range competitive shooters work
hard to find the sweet spot when it comes to cleaning,
and that can take some time and effort.

Takeaway:

159
To get the best accuracy possible, maintain a constant cleaning
regimen. Once you've established what level of fouling works
best, stick with the routine.

160
 FOUR
RIFLE ACCESSORIES

161
 MUZZLE BRAKES

Additional choices for your barrel setup are to add a

muzzle brake or suppressor.
Both of these may affect how you shoot for differing reasons,
but should be decisions based on your mission, once again. If you
are a hunter you may prefer a suppressor over a brake due to
noise, whereas if you are shooting paper, a brake will reduce the
felt recoil. They both have merits in long range shooting.

Muzzle brakes

162
 The muzzle brake is usually screwed onto the end of your rifle,
and has holes or ports machined in the brake to divert the exiting
gas after your shot.
The design of the brake will divert the gas in differing
directions, usually upward or sideways. If the gas goes upward, it
presses down on the muzzle and counteracts muzzle jump, but if
it dies too too aggressively, it can also affect barrel dynamics
negatively. In that case, a radial brake design is a better fit for
long range shooters, who are looking to minimize any form of
point of impact shift.
The key benefit of all brakes is that they help reduce
recoil, often more than 50%.

Expert tip: “the reacquisition of a target is the primary

reason LR competitors use both muzzle breaks and small
calibers.” Mike Rogan, K&M Precision Rifle Training

As long range shooters tend to use larger cartridges with

higher recoil, a muzzle brake is a very useful tool in reducing that
down to much lower levels. That in turn helps with accuracy both
in psychology and physical terms. Less flinching and less lift.

163
 There is another important
aspect of a muzzle brake in helping
the rifle "stay on target". Staying
on target allows for quick follow-up
shots, and watching your bullet
impact. Without a spotter, this is a
critical requirement for accurately
dialing in any changes required in your shots.
The downsides of brakes are mostly about noise, potential
point of impact shift and length, and for the hunter these can be a
problem. Adding 2"+ to barrel length, and giving away the
shooter position or scaring the target are problematic. For the
target shooter, brakes can kick up dust and annoy your fellow
shooters. Both situations also force you to wear hearing
protection. Brakes are also an additional cost to the rifle setup,
often costing over $250 fitted.
It's your choice between less recoil and staying on
target vs. noise and possible point of impact shift.

Takeaway:
Muzzle brakes offer a way to reduce felt recoil, and as such can be
very helpful additions to a long range shooting system. Be aware
that they do however, increase the level of the report sound when
firing and can kick up dust.

164
 SUPPRESSORS

A sound suppressor/sound moderator (also known as

"suppressors", "silencers", or "cans") is a device attached
to a rifle muzzle, which reduces the amount of noise and
visible muzzle flash generated by firing.
Suppressors are typically constructed of a metal cylinder with
internal baffles, to reduce the sound of firing, by slowing the
escaping propellant gas.
The key benefit of a suppressor is a reduction in recoil (not as
effectively as a brake), and they will reduce the report sound by
25-30 dB. So shooting with a suppressed rifle is a far better
experience with the best of a brake and the benefit of lower
noise. Modern suppressor designs also allow the use of full-power
ammunition, do not affect the muzzle velocity to any degree, and
it's claimed they can aid accuracy. They don't kick up the dust like
a brake, either.

165
 One major downside of suppressors is the law (as it
stands at this time), as it can take over 6 months to acquire a
suppressor. They are banned in some states and a real hassle to
buy due to the current U.S. laws restricting purchase via an FFL.
Also, you have to pay a special tax, jump through hoops and fill
out official paperwork (ATF Form 4, which requires a $200 Stamp
tax, a chief law enforcement sign-off, and a set of fingerprints to
be submitted to the ATF ). Suppressors are also longer than
brakes, adding 6" to your barrel length.
Another consideration for some shooters will be a "mirage"
caused by the heat at the muzzle, as the hot gases heat up the
suppressor, throwing off heat waves that make seeing the target
harder. Not an issue for one-shot kills, but for the target shooter,
this could be a concern. Suppressors are also a big additional cost
to the rifle setup, often costing $500-1000 fitted.

WARNING: Depending on the caliber of ammunition being

used, the report noise will be much lower than
unsuppressed fire, down to very manageable levels, but it is

166
 still recommended that you wear some form of ear
protection.

Takeaway:
Suppressors offer a way to reduce felt recoil, and as such can be
very helpful additions to a long range shooting system. Be aware
that the law makes buying suppressors difficult at the time of this
writing.

167
 PART FIVE

CHOOSING OPTICS

"Glass" (or the differing optics available for use to assist

our long range shooting) is a big topic of debate in the
community.
In summary, get the very best glass you can afford, and by
glass, we are talking about a rifle scope, spotting scope, range
finder, a binocular, and more.
As usual, the type of choices you make here are driven
by your mission.

168
 If you are target shooting, you may well choose differing
options to long range hunting for all the reasons mentioned
before, particularly portability and weight. If you are shooting off
the bench with a heavy rifle, adding a heavy, large scope is not a
big issue. But if you are mountain hunting and have to carry the
rifle system all day, then you may want a smaller and lighter
scope option. You will also want a more proven rugged scope for
the field than for target shooting. Also, if you use the glass for
hunting, it's likely you will want glass that is effective in much
lower light conditions - all these things drive the choices you
make.

There are many manufacturers of optics, and for this course

we will be illustrating by using a few differing manufacturers
models, but the choice is yours based on your budget and use
case. Indeed, you may well have several optics, depending on the
rifle you wish to mount them on and the activity for that rifle
system.
The following sections will help you understand the options
and make the best buying decision for your optics.

Takeaway:
As a rule of thumb, when considering your budget and with sub-
MOA rifles being abundant today, you may well spend multiple
times more on the glass (scope, spotting scope, range finder, etc.)
than the rifle.

169
 ONE
SCOPE ANATOMY

170
 SCOPE EXTERNAL ANATOMY

Modern long range scopes (telescopic sights) are made in various

sizes, shapes and feature sets. Depending on your mission they
will have differing reticles, weights and adjustments.
The best scopes for our purpose have the following anatomy
starting at the front of the scope (the part closest to the muzzle)
and working back toward the shooters eye.

171
Objective lens
The objective lens purpose is to transmit light back to the ocular
lens, and their diameter is measured in millimeters, e.g. 50mm.
The objective lens has no bearing on "magnification" or power of
the scope. The larger the objective size, the more ambient
light will be introduced into the scope and to your eye.

Adjustable objective (AO)

An adjustable objective is often a dial/ring around the objective
bell, or a knob on the left side of the turret housing. The function
of the AO is to allow you to adjust your scope's parallax to a
certain distance, by moving these adjustments until a clear picture
is perceived, and/or the marked corresponding incremental
yardages are approximated to your target distance. The correct
setting of an adjustable objective prevents the apparent
movement between the reticle and the target when the shooter
moves his head slightly off center of the rifle scope, otherwise
known as parallax error.

172
Scope tube (barrel or main tube)
The scope body is a metal (usually aluminum) tube that holds the
lenses in place. The tube is also used to attach the scope to the
rifle using scope "rings".
The exterior of the scope also contains all of the necessary
controls for making adjustments to the lenses. The front of the
scope tube widens to accommodate the objective lens, and this
flare is known as the objective bell. The rear of the scope widens
to house the ocular lens, and this wider portion is known as the
ocular bell.
The most common scope tube sizes are 1 inch, 30mm and
34mm. The diameter is measured by the size of the main tube
between the adjustment turrets and the objective bell, and the
diameter from the turrets to the eyepiece, or magnification ring.
The 1 inch scope is usually lighter and a 30/34mm barrel is
usually thicker, heavier and the internal diameter of the telescopic
sight main tube influences the area light can pass through. Lens
elements and other parts can be mounted in, and can control the
internal parts for elevation, and the windage adjustment can
move. The larger tube allows for greater elevation/windage
changes and therefore, it's better suited for long range shooting
and hunting.
The internal tube is "purged" and sealed so that rain and
moisture won't get in and fog the lenses.

External adjustment turrets (turret

housing, windage and elevation
adjustment)
The three most common adjustments for any rifle scope are
windage, elevation and parallax.

173
 The windage turret sits on the side of the scope body, and
allows you to adjust the horizontal alignment of your reticle to
adjust the point of impact for wind. The elevation turret sits on
top of the scope body, and provides vertical adjustment for your
reticle to adjust for the bullet drop to the target. Typically windage
and elevation adjustments are measured either in MOA (minutes
of angle) or MRAD (milliradian) measurements.
The parallax error adjustment turret (also known as
the AO) sits on the side of the scope body, and changes
the adjustable objective lenses to correct for parallax
error.
Zero-stop elevation controls (part of the elevation turret) are a
great feature for long range shooters. They can be set to prevent
inadvertently dialing the adjustment turret "below" the primary
zero. This feature is useful on long-range scopes, because
it allows the shooter to physically verify that the elevation
turret is dialed all the way down, avoiding confusion
regarding the elevation status on two- or multi-revolution
elevation turrets.
Reticle illumination controls on the side of the scope body can
also be useful for long range hunters in low light. The illumination
adjustment control of the reticule regulates the brightness level of
the lit parts of the reticles crosshairs. With any illuminated
low-light reticle, it is essential that it's brightness can be
adjusted. A reticle that is too bright will cause glare in the
operator's eye, interfering with the ability to see in low-light
conditions. This is because the pupil of the human eye closes
quickly upon receiving any source of light. Most illuminated
reticles provide adjustable brightness settings, to adjust the reticle
precisely to the ambient light.

Magnification power ring (power

adjustment ring, zoom ring)

174
Usually located on the smaller ocular lens/eyepiece as a rotatable
ring. Turning the power ring changes the magnification setting on
the scope. In a variable power scope, this ring allows the shooter
to adjust the power between it's ranges. For a long range scope,
that may be 5-25x for example. Turning the ring will make the
target appear closer or further away, and the magnification setting
will be between 5x - 25x times the original size in the scope. A
larger magnification leads to a smaller field of view which can be
important in long range hunting.

Eyepiece
The eyepiece holds the ocular lens. The eyepiece might be
adjustable for reticle focus (a diopter) to obtain a sharp picture of
the reticle for your eyes. (It should be set for you only), and you
should set the eyepiece focus once, when you first set the scope
up and not touch it unless your eyesight changes.

The ocular lens

The ocular lens magnifies the light from the focal point, and is
usually smaller than the objective lens. It focuses the light
gathered by the other end of the rifle scope, the objective lens,
into the eye of the viewer.

The "exit pupil"

175
Scopes concentrate the light gathered by the objective into a
beam, the "exit pupil", whose diameter is the objective diameter
divided by the magnifying power.

Takeaway:
Get a scope with at least parallax, windage, and elevation
adjustments for long range shooting. Some cheaper scopes only
have fixed parallax.

176
 SCOPE INTERNAL ANATOMY

The inside of a rifle scope functions much like a telescope. At one

end, there's a larger objective lens, where light enters the scope
body, and an ocular lens at the rear, which focuses that light on
the shooter's eye. From the eyepiece to the rear end of the scope,
you have the ocular, magnification, focus, and objective lenses.

177
 The internal structure of a rifle scope can be broken
down into three major sections:

1. Objective lens assembly – The objective lens purpose

is to transmit light back to the ocular lens, and their
diameter is measured in millimeters, such as 50mm. The
larger the objective size, the more ambient light will be
introduced into the scope and to your eye.
2. Focus lens assembly – A focus lens is responsible for
correcting parallax error by moving the focus lens toward
and away from the objective lens.

178
3. Erector tube assembly – The erector tube assembly
holds the magnifying lenses and reticle components. The
erector tube's function is also "erecting" the image, i.e.
forming an upright image.

Windage/elevation: A spring system presses the

erector tube against the bottoms of the windage and
elevation screws. When the adjustment screws are turned
inward, they push the erector tube against the spring
system; when the screws are backed off, the spring
system moves the tube.
Magnification: When turning the power ring on a
variable power scope, the magnifying lenses move within
the erector tube to adjust magnification power. The
magnification lens moves toward the objective lens when
increasing magnification. As the magnification is lowered,
the lens moves closer to the ocular lens.
Reticle: The reticle may be placed in front of, or behind
the magnifying lenses, depending on the manufacturer's
assembly. The former assembly is called a first or front
focal plane (FFP) reticle, while the latter is a second focal
plane (SFP) reticle.

Lenses

179
 Lenses in a quality scope are coated. Fully multi-coated lenses
are the best choice. The optical coating on a lens will maximize
light transmission into the optics, reduce the loss of light due to
reflection, and add some scratch resistance as well as reduce
glare.
There are several levels of coating:

Coated: There is at least one layer of protection on at

least one lens surface.
Fully coated: The scope will have a single layer on all air
to glass lens.
Multi-coated: The scope will have a single layer on all air
to glass lens, with multiple coats on at least one lens.
Fully multi-coated: This scope will have multiple layers of
coating on all air to glass lens.

180
 Scopes transmit light through the lenses to your eye, always
losing a fraction in the process. The very best scopes (and most
expensive) tend to have the reputation for having the best light
transmission due to the coatings they use. This can be
important for those hunting situations where dawn and
dusk reduce the light, but it's also prime hunting time.

Note: it's the coatings that really make a difference to light

performance, not necessarily just the quality of the glass
itself. In addition, the key component in scope reliability is
the quality of the internal mechanisms. Many scopes market
they have great "glass" but the other internal components
can be lower quality. Reliability, repeatability and precision
manufacturing are also key factors in choosing glass.

Takeaway:

181
The best performance scopes can offer in light transmission is a
theoretical 99%. Anything above 95% is acceptable.

182
 RETICLES

A reticle is the aiming point in

your field of view in a rifle
scope. Often called a
"crosshair" in the past.
Reticles comes in many differing
designs, and should be a big part of
the decision process for finding the
right scope for your mission.
Reticles can also be illuminated.
Reticles can be used for simple
aiming, or they can be used to
assist with shot placement over distance, for example, to estimate
the bullet drop to the target (Bullet Drop Compensator/BDC
reticles such as a Mil-Dot or Horus reticle), or to compensate for
the effects of wind as well as estimation of target range. With a
more sophisticated reticle, a shooter can estimate the range to
objects of known size, the size of objects at known distances, and
even roughly compensate for both bullet drop and wind drifts at
known ranges, with a reticle-equipped scope.
Ballistic reticles use subtensions. A reticle's subtension is the
distance that a span of that reticle covers at a certain range. As
the range to the target increases, so does the subtension of the
reticle. Ballistic reticles also have hashmarks that represent
various measurements like distance in yards, or MOA/MILs type
adjustments.

183
 BDC reticles use a pattern that predicts how much a bullet will
drop at a given range. This is illustrated in the reticle by several
different aiming points stacked vertically and horizontally around a
central dot or crosshair.

Reticle focal plane

Scopes have two planes of focus where a reticle can be

placed: at the focal plane between the objective and the image
erector lens system - the First or Front Focal Plane (FFP), or the

184
focal plane between the image erector lens system and the
eyepiece- the Second Focal Plane (SFP).
Variable power scopes with FFP reticles have no problems with
point of impact shifts, whereas SFP reticles can have slight point-
of-impact shifts through their magnification range, caused by the
positioning of the reticle in the mechanical zoom mechanism in
the rear part of the telescopic sight. Normally these impact shifts
are insignificant, but accuracy-oriented shooters who wish to use
their scope trouble-free at several magnification levels, often opt
for FFP scopes. See the topic on "focal planes" for more details.

Reticle illumination
Reticles can be illuminated for
use in low-light or daytime
conditions. This can be important
for those hunting situations where
dawn and dusk reduce the light,
but it's also prime hunting time.

Takeaway:
Your choice of reticle and focal plane will be an important driver of
which scope to buy, and from which manufacturer. Only certain
designs are available from certain manufacturers. Decide before
you go buy to save having to change later.

185
 SCOPE RINGS AND BASES

The rings attach to the receiver

of the firearm, usually on some
form of "mount" or scope base
(e.g. Weaver, Picatinny, and
Tally bases). Mounting rings are
usually two-piece clamps with the
lower part of the rings usually
attached directly to the scope base.
The middle portion of the scope between the objective and
ocular bells is called the scope body tube. Most main body tubes
for long range scopes are 30mm and 34mm. This is the portion of
the scope where rings are attached to hold it to a rifle.
Mounting rings come in different heights, based on the
size of your scope's objective lens, and are usually
denominated as low, medium or tall rings. Check with
your scope manufacturer for the correct height and size.
European telescopic sight manufacturers often offer the option
to have mounting rails underneath the riflescope to provide for
mounting solutions that do not use scope rings or a single scope
ring around the objective of the scope. These rails are an integral
part of the scope body and cannot be removed.

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Scope bases

Scope bases are important to long range shooters, as the

bullet drop to the target can require a canted rail to allow for
sufficient adjustments between the scope and the mount. A 0MOA
base is considered level with the bore of the gun. A 20MOA base
is canted down in the front, toward the barrel. By canting the
base down in the front, this allows for more usable elevation
adjustment in the scope.
A 20MOA base is often chosen because
when a shooter is adjusting the elevation
dial on the scope for longer ranges, they
may run out of elevation (depending on
the elevation options in their scope), and a
20MOA base allows the shooter to use that

187
extra 20MOA of travel in addition to the scopes inherent elevation
settings - it's an extra 20MOA of elevation.

Takeaway:
Always get the very best rings and bases you can afford, they are
an important part of the precision rifle. As you will be shooting
long distance, get a 20 MOA rail to help with the greater elevation
requirement.

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 TWO
SCOPE SELECTION

189
 INTRODUCTION

The rifle scope is a key part of

your long range shooting
system. It's critical it works
well when you need it, that
means if you are in a
competition, in the field, or just
at the range. So buying a good
quality brand is important -
even if you have to wait to
acquire a better product vs. a
cheaper option.
It's possible for a scope to lose it's zero - A big problem, as
well as having tracking issues (i.e. the scope is not tracking the
exact change from the turrets to the point of impact on the
target) along with general quality differences between a high end
scope and a low end one. For general use, this is way less of a
concern than with long range shooting where everything needs to
be as reliable and as accurate as possible.

Buying scopes

190
 The first consideration is that it must be fit for purpose
so it relates to your mission for this scope - primarily, are
you using it in the field or for target shooting only?
The next and one of the biggest considerations is what
reticle design do you want to use?
If you to shoot longer ranges then you need a good reticle.
You will also need to get good at reading the reticle and BDC
checks in the scope.
Also, buy Front (First) Focal Plane. Scopes without FFP are a
pain for long range vs. quick dialing on turrets (with SFP you need
to do all the BDC calculations, only on full power). Get a scope
with zero stops for an easy return to zero. Second Focal Plane
(SFP) is fine for most applications where you don't use a BDC
reticle or are within 300 yds. but this course is about long range,
so avoid SFP scopes even though they are cheaper. MILs vs. MOA
reticle is another choice you will then want in all scopes, and you
will also want matching reticle and turrets (yes, they can be
mismatched... which is a real issue).
Also, think about the weight, ruggedness, size, and ease
of use for the scope if using it in the field - this is the real test of
a scope, as it will need to perform in many more conditions and
will likely get abused a great deal more than simple trips to the
range and back.

191
 At long range, you will want a scope that offers good
magnification, a large elevation adjustment range, a zero
stop turret, reliable tracking, clear quality lenses and the
right reticle. As you are shooting at distance, you will also want
to ensure the setup is level (bubble level), well secured to the rifle
with quality rings, and one you can adjust out any parallax error.
Finally, when choosing a manufacturer, look for tight
manufacturing tolerances, a good warranty, 100% quality
control, and superior customer service.
So as the features of a long range scope are broader than a
basic hunting or range scope, you need repeatability and quality in
every aspect of the setup.
Let's look at scope choices in detail.

Takeaway:
Remember that the optical quality of the rifle scope plays a larger
role than objective size. A rifle scope with a medium objective lens
with excellent, pure, high-end glass will always out-perform the
scope with large objective lens with poor quality glass.

"Measure twice and cut once" - Buy the very best you can
afford, don't try and cut corners with the optic choice.
Better to save on the rifle than the optics!

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 RETICLE CHOICES

Reticle choice is very

important. This is usually
driven by your local community
(competitors, hunting, friends
where you trade rifles, etc.),
what reticle you know how to
use, or if you are new, the type
of design you feel you need for
your mission. The reticle choice
encompasses several things: the
design itself, the type (BDC or
simple aiming point), illumination, and the unit of measure (Yards,
MILs, etc).
One important, but non-obvious point, is that only some
reticles are available on some scopes. You will be constrained
on the manufacturer choice when you pick a reticle - so you can
start with a few manufacturers that offer high quality scopes and
then review their reticle options. Remember also that these
scopes come in FFP and SFP options, so we recommend looking at
the scope with a great reticle in FFP first (explained in detail in
another topic).
Is the reticle offered in MIL or MOA? Is there an option to buy
a version of the reticle with a Christmas Tree of reference holds if
you want it? Do you want a closed or open center? Do you need a
specific reticle for the use case like a competition or other

193
application, like moving targets? Maybe a floating dot? Do you
need it illuminated? Lastly, what resolution do you want?
These are all questions you have to answer for yourself
before you choose your scope, as you can't change the
reticle after purchase - so decide on the best reticle and then
check which of the scope options and manufacturers carries that
choice. It's much harder than you would think to get that match
right.
Consider these points when choosing a design:

Aiming Point: The reticle provides you with an aiming

point, but does it obscure the target or meet the needs of
your mission?
Measuring Distance: Many reticles can be used to
measure the distance to your target, but do you need that
when you are likely using a laser range finder? It's good
for a backup, but that assumes you have learned how to
use this feature, and practiced.
Correcting Shot Placement: When you fire a shot, and
miss, the reticle can help you make the necessary
correction to put the next shot on target. If you fire a
shot, and using the scope you see that it hits 1 MIL to the
right (in the reticle scale), then you can simply use the
reticle and hold the 1 MIL over, and accurately fire the
next shot (see where in the subtension the shot hit and
put the next shot on that place in the reticle). This is one
of the best features of a more complex reticle.
Holdover Points: Many reticles today feature "holdover
points" for various ranges. This allows you to check the
range, and instead of dialing the come up point, for speed,
you can simply place the target in one of the subtension
hashmarks that relate to the adjustment. The difference
between the zero point and the shot point can be
measured in the reticle itself, and point of aim changed
from the center to a lower hashmark that relates to the
variance in yards or MOA/MILs.

194
Reticle designs

Reticle designs can be super simple aiming points, like a

duplex reticle or one with markings like the Mil-Dot reticle, with
small round dots spaced one milliradian apart (one of the first
designs for ranging and holdover), or a Horus style "Christmas
Tree" reticle which features an entire grid of points.
Thicker reticles show up better in low light or against busy
backgrounds like foliage, and help draw your eye towards the
center of your field of view. Fine crosshairs can almost be invisible
on a busy background, but allow you to adjust your shot in
smaller increments due to the small subtension of the hashmarks.

195
For long range shooting in general you will likely want a Bullet
Drop Compensation (BDC) ballistics reticle design so that you can
dial or holdover between shots. Then you can choose between a
simple and clean design where there is no "Christmas Tree"
beneath the main intersection, or even a more military type
option, with a Horus reticle with more sophisticated options for in-
reticle point of impact compensation.

196
 Long range hunting has differing reticle requirements than
target shooting as the likely size of the objects being shot will be
quite different, could be small or large, and therefore, you may
want a design that doesn't obscure the target in any way and has
open center and dot design at the main crosshair intersection
(e.g. Nightforce Mil-R design). So if your mission is hunting, think
about it's real world application and how you will want to use that
scope - likely in a situation where speed and field of view is more
important than with benchrest shooting.
You might also want to consider the time it takes to learn a
complex reticle like a "Christmas Tree" Horus style reticle. Military
snipers get years of training and practice on using these for fast
holdovers, moving targets and fast 2nd shot placement. Do you
have the time to learn and do that, vs. choosing a simpler
methodology?

197
Reticle types and location
These days there is a large number of Bullet Drop Compensation
(BDC) ballistics reticles to choose from. These reticles are capable
of giving you a true point of aim for a known distance in order to
compensate for bullet drop. This is very useful for long range
shooters. Almost every manufacturer of high quality scopes
utilizes a range of proprietary reticles, often with a choice
between milliradian (MILs) or minute-of-angle (MOA) hashmark
measurements.
You need to choose between the styles based on your needs,
MOA or MILs (explained in detail in another topic), and this is
often driven by your "community". Once you have that chosen,
with the current tend moving towards MILs (especially for target
shooters), then you need to pick a design that has the subtension
set at the appropriate scale for your use. Each increment in the
hashmarks, such as 0.2 MIL, allows for more accurate windage
and holdover changes. A scope reticle with 0.2 MIL resolution
offers more accuracy.

198
 With regard to FFP or SFP reticle placement and design, you
should note that on an FFP scope the reticle grows and shrinks
with the target. At the lower end of the magnification range, the
hash marks on the reticle can be difficult to see. However, if they
are easily discernible at low magnification, they will grow large on
the opposite end of the magnification scale potentially obscuring
more of the target. This is where good reticle design is very
important - a well designed reticle should work well all along the
magnification range.

Reticle options

199
 Illuminated reticles are an option, often at a higher price.
These are useful for low light hunting, dark conditions, and thin
crosshairs to improve visibility with day or night time use.
It's useful to note that scopes with the more
sophisticated "Christmas Tree" reticles (Horus, Tremor,
etc.) are sometimes not offered with the illuminated
option.
As an example of the various designs, Nightforce has a broad
range of reticles you can review online to get a feel for all the
options available:

Takeaway:
As a long range shooter, getting the right reticle is important, so
try and get hands-on time with it in the field vs. the store when
making your final choice. Also, consult your shooting community
as to their choices, so that you can match your scope types as a

200
party, since this is very important in the spotter/shooter
relationship.

201
 FOCAL PLANE

Another very important choice for long range is the focal

plane in the scope you buy. Most long range shooters now
choose a scope with FFP (front or first focal plane).
As discussed in the topic "Scope internal anatomy", the focal
plane of a reticle in your scope can be located in front of the
magnification assembly, or behind it. First or Front Focal
Plane(FFP) reticles are located behind the objective lens at the
front of the scope, and in front of the magnification assembly.
Second Focal Plane (SFP) reticle location is ahead of the ocular
lens at the rear of the scope, and behind the magnification
assembly.

202
Why choose FFP vs. SFP?
Location of the reticle is important because it determines the
operational difference between the FFP and SFP. FFP reticle
placement for high magnification scopes used in long range
means that the the reticle's measurements are the same at all
magnification levels (the subtension remains constant).
A MIL on the reticle at 5x is always a MIL on the reticle at 25x.
The reticle size adjusts with the magnification level so the
measurements are always accurate, in contrast to a SFP scope,
where the measurements change based on the magnification.
On SFP, the reticle is only valid at one point across the entire
range of magnification, usually the highest, otherwise you have to
start calculating a variance based on the magnification setting in
your head as you take a shot - a pain if you do a lot of shooting at
a lot of different magnification levels. A benefit with a SFP scope

203
is that the reticle will appear to be the same size across the
magnification range.
The FFP reticle ballistic and distance measurement increments
on the reticle are appropriate at all magnifications, and that's
important for long range competitive shooters and hunters. There
is nothing wrong with SFP scopes per se', as these scopes
typically are cheaper to produce and thus cheaper and more
affordable to purchase, but for long range shooters they are a
compromise that you need to understand.

FFP in action: reticle increases in size

with magnification

SFP in action: reticle's measurements

are the same at all magnification
levels

204
 Takeaway:
Buy Front Focal Plane. Scopes without FFP are a pain for long
range vs. quick dialing on turrets (with SFP you need to do all the
BDC calculations... only on full power). Get a scope with zero
stops for an easy return to zero.

205
 MOAS AND MILS

Choosing the unit of measure

of your scope and turrets is
another important choice. You
need to choose between the
styles based on your needs,
MOA or MILs.
This choice is often driven by
your "community". What
language do they speak - MOA or
MILs? as you will want to all do
that same if you can - the last thing you need is your spotter
calling MIL changes to a shot that you need to convert to MOA in
your head under pressure.
In the U.S. you can use either system but for "unknown
distance shooting" like PRS matches, you will use MILs. Most of
the guys in that community will be using MILs, and therefore,
communication will be in MILs too. Many would argue that MILs is
simpler and easy to calculate, as it's all base 10. There is a
standard across manufacturers, and so a shooter can easily
communicate with anyone else no matter what reticle design they
have. This ability to share a common measurement language is
key.
Also, keep things simple whenever possible, and have all your
scopes, spotting scope, laser range finder all using your chosen
reticle style.

206
 It's useful to have an understanding of both systems,
as MOA is still the most widely used measure in the U.S.
non-military community, especially in hunting. In Europe,
and for a lot of the competition shooting worldwide, the
metric system and MIL/MRAD is the most used.
In the U.S. it is good to know that even if you choose a MIL
based reticle, that target size and the accuracy of a rifle is often
expressed in Minutes of Angle. The rifle that is sub-MOA, means
that it will shoot group sizes of less than 1 inch at 100 yards. It's
common language explaining the accuracy of that weapon, that
you should understand.

Takeaway:
Whichever system of measurement you use, it's important to
match the reticle to the turrets on the scope, so they use the
same measurements.

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 TURRETS

When choosing a scope, the turrets are important. We

already stated you need to match the turrets to the
reticle, so if you use an MOA reticle design, then use MOA
turret measurements to match. We also suggest you
choose a scope that uses a "zero stop" mechanism on the
turrets, so that settings can be reliably reset to zero after
a shot or change.
On the main body tube of the scope, shooters will find two or
more turrets. A turret is traditionally a tall knob with external
markings for adjustments (windage and elevation) to change the
bullet impact as described in the topic "Scope external anatomy".
Once you have chosen the MOA/MIL, then you need to check
the increments on the turrets - windage and elevation knobs have
"click" adjustments you can feel when turning the dial. One click
generally equates to one-quarter minute of angle adjustment (1/4
MOA) or 0.1 MIL. The elevation you can "dial" on a turret is also
very important for long range shooters. You want to be able to
dial the maximum elevation in the minimum number of

208
revolutions of the turret - more
elevation per revolution is faster
and less of an issue with counting
the number of times you have
dialed the turret.
In addition to choosing these
key features, we also suggest you
review the turret design to ensure
they meet your mission.
The turrets are often capped on
hunting scopes to protect the turrets from changes in the field
through handling, whereas on many long range tactical scopes,
the adjustment knobs are exposed to the user. Today, the more
popular scopes make it easier to dial changes vs. the past ,where
you needed tools to change the settings. This is especially the
case with long range shooting, where shooters can be dialing the
turrets to compensate for elevation (and less so windage) a great
deal, and so ease of use is important.
On top of these choices, it's very important that the
scope turrets "track" accurately. For instance, when you
make a correction on the turrets, this exactly matches the real
world point of impact change you are expecting. A solid and
positive "click" on a turret is also important (positive in this case
means crisp, sharp, and you can feel the cogs and gears moving
in place), when you are dialing changes, since it's easy to make a
mistake when you are under pressure, and so you want to be sure
you make a change with a reliable "feel" on the turret.
Poor quality scopes often have these issues and you
cannot afford this lack of precision in long range shooting.

Custom ballistic turrets

The turrets can also be made to match the caliber of your
commonly used ammunition and rifle DOPE, giving you a
matching set of BDC turrets to your gun. In this case, you simply
dial the amount of "distance" in yards to the target as you can see

209
in your range finder (usually
adjusted based on conditions). The
turret's measurements will show
you ranges on the side, so you
would dial 700 on the dial for 700
yards to a target.

Takeaway:
It's very important that the scope turrets "track" accurately. As
usual, you get what you pay for, with some manufacturers being
much better than others in this regard.

210
 IS BIGGER ALWAYS BETTER?

One other thing to consider, is

a balance between light
transmission and price - the
theory is that bigger is better,
i.e. a bigger tube and bigger
objective lens will transmit
more light to your eye, and
they tend to cost more.
The reality of situation is that human eyes do not have the
ability to use much more than a 5 millimeter (mm) exit pupil. The
"exit pupil" is the diameter of the light image visible through the
eyepiece. An exit pupil of 2 to 3 mm is adequate for daytime use,
though where there is less light you will need a scope with an exit
pupil of 5 to 7 mm, e.g. 5x25x56 scope: 8.3 mm (ATACR™ 5-
25x56 F1).

211
 The exact amount of dilation varies with the individual, and
typically declines, with increasing age, from 7mm (at age 20) to a
dark-adapted pupil of about 5.5mm by age 65. An exit pupil
much larger than your eye can use is wasted. So, when
buying your scope consider your age and application, and decide
how big of a scope you really need. The objective lens size vs. the
cost of the really big, high end options.

212
 A small, low power (magnification) 2.5-8x36mm scope
provides a 7.2mm exit pupil at 5x, and a useful 5.1mm exit pupil
at 6x. This is optimum brightness, but you don't see many of
these options in long range scopes today - 5x25 is more of a
standard. The point being, that bigger, in this case for brightness,
is overkill.
One of the reasons shooters look for a larger objective
lens is because they want more light for a "brighter"
image, but optics clarity and brightness also has a lot to
do with glass quality, not just size. Glass impurities and
finishing processes can affect the clarity of your image.
Quality glass has coatings to improve light transmission
and also prevent reflection and glare.
The same goes for the magnification power, do you really need
a "7-35×56" scope with 100 MOA of elevation travel? If so great,
but many would argue that a lower power scope, especially for
hunting (zoom ranges around three times 3-9x or 4-12x have
proven best for both optical design and use in the field), would be

213
more effective even at long range. As magnification is decreased,
"field of view" goes up.
So a smaller, lighter, less costly lower magnification
scope with a wider field of view may be a better choice for
long range hunting.

Takeaway:
While bigger seems better, be aware that bigger also equals more
cost. An exit pupil much larger than your eye can use is wasted.
That cost may also be wasted.

214
 FIELD OF VIEW

Field of view (FOV) is the amount of area seen through

your rifle or spotting scope from right to left at 100 yards.
The power of the scope has an inverse relationship with
FOV. As magnification is increased, FOV is lessened. As
magnification is decreased, FOV is increased.

215
 This is important when choosing a scope, once again based on
mission.

Live targets move, and a wide field of view is important

if you want to see them through a scope. Low-powered
scopes have the widest field of view. (A 4-12 power scope is just
about ideal). If you are hunting, you will want to spot your target
with your spotting scope or binocular and then be able to quickly
find it in your scope.

216
 If you have a high magnification scope, or one set too high,
then your view will be narrowed, slowing your ability to acquire
the target. That kind of speed is important in hunting, whereas it's
less so for casual benchrest shooting.
A common misunderstanding is that the objective lens
diameter is the same as the field of view, but this is not
correct, it is a separate measurement you can review on
each scope you may choose.

Takeaway:
There's a balance between the magnification and the FOV, and
picking a good balance in your scope is important based on your
mission.

217
 EYE RELIEF

Eye relief is the distance your eye must be from the ocular
lens, and still get a full field of view, and it is a
specification of scope design. Each manufacturer should
provide this number on their specifications, and for a variable
power scope it's usually between 2.5-4 inches. Typically, the more
magnification a scope provides, the shorter it's eye relief.

218
 Higher powered scopes have less flexibility than low power
scopes. With regard to getting the right distance your eye must be
from the ocular lens (eye relief), and how close to center it is
placed - often as little variance as 0.5 inches is what is required
for a good field of view. Also note, the larger the exit pupil, the
less critical the position of your head is in relation to the scope.

219
 For a long range shooter, often shooting larger or magnum
caliber ammunition, this figure is important. The recoil from a high
power rifle is more, and therefore can get too close to the face of
the shooter, causing "scope bite".
Careful and correct use of a rifle, with a higher eye relief
number will avoid this accident.

Takeaway:
Watch out for "scope bite" with high power scopes.

220
 USE IN LOW LIGHT

Hunters generally need scopes

with good low-light
performance. For a scope to
perform well at dawn and
dusk, it needs good light
transmission, plus a reasonably
large exit pupil to make
maximum use of your eye's
light processing ability.

221
 We have reviewed exit pupil and light gathering in the topic "Is
bigger always better?" but in general, to take full advantage of a
scope's light-gathering capacity, the diameter of an eyepiece exit
pupil should be no larger than the max diameter of your eye's
dark-adapted pupil, so that all of the light collected by the scope
enters your eye, rather than falling on the iris.

222
 In addition, a good quality low light scope is likely to be fully
coated to optimize light transmission with the best quality lens
optics. When it comes to high end, high cost scopes, it's this
ability to deliver more light in tough conditions that separates the
players. Expect to pay a great deal more for a top end scope.
Another area of assistance to
the shooter in low light conditions
can be an illuminated reticle, but to
be of real use, it must have user
selectable levels of reticle intensity
to avoid flooding your pupil. But the
benefits are that you no longer
have to struggle with a black reticle
against a dark brown or gray target
(e.g. the hide of animal) in low
light.

Takeaway:
If you plan to be hunting, get the very best light gathering optics
you can. Generally, the higher end scopes are better as they have
better coatings on the optics.

223
 SCOPE RINGS AND MOUNTS

Scope rings and mounts are an

important part of the scope
selection, although you can get
3rd party products to fit most
scope tube diameters,
manufacturers of quality
scopes often also provide
"match grade" rings that are
designed for their scopes.
Rings and bases are made of
steel or aluminum, but for long range shooters high
quality steel components are recommended.
The best mounts offer precision of alignment, durability, and
an immovable mounting platform that won't shift around in the
field.
Also, larger caliber long range ammunition puts a lot more
pressure on the support system, and therefore, better rings are
required to ensure the zero doesn't change (of course you will
also need to mount these parts correctly with the right tools and
torque settings).
Depending on the type of rifle and receiver setup you
have, you will choose rings that work, be they low,
medium or high rings to cater to the size of the scope bell
and it's height above the bore of the rifle. Make sure the
rings are tall enough to allow proper operation of the bolt without
it hitting the scope. Clearly, you need to match the ring size with

224
the tube diameter, likely 30-34mm, and then work out the height
of the rings to give you clearance along the barrel. Brownells has
a handy "Ring Height Chart" to help determine the right ring size.

Ring height chart

Bases
The scope base comes in various forms, and your rifle design will
usually determine the base. One or two piece bases work best
depending on the rifle system. Some tactical rifles, like the Ruger
Precision Rifle, will come with a single rail segment (a Picatinny
rail) already mounted on the receiver.

225
 Scope bases are important to long range shooters, as the
bullet drop to the target can require a canted rail to allow for
sufficient adjustments between the scope and the mount. A 0MOA
base is considered level with the bore of the gun. A 20MOA base
is canted down in the front toward the barrel. By canting the base
down in the front, this is what allows for more usable elevation
adjustment in the scope.

Takeaway:
The most important lesson with mounting the scope is to continue
with the good quality theme, as an expensive scope in low quality
rings that are not a perfect fit, can damage the scope or not hold
the scope firmly enough for the level of accuracy that long range
shooters require.

226
 BUBBLE LEVELS

A scope level (bubble level) is

an important add-on to the
scope. Some scope rings have
these integrated, or you can
add a 3rd party level to the
scope itself or the base/rail.
Experienced shooters know they should keep their rifles
level when shooting to avoid cant errors.
A level attached to the scope allows you to setup the scope
right once and always come back to level when moving the scope
around.
With the scope level attached and fixed in the right position,
you can also track shots and ensure the reticle is level, and before
taking the shot you can check your level via the level on the
scope, etc.

227
 The level is essentially removing rifle "cant". One of the key
factors in long range accuracy is making sure that the
tilt/cant of your rifle does not change throughout your
shot string. For example a 1° cant will produce five inches
of lateral displacement at 1000 yards.
Use a rifle-mounted bubble level to maintain a level hold, and
avoid canting the gun either to the left or to the right.

Takeaway:
Whilst a bubble level is low cost, it is still an important accessory
you should consider for your rifle setup. Avoid the really cheap
versions as they can be inaccurate.

228
 THREE
MORE OPTICS

229
 SPOTTING SCOPES

As with all "glass" choices, get

the best you can afford in
spotting scopes and the
associated tripod. One of the key
issues with a high power spotting
scope is stability, and you need it to
be a solid as possible or it will be hard to use. Choose the best
tripod as well as the best coated high power HD scope you can
afford, and don't cost cut on the tripod or mount.
The other consideration for long range is the power. You need
to be able to look at environmental conditions as well as the
target, at distance - this means maximum power. Spotting
mirage across the shooting area also means being able to
move between near and far, not just looking at at 1000
yards, so good magnification range is also useful.
If you are hunting, then portability and weight may be a
consideration, whereas a bench-rest shooter should be able to
take any size they need without issue. Often, a binocular is the
choice in the field as they can also be mounted and used for
spotting. They don't tend to have the range of a good spotting
scope, so consider the distances you need to cover.
Remember that a great deal of long range hunting is
"glassing" (or looking for the target), and also
determining if an animal is worthy of pursuit. The adage:
"Hunt with your eyes, not your legs" applies here.

230
 As such, the right glass is a critical part of success, if you can't
see the points on a buck then how do you know if it's worth
pursuing? Also, you may not be looking for a whole animal, but
just an antler, a patch of hide, or a slight movement and so you
will need to see "detail". In addition to the power, of course, you
may need to view a wide area, and then the field of view becomes
important.

Field of view is largely determined by eyepiece design. Some

eyepieces are designed to deliver wide fields of view (wide angle),
great for following a moving object. However, "zoom" eyepieces
will have a more restricted field than an equivalent eyepiece of
fixed focal length. In terms of the power (magnification) required,
remember that the higher the power, the smaller the field of view,
so you need a balance.
Another consideration is the different tasks. If you are scouting
before the hunting season, you will have more time and less
equipment, and therefore, carrying a spotting scope that's large
will be less of an issue than when it comes to the hunting itself.
You may want to scout an area with a spotting scope but hunt it
with a binocular. Of course, if there are several of you in the
hunting team, then this may give more flexibility in bringing more
equipment. And so again, a spotting scope may be a good fit -
especially if you have a guide who's not hunting.

231
 Spotting scopes come in both fixed and variable focal lengths.
The variable models are more flexible, enabling wide areas to be
scanned with shorter focal lengths and then examined in greater
detail at maximum zoom. Important issues to consider when
selecting a spotting scope are magnification, aperture, field of
view, eye relief, and focusing.
There are many choices in these
scopes, but a key one is the
eyepiece design for straight-
through, 45 degree, or 90 degree
viewing. Hunters most often prefer
the straight-through design, as this
design makes it easier to sight an
object and follow it as it moves,
and to use with a vehicle window mount but an angled design
may suit a benchrest shooter better.
See the "Digiscoping" topic for other considerations related to
capturing footage using your chosen scope.

Takeaway:
Poor glass can ruin a hunt at long distance, and poor setup and
tools will make the long job of searching for the target harder and
less enjoyable.

232
 DIGISCOPING

As its name suggests, digiscoping is

a photography method that
involves using a pair of binoculars,
spotting scope or a telescope with
a digital camera to capture images
from a great distance. Poor
equipment can result in images that are blurry and unpleasant, so
take some time to consider the factors that can affect your
photography experience.
Digiscoping can be a really great way to save the memory of
your hunt, or a useful record of your shooting history - especially
if you win that competition or get a lifetime trophy. If you plan to
capture video footage or images of your shooting, this can have
an impact on the model of spotting scope you buy at this stage.

233
 Things to consider are, does the manufacturer of the spotting
scope (this is generally used for this purpose more than a
binocular or the rifle scope) have an adaptor as an accessory for
their scope, such as the Leica and Swarovski high end models? Or,
can you buy an adaptor from a 3rd party that will allow
connection of a phone or camera (an example is the PhoneSkope
line of adaptors).
In addition, you will need to consider a tripod. If you are
planning to capture images with digiscoping methods on a remote
mountain or other wilderness areas, you need to account for
wind, rain, and other weather conditions. Without a sturdy tripod,
your camera will be unable to focus on the image that is
magnified with the scope. For digiscoping photography, do
not use a light tripod.

Takeaway:
Not all spotting scopes can be easily used for digiscoping, so
choose a manufacturer with this in mind when buying.

234
 RANGE FINDERS

Range finders, as the name

suggests, are a handheld tool
that allows the long range
shooter to determine an
accurate distance to the target.
However, they can do a lot more
than that basic task. The more
advanced versions can help the
long range shooter account for atmospheric conditions that the
average short distance hunter doesn't need to consider.
Once again, this is an optic first, and therefore the usual rule
applies - buy the best you can afford. Also, this is long range
shooting, so you have to have an accurate distance to target, and
therefore, this is not an optional tool - it's critical to your ability to
shoot at distance.
One of the first choices for long range hunters is the ability of
the unit to actually operate reliably out at long range. Range
finders are sold and marketed under names that imply the
maximum readable distance capable with that unit, but the fact it
is sold as a 1500 yard rangefinder usually means that is only
under ideal atmospheric conditions on highly reflective large
surfaces. The high quality manufacturers are much more
likely to deliver on their distance promise than the low
end ones, so buyer beware.
Before you buy a range finder, you also need to understand
some of the technical capabilities in the real world for your

235
 mission. The range finder uses a
laser to range the target, and this
laser performance is generally
driven by power and beam
divergence. There is a power limit
on what can be considered an eye-
safe FDA Class 1 device, and some
devices use that standard, whereas
others use the more powerful (non-
eyesafe) Class 3R.
In addition, many long range
shooters will want to consider the
units with ballistic compensation
software, and the quality and ease
of use of that software will be a key
part of it's operation. Something
reliable and simple to use is
important. Also, ensure that the
units of measure meet your needs,
MIL or MOA, or distance. If they offer a solver, what does it
compensate for, does it cover all your needs such as range,
pressure, temperature, and incline to calculate a drop and wind
solution based on your programmed ballistic coefficient (G1 or
G7), muzzle velocity, sight height and zero range? Is it easy to
program and use, and can it store a number of differing calibers
you use so you can easily switch in the field?
As with anything electronic, you will also want to be
sure it's backed by a good warranty and also consider the
power options for the device. Also, have a plan for what to
do if it fails on you in the middle of a match or hunt.
Unit size and weight may be more of an issue for the hunter
than the target shooter. The hunting requirements will likely need
a more high end (smaller/lighter) solution, as the conditions are
so much harder for the device to calculate accurately. A lower cost
unit may be fine for reflective targets at the range, but no good
on a distant "dark" target in the trees.
The great thing about the all inclusive designs is that they can
help reduce the number of devices you take to the field or range,

236
and for hunters, they can give you a very fast and accurate shoot
to range, where speed to engage the target is key. The more
manual methods of using the scope to guess the range to target,
using a wind meter to get local conditions, and then looking at a
drop table for your density altitude are lower cost, but also more
time consuming.
The best units for long range shooters are units like the G7
BR2 Ballistic Rangefinder, and the SIG Sauer Kilo 2400.

Range finder binocular

Range finding can also be
achieved using other tools, like
using a binocular with that
functionality built into them such as
the Leica, Bushnell, and Swarovski
models.

237
Check the beam divergence
Range finders use a laser, and that laser beam has a size
measurement when it hits the target you are measuring. Beam
divergence is a way of measuring the size of that beam at a given
distance.
This is really only a major issue for the long range hunter, as
the intended target is much more likely to be obscured, or in close
proximity to lots of other obstacles. The size of the beam is an
issue the farther out the distance you measure, because the beam
gets bigger and therefore, many more things can get hit by the
beam at the same time. You can end up reading something

238
other than the intended target, due to the wide
divergence.

Takeaway:
Range finders should be seen as an essential for all long distance
shooters. We suggest picking a high end version that includes
"ballistics" software, as it will give you an instant shooting solution
vs. other approaches that require more math and more devices to
get on target.

239
 BINOCULARS

A binocular is more of a "nice

to have" item for the target
shooter, whereas for the long
range hunter they can be
classed as an essential, unless
you are in a static position where a spotting scope is an
option.
Once again, this is an optic and therefore the usual rule
applies - buy the best you can afford!
Remember that a great deal of long range hunting is "glassing"
(or looking for the target), and also determining if an animal is
worthy of pursuit. The adage: "Hunt with your eyes, not your
legs", applies here. As such, the right glass is a critical part of
success, if you can't see the points on a buck then how do you
know if it's worth pursuing? Also you may not be looking for a
whole animal, but just an antler, a patch of hide, or a slight
movement and so you will need to see "detail". In addition to the
power of course, you may need to view a wide area and then the
field of view becomes important.
Ensure if you are hunting that you choose a high quality
binocular that is built for the task, as these have the best lens
coatings and are also very robust. Good lens coatings bring out
subtle color differences among subdued browns and earth colors,
making it easier to pick a patch of deer hide out of a background
made up of the various browns, tans and greens of deer habitat.

240
 Glass that minimizes distortion is also important because of the
time you spend looking through them, and without good,
distortion-free glass, you can experience eyestrain.
A big consideration for a
binocular is size/weight vs.
functionality. If you are on a
walking or mountain hunt you may
wish to choose a more compact,
lower power, simpler binocular vs.
the bigger, heavier, and more functional versions where there is
less walking and need for the large equipment. The compromise
here is that the smaller binocular offers less range and smaller
lenses so less light transmission (to achieve the same
magnification as the larger models, these smaller lenses provide a
substantially less bright image), but they are much more portable
and easy to put in a pocket.
The benefits of the larger
binocular is for long range hunters
with big, high-quality objective
lenses where you can include a
range finder, and get better
light and range, likely outweighs
the need for smaller size. This is
especially true you if you use a
harness to carry the binocular in order to distribute the weight on
your shoulders.
Range finder binoculars come with that functionality built into
them, such as the Leica and Swarovski models, and that can be a
savings just in terms of things to carry. They are also far easier to
operate than having two devices, you just look at the target, hit a
button, and get the range in immediately vs. having to fuss with
acquiring the target with another device. There are other reasons
to have a separate range finder (such as ballistics compensation)
that are discussed in that topic.
8×42 and 10×42 are the most popular magnifications of
binoculars for hunting. Remember, higher magnification also
means higher weight and magnified "unsteadiness" in the
eyepiece, and therefore, you will need to consider how

241
you stabilize the binos in the
field when using hunting sticks or
a tripod - more to carry, but it
might be worth it for the power at
range. For longer range shooting, a
12x to 16x magnification is better
but you will need to use a tripod to
stabilize the binocular as the image
distortion due to "shake" will make them unusable otherwise.

Types of binocular
There are two types of prism binocular: Roof (Dach) prism type
and Porro prism type. In a Porro prism binocular, the objective or
front lens is offset from the eyepiece. Porro prism binoculars
provide greater depth perception and generally offer a wider field

242
of view. In a roof prism binocular, the prisms overlap closely,
allowing the objective lenses to line up directly with the eyepiece.
The result is a slim, streamlined shape in which the lenses and
prisms are in a straight line.
Porro prisms are superior, but much more costly for
high end models, so choose the best you can afford, as
always with glass. This is doubly true for hunters and
spotters.

Takeaway:
For long range hunting, we recommend larger, dual purpose
"range finder" binoculars matched to a binocular harness.

243
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244
 PART SIX

ESSENTIAL TOOLS AND

ACCESSORIES

245
 ONE
RIFLE SUPPORT OPTIONS

Once you have your rifle and

scope setup, you will then need
to consider any support system
you may need, depending on
your mission(s), as being
steady is a must for long range
precision rifle shooting.
Your requirements for support will be very different depending
on if you are at the range, a competition, or in the field. When
hunting, there are even more options and challenges to consider.
Outside what nature provides, in terms of rests for shooting
from, the shooter can choose from these core tools for supporting
the weapon system when shooting:

Bipods
Rear and other bags
Slings
Sticks and tripods
Pack (pack frame)
Bench rests

246
 We describe each of the key choices here and explain how to
use them in the section on "Using support options" later in the
course.

Bipods
A bipod is a two-legged stand,
usually collapsible, that is attached
to the front of your stock via the
sling stud, QD system, or to a base
on the rifle system. Usually
mounted as far forward as possible
on the stock. Most bipods have
adjustable legs which you can
raise/lower to obtain a good shooting position, along with use on
most terrain. A good bipod for long range allows for movement in
all directions, left/right to remove rifle "cant" on uneven positions,
along with the ability to move back and forth to allow for free
recoil. Bipods come in differing height options depending on your
mission. At the range, you will likely be on a bench or prone and
will want the lowest possible height to get close to the ground.
However, if you are using them sitting or kneeling in the field you
will need much longer legs on the bipod. But often, in this use
case, you will switch to a tripod or sticks instead. Bipods tend to
be semi-permanent attachments to the weapon system.
Examples of popular bipods are Harris, and Atlas, the latter
being the choice of many long range shooters.

Rear and other bags

A rear bag (often also called a shooting rest, bean bag, sniper
sock and stock sock, etc.) is a "squeeze" bag used under the rear
of the rifle to offer a flexible, but steady rest. Back in the old days,

247
this was a simple sock filled with
sand, but today there are broad
range of differing materials and
options. They achieve the same
basic goal of supporting the rear in
a way that can be changed by
squeezing/releasing the bag
contents. The bag is usually held in
the left hand (right handed shooter) and squeezed to raise or
lower the point of aim in very small increments. Bags are almost
always paired with bipods and used in bench and prone shooting
positions.
Other bags can also be used to support the front of the rifle or
the shooter to allow for a stable shooting position (example
manufacturers are Wiebad, and Tab Gear).

Slings
Slings are a type of strap or
carry harness that is designed to
allow a shooter to carry and
stabilize a rifle system. Slings come
in all sorts of styles, shapes and
materials. They are used in
competition and in the field, but
bipods have replaced them in some
use cases. A shooter can stabilize their rifle in almost any position
with the use of a sling. They are useful on any weapon as they
serve double duty and can usually be easily removed if not
required. They tend to attach via a sling stud or QD system.

Sticks and tripods

248
 As the name suggests, this
support system originated with two
sticks, either held together in your
hand or by some rope to make a
taller bipod - often used when
shooting in the sitting/kneeling or
standing positions. Many hunters
can easily fashion these out of any
branches in the field for a quick make-do support. Commercial
versions are also available that collapse and provide a better over
experience (and as they change height, they can be used in more
shooting positions). The commercial versions also offer a benefit
in that you can rest your binocular or range finder on them, as
well as use them for shooting. And they often have a removable
head that can allow for other uses as well.
The tripod is a 3-legged version, but is often a version of a
"camera" type tripod. It's collapsible and can have a ball-head on
it just like for photography, and it can also service as a platform
for shooting, photographing, digiscoping, and "glassing" with a
scope or binocular. A tripod has the benefit of being more stable
than a bunch of sticks, but also is likely heavier and requires you
carry it with you.
In order to use a rifle with a tripod, there are also some useful
accessories that clamp the rifle to the tripod head allowing for a
very stable position. An example of this type of arrangement is a
"hog saddle" clamp.

Pack (and pack frame)

A pack can also make a useful rest for shooting from low
kneeling, sitting, and prone positions. Packs can have optional
supports added to allow for a better controlled rest area, and a
pack that has enough contents to make it a solid rest will work as
well. Using the frame of a pack is also an option, due to its
rigidity, it acts much like a tall bipod.

249
Bench rest supports
O
n the
benc
h,
you
can
use
your
bipod or a dedicated set of bags/front support. In this case, we
are referring to the adjustable system that allows you to rest the
forend of the rifle in various heights, without movement. For
example, the Caldwell Rock front shooting rest. There are many
other examples, and they all work well to offer a solid support
foundation, often paired with a rear bag.

Note: Beware the "lead-sled", as this type of benchrest design has

one big flaw for precise shooting - it prevents free recoil and can
lead to muzzle lift.

Takeaway:
Being steady is a must for long range precision rifle shooting, and
there are many options to choose and learn, based on your
mission.

250
 TWO
WIND AND ANEMOMETERS

Some form of wind meter is

deemed as required equipment
for long range shooters, as it is
not arguable that the "wind" is
the hardest thing to master in
this field, and any tool that
helps us understand and
counter wind deflection is
essential.
In addition to wind, we also want to understand all the other
environmental factors that affect our shot, and so a device that
helps with many of those pieces is the "anemometer". You will
need one or the other, a wind meter alone being a lower cost
option.
The fundamental reason for having a wind meter is not
just reading the wind at your location (as that's a small
part of the wind deflection puzzle), but as a more
scientific way to train your senses as to what speed the
wind is traveling at any time, through experience and
fact. In other words, you can take a reading at your location and
see the environmental effects (foliage moving for example), and
in your mind you can note that to a wind speed - the leaves are

251
 moving in "this way and that"
amount, at 5, 10 and 15 miles an
hour. This is the only real way to
appreciate what the wind is doing,
by observation. The wind meter
gives you the real speed to match
to what you are seeing.
Of course, the wind meter
reading at your location is also part
of the SWAG (Scientific Wild-Ass
Guess) you will make, as to the
total wind to your target down
range. The wind meter doesn't just give you the wind speed, it
also gives you the direction, and this is extremely important
because of angular deflection.
In addition to the wind, if you
choose the anemometer that has
multiple sensors (for example, a
Kestrel device), you will also get
critical data about the rest of the
environmental factors (density
altitude) you need to build your
firing solution.
Wind meters come in many forms, from units that plug into a
phone, to small handheld devices, and even high end rangefinders
can also give you environmental data. The best devices will offer
wind data as well as a ballistic solution.

Takeaway:
Wind is the big equalizer. For long range shooting, you must have
a wind meter, and depending on your other choices you can get
one with ballistics software integrated, to give you a firing solution
once you have a range.

252
 THREE
HEARING PROTECTION

Hearing protection is very

important (even for rifle
systems with a suppressor that
reduces the report), and comes
in several forms: earplugs and
earmuffs.
Long range rifles tend to be in
higher calibers, often use muzzle brakes, and are therefore much
louder than smaller calibers - so protecting your hearing is even
more important.
Hearing protection has a sound-reduction rating on the
package shown in decibels (e.g. 25dB). The higher the number,
the more noise they block.
Depending on your use, in the field, hunting, or at the range,
you may want to choose differing systems. A hunter often has
the need to listen for the animal they are stalking or other
environmental conditions where the target shooter does
not. Also, a hunter will likely shoot very little, if at all,
whereas the range shooter will be going through 100's of
rounds, often in a very noisy environment.
Each situation has differing needs. At the range, high levels of
protection are a must, and usually mandated. In the field, it's up

253
 to you to choose the best solution
for yourself. Some people use ear
plugs rather than use bulky muffs
to facilitate more comfortable all
day use. Also, when hunting, some
shooters use a single ear plug on
the "shooting" ear (nearest the
rifle) and the other is left open so
some ambient noise is still discernible, i.e. it provides some
protection closest to the rifle, while allowing the hunter to hear
other sounds.
The cheapest form of hearing protection are disposable foam
earplugs, which usually provide somewhere between 25-31 dB of
hearing protection. The more commonly used range protection is
electronically-enhanced hearing protection devices. These come in
earplug and earmuffs that are fitted with external microphones
and internal speakers.
The sound system in electronic
muffs has amplifier technology,
which offers "sound compression",
and this lets shooters hear all of
the low-level environmental sounds
going on around them such as
conversation, the sounds of nature, or the range. But when an
overly loud sound, like a gunshot occurs, the sound is compressed
into a harmless lower volume so that the sound is not cut off, but
rather continuous. The best electronic hearing protection features
more than one microphone, so it is easier to determine the
direction the sound is coming from. This is very important for
shooters when hunting or in a tactical environment.
The main issue for hunters is the larger nature of the
muffs vs. in ear protection.

Takeaway:
In this course, we advocate taking the maximum precautions for
your hearing at all times.

254
 FOUR
SHOOTING GLASSES

Much like protecting your

hearing is a must, the same
goes for your sight.
Also, much like the issues we
highlighted in the hearing topic,
there are differing needs based on your mission. The range
shooter will likely need clear glasses, or possibly ones that help
with the local environment, depending on their location and type
of range they use (e.g. grey lenses for the sun). Shooting
glassed can also be mandated at the range.
However, a hunter in the field will likely encounter many more
differing situations and types of light, and may therefore choose
different types of glass colors to compensate. The hunter will
need to make a personal choice as to the right type of protection
as there are no hard and fast rules. Polarized lenses substantially
reduce glare and that can be helpful in some hunting conditions.
In addition, you can also get Rx corrected glasses for
shooting, which can help you (usually for shorter range)
as the scope you use will help compensate for your
eyesight.
In each case using ballistic-rated eyewear is recommended, as
these type of glasses are designed and tested to survive the

255
 military's high-speed impact and
fragmentation standards. The
civilian standard for safety eyewear
is ANSI Z87 (American National
Standards Institute) standards or,
look for OSHA standard glasses.
Look for these standards when
choosing your glasses, as they
afford a great deal more protection than cheap sunglasses.

Advantages of different lens colors:

The color of lens you prefer is no more than a personal
preference. However, some colors do offer advantages that can
help your shooting.
Dark colors (brown/gray/green) are ideal for most outdoor
activities. Darker shades are intended primarily to cut through the
glare and reduce eyestrain in moderate-to-bright conditions. Gray
and green lenses won't distort colors, while brown lenses may
cause minor distortion.
Light colors (yellow/gold/amber/rose/vermillion): These
colors excel in moderate-to low-level light conditions. They
provide excellent depth perception, enhance contrasts in tricky,
flat-light conditions, improve the visibility of objects, and make
your surroundings appear brighter.

Smoke, gray, and gray-green tints: These are the

most common lens colors. They're effective at blocking
glare without changing color perception, making them a
good choice for all-weather use. Gray is a neutral, or true,
color that allows the wearer to see all colors as they are.
Gray shooting lenses don't enhance the target, but they're
good in bright sunlight.
Amber-brown lens tints: These are especially good at
blocking the blue light commonly found in diffused light,
such as one might experience on a cloudy day. Amber can

256
 improve both contrast and depth perception, and is a good
all-around choice for shooting or hunting.
Yellow or orange tints: These improve contrast and
give a sensation of heightened visual acuity. Lenses in
these hues block haze and blue light and enhance the
orange color of the target. The brighter yellow the lens
color is, the better it is for use during low-light conditions.
Purple-vermillion tints: These enhance the orange of
the target against a colorful background. Vermillion itself is
useful to highlight conditions where there's poor
background, such as trees, and to enhance the target
against the background.
Clear: Clear lenses offer no enhancements for shooting
other than protection. But when shooting at night, a clear
lens is the perfect choice, because it won't affect your
vision, while still offering protection.

Takeaway: In this course, we advocate taking the maximum

precautions for your eyes at ALL times.

257
 FIVE
MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT

Rifle maintenance is really

important for precision
shooters, and we will go into
how to do that later in the
course. But first, you will need
to have a set of tools and
equipment to keep your system
running efficiently. Often you
will have home and portable/field/range setups.

For use in home setup

For your home setup, you can build up a full set of tools and
equipment based on your own personal choice and space. The
best way to start off is to buy a simple cleaning kit that has
everything you need, then add to that as you find what you like.
There are so many choices even of gun oils, let alone everything
else.

258
 Cleaning rifle "butler" to hold your rifle in situ while
cleaning, and any associated equipment.
A range of appropriate sized brushes, preferably nylon or
bronze.
Patches of various sizes, based on the caliber of rifle.
Gun cleaner, solvent and oil.
A quality cleaning rod, single piece, which rotates in the
handle.
A silicone cleaning cloth, as well as range of other rags
and clean cloths.
Q-tip style cleaners and assorted small brushes.
Either jags or screw tips for the calibers you have (to push
through the patches).
Allen/torque wrenches.
Levels, if you are doing any scope mounting.
And more...

For use on the road/in range bag

At the range, or when going to competitions, you will likely want
the basics to keep your equipment working and to deal with any
emergencies. You may have more space than when hunting ,and
you maybe doing barrel break-in and more maintenance heavy
tasks, but still do not need the full set you have at home.
Suggested tools are:

Allen/torque wrenches, in case your scope mounts or

other parts need tightening or adjustment.
Levels, if you are doing any scope mounting.
A few cleaning basics if you are doing any routines that
require cleaning (rod, cleaning solution, brushes, oil, and a
few patches).
Small lens cloth.
Multi-tool for firearm field stripping or any utility purposes.

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When hunting/traveling
When you are hunting, you will likely want to take the minimum
equipment to keep your equipment working, and to deal with any
emergencies. Generally, you will not be doing a lot of maintenance
when on a hunt, other than keeping your equipment clean, dry
and in good working order. Cover the rifle muzzle to keep it clear
of any debris or dirt when not in use. You will likely use your rifle
very little, and will not need to clean it fully until you get back to
your home setup.
Suggested essentials are:

Allen/torque wrenches, in case your scope mounts or

other parts get loose when traveling, and need tightening.
Maybe a few cleaning basics to remove dirt in the action,
bolt, or barrel (rod, cleaning solution, oil and a few
patches).
Small lens cloth.
Batteries for the electronics you carry.
Multi-tool for firearm field stripping or any utility purposes.

Heavy duty rifle cleaning should be reserved for the end of the
season, just prior to storage. Once the rifle is sighted in for the
hunting season, it is better treated with a minimum amount of
chemicals and scrubbing.

Takeaway: You never know when you might need to maintain

your rifle, so always have a portable kit for the field, as well as
base. Getting dirt in the bore or action could be dangerous and
ruin a hunt or competition, as could a loose ring or any number of
issues - so always be ready.

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 SIX
BALLISTIC CALCULATORS AND APPS

There are many tools to help

you calculate the firing
solution for your chosen rifle
system and caliber. A ballistic
calculator is an essential tool,
either in advance of your
shoot, to create a drop table for your rifle setup, or to use
in the field based on real world conditions.
They come in many forms, from
web sites and drop charts, to apps
and devices that do the work right
in your hand. The function of the
ballistic calculator is to create a
proper ballistics trajectory chart
that details range, drop, velocity, energy (fps), wind drift, and
time. It should also take into effect things like atmospheric
conditions, wind, and angle.
The calculator should output a chart that details any changes
you wish to dial on your turrets or holdover, in a unit that you use
in your scope (e.g. distance or MOA/MIL, based on the range to
target).

261
 We will detail how to use examples of these devices
later in the course.

Ballistic calculators (web sites)

Almost all manufacturers of ammunition provide some sort of

online calculator to assist you in creating a "drop chart" for your
setup. You can use these sites to print a chart that you take with
you for each rifle / caliber setup you will use.
Here are some examples you may want to use if you are using
factory ammo:
http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator
Hornady has taken the lead in making a more long distance
orientated approach to these resources with the release of the
4DOF™ BALLISTIC CALCULATOR.

262
 The Hornady 4DOF Ballistic Calculator provides trajectory
solutions based on projectile Drag Coefficient (not ballistic
coefficient) along with the exact physical modeling of the
projectile and its mass and aerodynamic properties. Additionally, it
calculates the vertical shift a bullet experiences as it encounters a
crosswind; referred to as aerodynamic jump.
The use of drag coefficients, projectile dynamics, aerodynamic
jump and spin drift enable the Hornady® 4DOF™ Ballistic
Calculator to accurately measure trajectories, even at extreme
ranges. It is ideal for both long range and moderate distances and
is available for the low-drag precision bullets listed in the drop
down menu of the calculator."

https://www.federalpremium.com/ballistics_calculator/
http://www.bergerbullets.com/ballistics/
http://ballisticscalculator.winchester.com/ (requires a
browser plugin)

Vortex also has a useful online resource:

http://apps.vortexoptics.com/lrbc/

Ballistic calculator apps

There are 100's of apps it seems, so start with your phone -
assuming it's either iPhone or Android based, these are few
examples of more popular and useful apps:

Strelok (Android)/iStrelok (iOS)

Ballistic AE
Trasol

They perform much the same as a website, but are useful in

that you can use them in a realtime way onsite, and most people
have a phone they can use to run these programs when they

263
need them vs carrying printouts of
various drop charts for every caliber
and circumstance. They should be
inherently better, as they take the
exact environmental conditions of
where you are shooting vs. an
estimate you may have had to use
on a website.
The downside of a phone is
that it has a limited battery
life, and can easily fail in the
field.

Ballistic calculator
devices
Devices you take into the field
can also help with your ballistics
solution directly. They also allow
you to program them with your
caliber and load data, then apply
local conditions to give you a
realtime firing solution.
The downside with these
devices can be their smaller screens and fiddly buttons vs. using
an app on a larger phone screen with an intuitive interface. They
have longer battery life than phones, but they also have the
weakness of relying on a battery.
Each differing solution has benefits and drawbacks,
and are much more expensive than a low cost phone app,
but they do offer speed and elegance to your shooting
system.

Kestrel - High end Kestrel devices include a ballistic

solution so you can calculate the solution right in the

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 device, including wind and environmental data.
Binocular - High end binoculars like the Leica and
Swarovski have range finder and built-in ballistic solutions.
Range finders - High end range finders like the G7 and
Sig Sauer Kilo 2400 have a built-in ballistic app, so you can
calculate the solution right in the device. The Sig Sauer
Kilo also has a companion app with the device, that's user
friendly.

Takeaway:
Another essential tool, whether it's in the form of a mobile phone
app or in your device. Make you life easier by using these tools to
calculate your ballistics tables and firing solution in the field for
greater precision and speed.

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 SEVEN
MORE USEFUL TOOLS

Of course, there are a ton more useful tools for the long
range shooter. Depending on your mission, and if you plan
to hunt or compete, there will be a different list of needs,
but we suggest a few useful tools you need here and will
explain their uses later in the course.

Chronograph
A gun chronograph is an
instrument used to measure the
velocity of a projectile fired by a
rifle.
If you plan to focus on
"precision", then having access to a
chronograph is very helpful. These devices will allow you to
understand precisely how your rifle system is shooting at the
muzzle. Every differing type of ammunition or rifle you use will
have a different combination of muzzle velocity numbers, and
rather than take a best guess based on the load data, you can
test each combination as part of your DOPE (DOPE = data on

266
previous engagement i.e. a journal). Then you can get the precise
ballistics for your firing solution, and your shooting performance
will be inherently more precise.
Your shooting club or community may have access to these,
and today we suggest using a more sophisticated tool like a
MagnetoSpeed vs. the older style devices.

Angle cosine indicator

This is a simple device that sits
on the rifle, that allows you to
quickly calculate the correct
distance to a target that requires
shooting up or down at an angle,
it's a shorter distance than line of
sight distance. This device can be useful, but you may also have
this capability in your range finder/binocular if you have a more
sophisticated version.

267
Data book (and calculator)
This is a place where you record
your DOPE and activity at the range
or in the field. Along with tools like
a chronograph, it allows you to
build a history of your shooting
activity and rifle systems'
performance over time. It's a useful
record, and tool for improvement
and precision. It allows you to capture all the details relating to
your weapons system, including you, as you use it in various
conditions. Even when down the range it can help log the mileage
on your rifles, as well as how you are performing over time.

Mildot Master®
Other than being a must for
anyone who has a Mil-Dot scope,
this is like the slide rule to your
calculator - where that is an
electronic device like a range finder.
This is the "old school" way to
calculate your firing solution, and a potential backup to electronics
failure. It's an analog calculator designed similar to a slide rule,
and it performs the following operations: Range to target, bullet
drop and wind drift compensation, angle of fire for uphill and
downhill shots.

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Cheek bag (rifle stock pack)

This is a useful and simple device that attaches to your rifle

stock, and it offers a few useful benefits depending on the design
of your stock. For a fixed stock, this can add height, storage and
comfort, making the cheek weld better. It also allows storage of
rounds on it's side (and other useful tools inside) in many designs,
allowing for quick access to extra ammo should you need it.

Cases
Transport of your rifles to their
destination is important, as it's easy
to bump the rifle in transit, and ruin
the hard work you put in on the
setup and zero. It's also critical for
any long distance transport by road
or air, or on a plane, as the case
and therefore the weapon, will get
some rough treatment. Get the
best hard sided gun case you can
afford for travel, or you may ruin a
hunt when you find the rifle system

269
in pieces or all the setup out of whack at your destination.
There are many more useful tools and these are just
some quick suggestions.

270
 PART SEVEN

BALLISTICS TABLES AND DOPE

271
 ONE
GATHERING DOPE

So what is this DOPE all about?

DOPE is short for "Data On
Previous Engagements". In
short, this is simply a record of
how your rifle and ammunition
works in the real world. How it
changes over time, or if you use differing ammunition or hand
loads, what is the outcome in different locations, temperatures,
elevations and wind conditions, etc.?
It can also be useful to understand how many rounds you have
down a barrel, or how the rifle shoots on a "cold bore" shot
(critical when hunting), or when breaking in a new barrel.
This history builds your knowledge of your shooting
system and increases your confidence with your own
setup.
Develop a routine in which recording information is a natural
part of your routine when you go to the range or have the time
while practicing or testing.
We suggest you keep a record of the date, time, rifle, scope
height, ammunition, number of rounds, and keep copies of targets
(or photographs of them) and details of the location (temperature,
precipitation, humidity, elevation and barometric pressure) as a

272
 minimum. Also, record the shooting
position (e.g. bench or prone?) as
the results will be very different
between them.
I
n
addit
ion,
you can record chronograph
readings (muzzle fps), location of
the sun, prevailing wind, and any
mirage (downrange or if there was
any local mirage from a heated barrel). Record the settings on
your sights or scope, and any changes you make to the sight
settings. Also record the wind direction, velocity, and the
correction estimation you used and the actual point of impact. If
you heldover in your reticle, then record that as well.

Don't forget to also record when you "pull" a shot, and

what you did (e.g. You pulled a shot high, or anything else
that negatively affected the shot).

This sounds like a lot, and it is, but a good data book makes
things easier, as it will have pages to prompt for this info, and it
doesn't take too long to input it and then record some of your
shots one by one, so you have a record of each session or match.
The great thing about this record, is that when you take that
shot of a lifetime in a match or on a trophy animal, you will be
much more relaxed as you will know how the shooting system
works, or how your cold bore shoots every time, and that will
increase your chances of success.
A secondary benefit is that it will also help you figure out when
your rifle needs maintenance or if your barrel needs replacing.

273
The cold bore shot
The most important shot out
of your rifle is the first one. To
prepare for a shot opportunity at
long range, you need to understand
your rifle's cold bore shot. Each
time you go out to the range with
your cold and cleaned rifle (or cold
and fouled rifle), pay special
attention to your first shot and
note it's behavior. Is it high or
low in relation to the next group, or
your zero? Is it to the right or the left?

Your shooting system will have a slightly different behavior

when the bore is cold and clean, as opposed to fouled.

We recommend mapping your cold bore shots on a spare

target which you keep with your system. Each cold bore shot is
recorded on this target. Bore preparation can make a difference.
Clean and oiled, followed by a dry patch is the preferred method.
Many guns will shoot the cold bore shot into group center when
the gun is prepared this way, although, some work well when
cleaned, then fouled with several shots, before you take the gun
into the field.

What to do with DOPE?

Your data, if you have access to a chronograph, will allow you to
make a much more accurate drop chart. Using actual real life
testing, you can take your ammunition and test how it performs,
and use this on your ballistic solution.

274
 Also, you can actually check what you expect to happen in
terms of drop actually happens. If the estimated drop is
inaccurate you can compare it to a group at specific distances and
correct for a perfect drop chart for your setup - remember every
rifle and ammo combination will be unique.

Takeaway:
Always be gathering data. The more precise your data, and
detailed, the better it will be for your shooting.

275
 TWO
USING A CHRONOGRAPH TO COLLECT
DOPE

Using a chronograph, or similar technology, to measure

the performance of your specific rifle/ammunition
combination is very important for precision shooting.
There are many chronograph
manufacturers like Chrony,
Competitive Edge Dynamics,
Oehler, LabRadar and
MagnetoSpeed.
They have a set of triangular
'screens' that are set up near your
rifle muzzle. You shoot through the
two screens, and as the distance
between the screens is fixed and
known, the chronograph can
measure the bullet velocity as it
passes between the sensors.
These older designs are error prone however, as they rely
on lighting conditions and getting everything set up
correctly. Alignment of the screens is important and if the
screens are not level, or the bullet passes through them at an
angle, this can affect the accuracy of the readings. This design
also requires you to go downrange (and arrange everything back

276
and forth, until it's all perfectly aligned with your rifle), which is a
more dangerous place to be on a range, in front of all of the
shooters, even in a ceasefire situation. If it's wrong, you have to
wait until a cease fire (could be 20mins), and then fix it and start
again - all hassle.

Note: Using a conventional chronograph, you also have to measure

and input how far the screens are set up from the muzzle into the
ballistics solution.

More modern tools like the

MagnetoSpeed are easier to
use as they attach directly to
the rifle muzzle, at your firing
position, no going downrange -
although you still need to care
when installing to get good results. The MagnetoSpeed
provides very accurate and reliable readings, since the sensors
don't rely on lighting conditions to detect the passage of the
bullet. In theory, you may alter barrel harmonics by attaching the
device on the end of the barrel. However, most users report either
minimal or no shift in point of impact.
An even better, if more costly, solution is to use doppler radar
such as LabRadar. This is not attached to your rifle, but placed at
the firing position. LabRadar is designed to be set beside the
shooter, as it is triggered by the weapon muzzle blast. Doppler
radar is the most precise method of measuring velocities available.
Its accuracy is not dependent on light conditions or being exactly
parallel to photo electric sensors resulting in false readings.

Chronograph data
In all of the above, we have a simple job and that is to collect
DOPE on our shooting - we are looking to collect the muzzle
velocity of each shot, an average of our shots for the

277
shooting system, and to spot
any changes or issues. This is
precise data for us to input into our
firing solution and ballistic software.
When collecting
chronograph data we will be
recording Muzzle velocity (MV),
Standard deviation (SD) and
Extreme spread (ES).
Each device we use should output the muzzle velocity (MV) of
each shot, and depending on the model used, will record these to
give us the data we need. The chronograph will record the
average muzzle velocity, and that is what you will be using in your
ballistic calculations.
Of particular importance is the "SD" - Standard deviation is a
term that describes how far off from the average of a string of fire
each shot is. If I fired a string of ten rounds with an SD of 20fps,
that means each round is expected to be 20fps off the average
velocity of that string of fire.
Finally, extreme spread (ES) is the difference in speed,
between the fastest and slowest rounds measured in a string of
shots. This is important, because a high ES will result in large
velocity differences between shots which will then result in
different points of impact at distance.
The point of this exercise is to get a rifle/ammunition
combination with low, preferably single digit, SD/ES in order to
get precise shooting at long range. In order to achieve such low
variance you will likely need to hand load.
Examples of testing factory loads with a
MagnetoSpeed:

278
Winchester 300 Win. Mag
Factory muzzle velocity (MV): 2960 fps

Tested output

Avg. muzzle velocity (MV): 3002 fps

279
 Standard deviation (SD): 18.7
Extreme spread (ES): 28 fps

Conclusion: This is hunting ammunition, not designed for

long range shooting, and you can tell by the variance from factory
readings and the wide ES.

Hornady 308 Win.

Factory muzzle velocity (MV): 2820 fps

280
 Tested output

Avg. muzzle velocity (MV): 2753 fps

Standard deviation (SD): 12.5
Extreme spread (ES): 35 fps

Conclusion: This is hunting ammunition, not designed for

long range shooting and you can tell by the variance from factory
readings and the wide ES.

281
7 Rem. Mag. Custom Hand Loads
(Hornady Precision)
Factory muzzle velocity (MV): 2975 fps

Tested output

Avg. muzzle velocity (MV): 2908 fps

Standard deviation (SD): 6.8
Extreme spread (ES): 16 fps

Conclusion: Muzzle velocity is still off, but the SD and ES are

excellent and almost as good as a hand loaded cartridge. For a
factory load, this is really excellent performance.

Takeaway:
Getting more precise data on your ammunition and rifle
performance is very important to precision shooting, so try and
beg, borrow, or steal (OK, buy) a chronograph and measure all
your ammunition muzzle velocity (and SD) to create your own
DOPE. Every rifle/ammunition combination is unique.

282
For those of us in California (and other regulated states), we need
to be able to measure several different ammunition types due to
legal issues. For example, we use a hunting (non-lead) cartridge in
the field, but the lower cost lead ammo. for the range - this
requires two sets of DOPE. We use a range of rifles and calibers, so
this doubles all the required data).

283
 THREE
MEASURING GROUPS TO DETERMINE
ACCURACY

The easiest method of measuring shot groups is the "center-to-

center" method, which is finding the distance between the centers
of the bullet holes on the target that are at the extreme edges,
i.e. the ones farthest apart. Finding the center-to-center
measurement is done best with a caliper or a ruler. Digital calipers
allow for great precision when measuring groups.
Use either 3 or 5-shot groups as a measurement basis
for this. 5-shots tend to offer great accuracy, but can get
costly in magnum calibers, so we often see a 3-shot group
used for this process.
First, find the bullet diameter of the ammunition you are
shooting. If you're shooting a bullet designated in inches, like a
.308, then you're set since the caliber is the diameter. However, if
you're shooting a metric bullet, like a 7mm (Rem. Mag) in this
example, you can easily convert metric to U.S. as 1 mm equals
approximately 0.039″, so using this equation, a 7mm bullet is
about 0.27″ in diameter.

284
 Here, we can see it measured as 0.276 by hand using the
calipers.
Next, measure the bullet group from the edges of the bullet
holes farthest apart on your target, as shown:

In this example, that is 0.607".

Finally, subtract 1 from 2 above (bullet diameter from group
size). In this case, that is 0.607-0.276 = 0.331 inches, center-
to-center.
You can now log this group, and any others you shoot on the
day, in your data book to keep a track of your shooting, and also
the performance of the rifle and caliber in question.

285
 You can also use a software app. to help with this process and
automate the calculations.

Takeaway:
Getting more precise data on your shooting ability and that of
your rifle is key to improvement. This is the basic measure of your
precision and accuracy

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 FOUR
BALLISTIC TABLES

A ballistic table or drop chart

(ballistic chart, ballistic card, or
data card) is the specific
expected bullet "drop" to the
target over distance, based on
your cartridge, and various
conditions. In other words, it's a
reference showing you what will
happen to the projectile based on
various environmental conditions, so that you can compensate in
your firing solution.
The chart is useful as a "hard copy" of the expected drop and
wind deflection usually based on generalized parameters. The
parameters we set as a baseline allow for in field calculations of
the expected approximate bullet deflection/drop from the target.
As these tables can only contain a simple set of parameters, you
generally have to assume a number of factors making this method
somewhat less accurate than a wind meter.
The benefit of a "paper" drop chart is that it will not
run out of battery power, or get damaged, and it is very
fast to use.

287
 On the other hand, the wind
meter is very precise to your exact
conditions, and if it has a ballistic
solution it will give you a more
accurate firing solution to a
standardized drop chart.
It pays to have both, when
shooting long distance. Better safe
than sorry.

Ballistic tables
Ballistic tables (or drop charts) can be easily generated in an app
on your phone or PC, and printed and kept with your rifle. They
can be made from basic generic parameters from the
manufacturer of the ammunition (see the side of the box), or
better, they can be generated by measuring your rifle and
ammunition combination, getting exact parameters such as
muzzle velocity (using a chronograph).
It is also suggested that you create drop charts that
include standardized baselines that are easy to calculate
(differing wind speeds, for example). Run the numbers for
a 10mph wind, so this can then easily be halved for 5mph,
for example. Starting with a higher mph is better.

288
 Note: The opposite is not true, you can't multiply a 5mph wind
adjustment by 2 to get a 10mph value. These adjustments aren't
linear, as the wind's effects are cumulative.

It's unlikely that you will be able to accurately SWAG (Scientific

Wild Ass Guess) the wind down to 1 mph increments at 1000
yards, therefore most of us are considering a few variations on the
wind, and starting at 10mph is a good middle ground.
The same is true for wind angle. Run all your drop charts with
the values for wind set to 10mph for speed, and full value, or 90
degrees, for the wind angle.

Note: There is almost always some wind, therefore having a

baseline with zero wind is less useful or less likely. Also, these ways
of running calculations are independent of the reticle you are using,
MILs or MOA doesn't matter, the values you choose to use are
equally applicable for a call and useful to communicate with others.

Finally, run the drop chart based on the system you are using
on the scope for your rifle, i.e. in MILs or MOA, and also add in a
density altitude parameter for the place/temperature you expect
to be shooting, to get a more accurate output.
You may also consider adding in other parameters such as the
maximum ordinate for more advanced wind calls (see "Reading
the wind" topic).

Wind meters
The faster, more accurate way to make a wind call is to use a
wind meter with a ballistic program, or a range finder with a wind
capability, or a wind meter with a ballistic app. Each will create an
instant localized reading for your firing solution based on all
available parameters. This assumes that you added in your
ammunition parameters to the ballistic program in advance. Of

289
course, you can use the wind meter
to just get wind and local
conditions data, and use the drop
charts instead.
Assuming you are using a
ballistic solution, using something
like a Kestrel, you have everything
you need to make a wind call
instantly. Don't forget, you will only
get a local reading for the wind, so
you will still want to consider the
down range conditions and make
any manual calculations required.

Takeaway:
Get your tables generated for all your rifle/load combinations and
print them out, even if you have an app or other tools, and this
way you can always be ready in the field.

290
 FIVE
GENERATING A BALLISTIC TABLE

In order to generate a ballistic table, you will need to

collect some data on your ammunition, rifle, and the
shooting conditions. All the software, websites and apps are
very similar and easy to use. We will give a generic example
below, and you will need to check with your supplier for any
differences in data sequence, but the basics will be the same.
Before you get started, choose the caliber of cartridge you are
going to be using, and then get the muzzle velocity from live fire if
you can. If not, you can get a rough estimate from the

291
ammunition box. If you are shooting long range, you really need
to commit to get the exact muzzle velocity using your own rifle
and ammunition.
In addition to the muzzle velocity, we will need the BC,
diameter, weight and drag model (usually G1), and the distance of
the chronograph from the rifle when testing (if using the older
style).

Using the software

- To get started, load the program and look for the "trajectory" or
similar page, and add a new "projectile" for saving into the library
(for you to use in the field later). (You may also save it after
getting the table data generated).

292
 - Most of these ballistics programs have a bullet library with all
the factory data. To use the library, select the bullet caliber or
cartridge that your rifle is firing from the list (assuming it is listed),
and the library will pre-fill the information about the projectile (like

293
its length, weight, and ballistic coefficient) into the calculator for
you. If it is not listed, then manually enter the BC, diameter,
weight and drag model (usually G1).

- Then add in the cartridge muzzle velocity you recorded from

the chronograph and the distance of the chronograph from the
rifle in feet, when recording, if applicable.

294
 - Next, set a zero range (100 yards), and the sight (scope)
height above the bore of the rifle (usually around 1.5").

295
 - Now add in any atmospheric conditions at your zero location
(the range you setup the rifle), as well as where you plan to
shoot. This should include altitude, barometric pressure,
temperature, and relative humidity. This data should be collected
from the likes of a Kestrel at the location, if possible. If you don't
have that data, then use the pressure from your local weather
station, and leave the box 'pressure is corrected' checked.
The range options should make sense for minimum and
maximum range you will be shooting, with a reasonable
increment, usually in yards or meters.

296
 - Choose a wind value, we suggest always using a 10MPH wind
at full value (90 degrees).

297
- YOU WILL ALSO NEED to set various output options such as
MOA or MILs/MRAD as units for the drop and windage
adjustments, so that it matches the adjustments of your scope.

298
 - There will likely be a range of other options such as
spin(drift) and stability where you will need to know the twist rate
of your rifle system. You can also set the Coriolis acceleration if
you know the latitude and angle of fire. Beginners may want to
leave these off when testing for speed.

299
 - Having set everything required, you run the software to get a
trajectory and ballistics output, and this is shown as a graph and
drop/ballistics table.

300
 - You can usually then output these to a printer and save them
to your own ammunition library, for recall later.
- The final step is to check the charts accuracy against
your recorded results from live fire at the range.
The table you see is usually arranged with the input data
summary at the top, (the data relative to the bullet), i.e.
manufacturer, caliber, weight, ballistic coefficient, and muzzle
velocity. The data relative to the ambient conditions for which the
table has been calculated, i.e. temperature, pressure, humidity,
and altitude. The data relative to the wind speed and direction for
which the values of windage have been calculated (in this case a
wind at 10mph from 90°). This is listed for the zero location and
the expected shoot location (as they may be different).

301
The output data is then usually
organized with:

Range (yd), which is the range in yards from the shooter

to the target.
Drop (MOA/MRAD/inches), is the amount of adjustment
you need to set on your scopes turret, calibrated in
fractions of units, to compensate for a particular distance
different from zero range. This is based on the zero
distance you input, i.e. 100 yards. To properly use the
ballistic table, your sights need to be zeroed for that
range.
Windage (MOA/MRAD/inches), is the amount of drift in
inches, at the various distances, due to the wind of 10mph
from 90 degrees.
Velocity (ft/s), is the residual speed, in feet per seconds,
of the bullet at various distances.
Energy (ft-lbs), is the residual kinetic energy of the bullet,
expressed in feet per pounds.
Time (s), is the time of flight of the bullet.

Note: The values present in the ballistic table are for the distances
and wind range you have set. If you need the correction values for
distances or wind conditions not listed in the table, you will need to
calculate, or estimate them using the closest values available, e.g.
If you estimate the wind to be 5MPH and not 10MPH (per the
table) you would halve the output value shown for adjustment.

Takeaway:
Get your tables generated for all your rifle/load combinations in
advance of shooting in the field. You can easily save them on your
phone and print them out as hard copy. You will also need to store

302
them in your range finders, Kestrel, ballistic wind meters and
other tools. Don't go anywhere without your data!

303
 PART EIGHT

ONGOING LEARNING AND

PRACTICE

304
 ONE
PRACTICE DRILLS

It's great to be at the range to

shoot, or in the field, but in
between times, you can
improve your skills by dry
firing. Indeed, the
professionals swear by dry
firing practice to help improve
every area of your shooting.
Dry firing is pulling the trigger
without a cartridge or shell in the chamber and helps improve
upon a key element of shooting performance--trigger control.
Begin with an unloaded firearm and, as always, keep the
muzzle pointed in a safe direction and keep your finger off the
trigger until you are ready to fire. Ideally you will have some pre-
fired or dry fire practice rounds that will help save your firing pin
during practice. Load up with these testing cases, one is enough,
but if you have several, you can load up for a series of shots, like
in the field.

305
 The idea of dry fire practice is to simulate an actual
shot on target, so you'll want to go through all of the
steps you would take before shooting.
Adopt the shooting positions you would use based on your
mission (kneeling, sitting, prone, or whatever), looking at the
target through the scope and shoot while remaining on-target as
the trigger breaks. Get setup using bags, tripod or whatever
situation you will be actually using for live fire.
Practice your natural point of aim, as well as the follow
through, keeping your head on the gun even without the
sound of a round leaving the rifle. As you know, as there's no
shot placement to chase, this can help you be more disciplined in
recoil management and the followthrough period, for more precise
shooting.
Another drill to catch any flinching, is to go to the range and
have a friend hand you your firearm (either unloaded or loaded),
and you should deliver the shot without knowing whether there is
a cartridge in the chamber or not. Dry fires that surprise you
will make any flinch immediately apparent. A flinch is
almost always the result of anticipation of the shot, and if you
can't remain perfectly still and target centered through the shot,
you need to practice dry firing more often.
This simple procedure can be used to help control buck fever,
or when you are using a magnum caliber where anticipating recoil
can be more of an issue.

306
 Expert tip “A useful tool in dry fire practice at home is the Dry fire
training adapter for use on a scope. Known as the D.F.A.T. (Dry-fire,
Focus, Adapter, Training) device, this device allows you to use your
rifle and optic to dry fire practice in a very small area. With this
adapter most scopes can focus from 11-15 feet. With proper
lighting you can use your scope at maximum magnification.” Pete
Potosky, inventor of the Tracer Hit Light

Practice like this will help you get set up and eradicate bad
habits.

Takeaway:
Dry firing is an important part of your practice regime, its cheaper
and teaches different lessons than shooting at the range.

307
 TWO
LONG RANGE SCHOOLS

Once you have the theory down, we suggest you take a

practical course.
Here is a list of practical shooting schools:

Gunwerks Long Range University

Accuracy 1st Long-Range Courses
The Site Precision Rifle Training
K&M Training
Darrell Holland's Long-Range Shooting School
Thunder Beast Long-Range Field Shooting
Rifles Only

308
 This is not a recommendation for each school but simply a list
of schools that teach the discipline.

309
 THREE
USEFUL WEBSITES

Go to our website for more in-depth videos and content:

www.teachmeinteractive.com
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310
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311
 JOIN OUR LONG RANGE COMMUNITY

JOIN OVER 100,000 FELLOW LONG RANGE SHOOTERS ON OUR

FACEBOOK GROUP:
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Signup to our free newsletter here and get Book Three of this Series FREE!
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T hanks for reading our book , we worked hard for a few years to bring you
what we hope is a punchy, but comprehensive resource you can rely on for
years as you enjoy your sport.
We have setup a newsletter you can join to get access to a ton of extra
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Get “early access” and unique reader-only sneak peaks into new
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INTERACTIVE ONLINE TRAINING

312
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313
 NEXT STEPS…GET BOOK TWO

Thanks for reading this far, now let’s move on to the more
advanced topics in Book Two of the Series.
In the Second Book we cover the more advanced topics of
Equipment usage and setup, Shooting technique and the
fundamentals, Ballistics and Reading the Wind.
You will learn the how to use your equipment and a precision
rifle, the “fundamentals” of marksmanship, shooting positions,
using a spotter, ballistics (including effects like coriolis, spin drift,
drag, angles and transonic effects) the environment (density
altitude and more), reading the wind and understanding effects
like mirage.

Go to the store to get your copy:

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Volume 2 contents:

Equipment usage and setup - rifle

Equipment usage and setup - scopes
Equipment usage and setup - support
Shooting technique

314
Getting set up to shoot
Ballistics
Reading the wind

315
 MORE LONG RANGE SHOOTING BOOKS,
VIDEOS AND COURSES…

P recision L ong R ange S hooting A nd H unting

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We are here to help you get the most of your Long Range Shooting -
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Vol. 1: Getting started, caliber and equipment choices

In the First Volume of the Ultimate Guide to Long Range Precision Shooting
And Hunting, we help you save money and time with your equipment choices.
Vol. 2: Fundamentals, ballistics and reading the wind

316
 Covering topics of equipment usage and setup, shooting technique, ballistics
and reading the wind. The core technical skills and knowledge required to be a
competent long range shooter.
Vol 3: Choosing and using a Long Range Rifle Scope
Find the ideal scope for your needs from over 1,000 brand and model
choices with full details on the key features to consider. Then learn how to
install, zero and use it for long range shooting or hunting.
Vol 4: Precision Rifle Handloading (Reloading)
Both entry level and advanced reloading techniques are covered in detail.
Every nuance of match quality handloading covered, including safety, selection,
sorting, preparation, seating and load development. This resource is focused on
long range precision handloading to give the shooter the most accurate
precision setup.
And even more are being added all the time…to learn more visit us
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Prefer learning online or on

your phone with videos?

317
We offer courses online. Our multimedia lessons offer a great deal more: lots of
videos, quizzes, additional content, and how-to segments. This makes learning
interactive, and we continuously add new content and community options.
Go here for more details on special offers for owners of the book:
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Secret savings
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318
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to acknowledge the following contributors

to this work. We hope you love our products, let us know
what you think: www.teachmeinteractive.com/feedback

Contributors, editors and commenters:

Rufino S. Valencia
Donald Tru
Kurt Laughton
Jim Moore
Jason PawPaw Ray
Daman Pinson
Rodney Downs
Craig Davis
Peter Potosky
Nate Demiter
Billy Passmore
Eric Travis
Mark Walker
Allen Trevino
Miketaag Roganson
Richard Utting
Tim Harris
Jim Smith
Paul McHugh
Ron Longmore

319
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author “ringing steel” at 1000 yards

TeachMe Interactive is excited to help you learn complex skills faster, with
less effort, whenever it suits you.
Designed to be mobile friendly and easy to use – now you can
learn anytime and anywhere!

Our Skills & Expertise

TeachMe Interactive produces high quality, in-depth, books, e-books,
apps., and online courses to help you learn new skills quickly and
easily.
We have packed these book/courses full of simple and informative videos,
diagrams, illustrations and short punchy text (depending on your version) so
you can learn in your own way, but absorb the materials in minutes – no need
to wade through pages of useless information to get the insight you need, it's
right there a click or two away at all times!
This course is part of a series of courses, and while it works standalone, it
can also be used to learn about the larger topic as well.

320
Visit: https://www.teachmeinteractive.com for details about the
other courses that will help you enjoy your hobbies and pastimes.

For more information:

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[email protected]

321
 LEGAL NOTICE & DISCLAIMER

Every effort has been made to make this publication as complete

and as accurate as possible, but no warranty as to suitability or
fitness for any particular purpose is given or implied. The
information provided is on an 'as is' basis. The author and the
publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any
person or entity with respect to any loss or damage arising from
the information or the use or application (in whole or in part) of
the information contained in this publication. The author and the
publisher expressly disclaim all and any liability and responsibility
to any person reading or using this guide in respect of anything,
and of any consequences of anything, done or omitted to be done
by any such person in reliance, whether wholly or in part, upon
the whole or part of this guide. In particular, but without limiting
the foregoing, the publisher and author assume no responsibility
for errors or omissions or any actions taken on the basis of the
information contained in this guide.

IN NO EVENT WILL TEACHME INTERACTIVE BE LIABLE TO YOU

FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST
SAVINGS, LOST REVENUES, LOSS OF DATA OR ANY INDIRECT,
SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING
OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE COURSE, EVEN
IF TEACHME INTERACTIVE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

322
 WARNING NOTICE

WARNING:
FIREARMS CAN CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO THE USER
AND TO OTHERS.

This book and course encourages the safe and responsible

ownership and use of firearms. You agree and acknowledge that
there are risks associated with firearms training, including but not
limited to: risk of serious injury or death due to firearms
discharge by you or another individual, exposure to loud noises,
and exposure to noxious fumes and hazardous material. Despite
the risks, you knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently choose to
participate in this firearms training course even though you will
not be doing any live fire during this theory-only course.
At all times, TeachMe Interactive intends for the gun safety
information contained in this class to be used for educational
purposes only. No information presented within this class should
be construed as advice requiring professional licensure and a
relationship with a patient/client, including medical, psychological,
legal, or any other regulated profession. No doctor/patient,
attorney/client, or other such legal relationship is formed or
intended to be formed by your participation in this course.

323
-INDX-
Title Page 1
Copyright notice 2
Contents 4
Join Our Long Range Community 7
I. An introduction to long range shooting 9
Getting started in long range 14
What's your mission? 19
Why shoot long range? 21
Long range is the fundamentals on steroids 23
What is long range? 26
How to "ring steel" at 1000 yards 29
The Zen of long range shooting 31
Long range hunting 32
Safety and legal 36
Keep in touch 39
II. Units of measurement 40
MOA vs. MILS 43
Yards vs. metres 49
Energy 52
Speed 56
Weight 61
III. Choosing a caliber and ammunition 64
Ballistic coefficient 66
Choosing a caliber 70
Factory vs. hand loaded ammo 80
Components of a cartridge 83
Bullet 88
Case 93

324
 Propellant (powder) 96
Primer 99
IV. Choosing a precision rifle 102
1. Equipment choices 103
The precision rifle 106
Semi-auto vs. bolt action 109
2. Rifle anatomy 111
Stocks and chassis 115
Action (receiver) 123
Triggers 129
Safety 135
3. Barrels 138
Barrel anatomy 143
Rifling 148
Contour 152
Length 154
Barrel break-in 156
Barrel "seasoning" and equilibrium 159
4. Rifle accessories 161
Muzzle brakes 162
Suppressors 165
V. Choosing optics 168
1. Scope anatomy 170
Scope external anatomy 171
Scope internal anatomy 177
Reticles 183
Scope rings and bases 186
2. Scope selection 189
Introduction 190
Reticle choices 193
Focal plane 202
MOAs and MILs 206

325
 Turrets 208
Is bigger always better? 211
Field of view 215
Eye relief 218
Use in low light 221
Scope rings and mounts 224
Bubble levels 227
3. More optics 229
Spotting scopes 230
Digiscoping 233
Range finders 235
Binoculars 240
Special "secret" free gift 244
VI. Essential tools and accessories 245
1. Rifle support options 246
2. Wind and anemometers 251
3. Hearing protection 253
4. Shooting glasses 255
5. Maintenance equipment 258
6. Ballistic calculators and apps 261
7. More useful tools 266
VII. Ballistics tables and DOPE 271
1. Gathering DOPE 272
2. Using a chronograph to collect DOPE 276
3. Measuring groups to determine accuracy 284
4. Ballistic tables 287
5. Generating a ballistic table 291
VIII. Ongoing learning and practice 304
1. Practice drills 305
2. Long range schools 308
3. Useful websites 310
Join Our Long Range Community 312

326
Next steps…Get Book Two 314
More long range shooting books, videos and
316
courses…
Acknowledgments 319
About the Author 320
Legal Notice & Disclaimer 322
Warning notice 323

327