Learning to shoot at long range

B

BornToLooze

New member
I just got a Remington 770 (got it mixed up with the 700) and was wondering if there are any tips I should know for shooting at 500+ yards. I used to be pretty accurate with my .22 but that was within 100-150 yards. Is there anything special I should know? And just out of curiosity, how far should a 30.06 be accurate to?
 
The fundamentals required to shoot a .22 accurately at 100 yards are the same for a centerfire at distance. Beyond 200 yards the weather becomes a major factor in centerfire. Wind ,mirage, temperature,humidity,etc. are part of the mix. Being able to gather and decipher the effects on a bullet are what separates the good shooters from the great.
Depending on the rifle and load the 30-06 can be very accurate to 1000 yards. Even beyond.
 
The fundamentals required to shoot a .22 accurately at 100 yards are the same for a centerfire at distance
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This is correct. If you can shoot accurately at 100 yards, shooting accurately at long distance only requires you to properly account for bullet drop, wind, temp, humidity, etc. You should be able to shoot accurately at 600 yard, 800 yards or even more.

Having said that, I guess a lot of it depends on what your requirement for accuracy is. If you are trying to hit a deer-sized lung, you may find 400-500 yards to be about as far as a 770 can keep it on target. If you are trying to hit an 18" silhoute, that number may jump out to 600 or 700 yards. All depends on your specific rifle and your ability to judge environmental conditions.

Your scope (or lack there of?) will be come the limiting factor at some point.
 
The fundamentals of shooting mid & long range is no different then shooting short range.

The difference is learning environmental conditions and how to adjust for them. Along with knowing the ballistic of your rifle ammo combination.

Wind in the most concern. Mirage is your friend, it tells you want the wind is doing. In tell you get a handle on the wind, and what it does to your bullet you'll never master mid and long range shooting.

You can read lots of books, view lots of videos, might help a little but not everyone's eyes are the same. You need to learn what the wind does through your eyes.

Get a wind meter, then walk around looking at trees, flags, grass, smoke, etc and watch what it does. Then check your wind meter to see how fast the wind is and what direction that's causing the movement of the items you just studied.

Not get your spotting scope (20-25 power is best). Look at the mirage in the scope, then check your wind meter to see the wind velocity that matches the mirage you see.

Focus the scope about 1/2-2/3rds distance between you and the target. Not on the target. If you screw up and read the mirage beyond the target you'll get a false reading, normal a complete reversal of the mirage.

Temp. and elevation will also effect your shooting but not as much as the wind. There are tons of fee ballistic calculators on the internet that will tell you what temps and elevation does to your bullet.

Contrary to what many people say, shooting in the rain doesn't effect the bullet path. Rain affects the shooter not the gun.

If as you said you have the fundamentals down, learn the wind, then you'll be way a head in the mid and long range shooting game.

Learn mirage. It tells you want the winds doing when you have no other indicators available. I have found mirage is much more accurate then wind flags, trees, grass, etc.
 
I get to my hunting grounds, out in the sage brush, 2 weeks early and practice to find my maximum range.

In 2008 I had built a custom 270 and did not practice beyond 100 yards. I just started shooting. I killed some animals at 400 and 500 yards, it was hit or miss.

In 2011 I had built a custom 7mmRM and I was good to 500 yards, but not 600 yards.

In 2012 I had built a custom 257 Roberts AI, and was good to 400 yards, not 500.

I now try not to take any shots I am not sure I can make.
I now try to get better at long range shooting every year.
 
Assuming that the scope came with the gun as a package deal: you may want a better scope for long range. It is likely the bottom line of optics and not worth much.

That said, you will do ok with it learning the rifle and working on the basics. Upgrade after you have used it and are more familiar with what you need. I have seen many posts recommending everything from fixed 10 power scopes to variable power up to 36 power, all to the same person. Many people use different scopes for the same task. Try some of your friends and look at as many different models as you can.

Your budget will determine what you can get. Experience will determine what you need to get. Save up your money and buy the best you can.
 
Good advice big al . The Appleseed is good as well .

I would do nothing till you start shooting the gun . No new anything until you know how it shoots as is . No need spending money on things you may not need or buying this when you really need that . Go out shoot it and come back and give us a report .I have a $360 Ruger American Rifle in 308 with a $60 Tasco world class scope on it that shoots sub MOA at 300yds . A couple of the guys that have already posted are very knowledgeable about shooting and can really help .

The one thing I would add is , the quality of the ammo matters . get your self some good match ammo to shoot . I like Federal gold medal match IMHO there is not a better match ammo out there for the price . $25 and under is what I pay for 308 . Never bought 30-06 so not sure what the cost is on that or even if they make GMM in 30-06 but quality ammo helps .

If you have alot of time and want to learn about long range shooting . These videos are full of all kinds of good info . I say alot of time cus there are 42 videos so far and each is at least 15 minutes long and some are as long as 45min .
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJUaiRIEduNXoal2_PkBZi0vDCIcEPxUn
 
Thats cool shoot what you can get . Write down what that ammo does and how it flys. Make sure you keep some kind of notes on all ammo you use . That way you can compare later . What I do is write on the target what ammo , distance , weather conditions and rifle then take a picture or keep it . I like the picture idea cus I have them on my computer and it just makes it easier to find and look at them .
 
I just got a 770 in 243, and now you have peaked my interrest. What do you mean the "bolt broke"?
As stated, mines a 243, but I handload, and I like to shoot out there aways, I realy dont want a faceful of bolt when shooting!
IMHO, the trigger needs to be worked on before I try to punch holes at 300 yards. The scope that came on the rifle isnt much good for long range shooting either! After I get the right formula for the ammo, then I will work on another scope, a silhouette scope works best, the red dot =1/4" at 300'. That brings in your pattern nicely!
I didnt see anybody mention breathing and heart beat on long shots! But I punch paper more than critters!
 
I didnt see anybody mention breathing and heart beat on long shots!
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There is a reason those two items weren't brought up.

As to heart beat, you can't stop your heart, I certainly wouldn't want to, I like my heart to beat. If it isn't you have other problems then shooting.

Breathing????? One thing you can't do (or don't do naturally) is breath while your shooting. You sub-conscionably hold your breath while you pull the trigger.

The idea of taking a breath, letting half out, holding the remainder, shoot, is Hoggie.

If you're concentrating on that, you're not concentrating on your fundamentals.

If you think about it, (which you don't if you are doing things right) you shoot when the breath is at rest the longest period of time. Not when you take in a breath, certainly not after you breath and let half out,....its at the bottom of the breathing cycle.

You take a breath, you pause for an instant, then let it out, at the bottom, before you take your next breath there is a much longer pause. If you're worried about breathing, that's when you shoot.

I was shooting the Wilson matches (National Guard Championships) one year when after a string of setting rapid fire, which I shoot fairly fast, the guy on my firing point asked me if I even breathed during the 45 or so seconds it took me to fire the string.

I told him I didn't know. Couldn't tell. So the next string I tried to figure out if I was breathing, if so when,................worst rapid fire string I ever remember shooting, ruined my rapid fire match.

After that I quit worrying about it, I figure at some point I do breath or I wouldn't be here, but I'm certainly not worrying about it.

You can't breath and shoot, you can't talk and shoot (another subject) you stop both the instant the stars are lined up and you squeeze the trigger.

Forget breathing, concentrate on sight alignment, trigger control, and follow through.
 
Kraigwy,
when I am about to take the shot I always hold my breath. I don't concentrate on my breathing as you say but I am very aware of what I am doing. While looking through the scope when your prone your body inflates and deflates as you inhale and exhale. During this process I subcutaneously watch the reticle move on the vertical plain up and down on the target. As I breath out and it is always on the exhale I stop my exhale as the reticle reaches where I want it, pause breath for a second and squeeze my shot off.

That's what works for me and I easily shoot a 1/2" group at 100 yards with this exercise. Maybe Im doing it totally different from most ?? But its what works for me personally. I'd be interested on hearing if there is other ways

Jamie
 
BINGO, Scotish highlander, thats just what I'm talking about!
Now hold your breath and stay on target,,,,,see that little movement? Its your heart beat! Maybe its me, but I can control when i sqeeze the trigger to be on the flat spot of my breathing, and inbetween heart beats.




,,,and still hit my target!
 
No offense meant to any opinions but with Kraigwy's credentials, I'd suggest that all listen to his advice and techniques. If he's doing something different than you are... It ain't likely he that's wrong.
 
I'm am definitely not knocking what kraigwy has said...not at all and if it came across like that it wasn't my intention. I was simply putting across my my technique and the way I shoot. There are a number of variables that are needed to be taken into account for long range shooting but if your breathing and heart beat can affect a shot at a target out @100 yards then it must affect a shot at 1000 yards. The first fundamentals your taught are breathing techniques and always try to shoot between heart beats. Once you have been shooting a while which I have (25 years + ) they become second nature and you don't even relies your doing it which is what he said basically. What I pointed out was he takes the shot at maximum exhale which is his longest point of pause during breathing. I think that's what he meant unless I picked him up wrong. I do it differently and exhale till the horizontal reticle hits target and then I pause breathing and squeeze the trigger. The amount of exhale I take depends on my body position which does change when your hunting as your never lying on the same piece of ground when your stalking a Deer. Target shooting is different as you are probably at a range or in the flat bed of your truck taking your shot.

Jamie
 
I've never understood the "shooting between heartbeats" supposed "rule".

It seems to directly violate "The break of the trigger should be a surprise" rule.

Let's say my heart rate is nice and slow, 60 beats per minute, lower than most folks will be if they're doing anything besides sleeping and certainly lower than someone in competition.

If a heartbeat takes 1/4 second, that means 15 seconds of every minute are taken up "during" a heartbeat. The remaining 45 seconds is divided 60 times "between" heartbeats. That means that "between heartbeats" is 3/4s of a second, MAX.

How shall I surprise myself with the shot and guarantee that it goes off within 3/4 of a second?

It seems to me that if your heartbeat is disturbing your rifle that much, you've got way too much of yourself touching the gun.
 
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