Long-range shooting is one of the mystical arts of firearm mastery.
The ability to place a bullet on a steel gong at 1,000, 1,500, even 2,000 yards away is nothing short of awe-inspiring!
Long-Range ShootingLong-Range shooting is often a goal of many shooters. But no one starts off that way, and most of us aren’t looking to drop $5,000+ on a precision custom action trued rifled with all the fixings. Thankfully, we live in a golden age of factory rifles right now and there are LOTS of options for a shooter looking to start their long-range journey!
Hit targets at 500, 800 and 1,000-plus yards like they’re a chip shot with these must-know long-range accuracy tips. Understanding the focal plane, reticle, parallax and eyepiece is essential to maximizing the accuracy of your rifle. Make all needed adjustments until the sight picture is clear and crisp. Author Photo
Perhaps no feat better epitomizes the marriage of precision firearms technology and marksmanship ability than long-range shooting. But it takes more than just a suitable caliber, a quality rifle, a top-shelf optic and a steady trigger finger. Every one of those components must work together like a finely tuned instrument in the hands of a skilled musician. Most importantly, for the long-distance shooter, consistently successful shots out to 500-plus yards can only be achieved through extensive practice in a variety of conditions and lots of homework.
“Long-range shooting is not just pulling the trigger, long-range shooting is about thinking,” says Tom Maciak, technology development engineering supervisor for Trijicon. Maciak recently showcased some of his company’s marquis products with dedicated long-range capability including the sniper-friendly 3-15×50 TARS (Tactical Advanced Riflescope) and the brand new 1-6×24 VCOG (Variable Combat Optical Gunsight). Before guiding our group in their practical application among the steep hillsides and open range of the Castle Valley Outdoors shooting and hunting resort in Emery, Utah, the longtime shooter and engineer summed up the 12 keys to successful long-range shooting.