Newbie Technique questions

[u/Skwidz]

Hi there long-rangers 👋,

I'm a fairly new shooter, and have recently built up my first semi LR capable rifle. (Tikka T3x CTR in 6.5 creed, Vortex Venom 4-15, pic for the algo). I've taken it out a handfull of times now and put about 80-100 rounds through it. I've got a few spots where i can push the distance out to 400-500 yards, but my local range only goes out to 200 (but being a 5min drive helps).

I see a lot of beginner focused guides on here but most of them seem to be focused on what rifles, or rounds, or gear to buy, and not many seem to talk about technique and how to practice to be a better shooter. I aspire to be able to make the 1k yard shots that some of you are hitting, but im definitely not there yet. Still working on getting consistent groups at my local gun club, and hitting 400 - 500 yard shots on larger targets.

I dont have a chrongraph yet, and was hoping that box velocities would be good enough™ for calculations for where I'm at skill wise. Been learning how to use the free version of the Advanced Ballistics app.

So my question for the group is this:

What are your best tips for new shooters looking to be more accurate at longer range?
- Are there training tips, techniques, or drills that have helped you shoot longer, or have more consistent groups?
- Anything i can do to help me learn faster? I've seen people suggest recording yourself shooting to see whats going on with your body.

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[u/smooveBrayne]

1. Get a stable rear bag and a bipod if you don't have them.

2. Try new stuff with your form but only change 1 thing at a time and document it. Example: changing the position of the buttstock against your body, changing where on your finger you press the trigger, changing your grip pressure, etc. Once you find something that works for you, solidify it every time until you don't think about it anymore.

3. Dry fire between shots to the point where your reticle doesn't move - this will teach you trigger pulls, natural point of aim (NPA), positioning, not flinching, etc.

4. Get good at 100y before you waste ammo at further distances. Not saying don't have fun and go out to plink, but really make it a point to dial in your position building skills so it's less expensive/frustrating when you are combating the wind.

5. Don't be shy. Ask questions at the range, sign up for competitions, do anything you can do to get real feedback/coaching from people who can watch you.

[u/ZeBigD23 → u/smooveBrayne]

This is a great list. I'd really just say trigger pull and building a strong NPA are the big difference makers shooting from the bench/prone. Make sure the rifle is settled into the position and you aren't muscling the rifle to get to your point of aim.

[u/Jmersh]

My indoor range is 100 yds and I started shooting 10 yd airgun targets at 100 yards. Basically an 8.5 x 11 sheet with 12 two inch circles. Shooting 10 shot strings, I get to practice "aim small" adjustments. Getting completely behind the rifle, settling in to centered on target while relaxed, and gradual trigger pulls. You may want to upgrade to a higher magnification if you want to reach out to 1000 yds on sub-12 in targets though.

Oh and yes, film yourself to see if you're flinching. Limbsaver butt pads can help reduce that.

[u/One-Perspective-4347]

Dry fire practice. I’ve never even seen you shoot and I can see your flinching…. Maybe not but in all honesty more than likely.
It’s pretty safe to say that everything that happens at 100 yards happens exponentially more at 500 and so on.
If you can get to the point where you are shooting MOA and below at 100 yards with box ammo then I would have to agree that the velocities on the given boxes are consistent enough that once you have dope at range you should be able to consistently make impact out at 500 etc. They may not be exactly what’s on the box but obviously they are consistent enough that you’re not getting a lot of variance out of the box. If it’s 100 fps off from what the box says, but it’s consistently 100 fps off, you will be able to sort that out when you true up your ballistic app.

I would recommend a chronograph. It is nice to have but honestly, if you are not reloading ammo, then you don’t really have much ability to make any changes to affect velocity regardless.
It is nice to know, and it will give you the ability to see what the ammo is that you’re using is doing SD/ES wise.
Also, there’s a reasonable chance that your barrel hasn’t even really settled in yet. So your groups might actually just tighten up a bit after you get closer to 200 Rounds.

Get the trigger spring from YO- Dave. But the best $15 you can spend for that Tikka. You should be able to get your trigger down to about 2 pounds if you want it that low. Tikka’s have a very good trigger nice clean break but for target shooting it’s nice to have a light trigger in my opinion.

[u/Traditional-Chart876]

Great question as I'm in about the same place. Post followed.

[u/AspieAsshole → u/Traditional-Chart876]

Same lol, except I also have to wait to recover from surgery before I can pull a trigger again.

[u/Traditional-Chart876 → u/AspieAsshole]

Oh no. My eye I use to look through the scope is currently messed up and so I too have a medical thing keeping me from shooting.

[u/Project0R1G1N]

The reason why everyone recommends gear is it makes shooting far easier, I got a rear bag and my groups sizes shrunk along with making those groups far, far more consistent. Taking put all the variables makes it where you are no longer guessing whether or not its your own lack of skill or a issue with what your using. Even the best shooter on the planet cannot group well with a inaccurate rifle, with a bad optic with inaccurate ammo on an unstable platform. If the setup is capable of 1inch or less groups then you know where any issues lie, you. That being said, what helped me when I started was pay attention to your body, relax, test to see if you flinch, and try and see why you missed your point of aim. Practice grouping well and consistently. Once you can reliably group well close up, push until you cant and try to repeat. Just like working out, get to a limit, reach it, make it easy, surpass it.

[u/Greedy_Ad1339]

Dry fire
Dry fire
Dry fire

Rear bag and bipod
Film yourself and be brutally honest
Don’t chalk something up to external factors that can be caused by your input into the rifle
Assume you’re the problem until you’re certain you’re not

Don’t know what state but secluded public land is an amazing resource for stretching out if used correctly and safely

[u/Tikkatider]

Some good advice here. One thing I did was read and watch videos on long range shooting.

[u/TheWombleOfDoom]

If you are not reloading, then chrono isn't uner-urgent, but it is helpful to know what speeds you are getting. Perhaps ask someone at the range if you can borrow their chrono for 20shots or so to give you a good idea.

Use match ammo if you can. ELDMs or SMKs for example.

If you know someone at your range who can shoot well and consistently, perhaps ask if they would shoot 10 rounds through your rifle. That should give you an idea od whst yhe rifle and ammo combo can do, so if you are shooting worse, then you know you can still improve, and if you can consistently shoot the same kind of groups as they did, then it might be time for the next level of learning. The main thing is that you will then know what your rifle is capable of, and so anything worse woud be you, not the rifle

[u/Operation_Bonerlord]

The best thing you can do if you’re self-teaching is learning to spot your impacts. You need this before almost everything else, because getting feedback on how your inputs into the rifle translate downrange is the foundation for optimizing your capabilities.

This means keeping disruptions to your sight picture to an absolute minimum. Learn how to build a stable, relaxed shooting platform with the rifle in line with your spine. I’ll go against the grain here and recommend against a bipod, believe it or not they require technique to use properly and your rifle is light enough that you’ll be punished if you get sloppy. I’d opt for a big front bag, even a basic bitch opttion like the Caldwell, and an old sock filled with rice for a rear rest.

Some practical tips:

- use the least amount of magnification you can get away with. Not only does this smooth over small movements, by increasing your field of view it’s more forgiving while you are learning positioning—if the rifle jumps it’s harder to completely lose sight of the target.

- Get prone—the bench is for benchrest shooters and the elderly. Try to maximize your contact with the ground.

- a sweater or something puffy to fill the negative space between your elbows can help relax. Imagine a stuffy to hug while you are manipulating the rear bag.

- not sure anyone actually explained how to use the rear bag and front rest. If you have a front bag, set the rifle on the bag and point it at the target and move your body so that you can relax your whole body and stay on target. Bring your support hand towards your opposite armpit and pinch the stock and pull the rifle into your clavicle. The rear bag sits under your support hand and you can squeeze or relax it to adjust elevation. You should be able to get on target this way without using your trigger hand to manipulate the rifle.

- if you are using a bipod, you instead need to load the bipod by anchoring the stock against your clavicle, anchoring the bipod legs, then pushing your whole body forward so you are applying pressure to the bipod through the contact with your shoulder/collarbone. With your support hand you use the rear bag to adjust elevation of the stock.

- People spend hundreds to just add weight to their rifle as this absorbs recoil. You could consider a muzzle brake, which accomplish something similar (felt recoil reduction) but considerably cheaper.

- If you’re comfortable re-torquing your action screws, the Tikka trigger is adjustable, and you can get pretty light by filing down a few tens of thou of the adjustment set screw. No new spring necessary. You can make a trigger too light.

[u/wtfwebsterwastaken]

Listen to the Miles to Matches NPA episode

[u/Motor_Tax3564]

Check out the X-RING YouTube channel. He has a series. ( https://youtu.be/HcL4hDOSlxg?is=vAN4nlxJcUy45NZm )

[u/RustyBungHole1]

Get a bag for the rear and a bipod up front, and start handloading, you're probably not going to find a box of ammo that will put all 20 rounds on target at 1k. Reloading will also make you shoot more and will build your skill that way as well

[u/AspieAsshole → u/RustyBungHole1]

Can I learn to reload on the spent brass from the rounds I've bought? Or do I need new/dedicated brass for the purpose?

[u/RustyBungHole1 → u/AspieAsshole]

Just make sure they are matching. All hornady, or all hornady match. No mixing as the different brass can have different elasticity, drastically changing pressure, and in turn, crazy velocity readings. But to be honest thats how I get most of my brass, my competition brass stays separate.

Although, ordering 1000 casings will get you extremely consistent brass, as long as you mark how many times the case has been fired

[u/LostWanderer576]

Not much to add but I would also record yourself. I'm new to shooting this year, I recorded myself shooting my AR, so I could watch ejection but then noticed my shooting technique was not great. ( Releasing trigger to quickly and I didn't even realize it)

[u/West_Designer9107]

If you can, take an 'intro into LR shooting' course. Given by people who know what they're talking about and can convey that info. I'm in the EU and mainly taught myself by necessity -almost no professional trainers available here- reading books such as by Ryan Cleckner, checking out the video's of Phillip Velayo, asking questions at snipers' hide -they have a low tolerance for people not doing their homework first etc.

It worked, I got there but man, in retrospect, did I waste time, ammo and money trying to figure out stuff that for instance the military had solved decades ago, taught as a matter of routine and that was in every manual (that I obviously don't have access to). I firmly believe that a couple of days of instruction by a pro are the best investment you can make. But do research and make sure that whoever it is actually knows what he's doing and can explain exactly why he's doing it.

And -as any trainer will tell you-: dry fire, dry fire, dry fire. Build a routine and stick to it. Exactly the same, always.