Long Range for Beginners - 5 Easy Mistakes to Avoid!

In this video I cover 5 common mistakes made by beginners to long range. There are some of the most common mistakes / misconceptions that I see when people are starting out. Understanding these things will give you a head start when you try long range for the first time!

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Levels (know what size you need) (1", 30mm, 34mm etc.)

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[Absaalookemensch]

I made my own sandbags using old blue jeans, sewing sections of the legs up the middle, plus the lower leg for thinner bags.
Then filling them with store bought sand.
The side by side sand bags are great for stacking and I've never seen them offered anywhere.
When shooting large bore magnums, you can put a sandbag between the butt pad and your shoulder.

[oifvetk]

All good points for beginners especially the different brands/weights of ammo/bullets. Until a person is told or they read it they don't know just how much that affects things. We all start at the same place, the beginning. Good vid.

[midwestbd]

I’d also like to add having quality scope mounts that are properly torqued. I’ve never really shot past 200 yards and always thought shooting long range required tons of skill and expensive equipment. Not long ago I decided to shoot my Remington 770 .300wm out to 600 yards and was surprised that it wasn’t all that difficult. Hits weren’t consistent at 600 but everything from 300-400 was relatively easy.

[aaronsgunsmithing]

I was watching a video once on what to take to a class. The #1 thing I took away from that video was "Always take more Ammo than required". I like to take 1.5 to 2 times the amount they require. I was at a Pistol course that suggested 250 rounds. I took 400. We progressed a bit faster than the time line suggested. Because most of us had extra ammo we were able to do more of the drills.

[rmbettac]

Well said. You learn by overcoming mental barriers, and pushing your limits, but still in a way that allows you to learn rather than abject misses that can’t be spotted. Eventually, with enough skills and time, you will decide to spend a freaking fortune 😂 Such a rewarding sport and it doesn’t have to be out of reach of an average shooter if they get decent basic gear and practice.

[DanielBoone]

That shirt cracked me up... LOL Great video as always keepem coming brother!!!

[black_sheep_fab]

Rear bag was a total game changer for me. I was using my fist. Then while waiting for my bag to show up I used a rolled up swear shirt and it cut my groups in half. I just got a 10 dollar bag and filled it with rice. Works great. 2nd was the level. Got one that mounts to the scope mount. Whether it's level or not I don't know but it helps me to know I'm at the same angle every shot even if it's not perfect

Here are the timestamps:
1:45 1. Supporting the rear end of the rifle
2:27 2. Making sure your system is leveled
2:57 3. Scope level not set up correctly
4:10 4. Not having enough dialable elevation on the scope
6:04 5. Not having enough of the same ammo

[scottnj]

Last summer I had first experience shooting past 300yds, going out to 900yds with a stock Ruger Precision Rifle and an accurized (blue printed) otherwise stock R700. Both .308 firing Fed GM Match 168gr SMK BTHP rounds. This with a Pro spotter coach using Applied Ballistic app. Previous to this event, I've routinely shot MoA accuracy with modest optics...Vortex Viper HST 6-24x50 on 20MoA rail. Verified zero at 100yrds, then walked out to 900, only adjusting elevation holding off for windage. In the end, repeated center of mass at 900. To your point Sir. Long range is not a function of multi-thousand dollar firearms and optics with good support i.e. front rest or bipod and rear bag. The ammo and well set up firearms can do amaxing things.

[jasonrad]

Just shot my first ladder test today. I appreciate the content, you’ve helped out a ton!

[testos]

Did long shooting for a while, with the cheapest 308 I could find (modified) with some of the cheapest accessories I could find, just to see if I anyone really need to spend thousands on something else. Some like it already to go and some like to put it together piece by piece. Got great results at 300 meters they were dead on. The feedback from the ones I sold to some of my friends were all positives, and happy with the results they were getting, it's been a while and got some good memories, but IMO you don't need to spend thousands on a long gun, and it is simple and fun to put something together that will do just as good for a lot less. 👍

[drmjruff]

Good basics. Although, I shoot a lot, I can still learn a lot. I have a new 300 win mag that needs to be zeroed and I can appreciate some of the tips you have given. Thanks!

[ronws]

Another thing that can be overlooked with a brand new rifle out of the box or one that you already have. Check the torque on everything. Action screws, rail screws, ring screws. Get rid of movement in the components. Not only do you get zero faster, you don't have to chase it.

[GalloPazzesco]

Good video. I agree about the level. Matter of fact, many mid to high grade scopes come with a level these days for just that reason .... or they are offered in kits. With that said, I'm the guy that is always going around straightening pictures hanging on walls so, like many, I have an eagle's eye for space and position when it comes to leveling things. (BTW, another way to do it, in the field, is to mount it while looking across a body of water like a lake or a pond. Anyways, liked, shared, commented, upvoted, subscribed, bell rung ... may the algorithm gods smile favorably upon your channel.

[charlesludwig]

Aspiring long range shooters who are just getting into it may have a perception that good results are all about a high-power rifle with a high magnification scope and match grade ammunition. This mindset is understandable yet unrealistic since the match conditioning of equipment is only a small portion of what’s important to good shooting; and, when such equipment is used by an untrained shooter, the match conditioning serves only as a substitute for marksmanship when shooting at short range, where comprehensive marksmanship skills are not required for good results. This reality is proven In Long Range Service Rifle Competition where each shooter totes equipment to the firing line as similar to others as peas in a pod; yet, while some shooters on the firing line will post Master Class scores, others will shoot poorly. To do better than poorly, shooters should first recognize the fact that, unless the rifle is broken, the bullet will ALWAYS go in the direction the barrel is pointed. This means that when the bullet does not go where aimed it’s not about the gun being suspect; but instead, it’s likely the shooter’s aim was disturbed, the sights were not properly aligned, or the sights were not correctly adjusted for distance, wind, and weather conditions. Since this sort of shot misplacement is caused by shooter error, rather than an inadequate gun, sights, or ammunition, the shooter should reorient the mindset from emphasis on equipment to focus on the principles of marksmanship and the skills which support properly pointing the rifle and pulling the trigger SMOOTHLY.
A novice can get off to a good start with it all by simply getting some basic rifle marksmanship training from a qualified instructor, perhaps, through participation in a CMP authorized M1 Garand Clinic hosted by a local shooting club affiliated with the Civilian Marksmanship Program. The United States Army Marksmanship Unit also hosts a marksmanship training exercise for U.S. Citizens at Camp Perry, Ohio called Small Arms Firing School. At this annual 3-day July event students get training from champion shooters on everything there is to know about good shooting.

[lenwalker]

Thank you for posting this very helpful easy to understand video. 🇨🇦

[jamespeters]

Good info....lets add one more...before you do all these things, invest $25 bucks and order Ryan Cleckners book...long range shooting for beginners!!! You will be prept for anything at the range doing long range stuff!!

[bigal]

I shoot distance. That was a excellent video for new distance shooters. Well done!!

[rosswitte]

Just took a class and your advice is spot on. Thank you!

[nevadadesertrat]

To maximize using the total scope adjustment I use Burris Signature rings. They come with inserts to tilt the scope as much as 40 moa. My 25-06 with the burris rings and a 30mm tube I can get out to 2200yds.