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March 03, 2011
Sniper School: The 1-Mile Shot - 13
 Before last week the farthest I had ever shot a rifle was 300 yards. I learned to shoot in a Wisconsin deer woods where shots outside of 100 yards were a rarity and I have only been hunting out West once. So you can imagine my angst as I tried to locate a man-sized steel silhouette target 1,800 yards away through my rifle scope. It was day two of my sniper school course and I had just begun to get comfortable with the Desert Tactical .338 Lapua I had been issued. There were still plenty of flaws in my form, but given a solid rest I had a pretty easy time hitting targets out to 600 yards. But this was different. 1,800 yards is more than a mile away. It was too far to see the target with the naked eye and even with a detailed range card I struggled to find the silver silhouette with my scope. This shot would be different than any other shot I had ever taken in my life. Or would it? Admittedly, the instructor had already doped the scope for me after he took two shots at 1,800-yards (with the help of a spotter and a quick adjustment to the scope he center-punched the target with his second squeeze of the trigger). Theoretically all I had to do was center the crosshairs vertically, hold half a mil to the left to adjust for the wind (as suggested by my spotter) and not mess up the shot by slapping the trigger, flinching or having generally poor form. As other shooters on the line took their turns one at a time sending rounds down range I thought about how in many shooting situations the circumstances (like wind and shooting position) are just as important as distance. For example, most people consider a 100-yard shot a piece of cake, but how about an off hand 100-yard shot at a moving target? Is a 300-yard shot in the field more impressive than a 500-yard shot from a bench at the rifle range? Was a 1,800-yard shot from the prone position with a trained spotter in near perfect conditions that much more difficult than the quick off-hand shots I'd made on deer from a treestand swaying in the wind? When it was my turn to shoot I went through my pre-shot checklist and settled in behind the gun. The target looked small in the crosshairs, but not impossibly small. At the bottom of my third breath I squeezed the trigger, absorbed the recoil and watched through the scope as the bullet sailed down range. "Half a mil to the right … keep the same hold," my spotter said as a small puff of dirt exploded next to the target. He didn't sound surprised that I had missed, but I could tell that he was pulling for me so I jacked in another round. Again I squeezed the trigger and watched for trace. "Ahhh! just missed to the right. Add a quarter mil to the left … you better shoot again before the wind changes" the spotter said sounding more optimistic. I slid in one more round and got on the trigger. I moved the crosshairs ever so slightly to the left and squeezed. "Hit!" It was by far the longest shot I had ever made in my life and it could very well be the longest shot I will ever take. I don't see myself ever shooting at a game animal father than 400 yards away and there aren't many shooting ranges along the East Coast that have a 1,800 yard target. So even though I will probably never shoot that distance again, at least now I know I can (under the right conditions). |
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Comments (13)
I am ot on active duty any more but the Army is using Remmington, Colt,Bushmaster and Barrett depending on the situation , friends I know in the sandbox really enjoy the 338 Lapua .
One thing about shooting at these long ranges is that they force you to discard bad habits and focus on consistency and the proper use of the weapon. We all know how to shoot, of course, but shooting well this way is kinda like going from A-league baseball to the Majors.
Alex, I like your statement that there is a big difference in knowing how to do something and having the ability to do it. That takes some self-knowledge. You did a good job of sharing your experience. Thanks.
Hey colbat, we used suppressors and muzzle breaks in different situations. They were all provided by Surefire and worked really well (the suppressors really cut down on noise and muzzle flash). The kick from the .338 was not that bad for the first two days, but after four days of shooting it I did have a pretty nice bruise on my shoulder.
Wow! I don't know that I would ever be up to that kind of control. Whatever the caliber, the trajectory must look like a rainbow by the time the bullet strikes at the 1800 yard mark. Putting aside the human factor, I guess the scope must be as important and specialized as the rifle to do that kind of shooting. Am I right in thinking that even a high end hunting scope can't provide the features that these specialized scopes provide? The idea of targeting my 4X10 Leopold on a mark at that distance would seem impossible.
Long range shooting is a blast. Sure wish we had a range like that in WI Alex. Really miss that shooing challenge. Now just think next time you deer hunt here that 100yd shot will be child's play.
later,
charlie
Under the right conditions?
Don't sale yourself short!
When possible, compete in NRA High Power Matches as mush as possible, especially the 1000 yard! I'm sure your CO will approve.
The most wicked wind I ever experience was at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton New Mexico just as a storm started to blow in on the 1000 yard line.
I've found when milliseconds count the wind is erratic and the target is now swooping, I'll dial the elevation and windage in for the first shot then follow up on a quick shot by holding the difference of the first shot. My spotter would be watching the bullet swirl gives the correction and just as the first round hits, the second round is now going down range!
Nice shooting. What kind of muzzle brake did you use? How was the .338 recoil?
Ishi, that's awesome! You gotta let us know how it goes. The best advice I can offer is to get a really good spotter to help you call shots.
Good shoot'n Tex.
You have inspired me to build a range behind the house to see if I can cut the mustard. Will wait for the weather to clear.
Hey Remington, thanks for the comments.
I was shooting a Desert Tactical .338 Lapua that was topped off with a Nightforce 3.5-15X50. We used corbon ammunition. At this point I don't think I have the ability to setup a shot like that without the help of an expert. There's a big difference between knowing how to do something and having the ability to do it ... but it would be fun to try.
What kind of optics and rifle, and ammunition were you using? Now that you went through the training would you feel comfortable adjusting your own scope for a similar shot? I'm not interested in ultra-long range hunting, with the exception of prairie dogs, but I do enjoy the challenge of long range target shooting. I would enjoy attempting an 1,800 yard shot with quality equipment, nice post!
That's quite a shot. I think this would be an uinteresting course to take. Thanks for keeping us posted.
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Nice shooting. What kind of muzzle brake did you use? How was the .338 recoil?
Under the right conditions?
Don't sale yourself short!
When possible, compete in NRA High Power Matches as mush as possible, especially the 1000 yard! I'm sure your CO will approve.
The most wicked wind I ever experience was at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton New Mexico just as a storm started to blow in on the 1000 yard line.
I've found when milliseconds count the wind is erratic and the target is now swooping, I'll dial the elevation and windage in for the first shot then follow up on a quick shot by holding the difference of the first shot. My spotter would be watching the bullet swirl gives the correction and just as the first round hits, the second round is now going down range!
Alex, I like your statement that there is a big difference in knowing how to do something and having the ability to do it. That takes some self-knowledge. You did a good job of sharing your experience. Thanks.
That's quite a shot. I think this would be an uinteresting course to take. Thanks for keeping us posted.
What kind of optics and rifle, and ammunition were you using? Now that you went through the training would you feel comfortable adjusting your own scope for a similar shot? I'm not interested in ultra-long range hunting, with the exception of prairie dogs, but I do enjoy the challenge of long range target shooting. I would enjoy attempting an 1,800 yard shot with quality equipment, nice post!
Hey Remington, thanks for the comments.
I was shooting a Desert Tactical .338 Lapua that was topped off with a Nightforce 3.5-15X50. We used corbon ammunition. At this point I don't think I have the ability to setup a shot like that without the help of an expert. There's a big difference between knowing how to do something and having the ability to do it ... but it would be fun to try.
Good shoot'n Tex.
You have inspired me to build a range behind the house to see if I can cut the mustard. Will wait for the weather to clear.
Long range shooting is a blast. Sure wish we had a range like that in WI Alex. Really miss that shooing challenge. Now just think next time you deer hunt here that 100yd shot will be child's play.
later,
charlie
Wow! I don't know that I would ever be up to that kind of control. Whatever the caliber, the trajectory must look like a rainbow by the time the bullet strikes at the 1800 yard mark. Putting aside the human factor, I guess the scope must be as important and specialized as the rifle to do that kind of shooting. Am I right in thinking that even a high end hunting scope can't provide the features that these specialized scopes provide? The idea of targeting my 4X10 Leopold on a mark at that distance would seem impossible.
Hey colbat, we used suppressors and muzzle breaks in different situations. They were all provided by Surefire and worked really well (the suppressors really cut down on noise and muzzle flash). The kick from the .338 was not that bad for the first two days, but after four days of shooting it I did have a pretty nice bruise on my shoulder.
Ishi, that's awesome! You gotta let us know how it goes. The best advice I can offer is to get a really good spotter to help you call shots.
One thing about shooting at these long ranges is that they force you to discard bad habits and focus on consistency and the proper use of the weapon. We all know how to shoot, of course, but shooting well this way is kinda like going from A-league baseball to the Majors.
I am ot on active duty any more but the Army is using Remmington, Colt,Bushmaster and Barrett depending on the situation , friends I know in the sandbox really enjoy the 338 Lapua .
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)