There are lots of good cartridges to choose from for long-range shooting. For instance, .223 Rem, .308 Win, and 6.8 Creedmoor (everyone’s new favorite cartridge) all shoot relatively flat and straight out well past several hundred yards.
American Eagle 5.56 ammo is another suitable cartridge for long-range shooting and taking medium-sized game and predators at extended ranges.
But if you want to connect with far-off targets, you’re going to need to give thought to much more than just the caliber and gun.
These tips should help with that.
Practice in One Position
Some long-range shooters sit at a bench. Others shoot prone. Some even shoot in sitting or kneeling positions.
You have to choose what works for you, but sitting at a bench or shooting prone is probably best for beginners because there’s less room for error and less need to stabilize.
Choose a good bench rest or bipod, and practice from one position until you become proficient. Then you can branch out.
Don’t Go Cheap on Optics
If you’re going to get serious about long-range shooting, devote a good portion of your budget to optics.
There are great rifle optics with MRAD and MOA adjustments, and both can be useful for long-range shooting.
Get an optic that offers excellent clarity (critical for long ranges) and appropriate magnification (or variable magnification). Other nice features to look for include fog-proofing and low-light suitability.
Adjust the Mount
Eye relief is critical, as poor eye relief can cloud or blur the sight picture, or worse, create parallax distortion, which will completely throw the sight picture and true point aim out of alignment.
If your comb is too low, get a cheek rest or stock pad. If the length of pull is too short, get a butt pad. If it is too long, move the scope back and forth on the receiver or mount until eye relief is perfect.
This is one of the most critical adjustments you will need to make to be accurate at distances greater than 200 yards.
Be Consistent; Tuck It In
Another simple but important practice to observe is that your mount is consistent every time. Drill on mounting the rifle and drawing the stock into your shoulder until it becomes second-nature muscle memory.
Also, a good tip to observe is to intentionally pull the butt pad of the rifle tightly into your shoulder each and every time you shoot. There should be no wiggle room or play; it should be in close contact with your shoulder when you shoot.
Hold Your Breath
Most long-range rifle shooters will agree that best practice is to hold your breath when you shoot. Others will tell you that you should shoot at the moment that your exhalation is complete and your lungs are empty.
Either way, you don’t want to shoot when you are actively inhaling or exhaling. Respiration creates natural movement in your body which contributes to the arc of movement, which can throw your point of aim off base.
And aberrations of a fraction of a millimeter where the rifle is fired will correspond to wide misses 500 yards away.
Shoot Within 5 Seconds (of Releasing or Holding Your Breath)
If you do actively hold your breath to shoot, don’t wait too long before pulling the trigger. Advice varies; some shooters will say to shoot within 4 seconds, others within 8 or even 10.
We suggest shooting within 5 seconds of holding your breath or releasing it. This is because, after a few seconds, your sight picture will start to cloud as you deplete the oxygen in your blood.
So don’t hold it for too long.
On Trigger Control
Trigger control is a difficult discipline to master. You want to be able to break your trigger cleanly, without interrupting your body position, rifle’s point of aim, or sight picture, in any way.
That’s a lot harder than it seems. There are things you can do to help fight flinching. Dry fire training and pencil drills are two of the best ways you can practice proper trigger control.
It’s also important not to smear the trigger, which can throw your shots way off base. For most shooters, optimal trigger finger placement is flat on the blade of the trigger at the first joint of the index finger - but this is something you will need to find for yourself, and, of course, keep as consistent as possible.
Keep It Clean
Consistency is key in long-range rifle shooting. That means consistent loads, consistent mounts, consistent eye relief, and overall consistent habits.
It also means a rifle that is the same every time. Fouling, dirt, and dust can impact how different rounds perform in your rifle. You’ll never notice these minor issues at 100 yards. At 1,000, you will.
So keep your rifle - specifically, your bore - spotless.
Shoot a Cold Barrel
Cold and hot rifle barrels - the same barrel, not different barrels - will produce different groups.
A good practice is to shoot 2 to 3 rounds, then give your rifle a minute or so to cool down, maybe a little longer if in hot weather.
This will help keep things consistent and help prevent fluctuating barrel temperatures from throwing a wrench (or the whole toolbox) in your long-range accuracy.
Keep at It
Last but not least, be patient. Becoming proficient with long-range shooting is a lifelong discipline. You will not master it overnight, so don’t expect to.
And make sure you get to the range consistently. Don’t take any months-long breaks, even if you can only carve out time for a few rounds each week.
Here for American Eagle 5.56 Ammo? We Have It
These are just some basic bits of good advice for shooters that are interested in getting into the long-range game. Now, you need to get the gear, find a range that supports it, and start practicing.
For our part, we carry a wide range of cartridges and calibers that are suitable for long range shooting, including but not limited to .223, .300 AAC, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270, .245 and American Eagle 5.56 ammo. You can shop by caliber at Bucking Horse Outpost by clicking on the previous link.
And we offer great prices, so stock up.