Common Problems Long Range Marksmanship Trainers See that You Can Avoid

[LRRPF52]

Yes, for my DM course, you'll have no problems hitting 18" plates at 600yds with a 1.5 minute carbine with a good load.

For the more Precision Rifle courses, I ask people to bring all the rifle they can that will run in the conditions.

Another approach I do as I have not had positive experiences in a traditional classroom setting is to send the classroom work out via email in advance, with homework for the attendees to study. I've been doing it for years, and within 2 weeks of the course start date, I ask for the homework with their answers provided to determine whether they have studied the material.

The last thing I want to do is stand around in a classroom and watch dudes go to sleep as I discuss angular measurements, trajectories, wind deflection, BCs, etc., so I tried both ways and maximized our actual range time as a result.

When I saw people who have paid hundreds of dollars for a 2-3 day course rolling their eyes back into their heads on morning one, drooling on themselves, I felt like we could be doing something better, so I went to the online in-advance approach. What I also do is bring a small dry erase board I can quickly prop-up on the range and cover any concepts that may need additional explaining, but I really feel the flat range is a great classroom.

You really see who has done their homework by testing in advance, because even if people are cramming at the last minute, they are at least researching and filling in the answers before showing up, and have to submit those answers to me to look over. I find that engaging them that way personally on their own time to look into the LR math, reticles, programs, etc. really seems to work better for me. Part of their independent study involves running their rifle's mv over a chrono and establishing a fine-tuned zero with the load they will be bringing.

They later have to answer some questions that require them to run that load through a ballistics program and determine their come ups and wind holds for different distances and conditions that I give out as problems like a written test in the pre-class study. Some examples:

1. With your rifle's load, 59˚ F temp, 6600ft elevation, and 22.7" barometric pressure, what are your scope click increments and wind holds for a 10mph full value at the following ranges:

300yds
450yds
575yds
600yds
800yds
1000yds

2. In your program, calculate your trajectory for 1000yds and look at the wind deflection. Does your program have 2 different numbers for left vs right wind if you enter wind direction. (90˚ vs 270˚?
If it does or does not, why do you think that is?

3. You have a target at 600yds. The wind seems to be blowing diagonal to your position and the terrain as seen from above. What is your wind hold at 600yds in the given conditions from problem 1 and why?

4. You have just fired a shot at the 600yd target. You see dirt/dust kick up just off the left edge of the TGT, .1 mils, and you were holding into the wind from the right .5 mils for hopes of hitting the center of the TGT. You have 1 second to correct and make the next shot. How many mils into the wind will you hold for your fast follow-up and why?

5. From your original conditions, change your altitude and barometric pressure from 6600ft/22.7" hg barometric pressure to 2000ft elevation/27.8" hg, keeping the 45˚ F temp. Look at your previous 600yd drop data and now calculate for the new conditions. What were your drop/drift before and what are they now?

6. What is the weather forecast for the range we'll be at, and what specific data are you going to look for when analyzing it? Do local weather stations provide the data that will be usable for us, and if not, what equipment do you think you might want to consider that will provide that data?

These are more advanced questions towards the end of the independent study problems. I start out with very basic things like zeros, if 1 shooter's MOA = 1" at 100yds, what is 1 MOA at 600yds? Basic mils questions, specifics about their particular optics, a detailed instruction list on how to install and set-up their optics for solid zero that won't come loose in the mount/rings/bases, fundamentals, etc.

I don't like spoon-feeding people, as they learn so much better when they have to do the legwork themselves. The NRA has since adopted this approach as well.