7 Tips To Help You Improve Your Long-Range Shooting

lady holding a gun

Most everyone wants to be able to shoot their gun as far as possible.

Well, some factors that affect the distance you can shoot is the gun or rounds you are using, but other things that can affect the distance you can shoot accurately has to do with you.

Well, in this article we will look at some factors that go into being able to shoot long-range and accurate at the same time. Read on for the top tips to improve your long-range shooting.

Position

The first thing that goes into being able to shoot a long way accurately is the position that you are in. There are a few things to consider when picking a position to fire your gun in. The first is that you want the position that you are in to be stable. You don’t want to be wobbling, and you don’t want your guns kickback to cause a lot of recoils because that will affect your shot, so being in a tight and stable position is important.

A lot of times the most stable position you can be in for long-range shooting is laying down on the ground. This way you can use the ground for added support and lower center of gravity means less movement. The thing is with being down on the ground though, is it may not be the most comfortable position and the next part of the position is you want to be comfortable. To help it be comfortable clear out a space to lay down so you aren’t on any rocks and you can also add some padding down on the ground if you need too.

If you need to move after you are in position, then be sure to move your whole body and don’t just move your torso or the gun. Moving the whole body will help with shifting your weight thru everything and distributing it easier instead of what part of your body is having all the strain. Having a good position though, and keeping your rifle steady can go a long way in improving your long-range shooting.

View Thru Scope

You need your scope to be 100% clear, or else your shot will be thrown off from distortion or shadows. You also want to make sure that your scope is calibrated perfectly.

Before you even start hunting or shooting for real, you need to take your scope to a range and zero it in.

You want to line up the circles perfectly because if your scope is off or not working right, then your shot is, of course, going to be off.

This means that it is a good idea to invest in a top quality scope especially if you want to have good long-range shooting. Best ar 15 scope for long-range shooting is the good choice, take a look at it.

Shot and Follow Through Perfection

The next thing that goes into being a good long-range shooter is having a solid shot release and follow through.

A top tip is making sure you don’t add any movement to the gun when you are pulling the trigger or after shooting. To pull the trigger properly, you want to make sure you are pulling it straight back and that it is a smooth motion.

The way to properly pull the trigger is to use the center pad of your index finger, and you want to make sure your index finger and fingernail is parallel to the trigger guard. This will make sure that the motion is straight back.

After pulling the trigger, there are still key things to do. One, you need to make sure you keep your eyes open and don’t flinch or blink. This can cause your shot to travel astray.

The next thing is you need to memorize where your crosshairs are when the shot breaks.

This information is vital, and other information that is vital is refocusing on when the shot hits the target. Using this information you can make sure your next shot is even better.

Grip

The next thing that can really affect your shot has a proper grip that can help control recoil. We had already touched on this some when we talked about the position, but we will go into more in-depth on the grip in this section.

For your grip, you don’t want it to be too tight, but you also don’t want it too loose either. For a proper hold, your check should be pressed firmly against the stock with your head held upright and not at an angle.

Having your head at an angle can really affect the view you have through the scope. Having excellent ‘check weld’ is vital to shooting a long distance. Your hand should have a firm hold on the pistol grip, and you want to make sure your thumb is curled around it for safety. If you leave your thumb along the bolt or beside the safety catch, then you will really fell the pain from that if you fire a larger gun.

Breath

The next tip for getting more distance on your shot has to do with your breathing. You want to fire after inhaling and before exhaling. This will help steady yourself and the gun. If you really need the shot to go a long way and be accurate, then you will need to hold your breath.
Eliminating any and all movement in your body is key to being able to shoot a long distance, and the best long-range shooters are excellent at holding their breath as they fire.

Know your Gun and Bullet

The next thing is you need to know your gun and bullet. Certain guns and bullets behave a different way, and you need to be familiar with what you are firing to be able to shoot a long way.
This is similar to the idea that you have to be able to zero in your scope before shooting, you need to know your bullets and gun before shooting as well.
You want to know how the win will affect your rounds and when your bullets start to break. Knowing your rifle and bullets is a key thing to remember when shooting for distance.

Practice

The best way you can learn about how your gun and bullets are going to react is with practice. Before trying to shoot a long distance, you first need to practice with your gun and get shooting short range targets down. 

Once you get good and accurate with your gun at short-range, you can start shooting longer distances. Eventually, with enough practice you will be able to shoot farther.  

The key is to get shooting short down pat first and learn how the wind and environment will affect your gun and get it set up to be able to shoot farther.

Conclusion

With all these tips you should be able to start shooting a longer distance in no time. The key to shooting long range is to practice with your rifle and learn how the wind will affect your bullets and to get your scope zeroed in. 

Once you have done that you want to be in a proper position and be sure to pull the trigger straight back and reduce all movement when firing. If you can, then hold your breath when firing to get top distance from your shot. 

These tips will help your long-range shot, and after reading this, you will be shooting farther in no time.

2 thoughts on “7 Tips To Help You Improve Your Long-Range Shooting”

  1. Your article does a great job of explaining how to start firing at longer distances and some good safety habits. My son and I love going to the shooting range but we always fire small pistols at close to medium range so we are looking at using some rifles on long-range targets. I appreciate you touching on firing the rifle after inhaling but before you exhale so that you are steady and accurate.

  2. It’s good to know that the best position for shooting long-range targets is to lie down. That way there is less recoil and you are in a more steady position. My son wants to start shooting so I am trying to teach him the right way to fire the guns and how to be safe.

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