Long Range Equipment

[ducks-and-bucks]

I've posted on here a few times already about things having to do with longer range shooting. I did some searching but didn't find a good list of range equipment that is necessary, or nice to have when shooting out on the range...

So my question is what kind of equipment is good to have to have with out at the range when your wanting to target shoot at long distances?

I'm thinking a wind speed meter, a little flag to set up to watch wind direction, thermometer, note pad to record environmental conditions to get a little record going of how my gun/reloads perform at different environment conditions, a good 1000 yard range finder, chromy... etc etc etc

As I know you can go all sniper style and watch what the wind is doing, if it picking up sand.. etc etc etc... For me I'm wanting to take the more ("precise", "lazy man", "electronic", ) kind of approach at it all with having some equipment to read conditions... Any advice on this would be appreciated!

 

[wapiti25]

Go to a match and see what other people use.

 

[dansig]

the only thing I want for long range that I do not have for 100-400m is target camera..

was at the range today and when I got to 500m I couldn't see the holes so I had to drive down range after each shot to see where it hit..

good thing I was alone at the range

being able to have the laptop on your bench and see every hole I think is a must.. and you can even have a wind flag visible in the footage to see the conditions next to the target.

to bad it costs about $1k

 

[bricktop]

Go to a match and see what other people use.

I think that they are usually a bit different than typical conditions (i.e. arbitrary long range conditions). Distances are usually fixed, and you get sighters (with the exception of some types of matches like tactical ones).

For reliable long range shooting in unknown conditions, a laser rangefinder (or ability to estimate well for shorter-range shots, i.e. < 700 yards or so), a kestrel, and drop sheets for different density altitudes or a ballistic calculator are a big help to get first-shot hits. Besides equipment, an accurate known zero, known muzzle velocity, and accurate BC value of the bullet are needed. Anti-cant devices and useful and sometimes an angle indicator helps as well for uphill/downhill shots.

Basically, read Bryan Litz's book Applied Ballistics before buying other stuff .

 

[Quinc]

Best thing I have for long range is the free ballistic calculator app on my phone called Strelok. Also check out the app Shooter. You punch in your bullet info, bullet speed, it picks up the local weather from the nearest weather station etc and than tells you how many mils or moa you need.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.borisov.strelok&hl=en

 

[TheSnake]

Your post has been read many times but you have not got many replies. Your question is kind of wide open with not much to go on. Maybe you can tell us what type of equipment you already have and what your range conditions are so this can be narrowed down a bit. What are you shooting, what types of rests, hand loads or factory, is this a public range or your own etc. On my property, I carry a good solid rest with bags, have the best bench available, spotting acope to see the target hits, range finder, wind meter and shooting known loads with drop tables out to 1000 and shoot away making adjustments as I go. My chrony was used to work up the loads at shorter distances and I don't use it to shoot longer distance but that's just me.

 

[mac86951]

Your post has been read many times but you have not got many replies. Your question is kind of wide open with not much to go on. Maybe you can tell us what type of equipment you already have and what your range conditions are so this can be narrowed down a bit. What are you shooting, what types of rests, hand loads or factory, is this a public range or your own etc. On my property, I carry a good solid rest with bags, have the best bench available, spotting acope to see the target hits, range finder, wind meter and shooting known loads with drop tables out to 1000 and shoot away making adjustments as I go. My chrony was used to work up the loads at shorter distances and I don't use it to shoot longer distance but that's just me.

Right. Knowing what your rifle/load is doing will get you a better ballistic table. Once that is developed, longer distances are mostly about guessing wind.

One flag, or one reading is by no way enough to know what is happening across 1000 yards, but it is a good start. Temperature to know what velocity your load is going to give is another, but only important to get the right DOPE. From there, anything you need is up to you. Shooting prone, off-hand, off a bench bring those items you'd need.

You don't need hand-loads, just your own gathered data on performance of the ammunition at those conditions, so a log is a good thing and lots of trigger time. Also knowing your range. Example: Mine has a tricky wind vortex at 600y (wind shadow from another berm) so shooting to 760, wind dope shifts. To use flags to get that, I'd need a flag every 20-40 feet... Instead, I just walked the range on a windy day.

A good high-power spotting scope can be nice, but isn't needed.

-Mac

 

[Old Navy]

I am unable to compete in formal matches but do have my own 1K range to play on. I built my own target-cam system for under $500 including a new Cannon HD camcorder. That was was a good investment. Don't have to haul the ATV out to the range. Later! Frank

 

[jr600yd]

A good spotting scope. You wont see bullet holes at 1K but you will see the mirage.

 

[TheSnake]

Depending on the OP needs, a steel target will sound the hit also. I got a 1/2 thick AR500 12" round plate that I made a steel pipe stand for and I move it where ever I need. I can see the white paint splatter hit with with the rifle scope from way out. I have a 6" at 300 yards and a 4" at 200 yards. No video needed.

 

[82boy]

Honestly the things you have listed I have no use for, and don't use when I set up to shoot. A " wind speed meter,... thermometer, note pad to record environmental conditions to get a little record going of how my gun/reloads perform at different environment conditions, a good 1000 yard range finder, chrony." are just things that are not needed. Most ranges have flags set up, and I do use them, a small flag set up is a waste of time. Most long range wind flags are big, and sit up high on tall poles. Shooting at clay birds on the birm works well for sighters, it is all you need. Heck most long range ranges have steel set out.

The only thing you need to shoot long range is a good rest set up. Have a close idea what come ups are on your load, and some trigger time. One of the Greatest 600 yard shooters I have ever shot with is Richard Schatz, and I love his set up, it is basic and simple. He uses an old Hart rest with a shade tree top, and old protektor bag, and that is it. He may place a small towel on the front bag of his rest, but he don't have any fancy cartridge box, or magazine set up. His rifle is very basic, a old Niesika action in a widdeled on shehane baby tracker stock, with a weaver t 36 scope, and that is it. Everything he uses is simple and basic.

 

[BigDMT]

the only thing I want for long range that I do not have for 100-400m is target camera..

was at the range today and when I got to 500m I couldn't see the holes so I had to drive down range after each shot to see where it hit..

good thing I was alone at the range

being able to have the laptop on your bench and see every hole I think is a must.. and you can even have a wind flag visible in the footage to see the conditions next to the target.

to bad it costs about $1k

You can get much cheaper set-ups on ebay for WAY cheaper that will easily work at 500 yards. Anything custom tailored to shooters gets prices jacked way up. Remote wireless camera viewing has been used for years in many other applications. It's not like it's new technology.

Probably have to use a little of your own customizing to mount the components how you want them, but it can be done easy enough and it doesn;t even have to be pretty if it serves it's purpose well

Actually was planning on going to ebay and putting something together like that myself......That's what I'll do with my PayPal account balance!!! Had some cash sitting in there and didn't know what to do with it. lol!

This one should work great for 500 yards. Just have to rig up a small 12V ATV battery with a 12VDC adapter to power the camera. Maybe some other minor rigging up too, but should work provided you already have a lap top for viewing.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/REMOTE-VIEW-NIGHTVISION-WIRELESS-SECURITY-CAMERA-CCTV-/280507400906?pt=US_Security_Cameras&hash=item414f8b42ca