Range Firing Processes

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11 years 8 months ago #19703 by Sharkey
Range Firing Processes was created by Sharkey
When at the range, how do you SERIOUS sniper guys keep from just firing up your targets with full mags in minutes?

How long do you take in between each shot?

I mean, when I am at the range and I am on the line, I'm shooting, not looking, calculating or waiting for anything to cool. I'm just aiming and firing.

How much time do some of you serious long range guys actually take between shots or do you just fire 3 round groups and then evaluate, let your rifle cool and then do it again?

Heck, it's tough for me to go and not pop off 200 rounds out of my AR and another 100 or so from the Benelli and god know how many through whatever else I bring.

I guess, since I've never really done any "sniper training", I just have NO idea what to do in between shots other than get bored... :laugh:

I think I'm more of a "by feel" or instinct kind of guy rather than a "thinker" when I'm shooting or when I was in the mix and I'm thinking the really long range shots are probably more cerebral than I am used to being with a weapon in my hands ready to fire.

I also go at times when myself and my friend are probably going to be the only people there so it's not like we are going to sit around shooting the breeze with guys anyway. Of course, in real life, I don't do much of that anyway really...

What is your "process" when you are there and what kinds of things are you working on or working out in between trigger squeezes?

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11 years 8 months ago #19704 by LebbenB
Replied by LebbenB on topic Range Firing Processes
For me, it depends on what the goal is for that day's session. Sometimes I'm focusing on fundamentals - position, set up, breathing, trigger squeeze, and shot placement. That's usually 3-5 minutes between shots. Other times I focus on speed by having my partner (used to be my son, now my wife has taken over that role) call random targets to see how fast I can get on target, make my range and elevation call, make the corrections on the scope and break the shot. That's usually 1 minute or so between shots.

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11 years 8 months ago - 11 years 8 months ago #19709 by Sharkey
Replied by Sharkey on topic Range Firing Processes
Now, forgive me here as my "cop" is showing but out in the field, as a soldier, did you really get that kind of time?

Normally, from the things I've done, it's a matter of a few seconds or maybe even a couple of minutes at which time everything goes bad VERY quickly with no time for doing anything but reacting and moving forward or ducking behind something big.

In the field, during a military battle, are the times you practice with pretty close to many of the real time situations you encountered?

Much of our training has been KINDA the same I'm sure but much of it has also been VERY different and I was never on "sniper duty" on a rooftop somewhere so time and distance was never on my side with anything.

I do pretty much the same kind of mix it up target shooting but I never allow myself more than a couple of seconds to fire and I am also not usually dealing with the kind of ranges you are since I work on a 200 and shorter yard range.
Last edit: 11 years 8 months ago by Sharkey.

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11 years 8 months ago #19710 by LebbenB
Replied by LebbenB on topic Range Firing Processes

Now, forgive me here as my "cop" is showing but out in the field, as a soldier, did you really get that kind of time?

In some cases, yes. Most others, no. It really depended on the time and terrain. But by going slow and focusing on the fundamentals in training, when the time comes to execute for real, then I can speed up and send an accurate shot quickly.

It's kinda like a martial arts guy going through his kata - the moves are slow and deliberate, so that when the moves are used for real, either in a competition or a fight, they can be executed quickly and flawlessly.

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11 years 8 months ago #19711 by Sharkey
Replied by Sharkey on topic Range Firing Processes
Sound theories Sir.

Now also, are you pinpoint aiming and only happy when you take the guys eye-ball (so to speak) out on each shot or pretty much anything within the "kill zone" is satisfactory?

I'm thinking about, now that my life is changing for the better, taking more time and leaning toward the "eye-ball" thing for a change rather than a general kill zone attitude...

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11 years 8 months ago #19712 by Libertarian623
Replied by Libertarian623 on topic Range Firing Processes
I am not a sniper by trade, but here is my 2 cents. Around the guys I even discuss shooting with (local and state LE and military) the only thing to brag about recently are your cold barrel shots at unknown distance. Also offhand shooting > than 100yds is in high regard. Shooting from a bench or shooting the usual course of fire for time proficiency is kind of expected. If it is rehearsed its not worth bragging about. I have come up with a shooters challenge that is interesting. It involves taking your favorite rifle through its paces. Its a battle type scenario, where you set your kit for the course before you know what it is. Then you are expected to engage targets from 2 to 600 meters from cover to a car to a shoot house 40-80 rds. What I have found is that trigger control is only about 20% of what you need to succeed at this type of challenge. Just my 2 cents and not meant to offend anyone.

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11 years 8 months ago #19715 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic Range Firing Processes
When I go to the range its tune myself and my weapon. So its a slow roll, each shot is to be as accurate as I can and to make adjustments till I get things dialed in. I want me to be the smallest influence in the outcome. I want to be able to hand you my weapon and you shoot as well as I did.

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11 years 8 months ago #19716 by VTIT
Replied by VTIT on topic Range Firing Processes
Sharkey I am like you. Once I have a rifle in my hand I just want to shoot it until it's empty, reload, rinse repeat. Because of this I now bring a S&W M&P 15-22. It gives me the same muscle memory drills as my "real" ARs but shoots .22lr so it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg. I usually warm up with that and get the "blow stuff up" mentality out of my head then try to shoot the real stuff and take my time. I only have access to a range that goes out to 300 yds. so I go for accuracy and technique.

The only sniper like training I have done is at a private (Sig Sauer Academy) school near me.

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11 years 8 months ago #19720 by LebbenB
Replied by LebbenB on topic Range Firing Processes

Now also, are you pinpoint aiming and only happy when you take the guys eye-ball (so to speak) out on each shot or pretty much anything within the "kill zone" is satisfactory?

As long as it's a high center of mass hit (on a torso target) I'm generally happy. Or I'll have my spotter (aka, wife) call a spot on the target to represent a partial target exposure.

Cold bore shots at unknown distance ARE very important. But with laser rangefinders being common, I find that cold bore shots have more to do with rifle and ammunition than with shooter prowess.

A drill I like to do to add stress to the situation is do 50 push ups then hop down behind the gun and have the wife call a target.

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11 years 8 months ago #19729 by MrMarty51
Replied by MrMarty51 on topic Range Firing Processes
In training,while in the A.S. Army,Basic training,they star a person out at a slow pace,get the feel for it type of a situation,shooting targets in close,then the D.I. calling out the next range,a little further each time,then after they think You are "Sort Of Getting It" they set us out on a range with them automatically popping up targets,from twenty five meters out to six hundred,targets popping all over the place,no time to put them down,so,a person learns to become "Quick" and also "Accurate" at the same time.
I loved them target,I would sure like to have a range set up with a couple hundred of them things.
Oh,I never made it as far as being a sniper,but,I did qualify as an "Expert Marksman"and the D.I> that was scoring Me for the finals told Me that I would be an excellent candidate for sniper training,but,crap,I was destined to be a "Tank Driver".LOLOLOL

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