GearExpert

Long Range Shooting Tips: Understanding the Rifle, Scope & Skills

May 6 • How-To, Shooting Tips • 5170

Long range shooting is a discipline that challenges a shooter’s basic marksmanship skills, understanding of their equipment, and knowledge about ballistics. Some people dedicate their lives to it and push themselves to find the limits of their abilities. Just last year, for example, a team of shooters set a world record for the longest rifle shot. They hit a target 4-miles away.

There have been books written about the subject of long distance shooting and there are courses available that you can take, so this article aims to introduce ideas and concepts so you can better understand the subject of long range shooting.

Long Range Shooting

It seems logical that a distance would define long range shooting, but experts describe it more in terms of effort and equipment.

Professional long range shooter and ballistician Bryan Litz describes long range shooting as “anytime you’re making significant sight corrections to hit your target.”

Litz is a coach with the U.S. Rifle Team and also founded the company Applied Ballistics, which researches and consults for ballistics-related projects.

Litz explains a .22-caliber rifle zeroed for 50 yards could work at 100 yards, but it may need significant adjustments beyond that. “So, 150 yards could be a long range shot for something like a .22 rimfire,” he said.

So, the working definition of long range shooting is anytime you have to significantly adjust your zero to hit your target.

Assigning Long Range a Number

If you still want to assign a distance to long range shooting, look no further than competitive shooting. They embody the spirit of Litz’s definition in that they pair ranges and events that challenge a shooter and his or her equipment.

The International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Association requires shooters compete at targets ranging from 300 to 1,000 yards while using rifles chambered in either 5.56mm/.223 Remington or 7.62x51mm/.308 Winchester.

Long-range shooting happens at various distances.

The Precision Rifle Series has shooters compete at unknown distances that range from 10 to more than 800 yards. Depending on the category, shooters are required to use rifles .30 caliber or smaller, or they’re limited to 5.56mm/.223 Remington or 7.62x51mm/.308 Winchester.

And, the National Rifle League, or NRL22, requires shooters compete at the 100-yard range using a .22-caliber rimfire rifle.

And Then There’s Extended Long Range

Extended long range shooting is a form where, as Litz explains, the target is so far away that the bullet slows to its transonic speed, or the speed of sound. ELR is its own category because it requires advanced knowledge of ballistics.

“Those transonic effects are more complex and difficult to account for than the bullet flying through supersonic range, which is relatively well-behaved,” says Litz, whose team of shooters took the top four spots at the first King of 2-Mile, a shooting competition that works up to a target 2-miles away.

Long Range Shooting Gear

Long range shooting can be an expensive endeavor to pursue. To get started, though, you just need a rifle, scope, and ammunition.

Long Range Rifle

When buying a long range rifle, Litz says you should consider application. For example, hunters or tactical shooters will need to move and engage targets rapidly, so they’ll want something with greater maneuverability like a magazine-fed semi-auto with a short barrel.

On the other hand, if you’re in a situation where you can take your time and go after one target at a time, you’d want a rifle with a long and heavy barrel to help with stability.

Besides application, Litz says “a good long range rifle is going to allow you to mount a scope properly … It’s going to let you make adjustments that are necessary for the positions you’ll be shooting from.”

According to Litz, many shooters start their long range journey with a Remington 700. It’s a classic bolt-action rifle that has long served as the basis for sniper and hunting rifles. However, the more involved you get in long range shooting, the quicker you’ll find limitations to factory rifles.

The long-range rifle should match both the shooter’s and the application’s needs.

“You can run that factory gun as it is for a period of time, but the barrel is eventually going to hold you back,” Litz says. He adds, “You’ll learn a lot, but you really can’t optimize (performance) until you select a fast twist-rate barrel and get the highest (ballistic coefficient) bullets.”

(Another reason the Remington 700 is so popular is it’s been in production since the early 1960s, so there are a ton of aftermarket products available to upgrade it.)

Starting out, you should buy a long range rifle that fits your application, can properly hold a scope, and actually fits your body. A factory rifle will be fine in the beginning, but if you keep at it, you’ll need to upgrade.

Long Range Scope

For long distance shooting, the rifle scope is the most important feature. According to Litz, the scope will have a greater impact on how you perform on the range than the rifle will.

“Personally, I would rather have a one-minute rifle and an excellent scope that’s mounted solidly because then I’ll be able to center my one-minute group on the target reliably,” Litz says.

(“Minute” refers to Minute of Angle, a measurement used to identify the angle between two things like the hash marks on a reticle or the hits on a target.)

When considering a long range scope, Litz suggests getting one with a large diameter scope tube, like 30mm or 34mm, because it will allow for a larger adjustment range.

In that same vein, he also suggests using a scope base with additional cant or MOA built in. This increases the elevation range of a rifle scope.

Other features to consider include locking turrets, which allow you to lock in a zero and adjustments, and not accidentally undo them if you bump the scope.

An ideal long-range scope has a large adjustment range.

A long range scope will allow for a wide-range of internal adjustments. If you want to learn more about buying a scope, check out How to Choose a Riflescope.

Long Range Ammo

When you’re shopping for long range ammunition, the keyword is consistency. “What you want to end up with is ammo that groups well, has high ballistic coefficient bullets, and consistent muzzle velocities,” Litz says.

The reason you want a high ballistic coefficient bullet, as Litz explains, is it will retain its velocity as it travels downrange. However, ammunition is not a one-size-fits-all item. “You may have to try a few different types in your rifle to find something that your rifle will actually shoot well,” Litz says.

In the end, if you want good rifle ammo, you have to read the numbers on the back of the box and do some of your own testing. The other option, according to Litz, is handloading. That is if you have the time.

“Getting into handloading is meticulous and it takes a long time to learn, but ultimately you’ll be making ammunition that is tailored for your rifle,” Litz says. “There simply won’t be anything better for your rifle than what you can develop through individual handloads.”

Other Long Range Tools

Once you have a rifle, scope, and ammunition, you will have enough to start your long range endeavor. However, there’s always more gear you could buy. While these items might not improve your shooting, they could make life easier.

A long-range shooter getting an estimate of the range with a rangefinder.
- Spotting Scope – While it’s similar to a rifle scope, a spotting scope is designed to give you a vantage point and clearer view of your target.
- Binoculars – A device that’s similar to a spotting scope but meant to be mobile and used at shorter distances.
- Bipod – This rifle accessory will provide support and stability as you aim.
- Range Finder – A simple tool to use in the field to figure out an approximate or exact range between you and your target.
- Wind Meter – A tool to measure the speed of the wind.
- DOPE Book – A “Data On Previous Engagements” book is a specialized log designed to keep collect your progress and notes on your shooting.
Long Range Shooting Tips

All the equipment in the world wouldn’t mean a thing if you didn’t know how to use it. The following are long range shooting tips you would need to develop in order to be an effective long range marksman.

Basic Marksmanship Skills

The fundamentals of long range shooting are quite simple because they’re just basic marksmanship skills, says Ryan Cleckner, author of the Long Range Shooting Handbook.

In addition to literally writing the book on long range shooting, Cleckner is a former sniper with the Army Rangers who conducted missions in Afghanistan, taught sniper skills to soldiers and police, and even coached long range shooting for contestants on the TV show Top Shot.

The key piece of advice he shares is “no matter what position you’re in, you need to get as stable as possible.” What he means by that is your body and rifle need to be set up so the only thing that moves is your trigger finger.

“If you set up your scope properly to your rifle, you should be able to rest and relax completely on your rifle in that stable position,” he says. “You should be able to look through the scope properly.”

Like any shooting discipline, long-range shooting requires basic marksmanship skills.

Cleckner suggests one way you could accomplish this is by using a bipod or a bag to support the front of your gun. Whichever you choose is a matter of preference, but he prefers the bag.

“I do it for two reasons. One, it gives me a consistent stable platform to shoot the rifle off of, and two, it allows me access to my gear,” Cleckner says. He explains the bag will conform to whatever is underneath it whereas the bipod might react or bounce depending on what it sits on.

After getting your footing, he advises just simply following the rules for basic rifle marksmanship. These include:
- Practicing good sight alignment as you look through the scope
- Proper sight picture where you focus on the crisp clear reticle
- Trigger control where you’re steadily building pressure as you pull
- And, follow-through on the trigger pull after the gun discharges
Reading the Wind

While there are multiple external ballistic factors that affect the bullet as it travels downrange — air pressure, temperature, spin drift, Coriolis effect, and, of course, gravity — one you’ll address more often is wind.

Determining how the wind will affect the bullet on its way to the target is one of the hardest parts about long range shooting. The challenge to reading the wind, as Cleckner explains, is not just figuring out the wind’s direction and speed, but also at what distance it’s blowing.

A key thing to know, though, is that the wind will affect the bullet less the faster the bullet travels. Inversely, the wind will affect the bullet more as the bullet slows down. You use that information to determine if and when you need to make adjustments.

An obvious solution to reading the wind is using a wind meter, but, as Cleckner points out, it’s not always practical because you’d have to go to various points on the range to read the wind there. Another solution is looking at range flags, but those won’t always be available.

A long-range shooter monitoring the conditions downrange.

However, Cleckner has a practical solution. He suggests picking a distance about two-thirds of the way down the range and observing the wind there. You can do this with an optic.
- First, focus your optic on your target, which, for example, say it’s 700 yards away.
- Next, back the focus off to about 500 yards, so the 700-yard target is blurry.
- Lastly, observe the heat waves, or the mirage, at the distance that’s in focus.
“The direction and how those heat waves are behaving will tell you what the wind is doing,” Cleckner says, and adds it doesn’t really matter if it’s hot or cold outside because heat waves will naturally appear if you’re looking through a good scope.

The way in which the waves travel will reveal how fast the wind blows. For instance:
- Straight up and down (a boiling mirage) means no wind or it’s traveling directly toward or away from you, so no adjustment is needed.
- At a 45 degree angle means it’s traveling 3 to 5 mph
- Between 45 and 90 degrees means it’s traveling 5 to 8 mph
- Wavy horizontal means it’s traveling 10 mph
- Flat horizontal means it’s traveling 20 mph
Operating the Scope

While operating a scope can be reduced to twisting dials until your sights align with where you want to shoot, doing it effectively and efficiently requires some technical skills and knowledge.

Understanding concepts like Minutes of Angle or Mils will help you zero your rifle and make adjustments as needed during a course of fire. While both terms are angular measurements, they aren’t exactly the same thing.

A scope turret with 1/8 MOA clicks.

As Cleckner explains, you can associate MOA with the English system of measurements, like inches and yards, and Mil with the Metrics system. While twisting the turret, MOA operates in quarter turns (ex. ¼, ½ or ⅛ clicks) and Mil operates in tenths (0.1 or 0.2 clicks).

This is an oversimplification of those concepts, but it’s important to understand the difference because a scope will be designed for either MOA or Mil concepts.

Is long range shooting for you?

This guide alone will not be able to fully describe and teach you about the products, skills, and technique needed to be a successful long range shooter. In fact, it just scratches the surface. The goal, however, is to introduce the ideas, so you can seek out additional instruction and, more importantly, practice at the range.

Daniel Terrill • No Comments on Long Range Shooting Tips: Understanding the Rifle, Scope & Skills
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Best Hunting Guns: What Should You Check Before Choosing a Firearm for Hunting?

May 6 • Ammo, Shooting Tips, Hunting, Big Game, Bird, Deer, Handgun Ammo, Rifle Ammo, Rimfire, Shotgun Ammo, Turkey • 4688

The author’s first guns that he’s still hunting with over 30 years later, in the order that he received them.
Top to bottom: Winchester Model 62A pump-action .22LR rifle, Ruger M77 scoped bolt-action .25-06 rifle, Winchester Model 1300 Youth pump-action 20-gauge shotgun.

On the surface, it seems like a simple question: “What are the best hunting guns?” Then everyone starts making the case for their preferred guns and the subjective opinions start flying around the gun counter (or internet).

People with all different levels of skill and experience will tell you with heartfelt authority that they would only go with A, B, C. Then the next person will scoff and say, “A, B, C could never match up to X, Y, Z, and here’s why …” If you’re new to hunting and firearms, choosing between A or X, B or Y, C or Z can be enough to make your head spin and your heart filled with doubt. Even after you make your purchase, that doubt can creep home with you, and then it follows you into the field. I’m going to try and make this contentious topic as easy as possible for you and do my absolute best to be objective and omit my personal preferences.

The truth is, there’s not really a one-size-fits-all answer to this age-old debate.

What Should You Check Before Choosing a Firearm for Hunting?

Is Hunter’s Education required? Most states require Hunter’s Ed. before you can be issued a license. These are simple, informative courses that don’t take too much time to complete and can often be done online. These classes are affordable, informative, and a great way to figure out if hunting’s really for you before you spend a lot of money on a gun, ammo, and the endless other outfits and doodads that make up our hunting gear.
Make sure you enroll well ahead of hunting season, those who procrastinate until a couple of months before opening day often find that all of the courses are at capacity and they have to wait until after the season’s over. Hunter’s Ed. instructors are also hunters and are usually spending all of their spare time in the field instead of a classroom. In a nutshell, if you want to hunt next year start learning this year.
Pro tip: if you can get out in the field with an established hunter even before Hunter’s Ed., go for it! Without the proper license or tags, you won’t be personally harvesting an animal, but the things you can learn are invaluable. This is how those of us who grew up in hunting families learned, tagging along as kids to learn through observation and getting the hang of what it’s all about before it was our turn behind the gun. My old man was particularly fond of overloading me with gear like a pack mule so I’d learn what was essential and what’s better left in the truck.
What legal requirements when selecting a firearm for hunting? Is it legal to hunt with? Laws vary depending on what and where you want to hunt. Always check the current Fish & Game regulations to ensure you’re using a legal firearm and ammunition for the animals and area where you intend to hunt. 20-30 minutes on a government website can save you a lot of trouble should you encounter a conservation officer. This is something that’s best to check for yourself instead of relying on anyone but Fish and Game to make sure you know all of the applicable details.
Is it appropriate to hunt with? Generally speaking, find out if it’s too overpowered or underpowered for what you want to hunt. If it’s designed for self-defense, law enforcement, or professional-level competitions, it may not necessarily be appropriate for hunting.
Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it won’t be overkill or insufficient for the game you’re after.
Can you borrow one to try it out? Most experienced hunters are happy to bring along someone who wants to learn and are happy to share or lend a gun for a trip to the range or afield. However, they’ll be unlikely to lend it to you without being present due to safety concerns, liability issues, and general doting over their gun. Don’t take offense, they’re protecting you as much as themselves.
Does it fit you? Start with simple questions: is it too big, long, or heavy for you to hold comfortably? Is it too complicated for your skill level? Is it too high-powered for you? Is the ammunition so expensive that you can’t afford it? Any of these factors can really put you off of hunting and make it an unpleasant experience.
Think of guns like shoes: if they don’t fit or are impractical, you’re not going to like them and they’ll just sit in the closet. Wouldn’t you be skeptical if we haven’t met and I just handed you my boots and told you to start walking? Try several on for size before plunking down your hard-earned money.

Best Hunting Guns | The “Holy Trinity of Hunting”

Old-timers have long held that any and all hunters must have 3 guns:

A .22 Long Rifle
A bolt-action .30-06
A pump-action 12-gauge shotgun

This is what was passed down to me by my father from my grandfather. It’s been reiterated throughout my years of chatting on both sides of the gun counter, at hunting camps, shooting ranges, and gun shows. I’ve heard it to be a “fact” since I was a little kid tagging along on hunts. It’s carved in stone; it’s immutable truth. To claim otherwise is to be met with the bullhorns, pitchforks, and torches of the indoctrinated. They’re absolutely resolute, this is the “holy trinity of hunting”* forever and ever, amen.

Except it isn’t.

Before you scroll down to the comments to lambaste me, hear me out. Then scroll down and give me both barrels. I enjoy this debate.

Yes, the “holy trinity of hunting” is the most universal set of guns for hunting and are all very good to have. But “universal” implies “one-size-fits-all,” and when picking out your gun, that’s some flawed logic. Rather than “universal,” I like to focus on “versatility” when it comes to the guns I take out hunting.

I’m lucky enough to live in a place where there’s always something in season year-round, so I’m out in the field a lot with one or two different guns depending on what’s on the menu. If you don’t get to go out much, versatility is even more important to maximize each trip. If you’re on a budget, versatility becomes the most important consideration.

RIMFIRE & CENTERFIRE DEFINED:
The firing pin strikes the primer on a gun’s ammunition, causing the powder to ignite and the pressure to push the projectile out of the end of the barrel. There have been various designs over the centuries, but today almost all of them are rimfire or centerfire. Blackpowder guns are still sometimes used for limited hunting, and their primers are separate pieces that have to be loaded manually for each shot. Rimfire simply means that the primer is in the rim on the bottom of the cartridge. A rimfire’s firing pin looks a bit like a small flathead screwdriver blade and can strike anywhere on the cartridge to set it off. It’s only common to very small calibers and appropriate for small game or target shooting. Centerfire means that the primer is a noticeable ring-shaped button on the bottom of the cartridge that ignites the gunpowder. “Centerfire rifle” is a commonly used term to differentiate them from rimfires, especially in hunting regulations. Except for some very small centerfire calibers, a lot of them are suitable for hunting mid-size to big game. Shotgun shells are all centerfires, so there’s no need to indicate a nonexistent distinction.

RIMFIRE & CENTERFIRE DEFINED:

The firing pin strikes the primer on a gun’s ammunition, causing the powder to ignite and the pressure to push the projectile out of the end of the barrel. There have been various designs over the centuries, but today almost all of them are rimfire or centerfire. Blackpowder guns are still sometimes used for limited hunting, and their primers are separate pieces that have to be loaded manually for each shot.
Rimfire simply means that the primer is in the rim on the bottom of the cartridge.
A rimfire’s firing pin looks a bit like a small flathead screwdriver blade and can strike anywhere on the cartridge to set it off.
It’s only common to very small calibers and appropriate for small game or target shooting.
Centerfire means that the primer is a noticeable ring-shaped button on the bottom of the cartridge that ignites the gunpowder.
“Centerfire rifle” is a commonly used term to differentiate them from rimfires, especially in hunting regulations.
Except for some very small centerfire calibers, a lot of them are suitable for hunting mid-size to big game.
Shotgun shells are all centerfires, so there’s no need to indicate a nonexistent distinction.

The .22 Rimfire Round

4 rimfire ammunition cartridges lined up from largest to smallest. — *.22-Caliber rimfire cartridges. From left to right: .22 Mag ballistic tip, .22 Mag #12 shotshell, .22 Long Rifle hollow point, .22 Short hollow point.*

I’ll start with the most ubiquitous and popular caliber, and the one that introduces most of us to shooting: the .22 Long Rifle. In the late 19th century, this rimfire wonder was an evolution from its much smaller and less powerful “parlor gun” predecessors: the .22 BB Cap, the .22 CB Cap, the .22 Short, and the mostly obsolete .22 Long. In 1960, the .22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire) or “.22 Mag” came along. In the 21st century, several .17-caliber rimfires came into the market, all necked-down versions of .22 cartridges. Since those .17’s are less common, I’ll be talking about .22’s, but they’re good to be aware of and definitely have their place in the hunting sphere (and are ballistically superior to .22’s).

.22 LR’s are really good for a beginner hunting rifle, even though they’re somewhat limited since you can’t hunt big game or most birds with them. By far the most popular .22LR in America is the semi-automatic Ruger 10/22. They’re affordable, quality, versatile rifles that are made in the good ol’ United States of America. There are kits and parts from a wide range of manufacturers to swap out stocks, barrels, triggers, add scopes, etc. A lot of people buy a basic model and then tinker around until it’s exactly what they want.

I was 12 when my dad gave me my first gun, a .22 rifle. Much to my disappointment, it wasn’t a semi-auto, and it wasn’t even new. It was an old pump-action Winchester with a tube-fed magazine (unbeknownst to me, it was also on the rarer end of old guns). The benefits soon became clear, as this tube-fed manual action has a lot of advantages over the super-cool semi-auto Marlin Papoose I got two years later. Versatility was the key; I could shoot any kind of ammo from .22 Short to .22 LR, .22 shotshells, and ammunition of any level of quality. I still have that ol’ Winnie, I still hunt with it, and it’s taken more critters and varmints than any other gun I’ve ever owned.

A semi-auto is limited to only the cartridges it’s chambered for and can be finicky about feeding and cycling certain loads. Non-semi-autos that don’t have that limitation are manual actions:

.22 revolvers (pictured), double-action or single-action
Break-action (pictured)
Pump-action (pictured)
Lever-action
Bolt-action (single-shot or tube-fed magazine)

Three guns on a wood background. — Three manual action rimfires, all capable of using .22 Long Rifle, .22 Long, and .22 short ammunition. Top to bottom: pump-action with tube-fed magazine, break-action single-shot combo (bottom barrel is 20ga), single-action revolver (also has extra cylinder for .22 Mag).

If you can only get one .22, consider a manual action. Some revolvers, like the Heritage Rough Rider 16” pictured, have interchangeable cylinders or parts to allow swapping from a .22LR to a .22 Mag. and increases the versatility depending on your needs and ammo on hand.

Revolver handgun with extra cylinder on wood background. — Originally purchased as a novelty gun, this Heritage Rough Rider has a cylinder for .22LR/.22 Long/.22 Short, and another cylinder for .22 Mag. The 16″ barrel is unwieldy but has surprising hunting potential when combined with a clip-on bipod or an improvised rest. I plan to test it out on varmints before small-game season.

Short-barreled handguns aren’t very practical for hunting, but once you get around 5+ inches, they become more accurate and appropriate. Now is as good a time as any to point out that self-defense handguns are rarely suitable for hunting with their short concealable barrels, limited range, and calibers that are usually either underpowered or overkill. That’s not to say it can’t be and hasn’t been done; they’re just less practical in the field.

I’ll stand by the .22 Long Rifle being a must-have in your hunting toolkit for hunting small game and practicing marksmanship skills, no matter what action style you decide on. In these times of fluctuating ammunition availability, there’s also a case to be made for a high-powered air rifle as a backup to a rimfire. There are a lot of them on the market now that deliver 1,000+ fps (feet per second) muzzle velocity, which is plenty for hunting small game (where legal). They use pellets (sometimes BB’s), and .177 is the most air rifle common caliber, with .22 being a close second.

The Bolt-Action .30-06 (and Alternatives)

The venerable .30-06 Springfield has been used to take down every big animal in North America, including moose, bison, and grizzlies. It’s been a mainstay for hunters since the first commercially available model came out in 1908. A bolt-action is simple to use and very reliable in a variety of conditions. That’s exactly why you see most big game hunters using a scoped bolt-action in the field. That doesn’t make it the end-all-be-all big game rifle, though.

Bolt-action hunting rifle on wood background. — *Scoped bolt-action rifle in .25-06, a slightly smaller caliber than the .30-06.*

There are a host of other centerfire guns large and small that can be the “best hunting guns” for big game that could be a better fit for you. For the most part, it’s about shot placement for a clean kill above any other factor. I know people who hunt deer with a 5.56mm/.223 Rem because it’s what they have. I had a coworker who downed elk with an AR-10 using 7.62mm NATO because he was more comfortable with it than a bolt-action or any other rifle. He just used a 5-round magazine for easier handling in the woods and added an appropriate scope.

A .30-06 can be a little too much recoil for some folks, especially combined with a modern lightweight synthetic stock, and that can take them out of the running as good hunting guns for beginners, particularly for kids. My son’s first deer rifle was a compact break-action single-shot .243 Win that worked great for him. My first was the .25-06 bolt-action that has dropped plenty of deer and I still take it out at least once a year (pictured above).

People hunt with all kinds of other rifles like .270’s, .300 Win. Mag.’s, lever-action .30-30’s, .45-70’s, the list goes on and on. The 6.5mm Creedmoor is a relatively new cartridge that has really taken off in popularity and is more and more common out in the woods. The point is that there are a lot of hunting rifles to choose from for big game so there’s no all-time “best beginner hunting rifle” for everyone. It’s more about honing your shooting skills to focus on shot placement with the gun you have available and that suits you rather than “everyone’s favorite caliber.”

The Mighty Shotgun, Master of Versatility

Variety of shotgun shell ammunition. — Some of the wide varieties of shotgun ammo available. Top left: buckshot pellets, top right: birdshot pellets, center left: shotgun slug, bottom left: bottom view of shell with centerfire primer, bottom center: a 20-gauge shotshell (yellow) and a 12-gauge shotshell (red), bottom right: shotshell loaded with buckshot.

I’ve left the shotgun last for a reason: it’s hands-down the most versatile hunting gun you can have, and I believe that makes them arguably the best hunting guns. The reason a shotgun is so versatile is the sheer volume of different kinds of rounds you can use in them. “Shot” simply means a lot of small projectiles in one cartridge for a higher likelihood of hitting your target, especially a moving target, as opposed to a single projectile like a pistol or rifle. Shot sizes are tailored to different wild game: the smaller the game, the smaller the shot, and the bigger the game, the bigger the shot.

For bigger animals like deer, there’s buckshot.
There are also slugs, a single very large projectile made in rifled for smoothbores or sabot for rifled shotgun barrels.
Some shells have a combo of different shot sizes in one, and some that combine slugs and shot.
If you can imagine it, it’s probably been loaded into a shotgun at some point for whatever reason.

You’ll often hear people say, “If you can only get one gun, get a pump-action 12-gauge with interchangeable chokes.” That’s shorthand, though, and doesn’t take into account the fact that a 12ga can be too much gun for some people. I tend to say, “If you can only get one gun, get a shotgun that fits you.” They’re a great all-around gun since you can hunt everything from squirrels to big game with them, and they afford peace of mind as a home defense gun. Their range is far more limited than a centerfire rifle, but they’re powerful when used properly. Every kind of shotgun action from single-shot to semiautomatic is appropriate for hunting, but at the bare bones absolute minimum, it should have a shoulder stock and at least an 18-inch barrel with a modified choke.**

Three shotgun chokes with a wrench. — Three interchangeable shotgun chokes. Improved Cylinder, left. Modified, center (as the most versatile size, notice the wear after 30 years of use). Full choke, installed in the barrel. Bottom is the simple wrench included for quick swaps or tightening in the field.

The “choke” refers to how constricted the end of the barrel is, determining if you’ll have a wide shot pattern or a more concentrated one. A fixed choke means the gun has a set pattern that can’t be changed without a trip to the gunsmith. An interchangeable choke tube is far preferable for a shotgun, as it allows you to change the pattern depending on your application and has far more versatility. The basic 5, in order from widest pattern to narrowest, are cylinder, improved cylinder, modified, improved modified, and full. There are too many other variations to list here, but they vary in design and function as much as shotgun ammo does.

Yes, the 12-gauge has a wide variety of ammo choices, but those choices are usually also available in 20-gauge or .410 bore, which are much more suited to smaller hunters and those who are recoil-sensitive. My first was a 20-gauge pump and, you guessed it, I still hunt with it every year. Less common in order from smallest to largest are the 28-gauge, 16-gauge, and 10-gauge. Since they’re not as popular as the other gauges, ammo can be harder to come by, but they’re all fun to shoot (the 10-gauge requires some fortitude).

Back view of open break-action combo gun in .22 Long Rifle and 20 gauge shotgun. — *My Savage Diplomat .22LR/20ga O/U combo gun, fresh from the field and ready for a deep-cleaning.*

One nifty variation is the combo gun. Usually, this consists of a rifled barrel over a smoothbore shotgun barrel in a break-action, called an Over/Under (O/U). It’s pretty common to find them with a .22LR/.410 or .22LR/20ga, often billed as a “survival rifle.” Another is a .223 Rem./12ga, very handy for big game hunts where you might come across birds or other small game. There have been innumerable variants though, mostly European, including guns with 3 or 4 barrels in various calibers, known as a “drilling” and a “Vierling,” respectively. Personally, if I could only keep one of my guns for hunting, I’d stick with my Savage Diplomat in .22/20ga (pictured). It’s the most versatile firearm I’ve ever owned ammo-wise and I’ve hoofed a lot of miles turning quite a bit of fauna into food with it.

The Boiled-Down Basics of the “Best Hunting Guns”

So what should you check before choosing a firearm for hunting?

It’s fair to say that a hunter should at least have a shotgun that suits them.
If they can afford it, then a .22 Long Rifle would be second on the list.
Lastly, getting serious about big-game hunting means getting a centerfire rifle in the size and caliber that is best for the hunter’s size and intended prey.

None of these necessarily has to be anything more than you need or can afford; just put in that practice time and you’ll do well when you go afield. Tell me what you think by leaving a comment below!

*Full disclosure: I have the “holy trinity of hunting” in my slightly excessive and ever-growing firearm collection that I’ve accumulated over the last 30-odd years. The vast majority of my guns are hunters, and each of them comes out with me at least once per season. Wall-hangers are great, but they don’t put food in the freezer.

**I’ve taken plenty of grouse with an 18” fixed cylinder choke barrel, it’ll do in a pinch.

David Parris • No Comments on Best Hunting Guns: What Should You Check Before Choosing a Firearm for Hunting?

Tactical Pants Materials: A Look at Fibers, Weaves and Finishes

May 6 • Apparel, Tactical Gear, Tactical Pants • 6364

Tactical pants are designed to endure an assortment of strenuous activities but also be presentable at the end of the day. Clothing makers address this challenge by employing a host of manufacturing techniques to improve the durability of their pants.

For this article, I reviewed about three dozen pairs of tactical pants by six different manufacturers. I specifically focused on the materials used to make tactical pants. In this article, I cover the fabrics, treatments, and weave styles used to design tactical pants, as well as the purpose of each application.

Fabric Materials for Tactical Pants

Manufacturers make tactical pants out of a variety of materials and weights so that the pants are comfortable for most conditions and temperatures.

Polyester and Cotton

A 65 percent polyester and 35 percent cotton ripstop fabric.

The vast majority of tactical pants are polyester and cotton with a 65/35 combination. This all-purpose blend tries to capture the best of both materials. The synthetic polyester makes the pants more resistant to wear, moisture, wrinkles, shrinking, and fading while the natural cotton makes it softer and more breathable.

Nylon and Cotton

Nylon has similar, and in some cases, better qualities than polyester. It’s smoother, softer, and more water repellent. In fact, some manufacturers make their waterproof pants entirely out of nylon. However, nylon is also more expensive. Except for waterproof pants and some summer lightweights, the nylon and cotton blend is usually mostly cotton or a 50/50 mix.

100% Cotton

The biggest benefit of cotton, the original outdoor material, is temperature control. Depending on the construction, the fabric can keep you cool in the summer or warm in the winter. It’s also less likely to irritate your skin. You’ll usually find cotton tactical pants in a canvas or twill pattern.

A 98 percent cotton and 2 percent elastane twill fabric.

Of course, there are drawbacks to cotton. The fabric requires more maintenance and tender care than synthetic blends. Cotton clothes can shrink, so they need to be washed in cold water only or dry cleaned, and they’re definitely not wrinkle resistant, so you’ll have to iron them.

Other Materials

You’ll find a handful of other synthetic fibers mixed with cotton, polyester, nylon, or the blends mentioned above. For instance, you might see fire-resistant pants made with Nomex or Aramid, or, stretchy or flexible pants with lycra, elastane, or spandex.

Pant’s Weight

If you’re shopping online, pay attention to how the pants are described. Sometimes clothing makers will use terms like “lightweight” or “hot weather.” These are obviously intended for warm or hot weather. Sometimes though, the descriptions are not as obvious, so you have to pay attention to the actual weight of the pants.

Lighter pants are better for hotter temperatures and heavier pants are better for colder temperatures. One obvious indicator of hot or cold weather pants is the literal weight assigned to them. According to SewingIsCool.com:
- Lightweight pants weigh 1.5-5 ounces
- Medium weight pants weigh 5-10 ounces
- Heavy weight pants weigh 10-14 ounces
On average, tactical pants weigh about 6.5 ounces and tactical jeans usually weigh about 10 ounces.

Fabric Weaves for Tactical Pants

Fabrics are defined by the materials used to make them as well the patterns used to weave them together. The most common patterns include ripstop, twill, denim, and chino.

Ripstop

A 100 percent polyester ripstop fabric.

Ripstop fabrics are generally used for more duty-oriented tactical pants. The pattern makes fabric resistant to tearing and ripping, which is why it’s popular for tactical pants as well as parachutes, wingsuits, kites, etc. It’s also easy to identify. Ripstop uses a crosshatch pattern which looks like a bunch of squares.

Twill

A twill pattern looks like a bunch of parallel lines traveling diagonally. You’ll see twill tactical pants that include plain twill, denim, and chino. In other words, you’ll find more styles of tactical pants fashioned out of twill because a lot of clothes are made out of twill.

Denim

Tactical jeans are growing in popularity. Traditionally, denim is a cotton fabric, but if it’s marketed as stretch pants or flexible then it has been blended with a synthetic fabric like polyester or spandex. Tactical jeans tend to weigh more, usually in the 10-ounce range, and they’re designed more for function than storage.

Chino

Chino is a twill fabric traditionally made of cotton and most often used to make khaki trousers. The design has global origins. It started in China, was picked up by the British military, and later introduced into American fashion by U.S. troops returning home from the Spanish-American War. They’re just a basic pair of khakis.

Canvas

A 67 percent polyester and 33 percent cotton canvas fabric.

Canvas is a tightly-woven fabric. Compared to denim, canvas is more durable and nearly waterproof. It’s so durable that it’s often used to produce military gear. For tactical pants, you’ll find duty styles that look like military utilities, but there are also covert designs.

Treatments Applied to Tactical Pants

During the manufacturing process, a pair of tactical pants will likely undergo a couple different finishes to improve their overall durability. These include stain- and water-resistant treatments, and stretching.

Teflon

Water-resistant fabric.

Teflon is used to coat various products like cookware, cables, machine parts, and clothing. On fabric, teflon creates a stain- and water-resistant coat that’s easy to clean. Since it’s a brand, Teflon will be listed as a feature.

If tactical pants are marketed just as “stain resistant,” they probably underwent a proprietary treatment. Also, Teflon and other similar treatments fade over time and washings, so you may have to apply additional stain-resistant treatments.

Stretch

Stretchy fabric.

Stretchy fabric is growing in popularity because it makes moving a little bit easier. Manufacturers will make stretch tactical pants one of two ways. First, they’ll blend synthetic material like lycrane, elastane, or spandex, which are designed to stretch, into the fabric. And, second, they’ll apply a mechanical stretch finish to a polymer or nylon blended fabric after it’s been produced.

Blend It My Way

As you can see, tactical pants are available in a variety of fibers, weaves, and treatments. Personally, I like mechanical stretch canvas covert pants in coyote brown. What fabrics do you prefer in your tactical pants? Tell us in the comments below.

Daniel Terrill • No Comments on Tactical Pants Materials: A Look at Fibers, Weaves and Finishes
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Beginner’s Guide to Guns: 4 Top Tips for New Firearm Owners

Apr 29 • How-To, Ammo, Firearm Maintenance, Firearms Training, Shooting Tips, Handgun Ammo, Rifle Ammo, Rimfire, Shotgun Ammo • 23942

So, you’re a new gun owner, welcome to the club! You might be asking yourself, “What now?” We’re here to provide some judgment-free tips and answers to questions in this beginner’s guide to guns that you may not have known to ask. You’re probably a bit nervous and want to make sure you understand gun safety rules to avoid a mishap.

It’s okay, we’ve all been there as newbie gun owners, and we know it can be a little intimidating to mingle with lifelong gun folks who’ve been speaking the lingo for decades.

Keep reading to learn the beginner’s basics of:
- Gun laws
- 4 Rules of Gun Safety
- Getting to know your new gun
- Ammunition
If you’re still just thinking about buying a gun, check out our 4 Quick Tips for Buying a Handgun (don’t worry, everything there applies to shotguns and rifles, too).

Know Your Gun Laws

Get to know all of your gun laws, including federal, state, county, and city.

Gun laws can vary depending on where you live. State laws may be different from federal laws, county laws may be different from state laws, and local laws may be different from county laws. These laws may dictate the type of gun you can own, the kind of accessories you can use, how you carry it in public, or how you transport and store it. No beginner’s guide to guns could hope to cover all the firearm laws across the country.

Failure to comply with these laws could result in criminal charges, so you should rely on reputable sources and expert legal opinions.

As a safeguard, reputable gun stores won’t sell you something you’re not legally allowed to have, but it’s still good practice to review and comply with laws regarding gun ownership in your locality. These laws are public information and are made available online by your state and local governments.

Additionally, it’s important to understand the gun laws of the places you might take your firearms. Something legal in one state might be illegal in the next, so if you’re crossing state lines, make sure you’re up to speed!

If you’re uncomfortable with your own research, you might want to consider contacting your local police department for more information about complying with gun laws or seek out legal counsel to help navigate the red tape. This will usually be a criminal defense attorney, but you can easily find firearm lawyers near you with a quick online search. The money you invest early could save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run.

The NRA-ILA Gun Laws page is a good starting point no matter how much experience you have. Also, if you’ll be flying somewhere, check out the TSA Transporting Firearms & Ammunition page before you travel.

Beginner’s Guide to Guns: Gun Safety Rules

Learn from a professional.

Even before you take your new gun out of the box (although you probably already have), it’s important to know and practice the four rules of gun safety:
- Always treat every gun as if it’s loaded.
- Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
- Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you’re ready to fire.
- Always be sure of your target and what’s behind it.
If you don’t have extensive firearms experience, consider taking a basic introductory safety and shooting course. A certified instructor will provide foundational information in an appropriate learning environment. They’ll teach you the gun safety rules and more. Most local gun ranges offer training, but instructor certification may vary. Most certified instructors are NRA-Certified which means, at the very least, they are qualified to teach an introductory course.

Safe Storage

Safely storing your gun(s) and ammo is extremely important. Even if your home is child-free and you feel that you live in a safe neighborhood, it’s still your responsibility to prevent unauthorized access to your guns. In some states, there are legal requirements for gun storage, so be sure to check your local laws.

At OpticsPlanet, we have a wide variety of Gun Storage options depending on your needs. If you aren’t sure what to look for, read our Gun Safes Big & Small – What Do I Need? and Gun Safe Buyer’s Guide for pointers to help you whittle down your choices.

New Gun Owner Accessories

Some of the most important new gun owner accessories you can buy are eye and hearing protection. These two simple, yet all too often neglected, safety tools need to be at the top of your list. You can browse our selection of Shooting Glasses and Hearing Protection or learn more about Hearing Protection for Shooting Situations.

There are tons of other shooting accessories depending on what sort of gun you have and what your applications are. If you have a handgun and plan to carry or attend classes, you may want a holster. Be prepared to try a few different ones to find what fits you. Gun cases are a must for transportation and come in very handy for storage. If your gun uses a detachable magazine, having at least two or three extra mags is always a good idea if only to save you reloading time when you’re at the range. If you have a rifle or shotgun, having a sling is almost a must if you plan to carry it at all.

Learning the Lingo

What’s the point of a beginner’s guide to guns if you can’t understand the language? Firearm lingo can be a confusing second language, even if you have some knowledge already. Here are some references we’ve put together to help you understand common terms you’ll hear in gun shops or at the range:
You’ll also find great handgun tips for beginners in our Beginner’s Guide to Owning a Pistol.

Prep & Upkeep of Your Gun

Getting familiar with your new gun is one of the first things to do.

One great way to get familiar with your gun is to clean it. Keep in mind the four rules of gun safety whenever you handle your gun. The first thing you’ll need to do is “field strip”, or take apart, your new gun. Refer to your owner’s manual for field-stripping instructions. Also, our YouTube channel is a great resource for learning a lot more about firearms maintenance, along with a host of other related content.

You’ll be fine buying any basic universal cleaning kit. Everyone who owns a gun should also own a gun cleaning kit for regular maintenance.

Beginner’s Guide to Guns: Helpful Articles on Gun Cleaning

We also have several articles showing you how to clean the most common kinds of firearms:
- How to Clean a Muzzleloader
- How to Clean a Revolver
- How to Clean a 1911
- How to Clean a Glock Pistol
- How to Clean an AR-15
- How to Clean a Remington 870 (this is the same for most pump shotguns)
- How to Clean a Mossberg 930 (this is the same for most semi-auto shotguns)
Dry-Fire Practice

Dry-fire practice is training without the ammunition. Grip, sight picture/sight alignment, and the trigger press can all be practiced without firing a single round. It can not only improve your skills but save a lot of money on ammo. Do this before you take a basic safety course with a professional instructor. It will allow you to get a feel for the gun’s trigger pull and break, lingo referring to how hard it is to squeeze the trigger before setting off the firing pin. Again, we stress that your primary concern should always be the 4 rules of gun safety.

Dry-fire practice is useful for all skill levels. Most professional competitive shooters practice this way frequently. It allows you to work the slide on semi-automatics and try out your gun without the danger of live ammunition. Of course, continue to follow the safety rules and treat every gun as if it’s loaded! Dry-fire practice can be done on all firearms, no matter what kind of action it has. To preserve your gun from excess wear, though, Snap Caps and Dummy Rounds are inexpensive and designed for only this purpose (and are essential for any rimfire gun).

Off to the Range!

All right, you’ve gone to your basic shooting class, you’ve done some dry fire practice, you’ve checked out Keith Warren’s Shooting Tips, you’ve read through A Day at the Range, memorized the four rules of gun safety by heart, and now you want to get out to the range for the real thing. Here are some important things to know before you go:
- If you go to an outdoor range, bring your own targets and a stapler to hang them up. Indoor ranges generally sell paper targets, but you could still bring your own.
- If you have a scoped gun, bring a boresight to begin sighting in your scope. Boresighting is important and will save you a lot of ammunition, but it will only get you onto the paper. From there, you’ll want to get it dialed in for real accuracy. You can read more about this in our How to Zero A Riflescope article.
- ALWAYS clean up after yourself! It’s just the right thing to do and it is a common courtesy among shooters. Most shooting ranges have garbage cans readily available for just this reason. So, remember to dispose of any used paper targets (or keep them for bragging rights) and throw away empty ammo boxes; collect reusable targets; and pick up empty brass (most ranges have buckets for brass, too). One quick note, discard or recycle rimfire casings, they can’t be reloaded.
A Few Words About Ammo

There’s a wide variety of ammunition, depending on what you need it for.

When you’re new to shooting, the variety of ammunition available can be a little overwhelming. You may not know exactly what to buy. Here are some tips to get you started:
- Make sure the ammo matches the markings on your gun.
  - The caliber and cartridge configuration will be clearly marked on the barrel and/or receiver of the gun, found in the owner’s manual, and readily available on the manufacturer’s website.
  - Just because it fits doesn’t mean it’ll work. Loading incorrect ammunition could permanently damage your gun and/or result in serious injuries.
  - Get help from a trusted resource like the manufacturer’s website, the store that sold you the gun, or a reputable website.
- Match your ammo to your application. What you want to do with your gun, like hunting, target shooting, or self-defense, will dictate what kind of ammo to buy. This is broken down in simple terms in our Selecting Ammo by Application buyer’s guide.
- If you’ve never loaded a magazine or are having trouble with them, look over our article on How To Load A Magazine. Our Speed Loaders will make this process a lot faster and easier, especially for people who have diminished strength and dexterity in their hands due to issues like arthritis. They’re very easy to buy, just pick out the one that matches the make and model of your gun and you’re ready to go.
- Depending on where you live, you can order ammo online for convenience and savings.
- Here are helpful links for ammunition shopping:
Parting Shots

At this point, you should have a better feel for where to check your local firearms laws, gun safety, storage, familiarity with your gun, dry-fire practice, ammunition, and heading to the range. In addition to this beginner’s guide to guns, you can always learn more from our GearExpert blog and How-To Guides from our industry experts. Click the social links to share this article, leave a comment and tell us what you think, or visit OpticsPlanet for all your shooting supplies and more!

David Parris • No Comments on Beginner’s Guide to Guns: 4 Top Tips for New Firearm Owners
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How to Dry Fire: 5 Training Tips and Truths

Apr 26 • How-To, Firearms Training, Dry Fire • 4477

Dry fire training is an effective and inexpensive way to practice shooting. In its simplest form, dry firing is target practice without ammo. You do everything as you would at the range except punch holes through paper. Most experts agree that the main purpose of dry fire is to learn about your gun, examine your ability, and improve your technique before going live on the range.

“Dry practice … allows you to work on techniques and shooting skills off the range so that you can make the most of your live fire trigger time,” says Julie Golob, world champion handgun shooter and Smith & Wesson pro, in a video post about the subject. “Let’s face it, range time is precious.”

Kirsten Joy Weiss, a champion collegiate shooter and social media influencer, explains dry shooting is so effective because it eliminates the extreme sensory experience of firing a gun.

“Without recoil [or] the sound of the shot going off, all you hear is the click of the trigger as you take the shot,” she says. “This allows you to focus on your sight picture and your trigger press and see the foundation of your marksmanship technique.”

Another benefit of dry fire, which might be obvious to serious shooters, is all the money you save. “Ammunition is one of the biggest expenses of shooting and it adds up,” Weiss says, and adds that it’s not uncommon for her to shoot more than a thousand rounds in a single training session.

Prepare a Dry Fire Place

Before you begin dry fire training, you should first arrange a practice space. Find one that can be effective and safe because even though you’re not using live ammo, all four firearm safety rules still apply!

Find a Place to Dry Fire

“[Start by] making sure that you’ve found a good, safe place in your home such as a garage or somewhere you know that you will be pointing [your gun] in a safe direction,” says Krystal Dunn, a pro shooter for Federal Premium, in a video post.

Dunn, along with all shooting experts, stress that you double-check that your pistol, rifle or shotgun is unloaded before you start dry shooting. More often than not, instructors will also urge you to remove all live ammo from your pockets and gun pouches, and some even suggest you remove it from the room entirely.

Arrange Your Space Appropriately

Charlie McNeese, a rangemaster at the world famous Gunsite Academy, recommends that you mentally prepare for dry fire training as well. Therefore, you should arrange your practice space appropriately.

He suggests removing anything that might distract from training. “No radios, no TVs, no phones, nothing to distract us from what we’re trying to accomplish. And when we do things, we do things with a purpose in mind. Not to just waste time,” McNeese says in an interview.

Dry Fire Target Ready

Once you have a safe space, an unloaded gun, and a training plan, the last thing to do is to set up something to shoot at. Taping a target to the wall or simply using a sticky note will suffice. You just need something to aim at.

What Dry Firing is NOT

Dry firing is more than pointing a gun at the wall and snapping the trigger. Experienced shooting instructor Paul Markel explains that all too often, shooters (and even professional gun-handlers) treat dry firing like busy work and, as a result, end up developing poor technique.

“Thoughtless trigger snapping can lead to what many call ‘training scars’ or bad habits that actually detract from good marksmanship,” Markel says in his article on Officer.com.

“Each and every draw stroke or trigger press trains the neuromuscular impulses in your body,” Markel says as he stresses technique over speed. “Strive for a perfect draw stroke or perfect trigger press each time,” he adds.

A Dry, Dry Fire

Markel’s article reminds me of an expression you hear in tactical training: slow is fast and fast is slow. That means a smooth and proper application of technique is better than speed. Most shooting instructors recommend you start dry fire training with a steady, slow pull. Pulling the trigger slowly will reveal so much about the firearm. You’ll learn:
- How much pressure you need to apply to set off the gun.
- How much slack is in the trigger.
- When the trigger engages the firing mechanism (or hits the “wall”).
- How much the trigger “creeps” to the breaking point.
Following that same line of thought, most instructors will also recommend you control the trigger reset. During dry firing, this means keeping the trigger depressed when you recharge the gun. With a controlled reset, you’ll feel the springs loosen as you slowly ease the trigger forward. Then, you’ll hear and feel the trigger click. In short, this dry, dry run will help you understand the mechanics of your gun and basic trigger control.

How to Dry Fire

By now, you understand the basic idea of what dry firing is, so now we’ll discuss how to do it.

In general, dry fire training involves drawing, presenting, aiming, and shooting your gun, but more importantly it’s about analyzing and improving those things. So, what should you try to learn when you dry fire?

One Step at a Time

For a shooter like Dunn, focusing on individual steps is most efficient. “I’m going to work on just focusing on my target and getting a nice natural grip on my firearm,” she says, and adds, “You can also practice your draw, your press out to your target, good sight alignment, and a smooth, steady trigger pull.”

Move without Moving

However, Weiss says she mainly focuses on three things: smooth trigger press, moving without moving sight picture, and follow through, which she defines as “the act of staying on the gun and within your sight picture without moving even after the shot is released.”

What Weiss describes will lead to something called an after-shot assessment. After you pull the trigger, you should freeze and note where your sights are in relation to your target and then compare them to where you started, which should be center mass.

Finger Placement

Top Shot champ Chris Cheng emphasizes working on trigger finger placement. In an instructional video, Cheng explains too much finger on the trigger or too little will pull shots away from the bull’s eye. “Proper trigger finger placement is at that point where (your finger) is about one-third out from that first knuckle,” Cheng says.

After figuring out proper trigger finger placement, Cheng advises focusing on practicing a straight and smooth pull to the rear and then putting it all together.

Smooth Application

Golob agrees that the most useful skill you can acquire through dry shooting is trigger control, but she also encourages you to refine individual steps as you go through the motions from drawing to shooting.

“Skills that are especially helpful for new gun owners to work on in dry fire are learning how to manipulate the slide of your firearm and practicing safe muzzle direction, teaching yourself how to acquire a proper grip every time, getting comfortable with a stance that allows you to control recoil, [and] building confidence with how to line up the sights for accuracy and speed,” Golob says.

Will Dry Shooting Damage My Gun?

The short answer is… it depends on the gun.

Most modern firearms, including rifles, shotguns, and striker fired pistols, will be fine, but, according to the NRA, dry firing could damage rimfire firearms.

“Rimfire guns are particularly susceptible … because the firing pin must hit the rim of the cartridge in order to detonate it,” the NRA says, and explains if there’s no soft primer to strike, the firing pin will hit the hard steel chamber, which could damage the pin.

Additionally, older single-action revolvers, especially ones popular among cowboy action shooters, can also be damaged if they’re fired on an empty chamber. Therefore, it’s generally recommended to invest in snap caps. These inexpensive dummy rounds feature a soft spot in the primer to provide a cushion for the firing pin to strike.

Parting Shots

Some of the best shooters in the world dry fire. They aim their gun at their garage wall and do high reps in their basement or wherever they find themselves. They might even mix some dry fire in with their live fire just to keep things spicy. So, if you don’t have any ammo or just want to improve your overall shooting skills, start dry firing to enhance your technique. If you have other dry fire tips or tricks, share them in the comments below.

Daniel Terrill • No Comments on How to Dry Fire: 5 Training Tips and Truths
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