It is amazing to see how many shooters start to buy larger-caliber rifles before they fully understand the benefits of the tool. Students often ask me about rifle purchases before classes. I am always amazed at how many shooters are considering magnum cartridge rifles. A Class of Their Own
Big guns are highly respected. I was among the first Marine Corps units to receive a.50 caliber SASR. The Iver Johnson.50 cal. Daisy designed the single-shot bolt-action rifle. Yes, the air rifle folks designed the.50-caliber rifle I was issued. It was a tank. The rifle weighed over 30 pounds. It had a short bolt and a claw that allowed the user to insert the round. The bolt and bullet were then locked together. The rifle was a beast that beat up shooters and broke scopes. Nobody wanted to carry it. It was great fun to shoot far and see the damage it would cause. However, we never considered the rifle anything other than a specialized tool for breaking large objects. In my Alaska classes, everyone arrived to class with a.300 win. Mag. Mag. Large-caliber magnum cartridges can be flinching factories to the uninitiated. Before you move to the big guns, you will need to master the lighter-recoiling rifles first. Tubb is a master at gathering information and it shows. In an effort to push the boundaries, you have competitions built around them. They are engineering laboratories that shooters use to push the boundaries and improve accuracy. I was fortunate to be there when the King of 2 Mile competitions were first held. This was a bucket list item. Can we run 1 mile? Absolutely. Today, a mile is not a mystery. This is the distance they are starting to hit on command. These targets require experience, and the ability to understand the wind and trajectory of the bullet you are shooting. It is not possible to get this without taking the shot to identify the variables. Once they have that, they can manage these conditions better and more effectively. Each new range brings new variables and new codes to be cracked. This is changing the technology behind radar and bullet design. The Top King of 2 mile Shooters is a consummate competitor. Their strategy has changed to shoot real-world distances rather than modeling it.
You can learn the basics and improve your skills within 1,000 yards using smaller calibers. Mags. A.338 Lapua is required for specific purposes. It’s intended for extreme long-range shooting, not within 500 yards to harvest deer or elk. A caliber this large is not necessary, which is why you see the 6.5 PRC today. You need a purpose when you switch to magnum cartridges. But big guns get the attention. While videos of shots over 3,000 yards are very popular, most people don’t realize they have been shooting for hours. It took 194 rounds for one of the most popular videos to get the hit they featured. It’s not exact nor precise. Throw enough lead downrange and eventually all downrange will be hit. The heart of any big gun is its ammo. The ammunition, whether it is a factory or custom rifle, is what makes a long-range rifle successful. I focus on the firing task, the conditions and how they were prepared. My students should get a first-round hit or second round hit. After five shots, they are done. They rarely need more than three shots, but five is the limit. Big guns are slow and methodical
All that being said, don’t forget: Big-bores still have a place in the long-range arena. It is a great feeling to send a big bullet long distance. Because flight takes so much time, everything must be watched. I spend several minutes watching the wind to begin to understand the timing of the changes. Can I slide a round in between them? Big guns are a crew-served weapon system. They are not for everyone. Storm Tactical’s target pack includes 62 printable targets for rifle and handgun range. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be found in MOA. Get Free Targets
