Having sent thousands of rounds downrange over the years, accuracy on target, consistently, requires total control of the rifle, the ammunition you shoot and continuously improving your gun handling skills. Shooting at the range with regularity, focusing on single range purposes, keeping notes about every success and failure... these form the building of a blueprint for excellence. Finding the happy place where changes are non-existent (or infrequent) puts you in a zone. At the end of the day, if you can get your rounds to generate the lowest SD (standard deviation) and lowest ES (extreme spread) consistently, you're off to the races.

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Unless you have a custom-built rifle, your rifle was mass-produced by any of a number of reputable manufacturers. Think about buying your new car or truck. Rifle manufacturers build rifles (and ammunition manufacturers assemble ammunition) to industry STANDARDS which are approved and maintained by SAAMI, in the US, and CIP, in Europe. By following these standards, buyers are assured a certain level of functionality, compatibility and performance. For example, if you want to shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor caliber rifle, you expect to not only buy a 6.5 CM rifle and pick up a box or two of any manufacturer's brand 6.5 CM ammunition and shoot that ammunition in your rifle with no incompatibility issues.  If you handload 6.5 CM ammunition, the dies you buy for handloading 6.5 CM are made according to the standards set by SAAMI.

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Now, inside the maze of standards, there is a gremlin known as tolerance. The variance in build-tolerances give rise to variance in the functionality and performance from one rifle or ammunition- same manufacturer, same production date, same everything - to another.

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Furthermore, manufacturers advertise out-of-the-box performance and accuracy for the rifles they build. On boxes of ammunition you buy in the store, the manufacturers print speed and energy values - based on the test equipment THEY use in the manufacturing process. You, then, expect that very level of accuracy and performance from the rifle and ammunition you bought. So, you head over to the range with your rifle and ammunition. Five, ten, fifteen or even fifty rounds later, you're either exhilarated or not so much.

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​Welcome to reality and the tolerance gremlin.

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If you're on the happy side of your first range outing with your new rifle and ammunition? Congratulations!  If you're on the not-so-happy side of this curve? Congratulations to you as well!

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FUZZY LOGIC

 

Had a good first range session with your setup?  Your shooting skill, the gun's performance and accuracy and the ammunition have found a happy place. Didn't have a good session at the range this first time?  Well, was it your shooting skill, the gun's performance and accuracy or the ammunition that didn't get along.

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​Accept what the paper target has shown. Your target's results won't lie.

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What can you change, if something needs to change? Where can you turn for solutions. Can you make a good performance better?  Can you improve a poor performance?

 

Yes you can!  Do you want to?

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Adding to the fuzzy logic - as you shoot your rifle more and more.  Do you clean your gun barrel and how well do you clean it? Is a dirty barrel more accurate than a clean barrel? Is your barrel the same length (in inches) as the barrel the manufacturer used to test and manufacture their ammunition? This helps you determine if your gun is achieving the same or very close to the same projectile speed (FPS) and energy (Foot Pounds) printed on the ammunition box. Are you running an adequate scope on your rifle? Has the scope been properly mounted? Do you understand your scope's reticle? Do you understand how shooting longer or shorter (than manufacturer tested) barrels affect your rifle's performance and accuracy? Are you just interested in longer range shooting? Do you have access to a long distance shooting range?  Do you own a Chronograph to test the ammunition you shoot?  Do you understand how temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure and elevation affect the performance of the ammunition you shoot? Do you understand bullet drop?

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You know... it is legal to have DOPE on your rifle.

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Repeatability and consistency are the attributes of an accurate (shooting) rifle. The same is required for the ammunition you shoot. Identify the controllable variables in your shooting experience. Adjust these variables - if you can - with purpose. Take, keep and revisit notes about every adjustment you've made.

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​​In general, almost all of your range shooting will be done at a 100yd range. Reason being, the majority of outdoor rifle ranges have limited  space to build longer lanes. A few private ranges may offer 200yd or 300yd lanes. 400yd and longer distance ranges are typically built in less-populated areas and cost a premium price for the ability to stretch out.

 

The KEY take away is, if you achieve excellent accuracy at 100yds, hitting targets at further distances require simple adjustments to your riflescope.

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Welcome to long(er) range shooting.

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​DISCLAIMER!

The pictures above show performance graphs resulting from multiple range shooting sessions, multiple ammunition reloading tweaks at a variety of target distances unique to the rifles used. Your equipment will, more than likely, NOT produce the same results. In fact, using any of the information you might think you understand by looking at the pictures may put you in serious danger of death and/or serious injury to yourself and those around you.

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We accept absolutely no responsibility and/or liability for any adverse results incurred by you for (your) failing to understand you are responsible for your choices and decisions.  Guns, in general, are dangerous! Your failure to use any gun and ammunition in a safe manner remains your responsibility along with any consequences of your abuse!