Are you getting the most out of your long range precision shooting rifle? In this part of our series, I'll start talking about long range rifles: how to select them, and how to improve their performance. Let's start by discussing inherent accuracy and the main factor that determines it: barrel vibration. Inherent Accuracy The inherent, or intrinsic, accuracy of a rifle is its … [Read more...]
In External Ballistics - Elevation Part 1, I introduced the concept of error derived from shooting at an angle, and gave you a few practical examples. In this article we will examine the real reason for point of impact shift. In many texts around the web, you'll find one common incorrect explanation of this phenomenon: a simplistic approach derived from the formula used to … [Read more...]
Learning how to become a better long range shooter? Here's the next installment in the external ballistics theory mini series: elevation. When I talked about the vertical component of the trajectory, in Bullet Trajectory Part 1, I touched on firing elevation angle. I mentioned that when there is a firing elevation or depression angle, that is, when you're firing with the barrel … [Read more...]
In both Bullet Trajectory Part 1 and Part 2, I mentioned how light can act as a variable that affects point of impact. Light doesn't directly affect bullet trajectory, but it changes the way you see the target through the telescopic sight. Essentially, you perceive the target in a different way, e.g., larger or smaller, and/or in a different place, depending on the sun's … [Read more...]
by Nick Irving If you're a military observer, hunter, or sightseer, there is one product that should always be in your toolbox. A set of dependable binoculars. One of my favorite brands of binoculars on the market is the Vortex line. Within the Vortex line, the Viper and Diamondback are at the top of my list for quality, ergonomics, clarity, and affordability. All … [Read more...]
So far in our discussion of external ballistics, we've covered bullet trajectory, elevation, the Coriolis effect, light effects, rifle cant, and bullet shape, but we still have one more important ballistics theme to explore: static stability. The concept of static stability is essential to precision rifle shooting; if bullets are not properly stabilized, you'll never get … [Read more...]
