Hard Rock 3-5-11

[jwp6114usmc]

A wise shooter told me "in shooting, distance is not a problem, but the wind (and mirage) make it interesting."

Had quite a bit better experience on this trip to hard rock. Overall the weather was a bit more co-operative, but a bit windy. Finlay got a great opportunity to practice some long range shots in the wind. Also I had no idea that mirage could set in in these mild temperatures, but apparently you can experience mirage in 30 degree weather if the air and ground temps are a wide enough spread.

Shooting conditions varied throughout the day with ranges of the following:

temp: 58-66
Baro: 30.94-31.00
RH: 62-70%
WINDS: 3-15 mph

I shot 3 relays of 30-40 rounds each relay. Finished off a total of almost 100 shots fired for the day.

WIND...
Ended up using from 2.5 MOA @ 600 yds, up to 3.5 MOA of wind out at 1000 yards. This was variable all day. At one point using about 4.5 MOA of wind at 800 yds.

It was a great learning experience and although i did not take any pictures this trip i did have some great groups at most of the distances, still could not believe how much easier 1000 yards was then 900 and 800 yards, but if i had to guess i would say that it has something to do with the layout of the range over the terrain.

Next trip i will shoot the practice relays like the matches, 5 shots at each yardage and score myself, and hopefully i can actually get to participate in a match in the month of May.

[kingrat]

Sounds like you had an interesting and challenging day. Lots of fun too, for someone interested in that type of shooting. The more I hear of this kind of marksmanship, the more complicated it seems.

I stand in awe of you guys who can do it well.

[jwp6114usmc]

I would agree that the average non-shooter would have a hard time wrapping their head around shooting a 10" bullseye at 10 football fields away in varying weather and wind conditions.

But...

In actuality its not that hard, it gets easier with the more money you spend on better equipment. With a weeks worth of training I could coach (almost) anyone to make these shots. But there are a few trade secrets to the sport that keep it competitive.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is "IF YOU CAN'T SEE IT, YOU CAN'T HIT IT." weather it be due to poor eye sight, or poor equipment and optics, or poor weather and atmospheric conditions.

I still have much to learn, can't wait to start studying "Extreem long range shooting" or... Beyond 1000 yards...

Try this on for size...

The longest range recorded for a sniper kill currently stands at 2,475 m (2,707 yd) and was achieved by CoH Craig Harrison, a sniper from the Household Cavalry of the British Army. It was accomplished in an engagement in November 2009 in which two stationary Taliban machine gunners were killed south of Musa Qala in Helmand Province in Afghanistan with two consecutive shots by CoH Harrison using an Accuracy International L115A3 Long Range Rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum.

[leeboat]

Jake you will have to help me explain to Kingrat how when shooting at great distances the rotation of the earth has something to do with calculations. I was trying to explain this to him last weekend but I just dont know enough about it.

[jwp6114usmc]

Sure... first off a thanks to Wikipedia...

Coriolis Effect... very complicated and primarily used in artillery and extreme long range shooting, Coriolis is constant and their are formulas for calculating corrections. but in short...

The Coriolis effect causes subtle trajectory variations caused by a rotating reference frame. The coordinate system that is used to specify the location of the point of firing and the location of the target is the system of latitudes and longitudes, which is in fact a rotating coordinate system, since the planet Earth is a rotating sphere. During its flight, the projectile moves in a straight line (not counting gravitation and air resistance for now). Since the target is co-rotating with the Earth, it is in fact a moving target, relative to the projectile, so in order to hit it the gun must be aimed to the point where the projectile and the target will arrive simultaneously.

This one is for buster... Can't break it down any more Barney style that this... www.youtube.com/watch?v=_36MiCUS1ro

THIS IS WHY WE DONT USE IT IN 1000 YARD SHOOTING...
2.8" is insignificant. but keep in mind this effect is exponential and at great distances must be accounted for.


For a NATO M80 (7.62x51) ball bullet fired at 45º North Latitude, the deflection are:
+ = right; up
range, direction, vertical, horizontal
500, N, 0.0", +0.6"
500, E, +0.6", +0.6"
500, S, 0.0", +0.6"
500, W, -0.6", +0.6"

range, direction, vertical, horizontal
1000, N, 0.0", +2.8"
1000, E, +2.8", +2.8"
1000, S, 0.0", +2.8"
1000, W, -2.8", +2.8"

[kingrat]

Do Zombies understand this Coriolis Effect? Does it affect their stalking capabilities?

[jwp6114usmc]

I doubt it... but my concern would be dependent on the saturation of zombies in a given vast area. Considering a simple strategy of target identification and threat classification I would have more concern for the zombies in my (<=) 1000 yard range than the ones out past 1500 to 2700 yard range.