I'm a long time lurker. Over 7 years worth, if I had to guess, and my recent movement into precision shooting has brought me out of the shadows.

I recently bought a Ruger Precision Rifle Gen 2 in .308, and put a Vortex 4x16-50 on it with a Vortex mount.

I also have signed up to attend the K&M beginner precision rifle class this month, and would like to start shooting competitions if I turn out to be any good or have potential at this activity!


Im expecting some advice to start reloading, and I understand and appreciate that advice. I'm not in a position financially or time wise to reload right now, though.

I'm excited to get into it, and would love to hear any advice for someone starting out!

Sounds good, a mildot master is a great thing to have in your pocket or around your neck in a rifle class.

The fundamentals are important.

Trigger control
Breathing
Natural point of aim
The rifle square with your body position

The snipers hide videos on YouTube are a good place to start on these subjects.

Not all of this lesson applies when using a bipod, but this is one of the best prone shooting lessons I've seen.

Watched it when I was shooting high power competitions and boosted my score like crazy. I think of the 20 prone slow fire shots only 2 were not x's or 10's. Crazy what a few YouTube videos will do for your shooting.

that looks like range four at Butner

Thank y'all for your prompt replies.  

50-150, I've seen pictures of the mildot master but don't really understand what it does? Do you care to explain?

Rfutch, thank you for the tips on building the position. I seem to have problems putting my head in the same place on the stock every time when I practice getting into position when dry firing. Any ideas? I've started working my way through those videos.

Drfroglegs, thanks for the video link! What's the difference between building the position with both legs straight and back vs. what he was showing with the right leg lifted and bent?

I was taught to "drag in" for a cheek weld. Place the chin on top of the stock and let your head drag down, pulling the cheek up, until your eye is in the line of sight. Don't force yourself fore or aft - move the scope to match your head position.

If firing multiple shots from one position, don't break the cheek weld when cycling the bolt. The inline stock design allows this.

The rifle shouldn't be low enough that you're looking through your eyebrow and straining your neck, and not high enough to strain your back.


For sling shooting, lifting the right leg can take some pressure off the lungs, bring the rifle closer inline with the body, and tighter into the shoulder. During the rapid fire string of Across-The-Course, the straight leg position is more likely to loosen at the upper body, resulting in a strung out group.

Welcome! I too lurked 7-8 yrs before I joined and posted. This is a good place to gather data as well as the hide in some instances. You already have a starting point with a Rifle and glass, don't worry about all of the high speed latest and greatest stuff that comes out every week. Get proficient with what you have and shoot shoot shoot and dry fire twice as much. Make upgrades as you can and just enjoy it. As long as your rifle will hold an inch to .75" and your glass is repeatable and tracks true you can improve until you NEED to upgrade to other stuff. Spend your money on good ammo and build your brass pile to reload later. Pretty much look at Federal Gold Medal Match in 175 gr, Copper Creek, Prime, or Hornady Match ammo. Find what your rifle likes and buy as much of the same lot as you can. I've shot all my life, and shot competitively for 6-7 years in a couple different disciplines and none is more rewarding that precision to me. But the one thing I have noticed about it is people really get bogged down in the details instead of just getting out and shooting. You have to have solid equipment for sure, but like I said earlier, if your rifle is fairly accurate and your scope will track you are in a position to learn until you are ready to advance.

As far as the class at K&M goes, if you've never been there before you will be very happy with your choice. It is one of the premier facilities in the country. Once you get through that class you should be in position to come back and shoot a one day match and I find once people are knowledgeable they can really learn once they are put on the clock. Shannon and the crew at K&M are great instructors and their matches are very new shooter friendly. We had a guy in our squad the last match shooting a factory Remington 700 hunting rifle in 30-06 with handloads. He had a good scope but understood his limitations with his gear but he was still out there giving it a try and had a blast. It is VERY new shooter friendly and guys have gone well out of their way to give new guys all the gear they need to use and try. You will learn a great deal at your class and I think find it worth the time and investment for sure.

Shoot as much as you can.

Don't worry about the gizmos and gadgets until you get to a point were you actually need them.

For example I shot for many years with out a chrono or kestrel. I would try to shoot at least 20 to 30 rounds a week to practice and confirm my dope.
But I got to a point were I need to improve by one or two targets. I finally broke down and bought a chrono and Kestrel with AB and picked up the extra targets I needed to put me at the top of the game I play.

Most people think they can buy their way to the top spending thousands on equipment. They would be better off spending that money on ammo and practice.

Reloading

There is a lot of unnecessary bullshit involved in it. You will have to weigh through all of it.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the advice.

The K&M beginners precision course was excellent. It was my first time taking any class like this.  Shannon and his crew of instructors were top-notch. All of them are high ranked in the Precision Rifle Series.

I was one of 3 or 4 people with a 308, everyone else had either 6.5 Creedmoor or 6mm. A handful of people had suppressors.

The first day, they went over basic shooting technique and positions and then we started at 300yards and worked our way out to a thousand yards, shooting at a 12 by 20" target. I had never shot past 300 yards before, so that was really neat. I got to see bullet trace for the first time. We shot moving targets at 300 and 500 yards. We also learned how to estimate distances with our scopes, dial for the distance, and hit them.

All in all, definitely worth the money, and I'd like to go back and do the advanced course soon.

Now that you have had instruction in the basics spend time dry firing. Get down in the prone, work on breathing, keeping your head down and watching the reticle as you run the bolt. Make sure the reticle doesnt move when you press the trigger. Work on getting into positions quickly. You can work on most of the things required to do well at matches without ever going to the range.

Organize your gear. Take only what you need to a match. Leave the tool box and cleaning kit at home or at least in the truck. The more shit you bring with you the more you ned to keep track of and worry about when you can spend that time watching other shooters, making your own plan to run the stage and watching the wind.

Spend a lot of time behind the rifle practicing the basics, dry-fire counts.  You have a good set-up, so get good with it.  Don't waste money chasing small groups, they will come with the practice.

Bingo.

FIFY

Keep an eye on Palmetto State's "Daily Deals" section, they have been running specials on FGMM 168's for $15.99/box (and will occasionally list 175s under $20).  These loads typically outshoot the average shooter, and will serve you well...just save all your brass!

If your going to do a lot of dry firing look for the I.O.T.A. Indoor optical training  (can remember  what the A stands for)

It's a diopter you fit on the end of your scope for dry firing inside.

Attend to a TiborasaurusRex training seminar before you buy anything else. Then before you decide to shoot at a match attend to a live fire training event.

Hit link, click training. Sign up. Totally worth it. Easy way to save many thousands usually spent buying the wrong stuff.

TiborasaurusRex Training