Using the M24 and the Leupold MK4 M3 10x day optic, do they typically dial into the longer (600-800) yard shots?  In other words, do they dial to each shot when there is a mixed bag of unknown distance targets?

Not sure of the Army school, but in SOTIC (the SF sniper school) holds are utilized almost exclusively, both with the standard mildot reticle and the horus.....at least during the 2012-2014 timeframe.

Didn’t know that. Interesting!

Yes the mk4 m3 had a bdc and mil dot reticle and moa turrets for windage. . If i remember we had 4 mill dots up down, left, and right so we would dial the bdc and windage then do holds for minor corrections.

I’ve got holds and adjustments in my long. There’s more than one course of fire you were graded in including unknown, stress fire to 600, and movers to 600m.  At least according to my log book from ‘99

Depended on what time period or stages of fire.  The M3A had a BDC turret for M118, which of course only worked in a certain set of atmospheric conditions.

Training has improved dramatically in the different Sniper Schools since then, as we learned more about long range shooting.

When I did a Level II SOTIC run by 1st Group, we were dialing.  That was summer of 1996 in Korea on the DMZ.

Throughout my time in 3 different Recon/Scout Sniper Platoons, I remember doing a lot of dialing and + or - 1 click elevation settings as the distance got out past 500m.

Sniper Sustainment training winter that same year on Texas Range IIRC:

There's a member who's a mod (I haven't seen in a while now) who was Honor Grad at Benning.

He should be able to answer for the mid-1990s as well.

They were still using M21s for stalk lanes when all the Sniper Section NCOs I had over me in my Scout Platoons went in the early-mid 1990s.

M24s were pretty new then, having been adopted in 1988.

SOTIC course currently runs holdovers using the Tremor 3 reticle. They do teach dialing but my buddy that just went never shot long range before and all he talks about is getting a scope with the Tremor so he can hold because its so easy.

Plenty of reticles these days with similar function. What makes this one special?

In 1997 at the NG sniper school in Arkansas it was all dialing in.

Things change dramatically over time.

Wind dots

Attended SOTIC 2 and SOTIC 1 (now SFSC) in 2008.  Todd Hodnett was present as a guest instructor for the first week of the level two course. He introduced us to the Horus reticles and Atrag Ballistic programs. Of course M24’s with M3 ultras and M3 LR scopes were the norm. Everything was dial on except for certain hold under, hold over drills with 500m data dialed in.

At SOTIC level 1 we were still doing 200m zeros with a wind call and gathering DOPE every hundred meters. I don’t believe that the school house at Range 37 bought into the ballistic computers and Horus reticles until sometime in 2009.
Now of course Atrag is old news with the latest kestrel 5700x reaching the ODAs. Wilcox Raptors and the STORMs are becoming more common place as well.

Courses of fire are still fairly similar with events such as known distance, unknown distance, snaps and movers, and rapid engagement techniques all must pass events in addition to stalks and a written test on various subjects that involve sniper specific knowledge.

It is absolutely amazing how long range shooting has evolved in just the past 10 to 12 years. From equipment improvement in rifles, ammunition, glass, and night vision to the knowledge that guys like Bryan Litz and others have brought to the table.

The Tremor 3 has a lot of useful tools built into the reticle. The reticle has a lot of thought put into it. There are tools for speed ranging and for making wind holds.

The reticle layout makes for fast follow up shots for corrections.

The Tremor 3 specifically has additional horizontal stadia lines which when combined with the wind dots make it easier to engage multiple moving targets at different ranges.