billprudden
August 31st, 2009, 07:24 PM
Friends –
Ian Kenney and I are going to host a reticle workshop at Reade Range (Altoona PA) on Saturday November 14th. The object will be to allow already-proficient shooters the opportunity to experiment with hold-overs, alternate zeros, and use of the reticle at night. Read through the description below and I'll rejoin you at the bottom:
Reade Range Reticle Drills
Goals:
a) Practice using the Mil-Dot reticle to "hold over" targets from 100 yard zero
b) Practice using alternative zeros and holding both over and under (400 yard zero)
c) Practice using the reticle, illuminated or not, to engage targets at night
Set-up:
• All shooting from 1,000 yard line, either prone or from benches
• All shooters will have assigned / personal spotters
• Primary targets will be in the "mini berms" to the right of the road 100 – 600 yards from the firing line
• Only four shooters will be firing at once, and all bunched to the right side of the firing line
• Each exercise will have multiple rotations as shooters / spotters switch off and new pairs replace old pairs
Exercise One: Hold overs using 100 yard zero
1. Confirm 100 yard zero on paper
2. Determine, using drop sheets or existing data, hold overs out to 600 yards.
3. Also calculate probable wind values given existing conditions.
4. Engage targets from 200 – 600 yards, correcting dope as necessary.
5. When dope is confirmed rotate shooters / spotters.
Exercise Two: Alternate zero
1. Dial on dope for 400 yards. Fire at the target at that range to confirm. Leave the turret set there.
2. Using the data you just created in exercise one, add / subtract to determine your correct hold unders and hold overs for 100 through 600 yards.
3. Practice using hold unders and overs with the new zero.
4. Rotate shooters / spotters.
Exercise Three: Use of illuminated reticles
1. As night falls illuminate the targets by positioning flash lights, chem lights, and flares near them in the berms. Some targets will be barely lit, others flush with light, some front-lit, others rear-lit, some with white light, others red or green...
2. Shooters will use the dope they recorded earlier in the day and their reticles to engage the targets.
3. Shooters should also use the opportunity to determine if their ability to correctly mil the targets is affected by the different lighting conditions.
4. Rotate shooters / spotters.
OK, that is the bare minimum. If shooters get through the courses of fire quickly we will also build in some work with additional alternate zeros (what if you were dialed on for a potential 800 yard shot and then needed to hold under closer?), positional drills, and firing at different ranges on command, among other things. But, let us just see how the day progresses...
Fees will be $25 = $20 for the range and $5 for target maintenance. Only 16 shooters will be registered, forming eight pairs, four of which will be on the line at once. We've chewed on the logistics and just can't see a way around it with the berms all on the right hand side of the road and only room for one steel plate in each.
Equipment would be an Moa or Mil reticle scope, a rifle that shoots precisely enough that you care to bring it, a 100 yard zero to start with, associated bipods / socks / whatever, and a pretty close-on drop chart out to at least 600. 50 rounds ought to be more than enough, unless we get to additional drills as described above.
You don't need a partner, we'll hook you up. You probably don't need a spotting scope – either we'll lend you one of our reticle-equipped spotters or you will just use your rifle scope to spot for your partner – most of us have more than 10x and we are only going to 600 yards. If you happen to have a reticle-equipped spotter, please do bring it, one less pair to worry about...
We will begin at noon and the sun will set at 5pm leaving a moonless sky until the next morning. We'll have a great deal of dark to play with.
Ian asked me to point out that we are talking about mid-November in PA, and that the night work is not mandatory, especially if it is snowing or some such. Indeed, nothing is mandatory; it is a workshop, though with so few slots available it would be nice if we get to really use the opportunity.
Registration is accomplished by emailing me at billprudden at hotmail dot com. No need for payment in advance. I am posting this on four different places so I'll just go by time stamps on the emails...
Questions here is a great idea, I am sure I forgot something...
Bill
Ian Kenney and I are going to host a reticle workshop at Reade Range (Altoona PA) on Saturday November 14th. The object will be to allow already-proficient shooters the opportunity to experiment with hold-overs, alternate zeros, and use of the reticle at night. Read through the description below and I'll rejoin you at the bottom:
Reade Range Reticle Drills
Goals:
a) Practice using the Mil-Dot reticle to "hold over" targets from 100 yard zero
b) Practice using alternative zeros and holding both over and under (400 yard zero)
c) Practice using the reticle, illuminated or not, to engage targets at night
Set-up:
• All shooting from 1,000 yard line, either prone or from benches
• All shooters will have assigned / personal spotters
• Primary targets will be in the "mini berms" to the right of the road 100 – 600 yards from the firing line
• Only four shooters will be firing at once, and all bunched to the right side of the firing line
• Each exercise will have multiple rotations as shooters / spotters switch off and new pairs replace old pairs
Exercise One: Hold overs using 100 yard zero
1. Confirm 100 yard zero on paper
2. Determine, using drop sheets or existing data, hold overs out to 600 yards.
3. Also calculate probable wind values given existing conditions.
4. Engage targets from 200 – 600 yards, correcting dope as necessary.
5. When dope is confirmed rotate shooters / spotters.
Exercise Two: Alternate zero
1. Dial on dope for 400 yards. Fire at the target at that range to confirm. Leave the turret set there.
2. Using the data you just created in exercise one, add / subtract to determine your correct hold unders and hold overs for 100 through 600 yards.
3. Practice using hold unders and overs with the new zero.
4. Rotate shooters / spotters.
Exercise Three: Use of illuminated reticles
1. As night falls illuminate the targets by positioning flash lights, chem lights, and flares near them in the berms. Some targets will be barely lit, others flush with light, some front-lit, others rear-lit, some with white light, others red or green...
2. Shooters will use the dope they recorded earlier in the day and their reticles to engage the targets.
3. Shooters should also use the opportunity to determine if their ability to correctly mil the targets is affected by the different lighting conditions.
4. Rotate shooters / spotters.
OK, that is the bare minimum. If shooters get through the courses of fire quickly we will also build in some work with additional alternate zeros (what if you were dialed on for a potential 800 yard shot and then needed to hold under closer?), positional drills, and firing at different ranges on command, among other things. But, let us just see how the day progresses...
Fees will be $25 = $20 for the range and $5 for target maintenance. Only 16 shooters will be registered, forming eight pairs, four of which will be on the line at once. We've chewed on the logistics and just can't see a way around it with the berms all on the right hand side of the road and only room for one steel plate in each.
Equipment would be an Moa or Mil reticle scope, a rifle that shoots precisely enough that you care to bring it, a 100 yard zero to start with, associated bipods / socks / whatever, and a pretty close-on drop chart out to at least 600. 50 rounds ought to be more than enough, unless we get to additional drills as described above.
You don't need a partner, we'll hook you up. You probably don't need a spotting scope – either we'll lend you one of our reticle-equipped spotters or you will just use your rifle scope to spot for your partner – most of us have more than 10x and we are only going to 600 yards. If you happen to have a reticle-equipped spotter, please do bring it, one less pair to worry about...
We will begin at noon and the sun will set at 5pm leaving a moonless sky until the next morning. We'll have a great deal of dark to play with.
Ian asked me to point out that we are talking about mid-November in PA, and that the night work is not mandatory, especially if it is snowing or some such. Indeed, nothing is mandatory; it is a workshop, though with so few slots available it would be nice if we get to really use the opportunity.
Registration is accomplished by emailing me at billprudden at hotmail dot com. No need for payment in advance. I am posting this on four different places so I'll just go by time stamps on the emails...
Questions here is a great idea, I am sure I forgot something...
Bill