Shooting long range on a budget is no easy task,,, yet it is possible with a rifle and optic.
Most of us agree that it takes a few things that make it happen,,, mostly the person and how they approach it.
And old saying from long ago applies to this 10% dialed in rifle, optic, and ammo with 90% shooter with mind and skills on task... I'm not sure if this is correct,,, but one would think that this is a good place to start.
The above ideas got me into this year's ago,,, it wasn't till 5 years ago that I finally buckled down on this with more mind on task,,, not only for competion but for hunting as well.
Most of us have had good success with heavy barrel rifles,,, they dampen the recoil,,, stay well planted,,, and hold a small fraction of consistency from shoot to shoot,,, my sport barrel rifle is close to this,,, but at the end of the day my heavy weight would most likely take the prize.
Less that is another factor that really shines in target and hunting,,, a quality adjustable trigger that can be set for both situations.
I like a 4 to 6 oz crisp let-off in match,,, the other side of this is a 2 1/2 to 3 lb pull when hunting or shooting free hand,,, I need to feel the trigger to let the rifle go off with a un-planned let-off.
Just the way I learned to shoot I guess,,, funny thing is that frugal rifles with heavy triggers are much more suited to my free hand shooting,,, this is a benefit for me,,, a single creep up trigger or 2 stage is something I look forward to having in my hunting and predator control stuff... That way my shooting hand and trigger finger is firmly planted for the shot.
I'm running a factory mid priced sporter this winter before it gets its work over,,, yes I could of spent $2000 +++ on a factory tack driver,,, but I'm not that kind of person.
Things changed for me 5 years ago when I had my first custom build,,, there no going back after that. So I buy mid price and run from there.
The only optics I buy now days are FFP reticle optics with mileage lines in them,,, the reason for this is I have boxes of old simple optics kicking around.
Leopold 3x9's more Leopold 3x9's 6x20,,, Bushnell 3x9's,,, 4x16's and more 3x9 Leopolds. LOL,,, a person can't own 1 optic. Oh,,, I almost forgot about the Sightron's and Nikon's,,, yes the Weaver's and Burris optics are in the collection as well.
Funny thing is that my Thin wire Weaver 4 and 6 fix power optics are pretty accurate considering that there worth $20 each,,, don't kid your self,,, that's alot of coin back in the day. Ha.
The next 2 things I buy into are work overs,,, free float those barrels,,, and zero stress action bedding,,, my good friend takes care of that stuff since he has a wall full of trophies from the shooting sports and hunting grounds... This is tool number one in my books.
Someone who has walked the walk and has the credits to show his efforts.
Yuppers,,, each person gets to start off somewhere,,, the budget dictates the playing field,,, my first was a $15 British Lee Enfield 303 military iron sights,,, that rifle harvested 5 years worth of Deer and Elk along with 2 Moose.
My first new rifle was a Copy-cat Parker-Hale made by Midland in 30/06,,, that's when I got the Weaver 4 power. Ha... Hard to believe that was 38 years ago. WOW. $225 bucks for that package.
Then alot more rifles, hand guns, and bows showed up after that. Dam that was fun buying and selling the firearms of many makes and models. I called it the 200,,, the trick was to clean them up and double the funds. Most of the time I'd make a 100 since I was happy helping folks get into the good times.
Us humans have changed the shooting sports,,, its hard to not have the best of this or that,,, what some of us forget is that some folks don't have a large disposable income,,, and some don't have the time to go hunting or shooting like those of us that live in the wilds,,, I know I wouldn't own the 3 rifles I own if I lived in the city.
It's not worth it for some folks to have a $1000 sitting in the closet if it's not going to get used,,, family comes first in todays world,,, just like it was in my Dads day in 1929 when the great depression years hit. Let's not forget those days my friends.
Any Who,,, the trick for me as I hold even in mid years is to own less,,, more traveling the out doors,,,, sight seeing relaxing and a small fraction of hunting and fishing with a side line of plinking long range once in a while.
My budget allows for this,,, other do what they have to work with,,, that's what counts... As time passes by I see my self scaling back further since I don't need the bling,,, purhaps the plain old 22 rimfire will fill my needs,,, I guess I'll know this when I get there.
Does a beginner know how to do it right?... Thanks!!
