If you are a beginner shooter, there are shooting accessories you will need. In the hunting world, there’s a saying that goes, “The farther back you get, the more ethical that kill is.” This means that setting up and aiming from 500-600 yards or even a 700-yard shot proves to be pretty easy if you have the right equipment. Also, the animal doesn’t know it’s being hunted yet. So it won’t get spooked, preventing it from running around and blowing your chances. A combination of good distance and equipment will improve your odds by a good margin.
So let’s look at the important shooting accessories you’ll need for shooting long-range. The sequence is for spotting the target, sketching it, and then hitting it.
Spotting your target
The priority is finding your target, which is done by spotting devices such as monoculars, binoculars, or spotting scopes. While basic Monos and Binos can perform well in a lot of areas, you can lose crucial detail in certain terrain and weather conditions. This is where spotting scopes come in. However, if you’re looking for a hike and shoot situation, you might want to consider lighter alternatives. But if you would be pulling everything off the back of a truck to set down and observe, gauging targets at a great distance with a spotting scope would be the best option.
Gauging your target and surroundings
Next is finding how far your target is. While some people prefer iron sights and might not be on board with rifle scopes, with today’s technological advancements you can reduce human error by a huge margin with the help of range finders. This will help you effectively figure out the effects of wind speed and other such factors that can affect your shot.
While high-end range finders with laser tech are great, you won’t need them for regular use. A better alternative would be using hybrid devices that can do the job of a spotter as well as a gauger. For example, the Sig series come with app shooter solutions and built-in solvers. Also, it helps lower gear weight as you need to carry one or two fewer kits.
Aiming the Right Way
Finally, we have the rifle scope. While there are companies like Optics Force with a wide range of options and resources, we will talk about how to implement it right and not lose out on the perks of this expensive gear.
Suppose you bought a $5,000 rifle and a $4,000 scope with $50 worth of mounting rings, it won’t make any sense. A little tap or bounce will likely move your preset scope around that will lead you to miss your shot. Poor quality accessories can easily turn the most advanced and expensive systems worthless in a second.
Similarly, there’s an endless debate about bubble levels. In certain terrains, if your proprioception isn’t good, you’re not going to be able to shoot well if you’re laying on a side hill despite holding your rifle level to gravity. Skimping on this nine-dollar piece of a kit can compromise your hit.
Conclusion
Finally, there are shooter support gear bags and bipods. Pint-sized bags such as the game-changer will do but if you intend to go hunting, you might want to choose a bigger bag.
As for bipods, they set the barrel angle. It allows you to shoot in kneeling and sitting positions. It is almost a mandatory piece of kit if you are hunting or shooting in rough terrain.
That’s it! There’s a lot that can be super elaborative when you start talking about hunting and shooting. The crux of this post is that you should choose your style of equipment carefully while not forgetting essential accessories and parts whose absence could render your whole gear useless. Shoot safely!
