Long-Range Shooting

Jumping Targets specializes in designing and manufacturing high-quality shooting targets. Their AR 500 steel targets are specifically designed for shooters and hunters. These targets are meant to be shot at either close range or hundreds of yards away, making them extremely versatile.

Hunters should always be fluent with the weapon they are shooting. Additionally, regular target practice helps hunters become more accurate shots, ensuring that their prey does not unjustly suffer.

Often times, hunters will take watch over hunting lands in a tree stand, waiting for a large mule deer or white tail to delicately, yet cautiously, prance by. With the advent of modern riflescopes, hunters can now effectively zoom in on a shot from hundreds of yards away. If a hunter is not familiar with shooting at such great distances, it is never advisable to take a risky shot. However, if a hunter has fluently practiced with a high-powered target from Jumping Target, this is a familiar shot.

Inexperienced long-range shooters often miss their target, ultimately having the bullet zoom over the animal’s head, nowhere close to the intended point of impact. Not only is this dangerous for other hunters in the area, it should be a violation of gun safety. A hunter should never take a shot he/she is not confident about and/or familiar taking. Hope and luck will never counteract accurate and safe hunting and shooting skills.

When a hunter shoots at a long-range, he/she should know the approximate distance of the animal, understand how the bullet drops at longer distances and what the required holdover is. It is important to be able to take a shot that fatally wounds the animal, not simply causing it to suffer. Long-range shooting requires patience, consideration and practice.

Additionally, having a basic understanding of physics is also important. This does not mean a hunter needs to compete with the wit and intelligence of Albert Einstein or Steven Hawking, but understanding line-of-site, line-of-departure, trajectory-of-bullet, speed decreases and speed increases is vital when aiming a weapon at long distances.

Practicing with an AR500 steel target is beneficial. When practicing, the hunter will begin to understand that the line-of-departure is essentially a straight line of infinity. The trajectory of the bullet is, however, not straight but similar to a parabolic, curved arc. The curve increases as gravity pulls the bullet down. This means that the further the shot, the more the trajectory develops a dropping arc. Another concept, contributed to Galileo Galilei, is that faster and slower bullets may both reach the intended target, but must be aimed at different angles to accommodate speed, motion and gravity.

Now that hunters have a very basic understanding of the physics involved in shooting a weapon, they can understand the importance of learning to be accurate shots before taking careless aim in a situation that is unfamiliar.