{"id":3505,"date":"2022-08-29T20:40:06","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T20:40:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/?p=3505&#038;fishpig=1661804157&#038;preview=true"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:36:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:36:27","slug":"attending-a-long-range-shooting-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/attending-a-long-range-shooting-course\/","title":{"rendered":"Attending a Long Range Shooting Course"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>If you\u2019ve ever considered attending a <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/videosview\/toric-34mm-4-25x50\/\" title=\"Introducing the TORIC 34MM 4-25X50 Extreme Long Range Rifle Scope\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1671\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">long range shooting<\/a> course, here\u2019s what you might consider to help your journey.<\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In most of life\u2019s endeavors, a solid education sets the stage for success and flattens the learning curve for a lifetime of improvement. The same is true with <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/reduce-muzzle-flip-when-shooting-off-a-tripod\/\">long-range shooting<\/a>. Forming a foundation of knowledge or simply getting a learning refresh are both essential to the long-range marksman. Which is why we believe attending a <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/long-range-shooting-etiquette\/\" title=\"Long Range Shooting Etiquette\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1360\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">long range shooting<\/a> course can provide a huge advantage for hunters and shooters.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many courses specialize in providing this foundational knowledge of long-range <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/defining-rifle-actions\/\">shooting<\/a>. Whether you&#8217;re a seasoned hunter hoping to draw another antelope tag this fall or you\u2019ve just purchased your first rifle, we have put together some thoughts on <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/videos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" title=\"how to\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"945\">how to<\/a> find a good <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/scope-height-does-it-affect-accuracy\/\">long range shooting<\/a> course, what you\u2019ll learn, and a few we recommend.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1XR56hP9DfM\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Taking a shooting course with Guntry Gun Club of Maryland.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\"><div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p><span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/attending-a-long-range-shooting-course\/#How_To_Select_a_Good_Course\" >How To Select a Good Course<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/attending-a-long-range-shooting-course\/#What_Youll_Learn_At_A_Long_Range_Shooting_Course\" >What You\u2019ll Learn At A Long Range Shooting Course<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/attending-a-long-range-shooting-course\/#Courses_We_Recommend\" >Courses We Recommend<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Select_a_Good_Course\"><\/span><b>How To Select a Good Course<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you&#8217;re going to a <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/the-engineer-his-set-up-his-story\/\" title=\"The Engineer \u2013 His Set-up. His Story\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1111\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">long range shooting<\/a> course, think of the process like choosing a good college or deciding what kind of car to buy. You need to identify what it is you hope to accomplish, establish a workable budget, and finally select the option that provides the most value, based on your goals and budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What do I hope to gain by attending a shooting course?<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Are you new to the sport and want to get started on the right foot? Or are you tired of losing competitions or missing those 500-plus yard shots on your big hunts? Maybe you are hoping to build a network of like-minded shooting buddies. Whatever it is that you&#8217;re hoping to accomplish, it&#8217;s important to identify your goals so you can ask good questions and select the best match.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A great way to make an informed decision on a reputable regional <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/rifle-marksmanship-trigger-control-success\/\" title=\"Rifle Marksmanship : Trigger Control Equals Success\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1430\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">long range shooting<\/a> course is to pick up the phone and call your local <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/long-range-rifle-scopes\/\">rifle<\/a> range or long-range firearm dealer.\u00a0 These folks often have a pulse of what the best options will be in your local area.\u00a0 Don\u2019t know who to call locally? Most state wildlife management agencies will have a listing of rifle <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/best-spotting-scope-for-long-range-shooting\/\" title=\"Finding the Best Spotting Scope For Long Range Shooting\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1559\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ranges and shooting<\/a> complexes. These would be good places to get started in your area. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><figure id=\"attachment_1921\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1921\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1921\" title=\"Shooting School\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/IMG_6393-2-1024x920.jpg\" alt=\"If you\u2019ve ever considered attending a long range shooting course, here\u2019s what you might consider to help your journey.\" width=\"720\" height=\"647\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1921\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">If you\u2019ve ever considered attending a long range shooting course, here\u2019s what you might consider to help your journey.<\/figcaption><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A couple of things to keep an eye on would be to make sure there is a very low student-to-instructor ratio. With this kind of instruction, one on one time with the instructor is vital. It\u2019s also a good idea to make sure you know what is included with the cost of a course and whether this adds up to the kind of experience you are looking for. Does the cost include food, lodging, ammunition, a firearm, or some sort of discounted opportunity to purchase a firearm? These questions will ensure you maximize the value of your investment.<\/span><\/p><figure id=\"attachment_1547\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1547\" style=\"width: 639px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/r2.dotdigital-pages.com\/p\/5GBO-4VQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1547\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Copy-of-Copy-of-Long-Range-Shooting-Guide-728x90-1.png\" alt=\"Long Range Shooting Guide\" width=\"639\" height=\"79\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/04\/Copy-of-Copy-of-Long-Range-Shooting-Guide-728x90-1.png 728w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/04\/Copy-of-Copy-of-Long-Range-Shooting-Guide-728x90-1-300x37.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/04\/Copy-of-Copy-of-Long-Range-Shooting-Guide-728x90-1-600x74.png 600w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/04\/Copy-of-Copy-of-Long-Range-Shooting-Guide-728x90-1-150x19.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, 639px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1547\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Long Range Shooting Guide<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Youll_Learn_At_A_Long_Range_Shooting_Course\"><\/span><b>What You\u2019ll Learn At A Long Range Shooting Course<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Any <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/improving-rifle-marksmanship-part-1\/\" title=\"Rifle Marksmanship: Scope Fundamentals\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1413\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">long range shooting<\/a> course worth its weight in copper alloy will have safety as the chief concern. If you&#8217;re considering a shooting course, no matter which one it is, determining if safety is a priority is an easy and quick way to determine if it&#8217;s a professional operation. Specifically, you\u2019ll want to ask if all the staff are NRA-certified instructors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most courses will have a great mix of hands-on training on the range or in the field and classroom work understanding key principles. The word \u201cclassroom\u201d might scare some folks but it is very important to truly understand the science involved if you want to consistently make long-range shots and nice tight groupings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A good <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/5-long-range-shooting-tips\/\" title=\"5 Long Range Shooting Tips\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"1473\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">long range shooting<\/a> course will have both basic and advanced courses to pursue. On a basic track, you should expect to learn about <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/riflemarksmanship-supported-shooting-positions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shooting positioning and form,<\/a> how to select and <a href=\"https:\/\/help.tractoptics.com\/p\/5GBO-4DJ\/mounts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mount a scope<\/a>, the science of how a bullet travels across long distances, the effects of the wind on your bullet, how to estimate and judge distance, how to use milliradians (mils) in shooting, and of course how to take quick and decisive successive shots using bolt manipulation techniques.\u00a0 An advanced course will have a more in-depth focus on each of these topics as well as training on communicating with a spotter, and hands-on training at extreme shooting distances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Courses_We_Recommend\"><\/span><b>Courses We Recommend<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you want to take a shooting course, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to make the proper selection. To narrow your search, we\u2019ve put together a short list of reputable courses that you should be sure to check out depending on what part of the country you\u2019re in or plan to <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/best-places-to-see-wildlife-in-the-usa-this-summer\/\">travel<\/a> to.<\/span><\/p><ul style=\"text-align: justify\"><li><strong><strong>IDAHO &#8211; Force Options offers an Introduction to Precision Rifle course in the incredible setting of Twin Falls Idaho. They provide the fundamental knowledge and skills required to engage targets from 100 yds out to 1000 yards with first shot accuracy. Hunters, competition shooters, and military\/police marksman will benefit greatly from this class. <a title=\"TRAINING SCHEDULE \u2013 Force Options (forceoptionsusa.com)\" href=\"http:\/\/forceoptionsusa.com\/training-schedule\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TRAINING SCHEDULE \u2013 Force Options (forceoptionsusa.com)<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong><strong>MONTANA: The Bergara Academy in Belt, Montana\u2019s reputation is known throughout the country and their onsite lodging maximizes time with other shooters. Plus, you can immediately put your skills to the test with some prairie dog hunting!\u00a0 <a title=\"https:\/\/www.bergara.online\/us\/the-bergara-academy\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bergara.online\/us\/the-bergara-academy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">https:\/\/www.bergara.online\/us\/the-bergara-academy\/<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/li><li><strong><strong>MARYLAND: Guntry Gun Club offers a 2-Day Precision Rifle 1,200 yard Course. The price of class will include the use of a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle with optic and suppressor (ammunition avaible at an additional cost). <a title=\"https:\/\/www.bizzflo.com\/Gun-Ranges-Instruction\/Guntry-Club-of-Maryland\/class\/1000yd-Class-NEW\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bizzflo.com\/Gun-Ranges-Instruction\/Guntry-Club-of-Maryland\/class\/1000yd-Class-NEW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener sponsored\">https:\/\/www.bizzflo.com\/Gun-Ranges-Instruction\/Guntry-Club-of-Maryland\/class\/1000yd-Class-NEW<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong><strong>PENNSYLVANIA: Wolf\u2019s Precision for the true gun geek. Their onsite Armory and Gunsmithing Course gives you the opportunity to build a world-class rifle and learn to shoot it the right way! <a title=\"https:\/\/www.wolfprecision.net\/index.html\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wolfprecision.net\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.wolfprecision.net\/index.html<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong><strong>TENNESSEE: Down south, consider the world-class facilities at the massive K&#038;M Precision Rifle Training shooting complex: <a title=\"https:\/\/kmprecisionrifletraining.com\/km-shooting-complex\/\" href=\"https:\/\/kmprecisionrifletraining.com\/km-shooting-complex\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/kmprecisionrifletraining.com\/km-shooting-complex\/<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong><strong>OREGON: Learn from Bob Beck of Extreme Outer Limits TV and learn to shoot at extreme distances on a sweeping 35,000-acre scene in Central Oregon. <a title=\"https:\/\/huntlongrange.com\/schools\/\" href=\"https:\/\/huntlongrange.com\/schools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/huntlongrange.com\/schools\/<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong><strong>TEXAS: learn from Navy Seal and native Texan Clayton Hergert in the rugged Texas hill country. <a href=\"https:\/\/atxprecision.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/atxprecision.com\/<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>UTAH: Who doesn\u2019t love a 100% money-back guarantee from a 20-year-old school? Mark Thompson at Thompson Long Range guarantees that you\u2019ll be hitting tight groups at 1000 yards by the end of this two-day class.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thompsonlongrange.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.thompsonlongrange.com\/<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul><figure id=\"attachment_1991\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1991\" style=\"width: 533px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/impact-ballistics-mobile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1991\" title=\"Going to Shooting School\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP.png\" alt=\"Long Range Shooting Course\" width=\"533\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP.png 1000w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/11\/TRACTAPP-96x96.png 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1991\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Going to a Long Range Shooting Course<\/figcaption><\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve ever considered going to shooting school, here\u2019s what you might consider to help your journey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11982,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2265,2267,2273],"tags":[2797,2900,2958,3077,3189],"class_list":["post-3505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rifle-scope","category-shooting-skills","category-tractoptics","tag-hunting","tag-long-range-shooting-course","tag-optics","tag-rifles","tag-shooting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3505"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3505\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12829,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3505\/revisions\/12829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}