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Long Range Shooting Rifle Training DVD

Long Range Shooting Training DVD’s

Last year, I decided my focus in 2016 would be on training. I wanted to be strategic with the time I spend on this hobby, and thought training could help me more long-term than scattering my focus in a few directions, shooting random matches, and learning things the hard way. By training, I meant that I wanted to not only fire more rounds at the range practicing, but I also wanted to get professional instruction on long-range shooting.

“There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” – Will Rogers

Over the next few posts, I plan to share some in-person training and events I’ve attended, and tell you about a really advanced training tool I was shown earlier this year by a rifle shooter who took home two Olympic gold medals in the Rio.

Honestly, I wasn’t even planning on doing a post about training DVD’s. But occasionally I’m so impressed with a product, that I become evangelical about it. I almost felt guilty if I didn’t share this with you guys, because I know this could help a lot of people.

You can see in the photo above, I’ve purchased several different sets of training DVD’s over the years. I bought all of these out-of-pocket at full retail price, so rest assured this isn’t a paid advertisement. At this point, I’ve literally watched all of them multiple times. Each one takes a little different approach. What I appreciate is each instructor has a little different focus, background, and expertise, and they’ll inevitably offer a helpful tip the others didn’t mention. Here’s a short synopsis of what I appreciated about each of them:

Magpul’s The Art of the Precision Rifle with Todd Hodnett

Todd is one of the most respected and sought-after long range rifle instructor in the world. Todd trains our best military snipers, so this is a unique opportunity for a civilian to come as close as they can to taking a personal class with Todd. While Todd understands the technical side of long range shooting, he has a very practical approach, and several simple, matter-of-fact ways of explaining the nerdy science and math side of things. You essentially follow a few guys going through one of his classes, which captures the coachable moments as Todd helps them understand the art of hitting small targets a long way off. (Unfortunately, this DVD set has been discontinued.)

The Art of the Precision Rifle

Putting Rounds On Target with Bryan Litz

As an aerospace engineer, world champion shooter, and industry-leading ballistician, Bryan is arguably one of the most knowledgeable guys in the long range world. He’s made unprecedented contributions to further the knowledge of the shooting community through his books, video-based training, software, and tools. It’s very comprehensive on the big topics you need to understand. Bryan does an excellent job explaining all the equipment you need, and practical checks you should run to set up your rifle and get shots on target at long range. This can help you side-step all the little gotchas that can creep in and leave you frustrated.  Bryan has a unique approach of classroom explanations followed by live fire in the field, which helps close the gap between theory and application. Parts of this video feel like you’re going to the range with Bryan and he’s going to help you work up good dope … which is pretty valuable.

Putting Rounds on Target DVD with Bryan Litz

Rifle’s Only Precision Rifle Instructional DVDs with Jacob Bynum

Jacob is the owner and lead instructor of Rifle’s Only, which is a sprawling, premier training facility in Texas where they offer courses for everyone from elite military units to civilians. In Disk 1, Jacob walks through an organized step-by-step approach to the fundamentals of precision rifle shooting, covering proper prone position, driving the rifle, bipod deployment, and more. Disk 2 is focused on field positions, which is a topic none of the other DVD’s covered. In real world situations, you simply can’t fire every shot from prone. Jacob illustrates a variety of shooting positions, from kneeling to standing to sling-supported shots, and how to adapt your position for what works for that location and time. The positions content is very relevant and helpful for guys looking to get into the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) style of rifle matches.

Rifles Only Precision Rifle DVD with Jacob Bynam

Update: A reader mentioned that Rifles Only now has a series of online video-based training, which you can subscribe to for $15/month, or download individual segments for $8 each.

As you can see, each set of DVD’s had different strengths when it came to content, instructors, and approach. Because of that, when someone asked me which I’d recommend, I always struggled to come up with which to recommend … until recently.

Accuracy 1st’s Long Range Made Easy

Long Range Made Easy DVD with Todd Hodnett

A couple of months ago, I bought Accuracy 1st’s Long Range Made Easy, and have to say I was VERY IMPRESSED! The tagline on the DVD is: “Go from basic to advanced with the guy that has trained our best military snipers for the past 10 years.” That’s a pretty good description! Todd Hodnett is the primary instructor, and Bryan Litz joins him in several segments.

It’s the best of both worlds: Todd Hodnett’s pragmatic “the-bullet-cannot-lie” approach, which has been field-proven by hundreds the world’s best snipers combined with Bryan Litz’s engineering approach based on the latest developments in external ballistics and verified using the scientific method and thousands of carefully instrumented live-fire experiments. The two styles complement each other well, and offer an extremely well-rounded and comprehensive overview to hitting targets at long range. It’s a duo like Lennon & McCartney, Han Solo & Chewbacca, or David Spade & Chris Farley. They’re good solo, but it’s something special when they come together.

The DVD set is split into 2 volumes, which contain 2 discs each. All together that is almost 4 hours of instruction from the most respected guys in the industry. And they cover a lot of ground! Honestly, you’d never be able to cover as much content in a one or two-day, in-person class, but the benefit of a DVD is you can easily hit rewind to hear them explain something again or re-watch the whole thing 2 or 3 times to help it all soak in.

Long Range Made Easy DVD with Todd Hodnett and Bryan Litz

I bought the Volume 1 & 2 Bundle for $76.95. That’s what I’d suggest, because if you only bought one or the other, you’d miss out on some important topics. Here’s what is covered:

Volume 1

Disc 1 (62 min)

Disc 1 helps understand how to select a rifle platform, scope, and bullet, based on their application. Accompanying Todd on the discussion of ballistics is Bryan Litz. Once the shooter has determined the type of ammunition, rifle and scope to be used Todd will run through a good technique to zero the rifle.

  • Intro to Long Range
  • Gear Purchases
  • Gear Options
  • Zeroing

Disc 2 (56 min)

Disc 2 starts off by instructing the shooter on the optimal shooting positioning to be able to watch bullet impacts through recoil. Proper recoil management is essential to quick re-engagements, and improving your wind calls. Also in this DVD Todd will cover how to set up the rife and his quick and easy wind formula.

  • Technique for Position
  • Optimal Gun Setup
  • Wind Formula
  • Spotting with Will

Volume 2

Disc 1 (65 min)

Disc 1 introduces the Applied Ballistics Kestrel wind meter, which is a handheld took that captures real-time environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, pressure, humidity, wind speed) and uses those to calculate an accurate ballistic firing solution. Who better to review the operation of this device than the two guys who helped design it?! Other topics discussed on this DVD relate to bullet diameters, truing the ballistic algorithm so it matches your impacts in the field, drag scale factoring, and Weapons Employment Zone (WEZ) analysis.

  • Applied Ballistics Kestrel
  • Bullet Diameter
  • Truing Ballistic Algorithms
  • Drag Scale Factoring (DSF)
  • WEZ Analysis

Disc 2 (52 min)

In Disc 2, Todd takes the shooter to the range to help learn how to make wind calls. Todd will take the shooter through various methods he uses to read the wind, and explains in practical terms how the wind moves over various terrain features. Todd also explains how to use the Accuracy 1st Whiz Wheel to achieve an accurate ballistic firing solution, just like the Applied Ballistics Kestrel. Todd then concludes this series by reviewing different scope reticle types and taking the infamous, One Mile Shot.

  • Wind Course
  • Wiz Wheel with Alice
  • Reticle Types
  • The One Mile Shot

Take-Away

I’ll always prefer in-person training over video-based training, because in-person training allows for questions and the instructor can provide personalized coaching tips. Unfortunately, I still haven’t received my invitation to go shoot with Todd and Bryan! 😉 So if we want to sit at the feet and learn from the leading minds in the industry, Accuracy 1st’s Long Range Made Easy is our best option.

And there is a huge upside to DVD training. First, the cost is close to 1-2% of most in-person training events, especially if you include travel costs and ammo in there. The 2 Volume set for Long Range Made Easy is $76.95. Earlier this year a friend and I attended a multi-day in-person training, and the total cost for flights, hotels, rental cars, and meals was $3,000 … EACH! That didn’t even include the cost of the training! Now I will say I got more value and had more fun at the in-person training, but the cost difference is astronomical! This DVD training is less than 2% of the cost, and I think I got way more than 2% of the value. So for guys who aren’t in a position to spend thousands on training, or even for those of us that are … I feel like this was a great investment. In fact, I’ve felt all these training DVDs were a good investment, and have helped me become a more well-rounded shooter.

Also, DVD training allows you to go back and watch it again … and again. If you didn’t understand something, rewind it and listen again. I’m not a guy who’s embarrassed to raise my hand and ask a stupid question in a classroom setting, but I know most people might not feel comfortable doing that. So this is a very good way to try to get down the fundamentals without having to admit you don’t know something in front of a group of guys.

This particular DVD set also talks a lot about gear choices and equipment. Most people who talk about those things have an overly dogmatic view, and might not present it as objectively as they should. I can say that I don’t feel that way about this one. Todd knows what he’s talking about, and shows a variety of gear and setups that might be ideal for different applications. So if you’re about to invest in a precision rifle, or thinking about investing in scopes, barrels, or other gear … this could actually save you money in the long run! Nothing is worse than buying something, and then after a month or two you realize you made the wrong decision. Ask me how I know!!! 😉 By purchasing this DVD, you’re essentially purchasing advice from Todd Hodnett on what equipment you should buy. I’d certainly pay $80 for that!

Hey, I realize I may sound like a fan boy. But, remember I paid $77 out-of-pocket for this. I don’t have any type of relationship with Todd. I was never planning to do a post about this … but after watching it, I just know it’d help a lot of my readers. So I felt compelled to spend a few hours crafting a post to get the word out so you guys were aware of it. I’m not a guy with a lot of spare time on my hands, but hopefully this shows how much I believe this would help you. I know it’s helped me!

About Cal

Cal Zant is the shooter/author behind PrecisionRifleBlog.com. Cal is a life-long learner, and loves to help others get into this sport he's so passionate about. Cal has an engineering background, unique data-driven approach, and the ability to present technical information in an unbiased and straight-forward fashion. For more info, check out PrecisionRifleBlog.com/About.

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38 comments

  1. Well dang …… been looking for a copy of the Magpul “Art of the Rifle”….

    Very good selection of videos Cal. Thank You.

    Regards from Panhandle Texas

    • Yeah, it was a good one. I know a precision rifle gunsmith who would give that DVD set to every one of his customers when he delivered the rifle. He said educated customers made his rifles shoot better! 😉 Makes sense to me! But, while The Art of Precision Rifles was good … Long Range Made Easy is better. They cover a lot of the same material, but it’s just updated and expanded in the new DVD. In fact, I heard the same production company shot the video and produced it as the Magpul DVD’s. Believe it or not, what Todd teaches and recommends has changed over the years. For example, he used to teach people to load their bipod heavily, and he changed that over the past year or two and now recommends loading more lightly, and he explains all that in the Long Range Made Easy DVD’s. So don’t lament missing out on The Art of the Precision Rifle too much! I’m not I’ll ever pop my copy back in the DVD player, because the new one is better.

      Thanks,
      Cal

  2. Excellent article Cal. As someone who has only been shooting for one year, I will take all the good quality instruction I can get. I ordered the Accuracy Vol. 1 and 2. Thanks.

    • You bet! I’m sure you’ll find it helpful, and ultimately it’ll help you get more rounds on target. Thanks for sharing.

      Thanks,
      Cal

  3. I know most people cringe a bit when I bring this up, but I’d be interested in your take on the youtube series “Sniper101″…I watched most of his videos when I first started shooting. Despite opinions of the guy one way or the other, there is some VERY good info in there…for free.
    Thanks again for what you do!!

    • Hey, Clete. Like most people, I’ve watched a couple of those. They seem to have good info, and are great for the price. They fall short of professional quality, but I can appreciate the effort. He could use an editor, but hey … so could I! 😉

      The biggest difference in all this is whether it’s an authoritative source. Todd Hodnett, Bryan Litz, and Jacob Bynum are some of the most respected leaders in the long-range world. All 3 train elite military units, so instruction from any of them represents the latest and greatest. TiborasaurusRex seems like a good guy and obviously helps a ton of shooters, but I’m not sure he’s privy to the same advancements and research as the other three. Of course, I don’t know that. Without knowing Rex’s background, it’s hard to know if he’s an authoritative source.

      Hope that helps. I’m not trying to criticize the “Sniper 101” series. With over 1.7 million views, they’ve likely helped a TON of people, and will continue to. On the few segments I’ve watched, I haven’t noticed any bad info. Rex seems to know what he’s talking about, and has really put a lot of time into those videos. I just think of it differently than these other videos.

      Thanks,
      Cal

      • For the record, I have all of the videos mentioned, excluding the newer set from TH…looking forward to some more binge learning ;). I will say, having watched most of Rex’s vids, he is remarkably knowledgeable for being an “average Joe”…perhaps he’s not?

      • Great point. He certainly might have some kind of advanced background. It’d be interesting to know his background and training. I’ve only watched a few excerpts from his videos, but I know he has a ton of content out there. Looks like he’s published 99 videos under the “Sniper 101” series, which has had over 1.7 million views at this point! It’s over 40 hours of content. I can only imagine how much time goes into each of those.

        Thanks,
        Cal

      • Well, a little research turned up Rex Tibor’s bio: http://www.rexreviews.org/bio. Still a little cloudy on the exact nature of his experience, but his formal education is in “Natural Sciences” and he has international “security-related” experience. So your notion that he may be more than “average Joe” may have some merit. Here’s an excerpt:

        Travelling the world, Rex has had the opportunity to learn from a variety of people in various environments and cultures. He has benefited from the experiences of other accomplished professional shooters and instructors worldwide. From Bisely to Brünig to Budapest, and from south central Asia to the Levant, Rex has observed – firsthand – the universal language of “the rifle” performed in various dialects. He now enthusiastically shares his observations and experiences with you!

        Hey, I firmly believe I can learn something from just about anyone. The guy has obviously put a ton of time in to share what he knows with the shooting community. I can appreciate that as much as anyone! At the very least, I now know how he landed on the “TiborasaurusRex” username! 😉

        Thanks,
        Cal

  4. “tell you about a really advanced training tool I was shown earlier this year by a rifle shooter who took home two Olympic gold medals in the Rio.”

    How soon do you reveal this little nugget of info?

    Great write up, once again. I’m a new guy to PRS and love reading your articles.

    • Ha! I figured that might tweak the ear of a couple people. It’s pretty cool. And that conversation at SHOT show with the Olympic shooters was one of my favorite conversations this year. That’s a different world than what I have experience with, so it was interesting to hear how they trained and get to handle their rifles and pistols. Very passionate group of shooters who graciously put up with my questions for a couple hours!

      I’m still playing with the tool, and want to figure out a couple more things before I write that one up. I prefer to use a product for a few months before I write a review about it, to try to find all the pros and cons and really get to know it. But it’s getting close. I’ve been using it for 3-4 months now, so I’ll probably get the post out next month. Stay tuned!

      Thanks,
      Cal

  5. Thanks for the review! As always, very helpful. I have the magpul dvd set already and have watched them multiple times. Do you feel that the extra info in the Long Range Made Easy is worth the purchase if I already have seen the Magpul DVDs? Thanks, PJ

    • I do. I was in the same position, because I had the Magpul DVDs. There seems to be a lot of stuff in this new one that wasn’t mentioned or was only touched on lightly in the old one. This includes things like custom drag models, the Applied Ballistics Kestrel, and advanced wind dynamics. For example, Todd explains things like “katabatic winds” and how you can read the terrain and anticipate how they’ll affect bullet trajectory. I was surprised how deep he got on a couple things. Personally, I’d buy it. Which is why I did. I was so happy with that decision that I literally spent a few hours to write a post about it to tell you guys, so I bet you’d be happy with that decision too.

      Thanks,
      Cal

  6. The joy of being able to rewind and listen again is priceless. Great sharing contribution to LR.
    I will couple this with “selfie” video coaching.

    • You bet, CR! It’s tough to learn how to read the wind from a video-based training, but there is a lot of things you can learn by watching, listening, rewinding, and going through it again. It definitely seems to help me soak in the info at a deeper level.

      And I heard Patrick Lencioni say in a speach last year “People need to be reminded more than instructed.” I have repeated that quote several times, because it’s just the truth! Sometimes I just need to watch the DVD again to be reminded of something, even if I knew it at some point in the past … I need to be reminded. Often times I’ll put these DVD’s in while I’m in the shop handloading, or just listen to them while I’m driving in my truck somewhere. Every time I put one of these in, I feel like I get value out of them. Luckily I don’t have to pay for the class each time I watch or listen to them!

      Thanks,
      Cal

  7. Cal, do you know if the on line training at the Rifles Only site is the same material that is on the dvd? Appreciate the blog.

    • Wow, I actually hadn’t noticed the “online training” on their website before, so I appreciate you mentioning it. It appears to be different content than what is on those DVD’s I have.

      For others, here is a link to what he’s referring to: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/riflesonlythesource/

      It’s tough for me to justify spending $8 to download a 2 minute video. To be fair, a few are 15+ minutes long … but lots are 2-5 minutes. Isn’t it funny how we get used to online videos being free, or paying $1 for an app on our phone … and when it has a small premium attached to it, we balk.

      Honestly, I know myself well enough to know how this will probably go down: You’ve got me thinking about it, and after about a week … I’ll still be thinking about it, and finally break down and go buy it. If I do that, I’ll try to come back and let you know what I think. It looks like some good info, although if you bought all 32 segments you’d be looking at $256 … ouch! So thanks a lot for eventually costing me $256! 😉 Of course, they also have an option to “subscribe” to all his videos for $15/month. Maybe that’s the better option. Either way, I appreciate the comment!

      Thanks,
      Cal

  8. I do think the $15 subscription would be the way to go. I assume you can cancel the subscription easily. Thanks.

  9. Hi Cal,
    Fan of your posts. Thank you for producing great and relevant content for our community. Educational as always. My 2c on your DVD’s story . I purchased all of them and had viewed them . My favorite is Jacob’s DVD set. Especially the ‘Positional’ DVD. Jacob explains it in the plain and understandable terms. He also breaks down each position to it’s core why it’s better to do it certain way. He also has trained some of our best Units and their Operators at his place in TX. Have not gone to either Jacob’s or Todd’s classes but when I have the time and $ will do so and perhaps at that point will be even more enlightened by both experiences. Truth is though having all of this guys and their knowledge & expert training available to us we are truly blessed and fortunate to call them apostoles of our community. And no excuse why we should not become better shooters all around. Anyone in this field owe it to themselves to get training by this guys while they still can and MUST get this DVD’s to get better at it. Thank you again Cal for great job.

    • Thanks, Milan. I agree. The positional DVD from Rifles Only has some great content. It’s also something that none of the others really touch on. I feel like it’s especially relevant for the improvised positions in PRS-style matches or real world hunting environments. Honestly, I haven’t regretted spending money on any of these. I just thing the Long Range Made Easy has the most comprehensive content. They also hit on some recent developments like the AB Kestrel. Of course it’s a couple hours longer than the Rifles Only DVDs, so they were able to go a little deeper or cover more topics. However, I can still think of several things I learned from the Rifles Only DVDs. Jacob is a very practical guy, and a good teacher. Like you said, he presents things in a way that is easy to understand.

      So I whole-heartedly agree! Thanks for comments, and reinforcing the benefit of that particular DVD.

      Thanks,
      Cal

  10. Looking to buy the Magpul DVD’s if anyone knows where to get them. Unless you all think Long Range Made Easy by itself is ok for a newbie like myself. Love this blog Cal, please keep it going. Thank you.

    • Hey, Corey. It seems like everyone is sold out of the Magpul DVD’s. LaRue was the last one with any in stock that I was aware of, but they’ve been sold out for a while.

      I’d suggest just picking up the Long Range Made Easy. I see it as an updated and amplified version of the original Magpul video. It includes info that the old video didn’t have (i.e. how to use the AB Kestrel, new cartridge and expanded rifle suggestions, latest ballistics modeling and reticles, etc.). Plus Todd has changed how he teaches a couple things, so it represents the latest technique he is teaching to elite military units. The information also seems better organized than the Magpul DVD. The Magpul DVD was good, but I think of it as version 1.0 … and if version 2.0 is available, why would you want the old model? It’s not a “more advanced” curriculum, and doesn’t assume you saw the first video. I bet it’d be really helpful … even for a “newbie” … maybe especially for a “newbie”!

      Thanks,
      Cal

  11. Thanks for the advice Cal. I have the Art of the Precision Rifle series and after receiving some training and ready up on the subject. I was starting to feel it could be a bit dated. I now know what to ask for come Christmas. Although two months is a long way out! On another note. Have you still decided to, or have you purchased, a scope with the Horus reticle? I have one with the Tremor2 and just feel that maybe it isn’t ideal. Not bad mind you, just seems overkill. I know you were looking into an H59 perhaps sometime ago. Your thoughts on these reticle would be greatly appreciated!

    • Jeremy, that’s a great question. I bought my first scope with a Horus reticle just 2-3 months ago. It has the H59 and I’ve loved using it. I have it in a Schmidt and Bender PMII 5-25×56, which is the same scope I’ve been using … but I was originally running a P4L Fine reticle. I’ve grown to hate that reticle, because the first mark on the windage axis is at 1 mil. What in the world?! Most of the time I’m holding 0.3-0.8 mils of wind, and the P4L reticle has no reference points in that range. So you end up guessing. Actually what I found myself doing was not holding a certain amount of wind correction in mils, but instead referencing the target … for example, I’d hold “right edge” or “6 inches off the right edge.” That’s a crappy way to go about it! The H59 has hash marks in 2/10th of a mil increments, which is 100% ideal in my book. Even 1/2 mil marks would work, but the P4L Fine hash marks start at 1 mil. Now every time I look through that reticle, I get a little pissed off! 😉

      But, after talking to guys at Schmidt and Bender in Germany at SHOT Show this year, and then a bunch of times afterward … I finally talked them into offering the Tremor3 reticle (aka TRMR3 or just T3) in their PMII 5-25×56 scope. I really, really like the Tremor3 reticle. It’s a combination of the mil-grid in the H59, and the wind-dots from the Tremor2. It might sound busy, but they seemed to pull it off in a pretty elegant way. I also like the Tremor2 reticle, and it’d be my 2nd choice at this point. Honestly, I wish I wouldn’t have waited so long to try the Horus reticles. They seemed so busy to me, and a little intimidating. I was afraid I’d give something up in terms of spotting shots, but that just hasn’t proved to be true. Honestly, it just makes the scope WAY more flexible. I typically dial elevation and hold for wind, when given enough time. But in some matches, they create a stage that requires you to hold for elevation and wind or the time constraints are so ridiculously tight that you don’t have time to dial anything. Gridded reticles like the Horus just give you a ton of flexibility on those stages. And the wind-dots allow you to just keep track of the elevation correction in your head (for example, your drop correction might be 6.2 mils), and then reference the wind adjustment in miles per hours (for example, you might hold 8 mph of wind … which means put it on the 2nd wind dot for most cartridges we’re running). And if on the first target you held a little too much wind, you know you should hold just short of the 2nd wind dot for the remaining shots. And that will remain true the whole way out. So need to remember you need to hold 0.3 mils on the 400 yard target, 0.6 mils on the 615 yard target, 0.9 mils on the 850 yard target, and 1.4 on the 1100 yard target. Just hold the same relative position on the wind dots all the way out (i.e. just short of the 2nd wind dot).

      When I bought these DVD’s I actually bought the TRMR2 video Todd offers: TReMoR 2 The Refined MIL Reticle. I let a buddy borrow it when I first got it, because he’d just bought a scope with a TRMR reticle. So I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, but the Long Range Made Easy DVD’s do include a pretty good intro to the TRMR reticles. It seems like that is all that Todd uses these days, so he almost can’t go without mentioning them.

      I know some good shooters that hold everything at this point using one of those reticles or Tubb’s new reticle. In fact, I was in a squad with Chase “Pump” Stroud at a PRS match 2 weeks ago, and he did that. Pump is a great shooter, and it was amazing how quickly he could ring steel with that holdover reticle. The Tubb reticle has things like spin drift built into it, which is an interesting concept. I’m not sure if our wind reading ability is good enough to call wind without the margin of error that would require to make a difference … but it’s an interesting idea. I’m going to bet over the next few years, the holdover reticles will become more and more popular. Horus used to have a tight grip on the market in terms of intellectual property regarding holdover reticles, but it seems like everyone is designing and producing them these days. And there are some great designs coming out. Honestly, I feel like Kahles has about the best reticles on the market at this point. I don’t love the ideal of a 6-24 power scope, but I really, really like the SKMR 3 reticle! But, I’m excited to try the TRMR 3 in that Schmidt and Bender. I’m told I should have one of the first ones in-hand by Christmas. Can’t wait!

      Thanks,
      Cal

      • I agree the TRMR3 seems to be ideal as it is an H59 with wind dots. The TRMR2 just seems to have too many other measurement marks in the reticle. It just seemed that the last time you listed the top 100 in scopes and reticles, that the Horus system seemed to be losing favor. I also have a Gen II Razor with the EBR-2C reticle. What I don’t like about it, is that it only has half MIL marks on the horizontal stadia. Although I think they addressed that with the EBR-7? in the AMG. So I can see why you dislike the one MIL marks on your P4L fine. I REALLY appreciate all that you do and for taking the time to respond!

        Thanks
        Jeremy

      • You’re right Jeremy. I think the Horus isn’t more popular among the top PRS guys is because Vortex doesn’t offer it. The EBR-2C reticle is a great one, and I know a lot of guys who love it. I wish the EBR-2C had marks in 0.2 mil increments on the horizontal axis for wind holds, but like I said in the last comments … you can make 1/2 mil marks work. The EBR-7 reticle looks like a winner to me!

        It’s only the 1 mil mark that is a disaster in my book. Of course, I was talking to Matt Perry at a match 2 weeks ago and he still loves his P4L Fine reticle in his S&B. He said it just was never a problem for him to divide that 1 mil line on the fly in his head. He’s a perennial top 10 finisher, so obviously you can make it work. Much of reticle choice comes down to personal preference. Some guys love one and can use it effectively, and some prefer another for other reasons that matter to them.

        Best of luck to you, Jeremy!

        Thanks,
        Cal

  12. This was a great review! I just got my 6.5 Creedmoor Howa 1500/XLR Evolution (built by CCA of Baxter, Iowa) and Razor Gen II (EBR-2) scope mounted and this “A1LR” DVD set will come in handy (just ordered it).

    The timing of this review could not have been better for me. I have been to one local match so far and tied for 2nd place. My goal this year is to get better at first round hits while prone and then work on first round hits in other shooting positions. I think this training will really help me achieve that goal.

    Whats your advice on their “wiz wheel”? is it something we should invest in?

    • That’s great, Luke. Glad you found it helpful. Sounds like you have a nice setup, and are off to a good start.

      The Whiz wheel is a handy tool, but I mostly think of it as an analog backup. I carry my Kestrel everywhere, and have only had trouble with it once. I rebooted it and reset a couple things and got it working again. It was during a match and I had it fixed before the next stage. The Whiz Wheel is a good backup for those kinds of situations. You can get a custom one for your load, and it has a way to correct for DA. I have yet to get one, but was thinking I’d probably do it for my hunting rifle at the very least. Seems like it might be nice to have one in the case with all your rifles … or you could just buy a backup Kestrel. Thought about that too. I guess whether it’s a good investment or not depends on your situation. It’s a sound idea though. I could see it especially being a critical piece of gear for the military guys. I believe that’s who they originally designed them for, but there are applications in the civilian world as well.

      Hope that helps! There is a way better explanation of the tool on the Long Range Made Easy DVD’s! It’s an interesting idea!

      Thanks,
      Cal

      • I really agree with the whiz wheel concept [ I used them in the USAF as a pilot ] to backup batteries that get cold soaked on a week of elk hunting in places where “special batteries” are NOT available OR AFRICA or Alaska.
        Then there is the hunt that comes up and work or whatever mean the proverbial last night packing. Then you discover not just a dead battery but white battery powder in the compartment…
        Lastly, if the SHTF and battery availability becomes an extension of the pospotus small arms restrictions…a manual computer is priceless.

  13. Hey Cal,

    Thank you for the information, I was not aware of the training DVD’s until now. With both Hodnett and Litz putting out content together, thats enough for me to make the purchase.

    If in-depth scope work is not covered in “Long Range Made Easy”, do you know of any in-dpeth training DVD’s that deal with MOA scope use exclusively? I am interested in all aspects of working with an MOA scope, as opposed to someone glossing over parts.

    Thanks again for the great information!
    Dave

    • You bet, Dave! It had been out for months before I knew about it too, so I was just trying to get the word out.

      As far as MOA training DVD’s, I’m not aware of any. That’s a pretty narrow topic. This video is about the best I could come up with: https://youtu.be/VA2PZBD5Tjg

      Honestly, both MOA and mils are simply angular units of measure. How you use them is no different … only the values are different. It’s like miles and kilometers, or gallons and liters. If I say my range is 12.4 miles away or 20 km away … It means the same thing. The distance to my range doesn’t change if choose to use one unit or the other. I’m not saying you shouldn’t use MOA … but just that if a video shows you HOW to hold for wind using mils (as an example), then HOW you do it using MOA would be identical … except the numbers would be bigger. You might here a spotter suggest the shooter hold 1.2 mils of wind, which would translate to 4 MOA. But HOW you hold for wind using a tactical reticle would be the same. So hopefully you’ll be able to gain value from any of these DVD’s with that in mind. Sorry I couldn’t be more help!

      Thanks,
      Cal

      • Hey Cal,

        Thank you for the information. I did purchase both of the “Long Range Made Easy” DVD’s, and I’m looking forward to studying them.

        You also sent me a link to a video, and coincidentally I found that same video some months back, and it has been the best direction I have found. I can’t tell you how many times I have reviewed it.
        I do operate my MOA scope exactly as he explains, also using my Kilo2000 to find an accurate target distance. I’m targeting 8 different targets out to my max distance of 300 yards (and almost no wind at my location), and I have become fairly consistent as long as I take my time.
        I am also getting ready to purchase the “kestrel 5700 elite meter with applied ballistics” as well as starting to shoot on property where I will have at least 1000 yards to work with.

        By the way, I just wanted to let you know that precisionrifleblog.com has served as an Excellent reference for just about every topic I have wanted to learn more about or an area I had a question about. Your illustrations have also been very helpful for “at a glance” reference or comparison. Great work!

        Thanks again,
        Dave

      • That’s great, Dave. It sounds like you’ve made some wise equipment choices. The Sig Kilo is a killer value and has a ridiculous range, and the Kestrel with Applied Ballistics is one of the pieces of gear I NEVER go to shoot without. Honestly with those two tools, you’ve got everything you need.

        Glad you’ve found the content helpful. Guys like you are exactly who I’m trying to help. Best of luck!

        Thanks,
        Cal

  14. Hi Cal! Great write up! Which one of the video’s spends the most time on recoil management?

  15. Sir
    You have provided me feedback in the past and I appreciated it. Well I would like your input once again. It’s about the Schmidt and Bender Ultra Short 5 x 20 x 50.
    I am have a Hunting rifle built by Accurate Ordnance in 6.5 CM It’s a Stiller action in a Manners E.H. carbon stock with a 22 inch Brux barrel weighing in at eight and a half lbs. I have looked at your scope comparison article and must have referred back to it a dozen times. I know at the end of the day it all comes down to two things. Cost and personal preference. From what I have read the model you have on your Surgeon 6.5 bolt gun is the PM II. Well I don’t shoot in any matches, although I enjoy stretching things out at the range from time to time. My current inventory NF NSX, Swarovski Z6 & Z3, Steiner T5Xi. In your view, is this optic have as good a reputation as the larger PM II ??? Thank You Chris

    • Chris, I’m sorry. Unfortunately, I don’t have any experience with the Schmidt and Bender Ultra Short scope. So I couldn’t tell you how it stacks up.

      Sorry I couldn’t help more,
      Cal