8654USMCRet
New member
The Marine Corps teaches its shooters, that is ALL Marines in either boot camp (for enlisted) or Officer Candidate School (for officers) to use data books to record shots, weather conditions, the elevation and windage used at the various yard lines so that their shots are repeatable. Further, as Marines attend annual requalification, they use these same data books.
Many may have the opinion that keeping data books for shooting, especially something like varmint hunting is not required nor desired. I suggest that keeping data of ALL shots taken are not just a good idea but in fact necessary if the shooter wants those hits to be repeatable. Likewise, if it was a miss – provide the necessary information so the shooter can correct the shot the next day or perhaps the next season.
I will use my .223 Remington data in this proposal. Further I’ll cite data from a load that I shoot; the Hornady 53gr Vmax. The load data follows.
The next season I came to this same area but the exact same shooting position wasn’t available. I had to go up a nearby ridge and take the shot from about 500 feet higher in elevation. Additionally, a warm front comes in and it’s now 52 degrees (as opposed to the unseasonably cool 22 degrees from the previous year). I take the shot and hit well above the animal and it scurries off. I’m frustrated because of the effort that it took to get into this new position. My shot felt perfect. I slowly squeezed the trigger. I took the wind into account. But still I missed. I even used the exact same ammo (reloads from last year). But still I missed and I’m pretty mad at myself trying to figure out what happened?
We know the ballistics from the ammo is good. The gun was in proper working order. The shooter applied the basics of shooting (Breathe, Relax, Aim, Stop, Squeeze). The shot felt great. Let’s also review the differences in the two hunting trips:
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
Range to tgt 300 yds 300 yds
Elevation used UP 3.9 MOA UP 3.9 MOA
Wind ZERO wind ZERO wind
Temp 22 degrees 52 degrees
Angle to tgt 0 degrees (flat) downhill ?
How could a data book have helped this shooter?
We see that the distance to the target was the same. The shooter used the same elevation because the target distance was the same. We also see there was no wind on either day. The temperatures were different.
So what happened? First, let’s take a look at the shooter to target angle. In this case, we see the shooter in the first year did a ZERO angle (or flat) shot. In the second year, the shooter shot from an elevated location; 500 feet higher than the animal. Because of this angle, the shooter shot well above his prey. Had the shooter recorded the data of his previous year’s shot – he might have realized the difference in elevation, e.g., the angle to his prey created due to this elevation change. The Marine Corps calls this angle data the shooters’ slope dope – but it’s simple the angle to the target. The wind was ZERO on both years, so in this case, the wind had no impact.
I propose that shooters (of any discipline) record the below information. Whether or not you call it your data book is immaterial. The point is to record the data.
I hope this short example illustrates how recording shooting data can help the shooter – to achieve repeatable consistency in their shooting endeavors. Again, it doesn’t matter if we call them data books – the main point is to record your shooting information so that your successes are repeatable and your mistakes aren’t repeated.
Good luck in your shooting ands stay safe!
Many may have the opinion that keeping data books for shooting, especially something like varmint hunting is not required nor desired. I suggest that keeping data of ALL shots taken are not just a good idea but in fact necessary if the shooter wants those hits to be repeatable. Likewise, if it was a miss – provide the necessary information so the shooter can correct the shot the next day or perhaps the next season.
I will use my .223 Remington data in this proposal. Further I’ll cite data from a load that I shoot; the Hornady 53gr Vmax. The load data follows.
- Powder and amount: 24.0gr H335
- Shell: Federal
- Velocity and SD: 3072 FPS / 11 FPS
- Weather condition for the chrono data: 500ft AGL/52 F/40% RH/Baro 29.80/ 25 Feb 2024
- Primer used: CCI 400
The next season I came to this same area but the exact same shooting position wasn’t available. I had to go up a nearby ridge and take the shot from about 500 feet higher in elevation. Additionally, a warm front comes in and it’s now 52 degrees (as opposed to the unseasonably cool 22 degrees from the previous year). I take the shot and hit well above the animal and it scurries off. I’m frustrated because of the effort that it took to get into this new position. My shot felt perfect. I slowly squeezed the trigger. I took the wind into account. But still I missed. I even used the exact same ammo (reloads from last year). But still I missed and I’m pretty mad at myself trying to figure out what happened?
We know the ballistics from the ammo is good. The gun was in proper working order. The shooter applied the basics of shooting (Breathe, Relax, Aim, Stop, Squeeze). The shot felt great. Let’s also review the differences in the two hunting trips:
LAST YEAR THIS YEAR
Range to tgt 300 yds 300 yds
Elevation used UP 3.9 MOA UP 3.9 MOA
Wind ZERO wind ZERO wind
Temp 22 degrees 52 degrees
Angle to tgt 0 degrees (flat) downhill ?
How could a data book have helped this shooter?
We see that the distance to the target was the same. The shooter used the same elevation because the target distance was the same. We also see there was no wind on either day. The temperatures were different.
So what happened? First, let’s take a look at the shooter to target angle. In this case, we see the shooter in the first year did a ZERO angle (or flat) shot. In the second year, the shooter shot from an elevated location; 500 feet higher than the animal. Because of this angle, the shooter shot well above his prey. Had the shooter recorded the data of his previous year’s shot – he might have realized the difference in elevation, e.g., the angle to his prey created due to this elevation change. The Marine Corps calls this angle data the shooters’ slope dope – but it’s simple the angle to the target. The wind was ZERO on both years, so in this case, the wind had no impact.
I propose that shooters (of any discipline) record the below information. Whether or not you call it your data book is immaterial. The point is to record the data.
- Date
- Time
- Weather conditions (temp, altitude, humidity, Barometric pressure, light conditions, clouds, winds direction and speed)
- Geographic location (LAT/LONG or Military grid location). Source doesn’t matter as long as the location is accurately recorded
- Ammo used
- Rifle used
- MOA (elevation and windage) used
- Target angle (shooter to target)
- Notes on what occurred on that shooting event – good and bad.
I hope this short example illustrates how recording shooting data can help the shooter – to achieve repeatable consistency in their shooting endeavors. Again, it doesn’t matter if we call them data books – the main point is to record your shooting information so that your successes are repeatable and your mistakes aren’t repeated.
Good luck in your shooting ands stay safe!