notebook/pad

I use a notebook at the range for a few things. I keep track of how many rounds through each pistol, brand of the rounds and with my .22s the weight of the rounds. I also use it when I am adjusting my red dot on my Buckmark. I like to know how many clicks I went and which way.
Keeping track of round counts and kinds payed off for me. My Buckmark has some major leading issues. When dealing with Brownings authorizesd service center and now with Browning. It has really made life easy knowing everything that has gone through that barrel and when.
I also have written on the inside of the front cover some of the most important fundamentals of pistol shooting. When things aren't going well at the range I look at that and try to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

I almost always use a notebook at my range to record how my loads are acting. If not for immediate notes, I'd forget almost everything.

Charleo0192 said:

thanks, think Ill try that also. and keep track of my overall progress. Think it will be cool in a year to look back and see how much progress I have made as far as hitting t he bulls eye

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I also use a free program that I take a picture of my target, put it in my computer and it gives me all sorts of info like group size, MOA, stuff like that. That way I can keep track of my gains with out have a bunch of targets laying around. I don't remember the name of the program but when I get home tonight I can PM it to you or post it on here if you would like. Here is a picture of what it looks like after I ran the program on a target.

All serious competitors keep extensive notebook info on all sorts of things, sight settings, performance of various ammo/loads, techniques, positions, etc. There are notebooks published for different specific disciplines, such as Smallbore, High Power and Silhouette.

A good notebook wont make you a better shooter, but sure will help you eliminate the things that make you a poor shooter.

I realize writing will not make you better, practice will.

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Are you kidding? Every time I report my last range trip, my groups get better and better. A few more range reports and I should be qualifying for Expert Master!



Q

I used to use a small notebook, but I later switched to a Palm TX (which allowed me to have a ballistics calculator with me instead of just a chart) and eventually an iPhone:



The iPhone can also double as a shot timer and as a still/video camera.

...as my groups got smaller so did my notebook

its now so small i can't find it

I found it. Go about 1/4 down the page right under the 1st picture and you will see the download link. It is a free deal. One mistake I made at first was not having a meassuring referance. Now I put a ruler on the target when I take the picture and crop it out later.
http://www.ontargetshooting.com

i use notebooks sometimes to keep track of a few things
groups mainly but sometimes making notes of things i notice im doing wrong and try to correct (usualy when i dont know the answer and i check the internet)
i know alot of people use notebooks to keep track of ballistic information to compile range cards with different loads especialy reloads

snipers use notebooks alot for all sorts of data as well everything from range estimations laid out with visual cues on the targeted area to recording hits and of course the same ballistics recording that i mentioned a moment ago

i believe it was in Hot Fuzz that Simon Peg said that the notebook is his best weapon I believe that can be true even outside the law enforcment role because we all forget now and then and having it written down is a great way to keep track

I use a notebook typically for my longer range shooting. It nice to write conditions down, wind, calculations and so on when shooting at 500 yards. Even more so when doing so with iron sights. Right now I use a small moleskin covered notepad for that sort of stuff.

One of the guys I shoot with has a battery powered camera that transmits to his notebook. He sets up the camera when he sets up his targets at longer rifle ranges, and uses the cam/notebook instead of a spotting scope.

This is his second camera.

He was at a public range and the first camera met with an unfortunate accident. He's still not sure if it was one of his shots that wandered, or if one of the clowns at the range thought "I'll bet I can hit that little white thing he set up."

KR

My PMI in basic was big on keeping a log book, recording things like weather, wind, range conditions. Another thing he was big on was "calling" your shot. making a reference on a picture of the target of where you think or felt you hit, then overlaying the actual imact of the shot. This really helped with learning to dope wind, and how the other conditions changed the impact of each shot.

Probably a good idea to carry one for that sort of stuff, but I would hate to have it logged as evidence after a shooting.

Probably a good idea to carry one for that sort of stuff, but I would hate to have it logged as evidence after a shooting.

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Hell, if the Prosecution wanted to introduce my training log as evidence against me it would probably save my Attorney from having it included as a defense exhibit

I will admit to carrying notebooks everywhere, and having different ones for different activities. I suffer from CRS, so notebooks are a great thing. And a range book also serves as a written scrap book besides a training log.

Charleo0192 said:

not sure what you mean by evidence.

And besides using rifles, would you use a note pad to keep track of stuff with a pistol?

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I don't own a rifle and I use a notebook when I go to the range.

TH3180 said:

I use a notebook at the range for a few things. I keep track of how many rounds through each pistol, brand of the rounds and with my .22s the weight of the rounds. I also use it when I am adjusting my red dot on my Buckmark. I like to know how many clicks I went and which way.
Keeping track of round counts and kinds payed off for me. My Buckmark has some major leading issues. When dealing with Brownings authorizesd service center and now with Browning. It has really made life easy knowing everything that has gone through that barrel and when.
I also have written on the inside of the front cover some of the most important fundamentals of pistol shooting. When things aren't going well at the range I look at that and try to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

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It was easier just to qote it than rewrite it.

Charleo0192 said:

haha, guess I missed that. Went to the top and looked at your post with the picture but didnt look anymore then that. guess it helps to look more then a little. also, thanks for taking the time to repost

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No worries, I do the same thing.

I have a regular log book in which I record the brand of bullet, grain, caliber, temperature, wind, moa adjustment for 50, 100,150 and 200 yds for my 22 lrs also thier velocity. It helps me make my dope card for each bullet I may be using when I go hunting for jack rabbits or any other critters.