Rifle... Everything. Sort of.

[Bobson]

I found a series of videos produced by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) on YouTube. The series, so far (there's talk of another coming up at some point), consists of 11 videos, throughout which the instructor demonstrates techniques for everything from setting up a new scope on a rifle (including getting a proper cheek weld), to explaining MOA (not just how to measure a group at 100 yards, but how to use MOA to your advantage when shooting), to adjusting for shots up/down hills, to interpreting and accounting for wind, etc, etc. In every video, he presents the information you expect to learn, and he takes it to a level you hadn't even considered previously. That was definitely true for me, at least.

The instructor for the series is Ryan Cleckner, a former US Army Sniper team leader with the 1st Ranger Battalion, and former US Army sniper school instructor. The concepts taught in each video are listed below, and each title/concept is a link to that specific video. These titles are also displayed here in the order they were posted to YouTube - the order in which it makes sense to learn the information. IE, the "Scope Tracking" video won't make much sense unless you already understand how to use MOA and Mils, etc, etc.

1. Set Up Your Scope for Success
2. Understanding Minute of Angle (MOA)
3. Understanding Mils (Milliradians)
4. Wind Estimation and Compensation
5. Shooting at Angles
6. Rifle Sight-In Process
7. Practical D.O.P.E. (Data on Previous Engagements)
8. Scope Tracking
9. Shooting Fundamentals
10. Shooting Positions in the Field
11. Rifle Cleaning

As a side note, I have all these videos in a playlist on my YouTube account, and when I navigate to the link, it brings up my actual playlist. I'm not sure if it will do that for everyone, or if it's just because I'm logged into YouTube on my laptop, so I included all 11 videos here just in case.

A close friend of mine is an infantry sergeant in the US Army, and he attended and completed the Army's Sniper school in late 2012/early 2013. I asked him to watch a few of these videos and verify whether the information is legit, and he said everything he saw was totally accurate (no pun intended).

I learned a lot from these, and I figured they'll probably help many others as well. Just wanted to share what I found.

 

[Bobson]

And just for fun, here's a video of Cleckner drilling a steel plate at 1,000 yards with a Barrett M107, offhand - first try, at a training course at Texas Triggers Ranch in May 2012:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3BUnHiv6AA

 

[BullRunBear]

Bobson,

Thanks for posting the links. Anything that will help my marksmanship, especially with a rifle, is welcome. And needed.

Jeff

 

[highpower]

Thanks for posting the links. Those are great videos.

 

[henschman]

I have seen his MOA lesson before, and it was very good. I even stole some of his methods of explaining things for my own lessons I give at Appleseed classes.

I just watched the video on setting up a scope, and it is great too. I am always having to walk new shooters through the same things. Most factory scope mounts are set up for bench shooting, and don't allow the scope to be mounted far enough forward for a good prone or seated position. Many scoped .22 shooters leave an Appleseed with the mounts as far forward as they will go with the scope as far forward in them as they can go, with a layer or two of foam taped to the stock.

Ryan is very good at explaining things in a clear way. Even if you already know most of what he's teaching, you can learn a lot from those videos on how to teach these concepts. You will probably learn a thing or two as well. I'd never heard of his method of leveling a scope. It's a lot simpler than what I usually do.

 

[Cleck]

Bobson, thanks for the kind words. I am happy to hear that you like the videos and that you were able to learn something. It's been a couple of years since I made those videos for the NSSF, I'll have to see about doing some more - any suggested topics?

To be clear, I was never an instructor for the U.S. Army Sniper School. I am a graduate of SOTIC, however. After I left the military, I was a sniper instructor for a government contracted sniper school where I taught military and police snipers. May not matter to some, but I want to be clear. My time in the service was spent shooting, not teaching.

 

[1911 guy]

Videos like this are a real asset.

The ranks of potential shooters are growing and unfortunately, much of the initial learning takes place under the guidance of Uncle Bill, Cousin Eddy, or even worse, nobody at all. Then the new shooter is exposed to real information and has to unlearn bad habits and faulty information. Having a place to direct someone is putting them ahead of the curve.

Using myself as an example, I "learned to shoot" from my Dad. Then I spent some time under the tutelage of Uncle Sam and since taught my own father to shoot well.

Plus, shooting is like working in a machine shop (which I now do daily). There's something new to figure out every time and without a solid base of knowledge you're up a creek.