Ready to up your precision rifle game?
Precision rifle shooting is taking the country by storm. With 32 million target shooters using firearms nationwide, and the shooting ranges market growing to $0.85 billion in a year, there’s no denying that outdoor recreation and precision rifles go hand-in-hand.
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The Problem: Where to Shoot
But it’s not as simple as just heading to your nearest shooting range. You need to find destinations that can challenge your skills, and push your equipment to the limit.
That’s where great gear and great destinations come in. Precision rifle enthusiasts know that quality equipment like XLR Industries products is one thing… But they also need challenging destinations to test their training.
In this article, we’ll highlight:
- Epic Long-Range Destinations Worth The Drive
- Why Location Matters for Precision Shooting
- Mountain Ranges That Test Your Skills
- Desert Destinations for Year-Round Training
- How Weather Impacts Shot Placement
Epic Long-Range Destinations Worth The Drive
The thing about precision rifle shooting…
Location matters. Outdoor destinations for precision shooters need to offer challenging terrain, variable weather conditions, and the kind of distance that separates weekend warriors from precision pros.
ALTUS Shooting Solutions (Oklahoma)
This outdoor shooting destination in Altus, Oklahoma, has hosted the Accuracy International Long Range Classic for years, and continues to be one of the best places to go if you want to seriously hone your skills. Some of the highlights include:
- Shots out to 1,000+ yards on steel targets
- Windy, challenging conditions that’ll test your shooting abilities
- Moving and reactive targets for even more advanced training
- Hosts multiple Precision Rifle Series (PRS) competitions
What makes ALTUS special? The facility features professional-grade equipment, as well as a host of real-world shooting scenarios to test your skills in. It’s not just about punching paper at these outdoor ranges… You’ll be learning to read wind, judge distances, and make shots under pressure.
FTW Ranch (Texas)
This is a private shooting destination located in Barksdale, Texas, where the country’s top precision shooters go to push their limits, and truly test their training. Highlights include:
- Challenging terrain that will test your shooting in real-world scenarios
- Expert instruction from world-class shooters
- Multiple shooting positions and challenges to test your skills
- Immersive training programs for shooters at all skill levels
FTW Ranch takes the technical precision of shooting sports and applies it to real-world field shooting, meaning that it’s not enough to be accurate from a bench position… You need to be able to perform in the field.
Cowtown Range (Arizona)
This is Arizona’s top premium shooting destination, with a wide range of training facilities. Highlights for precision shooters include:
- Multiple ranges from 25 to 1,000 yards
- Advanced tactical training bays for close- and mid-range work
- Concealed sniper hides and opportunities to practice shooting from stealth
- Night shooting facilities with cutting-edge technology
The big plus about shooting in the desert at Cowtown? Year-round training opportunities, with consistent weather and very little precipitation interference.
Why Location Matters for Precision Shooting
What most shooters don’t realize…
The environment where you train is a big factor in your development as a shooter. Different places teach different skills:
Mountain destinations help with elevation compensation, and teach you how altitude changes bullet trajectory. Air is thinner at high elevations, and that has a direct impact on your projectile’s flight.
Desert locations are consistent and predictable. Learning your fundamentals in this kind of place means fewer external variables to throw off your shot placement.
Coastal ranges introduce humidity, as well as salt air challenges. Shooting near the coast will help you understand how environmental factors come into play with long-range accuracy.
Windy locations are perfect for teaching shooters how to read conditions and time their shots. Wind reading is a skill that separates good shooters from great ones.
Mountain Ranges That Test Your Skills
Want to up your game?
Mountain shooting destinations offer some of the most challenging conditions out there for precision rifle shooting. The elevation, weather changes, and rugged terrain make for the perfect training environment.
Peacemaker National Training Center (Virginia)
Located just outside of Washington D.C., Peacemaker has a 1,600-yard Long-Range Alley that’s not to be missed. Other highlights for shooters include:
- Thermal imaging benches to push your training
- Reactive targets that give instant feedback
- Regular classes and training sessions for all skill levels
The facility is designed to minimize wind drift, while maximizing learning opportunities for precision shooters. It’s a great place for those that want to focus on precision, without so much wind and other environmental factors that can throw you off.
Douglas Ridge Rifle Club (Oregon)
Located in Eagle Creek, Oregon, Douglas Ridge offers a high-precision 1,000-yard range, as well as conditions that’ll test your shooting in the Pacific Northwest mountains. Other highlights:
- Variable weather for advanced shooting
- Strong community of competitive shooters
Mountain shooting in the Pacific Northwest offers unique challenges in terms of frequent weather changes, as well as varying light conditions throughout the day.
Desert Destinations for Year-Round Training
And here’s why shooting in the desert is ideal for long-range training…
Consistent conditions mean you can focus on honing your fundamentals, without so many external variables changing up your training environment. This is what makes desert destinations ideal for skill development.
Ben Avery Shooting Facility (Arizona)
This shooting destination covers over 1,500 acres, and is located in the greater Phoenix area. Some key points about Ben Avery include:
- Government-funded facility, which means lower cost for shooters to train there
- “First come, first serve” access to the facility
- Family-friendly
- Open-land experience, with minimal restrictions on shooting locations
One of the big draws for this location is the sheer size of the facility, and the ability to find that perfect spot for your training goals, whether you’re working on fundamentals, or pushing those maximum distances.
Long Range Alley Gun Club (Louisiana)
Located in Grand Cane, this range is one of the few with 1,000-yard capabilities in this part of the country. Key points to highlight include:
- Steel silhouette targets for precision training
- State-of-the-art facilities with a focus on accuracy
- Membership-based access
The club’s emphasis on safety, as well as precision and accuracy, makes for an ideal learning environment for developing and honing long-range skills.
How Weather Impacts Shot Placement
This is where most shooters have the most trouble…
Weather conditions are a major factor in precision shooting success. Let’s break down how each weather factor can impact your shot placement.
Wind: the biggest accuracy-throwing variable. Learning how to read wind flags is what separates good shooters from the great ones.
Temperature: hot air is less dense than cold air. Temperature will change how your bullet flies, and desert destinations can help you learn heat compensation.
Elevation: higher elevations means less air resistance on your projectile. Shooting in mountain ranges will help you adjust for elevation.
Advanced shooters become students of the wind, as they work to achieve true precision rifle proficiency.
76% of Americans approve of legal recreational shooting, showing strong support for expanding shooting facilities nationwide.
Unlock Your Shooting Potential
The precision rifle community is only continuing to grow as more shooters discover the challenges and satisfactions that come with pursuing long-range accuracy. With outdoor recreation now reaching 168.1 million Americans, it’s no wonder that we’re seeing so many new shooting destinations spring up all over the country.
Whether you choose to train in the consistent conditions of the desert, or go for more challenging mountain variables, each outdoor destination has unique learning opportunities that can help take your shooting to the next level.
The key is to match your training destination with your current skill level. Start with something that will challenge you, without completely overwhelming your current abilities… And then work up from there.
The best shooters in the game aren’t just technically proficient. They’re students of the environment, who know exactly how their location will affect every single shot they take.
Choose your destination, pack your gear, and go out and discover everything precision rifle shooting has to teach you about accuracy and perfection.
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