If you want to be a successful fighter pilot you need to be strong both in the class, and in the plane. There’s simply no substitute for knowing the “theory” and having the practical field knowledge. Long-range precision shooting is no different! If you want to be at the top of your game as a competitive long-range shooter or as a long-range hunter you really need to have the “book knowledge” and the “field skills”.

I’ve decided to take my long-range rifle shooting skills to the next level. I’ve picked up a lot of excellent insights from people like Daniel Reichert (president, L.E. Wilson), Ed Mobley and Steve Lawrence from http://65guys.com, and my friend Jim Findlay. It’s been amazing to learn so much from these guys, and to see the results (long-range hits and the sound of the steel seconds later). But now I’ve decided I need to double-down on my “book knowledge”. After a ton of research and input from friends and fellow shooters, I’ve decided to dig into a couple of Bryan Litz’s books: Applied Ballistics for Long-Range Shooting and Modern Advancements in Long-Range Shooting, Volume II.

Bryan Litz is well-known in the long-range shooting industry, from the Berger “About Bryan” page:

“Bryan Litz is the top external ballistics mind in the country, arguably the world.”
–Eric Stecker, President of Berger Bullets
Bryan’s passion for hitting targets started at a very early age with a sling shot. As he grew, he used all possible means to hit targets at longer and longer distances. After graduating with an Aerospace Engineering degree from Penn State he went to work for the Air Force as a civilian contractor. As an active competition shooter he competed and won in regional, national and international rifle competitions proving that he not only understands external ballistics but has also applied this knowledge in becoming a Champion rifle shooter.
Bryan’s passion for small arms shooting has lead him to become part of the Berger Bullets team as their Chief Ballistician. From the beginning of his time with Berger, Bryan was encouraged to remain an unbiased and purely scientific source of information and solutions for the shooting public. To this end, Bryan established Applied Ballistics, LLC. as his own ballistics solution and testing operation.
Berger Bullets is proud to promote and offer Bryan’s solutions to the shooting community as they are in keeping with Berger’s core values of working in extraordinary ways to enhance the rifle shooting experience.

I recently made connections with Bryan, and am discussing ways that we can work together in the future. It’s really exciting to take positive steps forward towards my next exciting journey in the quest for long-range rifle mastery. If you are looking for a great way to learn ballistics, I would highly recommend these books. I’ve already learned a lot, and I’m just getting started.

Lots more info and related stories to come: Stay tuned!

-Gavin