Shooter seeing his own trace

[Slo cat]

My turn for a stupid question. When set up behind a shooter at 500 yds plus, it is usually easy to see their bullet trace through a spotting scope, not hard to do.
Is it possible to see your own bullet trace through your rifle scope when shooting at distance? Can this be done? How do you do it?

 

[Olen_4504]

I do not have the answer.

but even if it is possible, i bet it has something to do with adjusting your parallax to focus somewhere between you and the target to be able catch a glimpse of it.

it's probably very difficult to do.

we'll see what the experts say... lol

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I use a rifle setup which combines a bipod with a slack sling loaded with the elbow to employ the upper body's weight to eliminate bipod hop.

I have seen both glint trace, and aerodynamic trace. I usually pick it up at about 400-500yd, and can follow it into the 1000yd target and see it strike, rippling the target.

Unless you can eliminate bipod hop, it usually takes longer to get back onto the target than TOF allows.

Focus/parallax should be set at target distance, for proper shot setup. The trace is usually visible (for me at least) for about the last 1/2 to 2/3 of the trajectory.

It's really cool to see the arc lean into the wind, then swoop back down to the target when firing in a decent crosswind. Being able to see things like this makes many of the concepts related to wind skills a lot clearer.

Greg

 

[shoobe01]

What Greg said. Which means: I have seen it only a handful of times. You have to be a much better shooter than I am to do it consistently, really have your shit set up right, and still not expect to see it inside of a few hundred yards just to give time for recoil recovery, muzzle blast distortion to dissipate, etc.

When you do, it's pretty darned cool, as well as super useful information.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

When the shot breaks on the stabilized rifle, the eye will soon automatically go to a point about 3-4x the height of the target, and the trace will just up and appear. It's pretty automatic. Its also simply not something that can be achieved with the rifle hopping around. When it works, there's simply no question about spotting the hits.

Stabilized Rifle = prone, non-shooting hand is passed between rifle and sling and then grasps butt pad as normal. The sling is adjusted so body weight just about allows the elbow to contact the ground, so the upper body's weight is holding the bipod firmly down onto the support.

Everything else remains the same. Body position behind the rifle is not altered for this exercise. It feels a bit weird for a bit, and then it becomes natural.

Greg

 

[tnichols]

I only see it through the spotter, and as others have mentioned, it’s really cool to watch. I’ve never caught my own trace behind the rifle. Light conditions and atmospherics lend to seeing it or not.

 

[Olen_4504]

a few weeks ago we were shooting, a buddy had some nice maven 15x56 binos and the sun was just right, we could see the actual bullet itself.

very badass

 

[Sheldon N]

Is it possible to see your own bullet trace through your rifle scope when shooting at distance? Can this be done? How do you do it?

Yes. Manage recoil, don't blink or flinch, know where to look since you have to be already looking for it as the gun is finishing recoiling. Also need to know what to expect to see based on what elevation you have dialed. Midrange shots are more of an arc, long distance shots often go up and out of view then fall pretty steeply into the target, so knowing what you should expect to see makes it easier to pick it up in the scope.

Naturally lighting conditions matter, it's easier with low recoiling calibers since there's less movement, and it really helps if you have a high quality scope.

 

[Keel Haul]

I’ve only seen it a handful of times but there was one day which I attribute to a wonderful combination of the perfect sun position and thick Florida humidity. I was behind a Scar 17 with an ACOG and then spotting for the same rifle with a friend and we could see the bullet in flight about 80% of the time as it went out to steel at 600.

Watching that was more satisfying than hearing the steel ring.

 

[Slo cat]

Stabilized Rifle = prone, non-shooting hand is passed between rifle and sling and then grasps butt pad as normal. The sling is adjusted so body weight just about allows the elbow to contact the ground, so the upper body's weight is holding the bipod firmly down onto the support.

Everything else remains the same. Body position behind the rifle is not altered for this exercise. It feels a bit weird for a bit, and then it becomes natural.

Do you have a photo showing a prone shooter using this sling set-up? ETA: Never mind. I finally was able to visualize your description.

 

[Crews]

But can we still see a picture!?

 

[Slo cat]

A related question: With a variable power scope, is there an optimum power setting to make seeing the trace easier?

 

[CanSniper]

But can we still see a picture!?

+1

 

[Sheldon N]

A related question: With a variable power scope, is there an optimum power setting to make seeing the trace easier?

A little wider helps. I do most shooting near the 15x mark. Too much magnification and the trace just jumps up and out of the field of view.

Not sure I'd recommend shooting with both a sling and a bipod at the same time, that just sounds weird to me. But I'm doing a lot of my shooting with small 6mm and a moderately heavy gun and a nice muzzle brake. Dang thing barely moves on recoil.

If you're wanting to watch trace on your 8lb .308 hunting rifle with no muzzle brake that's a tall order.

 

[StrayDog]

I remember a video of trace to target from years ago... Should be out there in the webz.
I only shoot .308 and not well enough to spot it, but, now getting into .22lr at 100+ yds, I'm starting to catch those tiny pills flying out there, and it's satisfying. Working on my fundamentals might help. I've also learned first hand that humid air and sun in front of you will help you with good trace and bullet reflection in flight. Spotting F Class match shooters 600-1Kyds is a fun way to learn the timing of watching trace, if you have matches around you.

 

[tnichols]

Sheldon N makes a good point. Be looking for it and know where to look for it. I guess all these years when I’m behind the rifle, as I’m coming out of the recoil impulse, I’m looking at the target for impact or splash. Never focused on the trace as the shooter. On the spotter, different story.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

No, I don't do pictures, never have in the nearly two decades I've been on the site. Maybe somebody here can try this and if they like it, provide the forum with some pics.

Yes, it does seem weird at first.

I've been posting here about this technique for over a decade. Some here have overcome their disbelief and tried it. I was once told on this site that the Army MTU had been teaching it, but I can't confirm that.

Try it, then decide for yourself.

To clarify, the sling is simply attached fore and aft at the two usual points and left slack. The elbow goes under the forend, but atop the sling, which is then adjusted to support the elbow taking up nearly all of the upper body weight and contacting the ground lightly, so it doesn't swing about. The non-shooting hand guides the rifle butt as normal. The only difference between this position and the normal one is that the sling is trapped under the elbow.

By concentrating on the trace, good followthrough is assured.

Greg

 

[Fig]

#1 YouTube hit Yes, I just posted that



I shoot a very heavy rifle with very low recoil cartridge, and see my trace often when conditions are right. Often a lot better than in the above video.
Lots of times you can't see it through a spotting scope either...

 

[Sheldon N]

That's not trace.... THIS is trace.

 

[Geno C.]

That's not trace.... THIS is trace.

No wind... when the trace looks like a good curve ball, that’s when it’s fun to watch

 

[wmvdg123]

How far out can you see trace, is this good for a long distance shooting beyond 1000 yards?

 

[roostercogburn98]

You can watch 22 pretty good or at least I can through a Bushnell LRTSi when I shoot at 100 yards or further

 

[308pirate]

Stabilized Rifle = prone, non-shooting hand is passed between rifle and sling and then grasps butt pad as normal. The sling is adjusted so body weight just about allows the elbow to contact the ground, so the upper body's weight is holding the bipod firmly down onto the support.

With a correct position and alignment behind the rifle, as well as pulling the rifle into the shoulder with the strong side upper arm, the sling is completely unnecessary to have a rifle that will stay on target through the recoil pulse.

 

[Geno C.]

How far out can you see trace, is this good for a long distance shooting beyond 1000 yards?

All depends on the conditions and your position relative to the shooter. I’ve seen trace well past 2000 when everything lined up

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

I can't answer your question exactly, but I have been able to watch the trace through the scope while I was shooting. It was a 6 Creed with an ATACR up top. We were shooting at targets 800+ straight north with a high noon sun.

Other than that, I don't remember any details.