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Creating
And Maintaining Dope
Recording DOPE, or data on previous engagement is paramount
to improving our skills as shooters. Personally, collecting my DOPE has been
about more than recording distances, bullet drops, and scope adjustments
needed. My DOPE book has evolved to become my shooting diary and training log.
Without a way to record and review this information I’ve collected on my
previous trips to the range, I’ve found I tend to fall into a rut of shooting
the same drills I’m comfortable and proficient with already without much
improvement in my weaker shooting areas. Using a dope book or log has become
such an essential part of my training regimen that I have felt personally it is
almost a waste of barrel life and time if I go out shooting and don’t at least
come away with some notes to review later. Many newer shooters can feel
overwhelmed getting a DOPE book together because they simply don’t know where
to start and what information they may need that is relevant to their shooting,
however but just getting a book started with basic information is a great start
and with consistent record keeping will you will also be able to find and keep
the information that YOU need.
A dope
book does not need to be a $50 dollar dedicated “shooters” notebook you find
online or tactical supply store. I’ve found that most of the information that I
keep doesn’t actually fit these templated books and instead have found just a
regular notebook is easier for me. My current favorite dope book has been a
simple carpenter’s notebook that I found at my local home improvement store for
around $3. It’s a 3” x 5” spiral bound notebook with weather proof paper which
keeps my notes legible just in case they happen to get wet and the paper is
durable enough to resist tearing until desired and I can still write on it with
pen or pencil. Its small size is handy enough that I can fit it just about
anywhere in my range bag where it’s easily accessible. I also like the size of
it also because I can also write down scope adjustments, draw targets, or
whatever information I may need for a stage in a match, tear the page out and
it will fit in my arm band I use when I’m shooting matches for a quick
reference which is extremely useful when on the shot clock. I also usually keep
a rubber band around it to keep it from blowing around in the wind and to keep
a few pencils or pens tucked away with it so I can quickly jot notes down
whenever I need to. I’ve found keeping a few carpenter’s pencils bound with it
very useful as well since I’ve found they are the most reliable and durable
writing method. To me, it doesn’t really matter how you record your
information, the important thing is that you are able to keep it handy and
consistently use it to actually record and review your information.
I
usually keep a separate book for each one of my guns to help keep my
information organized and from getting mixed up. At my most basic level, the
information I keep in my dope book are on previous target distances, scope
adjustments, notes on the wind and weather, and shooting positions. I’ve found
that despite having a ballistic app on my phone, I still refer to my dope book
for confirmation on shooting at distance and scope adjustments. It is very easy
for information to be formatted incorrectly, or for me to bungle an information
input in a phone app especially in between stages in a match which can
completely put me off target. I personally really like having the real world
reference point to compare to especially if I find myself shooting at an
unconfirmed distance in a match. Keeping good notes on the weather and natural
terrain have also helped me a lot with shooting in the wind. I’ve been able to
draw targets and the surrounding terrain and draw in the wind direction which
really helps me visualize influence from the wind. I also have written down my
initial wind calls and corrected wind calls if necessary and can compare. I
have also used my dope book to record my hits and misses and what I may be
doing right or wrong. I also keep notes on how I build my shooting positions on
what works and what doesn’t. I have also found that my dope book is the perfect
place to keep gun specific information such as round count for the barrel and a
cleaning log for monitoring when I may need routine maintenance.
Overall,
I have found a dope book to be such a handy and integral to my shooting regimen
it is hard for me to get out to the range without it. Getting in the habit of
using it every time was probably the hardest part since it was another piece of
gear to keep track of and I had no idea of what information was important. Now
that I’ve gotten used to using one I’ve found that what information I keep has
actually been an evolutionary process and what information I keep often
changes. What information I keep may not work best for a 3-gun competitor, or
pistol shooter, but the concept is very adaptable and I believe could be
extremely helpful no matter your shooting discipline. This method of
self-coaching I feel has also helped for concepts to stick in my brain, and to
be very clear when I review my DOPE because it is coming from myself. I think
the most important part is just to start as soon as possible and find what
works best for you to improve and evolve and adapt and hone your skills as a
shooter.
Lance Olsen
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