Tactical Intervention Reviews:
TRGT’s Data BookMaker: T.R.G.T. LLP
Product Type: Sniper Databook TRGT’s Data Book: A Take-long Guide To Shot Placement
Suggested Retail Price: $39.95 (as of 9-19-1999)
Reviewed By: Mike Miller
TRGT’s Data Book: A Take-long Guide To Shot Placement
All of us have heard of data books before, but how many of you have taken them seriously? I see many students with a data book but few of the students I have watched make entries. It is almost as if it is required to have one but not to use one. A single fact exists. Data Books are beyond simple importance to either a military or police sniper. Every bit of information is recorded that may help you get to a firing solution on a similar day or night in the future. Training is recorded. Shot adjustments are documented. Where when and how is on every page. The book is a record of all your training and a diary of your marriage to the rifle. Every change is documented. Anyone reading it will understand your dedication to your craft. The data book is the sniper’s story.
Data books have been around for several decades but most have just been rehashed
information and lacking in detail. That recently changed when a company called T.R.G.T. came out with a data book. T.R.G.T. is based in Littleton, Colorado. The company was started by a few men with the goal to provide the best tactical products for professional riflemen. A couple of the partners in the company are two shooters you may have heard of. One is Kent Gooch, retired Head NCO of the US Army National Guard’s Sniper School and former Marine Sniper. The other is Hugo Teufel, a fellow Government Employee and long time writer for several tactical magazines. Both know what should be in a data book.
They set out to make a book for police and military snipers. A book that contained everything a sniper could reasonably ask for. The goal is huge and many out there know that in this field many data books exist. Some are excellent, some fair and some just plain junk. Well TRGT has a reputation for only selling well thought out and executed items. Recently TRGT finished the data book and I was asked to review it. I wondered if the book would measure up. Many data books are on the market and few are worth buying. I agreed to look at it and it showed up in a few days.
My first impressions were of the quality of the work. The cover is waterproof and durable. The bindings hold the pages well and still allow easy turning. The pages themselves are made of a type of paper that allows you to write on it when wet. It is a product called "Write in the Rain Paper". The paper and cover color is a subdued green.
The contents are broken down into several sections:
- The Reference Section is fourteen pages of critical data. It has a section on the using both styles of MilDot Reticles. Reference included covers all aspects of Range Estimation, Angle Shooting, Temperature Adjustments, Altitude Adjustments and Bullet Drop Compensation for 147/168/172/175 grain 308 Winchester Rounds. In short the Reference Section has all of the information that a sniper could hope to carry on a mission without a Lap Top Computer.
- The second section is four pages of Zero Summary Charts. The Zero Summary Charts have spaces for over one thousand different entries. You have the ability to chart your actual zero from twenty five to one thousand yards at temperatures from Twenty to one hundred and five degrees. For those of you with the Metric scale that is from minus six to 40 degrees Celsius. This is extremely important data and in my experience one of the most over looked areas in long range shooting. In this section you shoot under actual conditions, record your findings and if ever found in a similar situation you will have a record of what scope settings worked before.
- The third section is for Cold Bore Data and Remarks. This is where you record your actual data from shooting cold bore shots under various conditions. This will help you track the rifle/ammo’s performance and give you an idea of what to expect under similar conditions. This is especially helpful as a court document. It shows performance and prior history.
- The fourth section is the Zero Data Section. This section allows you to record all data used on a given shooting day. You track your rounds fired and adjustments needed. This information is needed to get an indication of what to expect under similar conditions. This is also helpful as a track record of you and the weapon system. Plenty of pages are included in the section.
- The fifth section is much like the fourth, only for shooting on Bullseye Targets. This is helpful as many civilian ranges do not allow sniper type targets. You can still record your shooting without shooting the typical sniper targets. This section would also work very well for High Power Competitors
- The sixth section covers Stationary Targets and allows you to record all the pertinent data you discover from your shooting session. Again you have a record of what you did as a firing solution under the circumstances recorded.
- The seventh section is used for recording Unknown Distance Data. This is where you conduct range estimation exercises and shoot at unknown ranges. This is the first data book I have seen to include this and I wonder why. This information will show your ability to estimate range and work out a firing solution. This should be in every data book for record keeping.
- The eighth section is for Moving Target Data. You estimate speed and again establish a firing solution. This is recorded and establishes your ability to work against movers.
- The ninth section is a place to record standard target dimensions. Take items common to your area of operation and record the size. You later use this data for range estimation. For example if you know all the homes going into your area have twenty four inch wide Bathroom Windows, record this and you can latter use this data with your Mildot Reticle to establish range for MilDots to work you have to use an item of Known Size for ranging. If you take a guess that someone is six feet tall and they are only five feet ten, you can be way off using MilDots. I prefer Stop Signs, Street Markings, Tree diameter, etc.
- The tenth section is the Observation/Field Sketch/Range Card. This is where you record all possible target locations. Range to them, and observations in the area of operation. This is very important data and used to provide intelligence for command. I like this better than separate notebooks and rough notes. The bottom line is you are less likely to forget something already on a page. Just waiting for you to fill in the blanks, than you are at trying to remember everything while in a stressful incident.
- The final section and one often overlooked is a Rifle Barrel Log. I can not tell you how many students have come to a class and not had any idea how many rounds have gone down their assigned rifle’s barrel. You should keep track of every round fired. The very least of the reasons are for a normal replacement schedule. If you can show that you have fired ten thousand rounds through the weapon and explain that the average number before replacement is about five to seven thousand rounds (308Winchester), you can show a need for replacement of the barrel. If you just ask for a new barrel and can not tell the history of the weapon/barrel you will look less than professional.
After using the TRGT Data Book for about two months I am very happy with it. I find it ideal for a shooters record book for Police and Military Snipers. The book is small enough to carry on all operations and use for shot planning. It has ample pages to last for many practice sessions. Prior to using the TRGT Book, I had been using a book I put together from all the material I could find so to speak. My book now sits in a box unused. The TRGT Data Book has replaced it, and sits in my Rifle Case s I type this.
Mike Miller
Webmaster's note: As of September 19th, 1999 Larger versions of the above images are available for your perusal on the TRGT Website.
This page was last updated on: Wednesday, 26. January 2000 23:54 -0500
Photography and some of the images used in this article were provided by TRGT LLP. Page graphics images made for TRGT LLP by memorableplaces.com. All images and photos used with express permission from TRGT LLP. All are copyright protected and may not be reproduced without permission from TRGT LLP.
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