In a serious SHTF situation, you may be called on to defend yourself with your rifle. If you only have one manual for reference and training on rifle marksmanship, this one should be it.

First off, no book will make you a sniper. Sniper training is an intense physical and mental process. But if you are seriously prepping for a SHTF situation where you may be called on to defend yourself with a rifle, especially a scoped rifle, this book is for you!

A rifle is a tool. It will give you the ability to project power out to a distance unattainable with a pistol or rifle. It will enable you to keep hostile enemies at a distance which will allow you time to evade, or to reduce their numbers. You may be able to discourage them from further hostile acts. In a survival situation, a scoped rifle will also enable you to  put meat on the table. The author of this manual, Maj. John Plaster, needs no introduction to the military or police sniping community.

This book is probably the most comprehensive manual on long-range rifle shooting available. The section on scope selection and use alone makes it a classic and an invaluable tool to anyone wanting to learn how to effectively used a scoped rifle. If you have a mil dot scope on your long gun, this book will teach you how to get the most out of it.

The chapters on trajectory, optics, ballistics, marksmanship, spotting and target detection, range estimation, camouflage, stalking and movement are essential for any long-range shooter or hunter or anyone who seriously wants to learn to use their rifle for serious defensive purposes. You will learn a lot about movement, staying concealed, and especially moving unobserved. Here is the table of contents:
• The Sniper Rifle
• Sniperscope Basics
• Using a Sniperscope
• Bullets and Ballistics
• Basic Sniper Marksmanship
• Advanced Sniper Marksmanship
• Special Shooting Situations
• Heavy Rifle Sniping
• Binoculars and Spotting Scopes
• Spotting and Target Detection
• Camouflage For Sniping
• Stalking and Movement
• The Snipers Hide: The FFP
• Mantracking
• Basic Offensive and Defensive Tactics
• Sniping in an Urban Environment
• Countersniping Tactics and Techniques
• Countersniping in Iraq
• Special Sniping Operations
• Night Sniping Operations
• Special Sniping Environments

I bought the first edition of this book many years ago as a sniper instructor and still use it to train preppers in rifle marksmanship and survival shooting.

Whether your aim is to improve your overall rifle marksmanship abilities (especially with a scoped rifle) improve your hunting skills, or need a manual to teach new folks the art of rifle shooting, then this is the only book you will ever need. Available from Amazon here.