how to improve shooting
07-11-2010, 02:27 PM
#11
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: canada
Posts: 257
to put it simply, it has to do with follow through. as many have found out, rifles poi can change from one shooting position to another and that rifle average velocity can change up to 50 fps. i cant scientifically explain thing extensivly but the transverse harmonic waves are effected by all the obvious things (barrel stiffness, overall rifle weight, bullet weight and velocity, etc.) but they are also effected by the shooter and how the shooter resists the recoil. thus is why perfect follow through is needed. now obviously theres nothing wrong with watching the shot after the bullet leaves the barrel if your followthrough is good but if the shooter needs to take there eye out of line with the sight (out of the field of view of the scope, peep, irons) then something is really wrong with the shooters rifle, sighting or shooting technique.
Last edited by dylan_b; 07-11-2010 at 02:30 PM.
07-12-2010, 10:18 AM
#14
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
You have had much advice already. I will add some of my own, some of which may be duplicative.
(1) Shooting is a physical, an athletic endeavor. Eating right and physical condition will have an effect on your shooting. Increase your strength, and you are liable to find that your shooting improves. How and what to condition? Improving your general physical strength, endurance, and cardiovascular efficiency will pay dividends. More particularly, work on your upper body strength -- for example (but not the only possible path) sit-ups, push-ups, back arches, biceps curls, lifting weights out with straight arms sideways, lifting weights out with straight arms in front. Running or swimming for cardiovascular health. If you are wanting to shoot from a sitting position, practice assuming and steadily holding this position -- no shooting, not even necessarily holding your rifle (but this is not forbidden). Seems simple. Do it for 5 minutes straight and you'll find there are some specialized muscles involved that don't typically get worked. Likewise with prone, kneeling, and off-hand positions.
(2) Be consistent. Consistency has many, many aspects, any of which can alone improve your shooting. Use the same catridges in your rifle. Different cartridges are going to shoot to different aim points. Different cartridges are going to shoot more or less accurately in your rifle, so find the cartridge loading (manufacturer, bullet weight, bullet type) that shoots accurately in your rifle. Focus on holding your rifle the same way when you shoot. If you think your posture or hold is wrong, change it, but then stick with the new posture/hold for awhile. If you are not using the same posture and hold from shot-to-shot, my guess is that you are going to put your bullets in different places. Focus on your sight picture. Make this consistent. Focus on what you are doing. Control your breath and be consistent how you control your breath.
(3) Avoid flinching. This may be easier said than done. I have often heard it recommended that you should squeeze gradually and when the gun fires it should be a surprise, and if a surprise, you don't have the opportunity to flinch. Personally, I have a hard time with that. I try to do it, but with uncertain success. I think a possible alternative approach may be to squeeze the trigger quickly . . . but without jerking. Don't focus on squeezing slowly but instead on a fluid continuous squeeze. To some extent this is just words, and I'm not certain I can convey in words how to do this. I'm not sure I have mastery of this myself. Trigger control is important -- how you master this is another question. These are just a few thoughts. You can practice trigger control by dry firing -- ****ing your rifle and triggering the firing pin when the rifle is not loaded (AND FIRST MAKE SURE IT IS NOT LOADED!!!!). Do this over and over again. Do consult someone you trust on this recommendation. Some people say that this practice can damage the firing pin. I've never gotten consistent guidance on this point.
(4) This is not my idea but that of Jim Carmichael, shooting editor of Outdoor Life (maybe retired now?). Carmichael was a highly skilled competition shooter and also a very accomplished hunter. I read in one place that Carmichael thought the "slowly and continuously squeeze" approach to trigger control not entirely on target (sorry, couldn't resist). He suggested that you can see your cross hairs wander across the target -- sometimes more on aim point than others -- and you can time your trigger fire to when the cross hairs are on the aim point. I find this a pretty interesting proposition. It seems like good advice to me. I think it may be a technique that would pay benefits when practiced.
(5) Practice. Because this is an athletic activity, practice makes perfect (or at least makes better). Lack of practice is going to be associated with atrophy of skills and ability. We aren't born marksmen, we have to work up to it, and it is work.
(1) Shooting is a physical, an athletic endeavor. Eating right and physical condition will have an effect on your shooting. Increase your strength, and you are liable to find that your shooting improves. How and what to condition? Improving your general physical strength, endurance, and cardiovascular efficiency will pay dividends. More particularly, work on your upper body strength -- for example (but not the only possible path) sit-ups, push-ups, back arches, biceps curls, lifting weights out with straight arms sideways, lifting weights out with straight arms in front. Running or swimming for cardiovascular health. If you are wanting to shoot from a sitting position, practice assuming and steadily holding this position -- no shooting, not even necessarily holding your rifle (but this is not forbidden). Seems simple. Do it for 5 minutes straight and you'll find there are some specialized muscles involved that don't typically get worked. Likewise with prone, kneeling, and off-hand positions.
(2) Be consistent. Consistency has many, many aspects, any of which can alone improve your shooting. Use the same catridges in your rifle. Different cartridges are going to shoot to different aim points. Different cartridges are going to shoot more or less accurately in your rifle, so find the cartridge loading (manufacturer, bullet weight, bullet type) that shoots accurately in your rifle. Focus on holding your rifle the same way when you shoot. If you think your posture or hold is wrong, change it, but then stick with the new posture/hold for awhile. If you are not using the same posture and hold from shot-to-shot, my guess is that you are going to put your bullets in different places. Focus on your sight picture. Make this consistent. Focus on what you are doing. Control your breath and be consistent how you control your breath.
(3) Avoid flinching. This may be easier said than done. I have often heard it recommended that you should squeeze gradually and when the gun fires it should be a surprise, and if a surprise, you don't have the opportunity to flinch. Personally, I have a hard time with that. I try to do it, but with uncertain success. I think a possible alternative approach may be to squeeze the trigger quickly . . . but without jerking. Don't focus on squeezing slowly but instead on a fluid continuous squeeze. To some extent this is just words, and I'm not certain I can convey in words how to do this. I'm not sure I have mastery of this myself. Trigger control is important -- how you master this is another question. These are just a few thoughts. You can practice trigger control by dry firing -- ****ing your rifle and triggering the firing pin when the rifle is not loaded (AND FIRST MAKE SURE IT IS NOT LOADED!!!!). Do this over and over again. Do consult someone you trust on this recommendation. Some people say that this practice can damage the firing pin. I've never gotten consistent guidance on this point.
(4) This is not my idea but that of Jim Carmichael, shooting editor of Outdoor Life (maybe retired now?). Carmichael was a highly skilled competition shooter and also a very accomplished hunter. I read in one place that Carmichael thought the "slowly and continuously squeeze" approach to trigger control not entirely on target (sorry, couldn't resist). He suggested that you can see your cross hairs wander across the target -- sometimes more on aim point than others -- and you can time your trigger fire to when the cross hairs are on the aim point. I find this a pretty interesting proposition. It seems like good advice to me. I think it may be a technique that would pay benefits when practiced.
(5) Practice. Because this is an athletic activity, practice makes perfect (or at least makes better). Lack of practice is going to be associated with atrophy of skills and ability. We aren't born marksmen, we have to work up to it, and it is work.
Last edited by Alsatian; 07-12-2010 at 10:40 AM.
07-12-2010, 01:00 PM
#15
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: canada
Posts: 257
This is not my idea but that of Jim Carmichael, shooting editor of Outdoor Life (maybe retired now?). Carmichael was a highly skilled competition shooter and also a very accomplished hunter. I read in one place that Carmichael thought the "slowly and continuously squeeze" approach to trigger control not entirely on target (sorry, couldn't resist). He suggested that you can see your cross hairs wander across the target -- sometimes more on aim point than others -- and you can time your trigger fire to when the cross hairs are on the aim point. I find this a pretty interesting proposition. It seems like good advice to me. I think it may be a technique that would pay benefits when practiced.
Last edited by dylan_b; 07-12-2010 at 01:03 PM.
07-13-2010, 03:52 PM
#18
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 25,116
When shooting a rifle..I don't worry one bit about recoil..I don't care what i'm shooting..I'm so relaxed I'm almost sleeping because you don't want any movement in the rifle when you squeeze the trigger..
#1 REEEE LLAAXX ...I take a short breath and hold it till the shot is fired...100% focus on the bulls eye FORGET RECOIL
Pistol..you get what you pay for most of the time..The better pistols have an adjustment in the rear of the firearm..the cheap ones..do the best you can..
Relax and aim small
#1 REEEE LLAAXX ...I take a short breath and hold it till the shot is fired...100% focus on the bulls eye FORGET RECOIL
Pistol..you get what you pay for most of the time..The better pistols have an adjustment in the rear of the firearm..the cheap ones..do the best you can..
Relax and aim small
