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I want to be better shooter |
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shooter4
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/11/2009 Status: Offline Points: 177 |
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Posted: May/27/2009 at 09:01 |
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Gentlemen
Im looking for some personal improvement in my shooting so I guess I have to first be really honest here and admit that Im having a hard time being accurate on the shooting range with my big rifles - the .308 and the .243 The rifles are in very good working condition. My friend is much more accurate and is putting me to shame with his nice groups using my rifles and my ammo on 200-300 yards. So the difference here is ME. He is shooting ca 2 inch groups on 200yds and mine are spread say 4-5 inches. Sometimes left of the center, sometimes right of the center. A bit unpredictable. Maybe its good enough for hunting big game but I really want to do better.
In my hope for good advice here´s a bit more about myself. I only began shooting one year ago (my friend has years of experience, maybe that is a part of my shame). I think its safe to say I can shoot nice tight groups with my .22 cal CZ. I feel total comfort and control with that rifle. My shots end up where I want them to. Shooting my bigger rifles I admit Im not as relaxed. Im not sure I manage to maintain the same body posture between shots: where I place my eye behind the scope, how I breathe, etc. Also, I started shooting left handed even though Im right handed - the reason is it just felt more natural at first maybe because I feel my left eye is a littlebit better. Now I trying to shift over to the right side mostly because my rifles are made for right handed shooter.
I really enjoy this sport and it impresses me to see good shooters and it makes me want to do better myself. I know there are really good experienced shooters on this site. I hope you can spare a moment and write your thoughts here to help me improve.
Thank you
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jonbravado
Optics Master Joined: October/05/2006 Status: Offline Points: 1131 |
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One of the most important things that helps MY accuracy is breathing. And always shoot with both eyes open. When you are about ready to shoot, breath deeply and relax (if possible) on the comfortable part of the exhale is when I usually shoot. Some folks say to hold your breath just a bit while you shoot. Do whatever is best for you. But breathing is ULTRA-important.
Another thing I've tried is to squeeze the trigger rather than pull it. It helps to have a GOOD trigger. All my rifles (except for my 30/30) have excellent triggers. That in itself is a huge improvement in accuracy for me.
Lastly, shoot a LOT of 22LR for practice. It keeps you sharp, and keeps your trigger finger working. I put a rifle basix trigger in my CZ 452 so it would be more like a BIG rifle.
With all this said, my dad is a natural shot and will outshoot me anytime. Practice practice practice. That's my only hope.
Good luck.
J
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Dogger
Optics Jedi Master Joined: January/02/2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 8915 |
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Assume you are using good hearing protection and your rifle is equipped with a decent recoil.
Read through the following carefully. It is a bit long but covers the basics well. I know I plagarised this from somewhere and apologise to the writer but don't remenber where I got it.
*HOW TO HOLD AND SHOOT YOUR RIFLE: Aka Fundamentals of Marksmanship. |
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God save the Empire!
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Texas
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/11/2008 Location: Texas, USA Status: Offline Points: 211 |
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Looks like it came out of a military manual to me, I may have seen this before... thanks Dogger, good info here!
Texas
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"There are some things which cannot be learned quickly and time, which is all we have, must be paid heavily for their acquiring. They are the very simplest things..." Ernest Hemingway
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silver
Optics Master Joined: November/04/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2291 |
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It's in your head, honestly! Most of shooting is getting the crap out of your head that has crept in. The same as the rest of life. You have to break the habits you have and then replace them with good habits.
Check out a book called Hit or Myth by Louis Awerbuck. There are some other books and DVD's out there. The best thing is a couple of days with a coach. The money you spend on coaching you will make up from bad shooting.
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"If we weren't all crazy we, We would go insane." Jimmie Buffet
WWW.formitch.com |
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supertool73
Optics God Superstool Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 11814 |
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I would recommend taking some rifle classes as well. You can read all kinds of stuff, but it is not the same as having someone who knows what they are doing looking over your shoulder helping you out. It will make a huge difference.
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Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.
"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own." |
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lucytuma
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: November/25/2007 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 5389 |
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Practice seams to help.
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"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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RRREEEEAAALLLLLYYYY....
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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rifle looney
Optics Master Joined: November/21/2008 Status: Offline Points: 2553 |
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Ick
Optics Professional ICK, Ed's BOY Joined: October/08/2008 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 817 |
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Not a good shooter? You and me both.
This is my hit pattern at 20 feet, laying prone, 10x scope........
...and that was a 100 round drum on single shot.....
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Ick, Ed's boy,www.ick.bz |
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silver
Optics Master Joined: November/04/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2291 |
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Only practicing the Correct things helps. Everything else only makes the problem worse. That why a coach is important. You do the correct things while practicing rather than only re-enforce bad habits.
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"If we weren't all crazy we, We would go insane." Jimmie Buffet
WWW.formitch.com |
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rifle looney
Optics Master Joined: November/21/2008 Status: Offline Points: 2553 |
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So you want to be a better shooter, well then you'd better stop hanging out here cuz you will spend all your time reading this crap rather than practicing your shooting techniques........
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shooter4
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/11/2009 Status: Offline Points: 177 |
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Ahhh practice - I did not think of that. Seriously though a BIG thanks for your input guys. Its precious to have some good advice to read and go over in the mind before my next session. Im looking forward |
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shooter4
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/11/2009 Status: Offline Points: 177 |
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PS: Dogger, thats a good guide you posted. Thankx
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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For Ick and shooter4:
ENLIST!!!! No one can teach you to shoot like my beloved Marine Corps. And they PAY YOU to shoot, not much, but some. Simple problem: simple solution. Next. |
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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Ick
Optics Professional ICK, Ed's BOY Joined: October/08/2008 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 817 |
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I am more of a james bond suit and tie kind of guy myself... you know being so debonaire and good with the ladies.....
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Ick, Ed's boy,www.ick.bz |
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dale.l
Optics Apprentice Joined: June/29/2009 Status: Offline Points: 102 |
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have your friend load your gun for you have him give you a empty gun without you knowing which one it will be when you can see if you are finching
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RONK
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: April/05/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3199 |
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Original Poster- you said that you are right handed, but your left eye is the better one.
That means that you are "cross-dominant". It is the first thing I look for when coaching a new shooter and it can be a real tough handicap to overcome. In fact, I've never met a true
cross-dominant shooter who I could call a top-notch marksman.
Some find it helpful to wear a blindfold of some sort over the dominant eye while shooting from the strong hand side with the weak eye.
Others can shoot with thier good eye and with the weak hand.
Some even have custom scope mounts built for them which holds the scope way off to the side, which allows shooting from the strong hand side while using the opposite (strong) eye.
I think that is really the best solution, but it costs a bit of money, and probably a little trial and error, and makes for a somewhat less rugged rig which requires a bit of careful handling to protect the rings and base from damage.
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cheaptrick
MODERATOR Joined: September/27/2004 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 20844 |
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Learn to shoot with your good eye.
I naturally gravitated to wards my left hand for shooting when I was a kid.
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If at first you don't secede...try..try again.
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RONK
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: April/05/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3199 |
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Well, technically, I've never really MET you, Mark!
(Although I hope to, someday soon!)
I had a nagging feeling that that statement was going to come back and haunt me!
BTW, congratulations on being ABLE to switch to shooting from your weak hand side. I don't think I could do it.
I'd probably just poke my good eye out first so I'd have to use the other one, and wouldn't need to switch hands!
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