Improving Your Aim

[Andy Rue]

Hello all,

 

am a newbie to the site so please excuse me if i start asking obvious questions etc. .

 

Basically i was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to get a steadier aim while not using either a bipod or something to support yourself on, ie what muscle groups are best to work on in the gym or any exercises that may work muscle groups to provide a steadier aim.

The reason i ask is i am of fairly slim build and after a while shooting can find myself beginning to tire and my aim becomes slack.

Any input would be much appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

[CZ550Kevlar]

Hmmm that`s a tough one, I don`t take any chances and always use a bipod or a piece of rope, the human body is pretty lame at holding completly still and the slightest bit of movement would mean you missing completely or wounding an animal. even olympic athletes use supports and braces etc to help.

[alexm]

I assume by 'aim' we are talking rifles and not shotguns here? (edt: nevermind - this was in Pigeon Shooting forum but has now been moved!)

 

When I was at a gallery rifle comp last year someone told me that whilst standing (either totally unsupported or using sticks) you can steady your side to side movement by turning your feet inwards slightly (i.e. so your toes are pointing towards an imaginary object several yards in front of you)

 

I'm not quite sure how it works (or indeed if it is totally psychological!) but it does seem to help somewhat.

 

Talking of gallery rifle, it is a good discipline in terms of practising standing shots as I'm sure the timing of the process of raising gun, acquiring target and taking the shot is just as important as your ability to actually hold the rifle still.

 

That said, I do agree with the post above. You owe it to the quarry to make use of all the equipment available to you, where practicable, in order to make the shot as accurate as possible.

Edited April 21, 2009 by alexm

[Billy.]

Are you even excluding a sling? As I used to shoot 1/4" groups consistently at the school range shooting just with a sling. Even that was quite strenuous.

[LXX73]

Control your breathing.

[Andy Rue]

no i am not using a sling at this current time, thank you for all these replies, normally when shooting i use a bipod, however, sometimes i do stand and was just interested in any advice for strengthening muscle groups that could improve that type of shooting. Once again thanks

 

Andy

[fieldwanderer]

in theory, nearly all your muscles should be relaxed (this comes from 2years shooting on the national squad so bear with me, I'll do my best to explain).

 

First of all, you need to be comfortable (so probably pretty much how you shoot at the moment). Your left hand needs a grip on the forestock but doesn't need to grip it hard (think carrying a rolled up newspaper) Use your common sense though, it depends how hard your rifle recoils - Your left arm should be relaxed altogether, as should your right (ish) but your right hand grips the pistol grip about the same as you would a hammer and pulls the butt into your shoulder (firm but try to keep it relatively relaxed).

 

This is difficult to explain because I don't know how you normally shoot; prone, standing or kneeling?

 

Lets assume you are prone, on a bipod. Lay behind the rifle, place the butt on the muscle at the front of your shoulder (you'll find a comfortable spot but it needs to be exactly the same place each time), swing your right arm foreward to the grip which "tucks" the butt into your shoulder

 

now find a place to put your elbow where you can support yourself with it but not with the mucsles - bones are much more solid! now do the same with your left elbow.

 

Raise your right thigh - this keeps an artoury in your abdomen off the ground and lessens the pulse you see through the sights.

 

Finaly lower your cheek onto the cheekpiece (same place each time, cheek AND cheekpiece).

 

NOW SLUMP! let EVERY muscle relax - if you've done it right, everything should stay steady.

 

A couple more tips;

 

Watch the crosshairs and let your finger "automaticly" squeeze the trigger, this comes with practice but the gun should go bang "all on it's own"

 

Before you get to the stage above, very gradually add pressure to the trigger while watching the crosshairs, try to watch the bullet fly or hit the target - DON'T rush to put the gun down or re-load:- you start doing it subconciously before the bullet's even left the barrell which sends it off course.

 

Breathing's also important, take a couple of deep breaths then when you're ready take one last deep breath and let half of it out until you feel comfortable, stop, aim, fire simple as that, don't be affraid to repeat this step - it's better than feeling like you need to draw breath and trying to shoot straight.

 

Once you're looking through the scope, shut everything else out as much as possible (check the shot's safe etc first), thinking about ANYTHING else won't help, even thinking too much about what your doing is bad - in time you'll come to do it all on auto-pilot.

 

Don't chew gum - it's a distraction and another scent to give your presence away.

 

Hope that helps, obviously swap left for right if you're left handed.

 

My coach used to say "practice doesn't make perfect, training does" What he meant was it's no good just shooting and hoping you'll get better, you need to be asking yourself "what did I do wrong then?" or "what did I do right then?", If you're watching through the scope before, as and after the gun goes off you've got a much better chance of answering those questions

[fieldwanderer]

no i am not using a sling at this current time, thank you for all these replies, normally when shooting i use a bipod, however, sometimes i do stand and was just interested in any advice for strengthening muscle groups that could improve that type of shooting. Once again thanks

 

Andy

 

 

Sorry andy, just spotted this one;

 

(again, assuming you're right handed)

 

Put your left elbow on your hip or into your side, keep your left leg straight or foot slightly forward of your left shoulder ; Think about it, it's all solid bones from rifle to floor so no effort to hold the rifle.

 

Feet shoulder width apart and nearly in line (right foot slightly behind left), lean back slightly.

 

You'll find kneeling or sitting's much steadier though so if you can get a clear shot kneeling or sitting (but not prone) go for that over standing.

[Andy Rue]

A massive, massive thankyou to fieldwanderer for the master class. wealth of knowledge

[Toombsy]

I've never used a support of any kind and after years of practice with an air rifle, and now I've moved on to rimfires, I still use the same method whenever I can...

 

I'm right handed and you need a strap for this to work effectively...

 

Bear with me...

 

I sit down with knees bent and my feet around 2ft apart, with the soles flat on the ground. The target is to my left, 90 degrees to where I'm facing.

 

Now I grab the rifle strap in my left hand - I don't hold the gun at all with the left hand, only the rifle strap.

 

I put both arms so the inside of the elbows rest on my knees, and lay the rifle on the bend in my arm.

 

I fit the gun into my shoulder, fit the cheek onto the stock, pull tightly on the strap (so I'm pulling the strap towards the rifle's butt plate), grip the stock with the trigger hand firmly, and then breathe steadily and slowly, then squeeze the trigger with the flat part of the end of your finger.

 

Pulling tightly on the strap keeps the recoil down - I learned that from firing 10s of thousands of pellets through spring airguns.

 

It is by far the most accurate rifle hold I know, and using that method I could knock the heads off matches consistently, with a spring airgun, at 20 yards, and rabbits are a doddle at 50-80 yards. It works for me everytime

 

And after all that typing I just found this image which resembles my technique, except I pull on the strap, and I don't wear a floppy hat, white sleeves or feel the need to stick a piece of white paper to the top of my scope....

 

 

Edited April 21, 2009 by Toombsy

[Baldrick]

Toombsy, that is a proper Walt. The combat boots, trouser blousers and DPM cushion are a class act, even for the Walty world of Field Target.

[RhiannonBW]

If you're getting tired work on general aerobic fitness to help combat that particular problem. Also make sure that you are eating properly and at the right time. I went to my air gun club on Monday night, having eaten nothing but cakes and biscuits all day, and missing my dinner, and I shot terribly. Sugar rushes give me the shakes!

 

When I shoot my air rifle from standing, I tuck my elbow into my side so that I am propping the gun up, rather than supporting the weight with my arm muscles, which means the muscles don't get fatigued. When holding your breath at the point of pulling the trigger, don't force it, just relax and don't breath. At the moment I'm only shooting targets, not quarry with it, and if I was going after quarry I'd just use every aid that there is as I think it's unfair on quarry to risk injury rather than an outright kill.

 

For my shot gun, I practice 10 mounts and 10 movement exercises where I follow the line of the wall and ceiling, up over and across in an arch shape. I try and remember to do this every day and that strengthens the right muscles.

 

But overall, I think that general fitness will help fix the tiredness problem more than targetting specific muscle groups.

 

Rhiannon

[markb]

Ok now you might laugh at this one but it worked for me, it's basicly what Rhiannon has said, general fitness. I took up cycling and two things happened,

1 I got fit (suprise, suprise)

2 I found I could ride around the lanes nice and quite, and see alot more

 

and also its easier to stop and have a chat with people, you know? farmers, land owners and the like

It also made all the hills I have to walk up when I'm shooting a lot easier

[Dunkield]

A good tip somone gave me to chck your position is relaxed, regarless of what postion it is (I was hunched up in the back of a cart at the time)

Give this a go:

Get your crosshairs on your target.

Close your eyes, take 2 or 3 breaths.

Now open them and see if you have drifted one way or the other, if you have, move your position to compensate and try agian.

[fieldwanderer]

Absolutely spot on stuartp:

 

It's called "body aim" or "body zero", it's where the rifle naturally points. If, for example, the crosshairs naturally point to the right of the target and you push them to where they're supposed to be, as the rifle fires you'll relax that push which means the rifle moves towards it's natural point again - the shot'll go to the right, possibly more than it was to start with!

 

When you close your eyes and relax (remember what I said about "slump"ing?), the rifle will point where it should (according to your body aim), if it's pointing to the right - move your feet, legs and hips to the right (assuming you're prone) and your elbows'll need moving too.

 

At the end of the day, there's a lot to it! but if everything's relaxed, smooth, slow and calm you'll be fine. Watch the target through the scope until the bullet's reached it's target (even if it missed) and keep the crosshairs where you want them.

[George1990]

This is a very good thread - look forward to trying these tips out. Thanks fieldwanderer.

 

Maybe get this thread pinned as it's got so much helpfulness in

 

The only tip I can think of is with spring air rifles. Don't hold it too firmly to allow for the twist as it recoils.

[Bombadil]

Why not go out into the garden now with your unloaded rifle, aim it at a wall and hold it there for as long as you physically can. Then put the rifle away, get some kip - wake up in the morning and see which muscles ache

[fieldwanderer]

actually, you've come close to something else that might help:

 

Dry fireing -

 

Aim at a distant object (something small and 300mtrs away) and "practice" what's been said above (the distance "magnifies" problems), a little movement isn't anything to worry about though.

 

Just let the fireing pin click or use an empty and turn it a little each time if you're worried about doing any damage, or snap-caps for a centre-fire.

 

it's a big thing in target shooting and doesn't cost anything, might be worth a try. You're looking for consistent problems - like a lot of movement left and right or movement when you pull the trigger - then try to work out how to solve the problem.

 

That's the difference between throwing lead down the range and training - you're looking for problems and finding solutions for them.