Thread: How to not suck?

Sighting in my rifle yesterday really pointed out i have a lot to work on with my shooting, was wondering if people could offer advice? I'm pulling shots constantly, vertically and horizontally and have a lot of difficulty keeping my rifle stable, those are the two things that stood out to me the most. Are there classes in auckland i can take?

@Angus try Nathan Fosters book "long range shooting" it really good on getting your fundamentals right. I.e. What you need to do to get constancy in shooting. Not the Hollywood shit that you see on tv but what makes up what it takes to get those group sizes down. Try it you won't be disappointed.

Originally Posted by Sideshow

@Angus try Nathan Fosters book "long range shooting" it really good on getting your fundamentals right. I.e. What you need to do to get constancy in shooting. Not the Hollywood shit that you see on tv but what makes up what it takes to get those group sizes down. Try it you won't be disappointed.

Thanks man i'll look for a copy now.

Go and google “snipers hide” on you tube. Frank Galli has some very good videos on there in trigger control, but be aware of the way some of these guys shoot rifles, they are heavy and easier to shoot than a light hunting rifle. You actually need to hold a rifle, even using a sling can help. Get hold of Kerry at precision shooter for when and where classes are on in Auckland. The Nathan foster book is good too, I have read it, it’s relevant for hunting weight rifles. Lots of trigger time done correctly will help build fundamentals but you need to get some one to watch over you to make sure you are doing it right. A .22 would be a good trainer to work on the basics from the start again and is a lot cheaper practice than centrefire ammo if you have one.
Classes aren’t cheap but in the long run if you want to get a lot better they are cheaper than hundreds of rounds of ammo.
If you belong to an nzda there maybe some people there that are good teachers, you just have to sift through the bullshit of some of them.
There maybe someone on here in your area that can help you.

There is plenty of valid stuff on youtube, just might have to sift out some crap along the way.

Practise, change things around of how you do things and see what gets the best results

You’re got an old Voere right? The trigger on those is bloody awful - possibly try and practice with somethihg else, as likely it might encourage bad habits more than help. Also super light, which doesn’t always help, even if I love mine, and it’s super accurate!

Originally Posted by 7x64

You’re got an old Voere right? The trigger on those is bloody awful - possibly try and practice with somethihg else, as likely it might encourage bad habits more than help. Also super light, which doesn’t always help, even if I love mine, and it’s super accurate!

Have a jw15 now, trigger isn't much better but it breaks a lot cleaner.

Hello there Angus. If you don't already have a .22 rimfire bolt action, get one.

If or when you have one, then buy a couple or twenty blocks of cci standard and start using it. Join a local club that is set-up for rimfire if you don't have somewhere safe to practice. Work on shooting standing, sitting and prone. Concentrate on perfect trigger release and follow through. Watch your shot go through the target and call your shot through observing the recoil pattern.

The only way to become proficient is practicing good habits, and thousands of rounds downrange. There are no shortcuts, but a competent coach can help you from acquiring bad habits that may take you a lifetime to unlearn. Ego is your enemy, focus on small improvements every time you shoot. Have a plan on what you wish to do each time you shoot, but the goal must be realist and achievable to where you are at.
Avoid bullshit and evaluate your performance each time Write it up to cement lessons learned and achievement attained.

Rimfire is cheap practice and shows up faults in technique that are hidden in the recoil of a centrefire, and all skills learned are common.
Good luck.

Originally Posted by muzza

practise with a .22 rimfire - sounds like you shut your eyes ( hey-doesnt everyone? ) and flinch a lot .

Use a gun that doesnt recoil so you can concentrate on holding on the target and releasing the shot smoothly . Once you have mastered that move up to your cannon and see how you go.

A 22 is all i have to shoot with right now

A lot happened while I was one finger typing.

#27GANG

air rifle man. down the hall inside if no one is home.... phone books make good back stops, just be careful not to shoot the house up. and get small targets.

Hi angus the jw15 is not a bad wee rifle. I’ve shot thousands of rabbits over a few years on our old farm and they work good. A gunsmith can make the trigger a bit better. They have a long pull and therefore it can make you pull shots. It’s the equivalent trigger to a le enfield 303. I taught my 9 yr old to shoot it accurately. You need to keep applying constant even pressure until it breaks. Then hold the trigger until the bullet impacts the target giving you better follow through. There is a screw you can adjust to remove some travel on the trigger but I’d recommend a gunsmith do it. Would cost you about $50 for a trigger job. Or buy 250 rounds of practice.
Kerry was organizing the 22 rimfire shoots competitions up your way. Enter I one of those and you might learn a bit from some of the guys in that

Out of interest @Angus_A ;do you use hearing protection, (yes I know its only a .22)
The "Bang" can be quite distracting (I always use muff and plugs shooting at the range not matter what), consistency is everything.
Good solid front rest and rear bag will help along with a good trigger although you tend to learn and aapt to the type of trigger you have.
Always aiming at the exact same place on the target regardless.
For targets I used to use plain A4 paper sheets and a black dot stickers you can get at an office stationary supply place. Quick and easy and uses no expensive printer ink