Thread: Technique Tips - Newbie

Those groups are ok.
How well you shoot depends on a lot of things.
Those would be good to a 200m on a deer.
And it was your first go.

I have not developed a flinch yet, but the odd thing that I found tightened my groups up was shooting a suppressed 22 with subs in the next bay to a guy shooting a 338LM with a brake. I just never knew when that next shock wave was coming and really concentrated on the targets. Think it worked as Dougie said and moved my concentration to the other end of the range.

Good advice on here already.

At one stage, after shooting unsuppressed .270s and 22-250s my whole life I started missing for no apparent reason. After getting absolutely sick of it after a few months I set up a target in a paddock with my 270 loaded and very slowly and deliberately fired off a few shots. Similar to the above I found that I was mentally stopping myself from pulling the trigger smoothly and actually closing my eyes when I pulled the trigger sometimes.

Fixes included, very slow methodical shooting, making sure I kept the crosshair exactly on the bull and dry firing and keeping the crosshair on target after the rifle went click. Once I got this right just fired off a packet of bullets stopping myself if I started to tense up. Sometimes it just requires you to really focus on keeping those shots perfect and correcting yourself if you start to tense up.

A method some use is to have a mate load their rifle behind them so you don't actually know if they have put a live round up the spout or not. They watch you shoot and soon notice if you pull or jerk the rifle when you fire.

A limbsaver will definitely help. Plugs and ear muffs will help too.

Then its just time and bullets down range.

You will probably find that it will disappear if you go and blast some rabbits as you wont be thinking about the explosion but rather focussing on putting your bullet in the bunny.

Originally Posted by Chilli_Dog

Maybe a silly question but is there generally a class or group in small bore clubs where you can use say a beat up JW15 with a scope for practice instead of jumping right into it with a target rifle?

I shoot both 22's at Masterton Miniature Rifle Club.
Both have scopes, 1 has a bipod (the 'real' target rifle).
Still get scored, but don't bother with competitions, don't need the stress.
If I did want to get serious, club has loan BSA Martini actioned target rifles for use, until I sourced a 'proper' Anschutz.
The 22 scoped & bipod kitted unit was formerly an Anschutz 1415 Model 54.
Shoots way better than I can at present.
Could return that proper Smallbore configuration if that's the way I decided to go.

Nice WallyR,

Model 54 actions are accredited with the fastest lock time of any out there. Follow thru is really important as well as not chasing the dot /spot let your natural figure of 8 glide across the target put pressure on when in the black and hold when it slides off..
The Thumb torque things never been a issue for me as with the 22's we were also taught to put the thumb where the rear tang would be - stopping the roll around of the thumb and wrist. Then imagine a squeeze between forefinger and thumb. That's the smoothest to get a trigger squeeze learnt.

Blame a couple of NZ team silhouettte shooters for that advice...

One way to help with a flinch is to go with a mate. Get him to put/not put a round in the chamber with you not watching. Then fire as though a round is there. Will tell you pretty quickly what you flinch is like. Dry fire with a coin balanced on the end of the barrel. The idea is not to let the coin fall off.

I don't like the technique of "squeezing" a trigger as I find it hard not to tense and its easy to start focussing on what your finger is feeling and doing more than what your eyes are seeing and much prefer to think of it as a "tap" I just touch the trigger with no pressure at all when im setting up for a shot, then when the time is right, Tap, I do like a light (but safe) trigger though and a few people who have fired some of my rifles had the shit scared out of them by my trigger

Originally Posted by Carpe Diem

Yup in Auckland any ways - out West in Swanson Waitakere Sporting Rifle has 2 Mondays a month open for those licensed to come along and have some trigger time on the mound either working through their own "work on's" or there's plenty around to offer suggestions and shooting tips to those there. Safe also as new shooters unknown to the club will be asked to be checked for safety and we'll brief as to the Do's and don't on the range. RO's also in attendance keeping an eye on things...

Thursday Nights are Club nights where actual 50 shot details are shot in a mandated fashion also controlled and called by the RO. If interested PM me...

Im in Chch so Ill have to look into it down here

Originally Posted by Chilli_Dog

Im in Chch so Ill have to look into it down here

Nzda range and the handloaders at McLean's island

Slip on limbsaver might be the go if you are long in the arm. Look a bit goofy but do the trick. Im at the Auckland nzda range this weekend if you fancy a bit more practice

I wouldn't be disappointed with that group starting out. Lightening the trigger, firm hold into shoulder pocket and follow through, keeping sight picture helped me lots.
I grouped them like a shotgun before suppressing and lightening trigger.
Stugs drill with the coin sounds good.

Mate my opinion is everybody flinches on bigger calibres, I fine pulling the rifle into me helps, controlled flinch as I have on the 45-70 or bigger, doesnt affect my accuracy, just keep putting rounds thru it and think about what happens to you when to pull that trigger, get to know your rifle, Breathing and learning what your triggers doing is more important to me and you will learn to call your shots on the target when you let them go.I have a 6.5 x 55 it has a light recoil and because of the amount of time ive spent shooting it I never think of recoil, you will become the same, try some standing off hand shooting as well, not all off a rest, recoil will be more comfortable

There's an epic slow mo video on the Rivers to Ranges FB page of Jem shooting a .308 from memory with zero flinch and eyes open throughout shooting goals right there


Edit is a Kimber 30/06, wrong FB page too
https://www.facebook.com/JeremyHanar...9340214605783/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had the same issues as you when I started. My advice is to buy a suppressor as that goes a huge way towards fixing the flinch.

Originally Posted by TimK

Finally found some time to get out and use my new rifle (only got my licence a few months ago). Having only ever fired a 22 and a air rifle the 308 was a bit of a learning curve. Does anyone know of any good resources for tips on technique. I found (and noticed in some video) I have a tendency to flinch and pull the rifle to one side or the other. The target in the image was at 100m before I sighted the rifle in (which I still haven't done 100%). I realise that the best way to get better is to get out and do it. Will also have to find some better places to shoot - I don't think I was to popular with the Puhoi locals.

Looking forward to perhaps meeting a few of you and learning more.

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Often the fastest route to success is to have an experienced shooter mentor you for a couple of hours, sorting your body position and shooting technique for various situations according to your body and rifle type.

Dougies first ever shots at distance with a .223 were bang on a 3 inch target at 620yrds and a week later within three inches of a 3 inch target at 770yrds in breezy conditions, using the right technique speeds up the learning curve


Proper Confidence in a relaxed atmosphere is the key.

The memorial shoot held at Brads place this year would be a perfect spot to harass some gongs and learn a 1000 things, come along TimK