Thread: Tips for improving shooting technique

Sticks are a incredibly usefull tool if you have the discipline to use them in a systematic way. One of the most formidable night shooters I know (he's on here) is too old to get down and has buggered shoulders uses sticks exclusively and will get rabbits/hares/possums to 150M with his 17 HMR and 200M with a 223. He doesn't educate many . . . .

Doesn't @Norway have several videos on the topic?

Originally Posted by blip

Id be hesitant to do dry firing practice with a rimfire.

Can you dry fire using a spent cartridge? Turning it so the pin hits a different spot each time? A bit laborious maybe

Originally Posted by Sh00ter

Dry firing is an excellent training tool. There's loads of ways to go about it depending on your goals.
A simple way to get started is to balance a coin on the end of your barrel, aim and fire (no ammo). If done correctly the coin will stay in place, if done perfectly there will be minimal movement. This will help develop your fundamentals.

I like shooting service rifle at my local club. I use it as a training tool. The shooting itself is pretty simple however shooting from different positions in sequence on the clock in a competition setting adds a level of stress that is hard to duplicate on your own.

Thanks, I’ll give the coin a go

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

the techniques for a bench or prone are easy - what takes practice for real hunting is standing shots taken quickly - thats what you get bush hunting - I have taught myself to come down onto my target - and if you can teach yourself moving targets - prepare yourself for real deer suddenly in front situations -quick shooting - of course if south island and you have time to range etc different story but north island practice snap shooting especially standing

Can you explain what you mean by come down onto your target?

There is no substitute for trigger time. You need to shoot weekly at a minimum. When prepping for a comp, I shoot min. 40 shots a day in the month leading up to it.

Originally Posted by Jesse1122

Can you dry fire using a spent cartridge? Turning it so the pin hits a different spot each time? A bit laborious maybe

You could. In fact, I have done it myself. The fun wears off fairly quickly though.

I think what he means is that you move your sights down onto the target and pull the trigger when you come onto what you are trying to shoot its easier though to do it moving sideways onto the target what it does is take all the shaking trying to hold steady on a point of aim by moving onto it sideways is better because the animal if it moves is going to move sideways rather than up or down

Originally Posted by Jesse1122

Can you explain what you mean by come down onto your target?

lets say a deer is standing looking at you side on about 30 meters away common bush hunting scenario instead of coming up onto the deer I have taught myself to place rifle onto shoulder initially start getting scope lined up above deer and bring cross hairs down onto center of shoulder squeeze off - the alternative is to try and center on deer first - I have found that involves quite a bit of wobbling around to get everything centered- by using one smooth motion of coming down onto the shoulder it seems to stop a lot of the wobbles- in practice for our DOC shoot we used to have of the 20 shots 10 were standing - one 5 shot string was standing without a sling and some time to take the 5 shots so I practiced by coming down onto the target in small stages slowly getting breathing right as I did so - the last 5 shot string was to be fired quickly so I practiced just coming down and when the crosshair passed the bull squeeze off - and yes I did eventually get my name on the historic shield and even won a swazi thar coat great day only took me about 6 years - sadly shoot no longer held - I believe the shield now resides with the Deer Cullers assoc I do get what Carlhurley is saying and it makes sense but me bit late to change now - either way by moving down or sideways it takes out the wobbles -as you move your trigger control starts as does breathing -to try and hold on a target standing without wobbling around takes olympic skill or the help of a sling or both - practise air rifles are great and cheap to run - but you cant beat at least some of that practice is with the rifle you are hunting with even if it is dry firing

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

lets say a deer is standing looking at you side on about 30 meters away common bush hunting scenario instead of coming up onto the deer I have taught myself to place rifle onto shoulder initially start getting scope lined up above deer and bring cross hairs down onto center of shoulder squeeze off - the alternative is to try and center on deer first - I have found that involves quite a bit of wobbling around to get everything centered- by using one smooth motion of coming down onto the shoulder it seems to stop a lot of the wobbles- in practice for our DOC shoot we used to have of the 20 shots 10 were standing - one 5 shot string was standing without a sling and some time to take the 5 shots so I practiced by coming down onto the target in small stages slowly getting breathing right as I did so - the last 5 shot string was to be fired quickly so I practiced just coming down and when the crosshair passed the bull squeeze off - and yes I did eventually get my name on the historic shield and even won a swazi thar coat great day only took me about 6 years - sadly shoot no longer held - I believe the shield now resides with the Deer Cullers assoc I do get what Carlhurley is saying and it makes sense but me bit late to change now - either way by moving down or sideways it takes out the wobbles -as you move your trigger control starts as does breathing -to try and hold on a target standing without wobbling around takes olympic skill or the help of a sling or both - practise air rifles are great and cheap to run - but you cant beat at least some of that practice is with the rifle you are hunting with even if it is dry firing

Thanks @Barry the hunter and @carlhurley for writing that up. Makes a lot of sense when you describe it but I'd never have thought of it.

What are we doing with our breathing when we're come down/across onto the target? Breathe out as we start the sweep, and hold it out until fired?

normally yup thats the idea

If only air rifles' triggers were as sweet as deer rifles'. Any way of fixing that?

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Originally Posted by Jesse1122

Can you dry fire using a spent cartridge? Turning it so the pin hits a different spot each time? A bit laborious maybe

To be clear I wasn't advocating dry firing a rimfire. I understood the discussion to be about centrefire.

If you want to dryfire a .22 I would use snap caps like these.
https://www.guncity.com/accu-tech-snap-caps-22lr-369253

Originally Posted by Eat Meater

If only air rifles' triggers were as sweet as deer rifles'. Any way of fixing that?

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spend on a damn good one likely the only way the trigger on my Diana was not to bad at all shot extremly well once I sorted the pellet issue ( hated light pellets needed the heaviest one could get )

Some air rifles like the Dianna have a nice two stage trigger. Something to keep in mind if purchasing.


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