shooting tips anyone?

cremley · 04-15-2008, 05:16 PM

Ok, so I have a savage model 93R17 in the 17HMR caliber and I have taken it too the range about five times since I bought it and put about 100rds through it each time. I have been able to hit chicken eggs out to 175 yds prone and using shooting bags and a 6-24X40mm scope. I have also been able to put a group of .8 in on a target at 50 yds. This is pretty good for me being that I am a relatively new shooter. I was wondering what I can do to get better as far as breathing techniques and things like that? I want to be able to hit an egg at 200yds and only have to use 1 shot to do it instead of 10 or 15 per egg like I have been. also, would a bipod help more than just the sand shooting bags?

Thanks,
Chris

bigbuddy21 · 04-15-2008, 05:24 PM

the bipod would deffently help.
on breathing,take a breath, then slowly exhale and when you've let out all the air then slowly squeeze the trigger. dont jerk it!
then you practice, practice, practice.
it will come.

Ron AKA · 04-15-2008, 05:37 PM

On breathing, I'm no expert other than to stay alive! Assuming you have the Accutrigger, I squeeze it down, then hold my breath and slowly increase pressure on the trigger until it releases. Take some fired cartridges and practice. Make sure you can dry fire without the crosshairs coming off the target as the trigger releases, and use the same technique with live stuff.

Have you lightened the Accutrigger? I have got mine down to about 1 lb, and can tell you how to get there. Let me know.

Wind is a big factor, and knowing what to allow for takes practice. Shooting at paper will tell you more, cause you know where your misses are going. Same with changes in ammo type and distances.

Does your scope have parallax adjustment? If so, it takes some time to get it down to zero. Keep moving your head up and down and from side to side and adjust the parallax until there is no movement of the crosshairs on the target. They should look like they are painted on the target.

I think bipods are worse than bags or conventional rests. Even the light recoil on a .17HMR is going to move the gun before the bullet exits the barrel. You want the gun to go straight back smoothly in the rests, rather than "pole vault" over the bipod. Small factor but it contributes to inaccuracy.

Make sure you are holding the crosshairs perfectly vertical and horizontal. A high mounted scope does not have to be tipped very far off vertical (canting) to cause hits off target low and to the side you are canting to - 4:00 and 8:00 o'clock positions.

Hope that helps some,

Ron

turner · 04-15-2008, 08:04 PM

Here's another simple technique to try. I try to set my crosshairs(vertical) so they are on a line with the target. Then I take some breaths, as naturally as possible, watching where the crosshairs peak and bottom out. I set my crosshairs as closely as possible to the midpoint and then, ready to fire, take two slow, easy breaths and exale. The third time, I inhale, exhale about 1/2 of my wind and slowly squeeze off my shot. Even an inexpensive shooting aid such as a Caldwell rest (or similar) will be a great help in shrinking your groups. You have done VERY well, so far! Best of luck!

toolman · 04-15-2008, 08:10 PM

Try to find a copy of the U.S. Army or USMC sniper training manuals. They're full of invaluable advice on breathing, natural point-of-aim, trigger control, etc. The only place I can think of off the top of my head to get them right now is Cheaper Than Dirt - America's Ultimate Shooting Sports Discounter , but a Google search should give more options with cheaper shipping.

Hotled · 04-16-2008, 07:24 AM

Turner is dead on about the breathing part.
The biggest tip I can say is be 100% relaxed before pulling the trigger , the gun should surprise you when it goes off(for targets).

Try this, take your breaths slowly exhale 1/2 then close both eyes and relax- when you open your eyes you should still be on target- if you aren't , then your body position is off.
Don't try to correct the positioning with your arms or shoulder rolls, move your entire body- rinse and repeat until your dead on target after opening your eyes.

chewy4480 · 04-16-2008, 08:39 AM

There are 4 fundamentals of shooting

#1 steady position, you want to make sure that gun is going to as steady as it can be even if you have to hold that position for a period of time. If are on a bench it wont be as hard. If you want to shoot from a knee the best way to do it is to put your firing side knee on the ground and your none firing side knee up. Lean back and set your butt on your foot. Its uncomfortable but it is as steady as you can get. The other thing to remember when shooting from a knee is to place your none firing elbow in the meaty part of your leg just above your knee, you never want to be bone on bone.

#2 sight picture, you want to make sure that every time you look down your sights at your target you see the same thing. Not just where your sights land on the target but every thing around it to. Its a lot easier with a scope or peep sights.

#3 breathing, you never want to hold your breath because it makes your muscle twitch. What you do is, theres a natural pause every time you let a breath out and thats when you want to shoot. just breath normal and take your time.

#4 trigger squeeze, put your finger on the trigger where it is comfortable and slowly squeeze the trigger until it fires. like Hotled said the gun should surprise you when it goes off.

at least thats what they teach you in the Army

Ron AKA · 04-16-2008, 08:48 AM

See page 11 & 12 in the attached.

http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/rimfire.pdf

Ron

cremley · 04-18-2008, 10:44 AM

Wow! I didn't have any Idea about the body alignment or sight picture. Thanks guys. O, to "Ron AKA", I unfortunately bought my rifle without the accutrigger because it was used when I got it and was probably built just before the accutrigger was put in place. I do however have a parallax scope and it is mounted so close to the barrel that I cant even put scope covers on it.

04-15-2008, 08:10 PM	#5
toolman Mr. Fixit Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: abilene,tx Posts: 5,569 Blog Entries: 22	Try to find a copy of the U.S. Army or USMC sniper training manuals. They're full of invaluable advice on breathing, natural point-of-aim, trigger control, etc. The only place I can think of off the top of my head to get them right now is Cheaper Than Dirt - America's Ultimate Shooting Sports Discounter , but a Google search should give more options with cheaper shipping. __________________ Don't be messin' with my gun!

04-16-2008, 07:24 AM	#6
Hotled Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 37	Turner is dead on about the breathing part. The biggest tip I can say is be 100% relaxed before pulling the trigger , the gun should surprise you when it goes off(for targets). Try this, take your breaths slowly exhale 1/2 then close both eyes and relax- when you open your eyes you should still be on target- if you aren't , then your body position is off. Don't try to correct the positioning with your arms or shoulder rolls, move your entire body- rinse and repeat until your dead on target after opening your eyes.

04-15-2008, 05:16 PM	#1
cremley Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern New Mexico Posts: 957	shooting tips anyone? Ok, so I have a savage model 93R17 in the 17HMR caliber and I have taken it too the range about five times since I bought it and put about 100rds through it each time. I have been able to hit chicken eggs out to 175 yds prone and using shooting bags and a 6-24X40mm scope. I have also been able to put a group of .8 in on a target at 50 yds. This is pretty good for me being that I am a relatively new shooter. I was wondering what I can do to get better as far as breathing techniques and things like that? I want to be able to hit an egg at 200yds and only have to use 1 shot to do it instead of 10 or 15 per egg like I have been. also, would a bipod help more than just the sand shooting bags? Thanks, Chris

04-15-2008, 05:24 PM	#2
bigbuddy21 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: new albany in. Posts: 973 Images: 5	the bipod would deffently help. on breathing,take a breath, then slowly exhale and when you've let out all the air then slowly squeeze the trigger. dont jerk it! then you practice, practice, practice. it will come. __________________ LAND OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!

04-15-2008, 05:37 PM	#3
Ron AKA Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 704	On breathing, I'm no expert other than to stay alive! Assuming you have the Accutrigger, I squeeze it down, then hold my breath and slowly increase pressure on the trigger until it releases. Take some fired cartridges and practice. Make sure you can dry fire without the crosshairs coming off the target as the trigger releases, and use the same technique with live stuff. Have you lightened the Accutrigger? I have got mine down to about 1 lb, and can tell you how to get there. Let me know. Wind is a big factor, and knowing what to allow for takes practice. Shooting at paper will tell you more, cause you know where your misses are going. Same with changes in ammo type and distances. Does your scope have parallax adjustment? If so, it takes some time to get it down to zero. Keep moving your head up and down and from side to side and adjust the parallax until there is no movement of the crosshairs on the target. They should look like they are painted on the target. I think bipods are worse than bags or conventional rests. Even the light recoil on a .17HMR is going to move the gun before the bullet exits the barrel. You want the gun to go straight back smoothly in the rests, rather than "pole vault" over the bipod. Small factor but it contributes to inaccuracy. Make sure you are holding the crosshairs perfectly vertical and horizontal. A high mounted scope does not have to be tipped very far off vertical (canting) to cause hits off target low and to the side you are canting to - 4:00 and 8:00 o'clock positions. Hope that helps some, Ron

04-15-2008, 08:04 PM	#4
turner Banned Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tn Posts: 623	Here's another simple technique to try. I try to set my crosshairs(vertical) so they are on a line with the target. Then I take some breaths, as naturally as possible, watching where the crosshairs peak and bottom out. I set my crosshairs as closely as possible to the midpoint and then, ready to fire, take two slow, easy breaths and exale. The third time, I inhale, exhale about 1/2 of my wind and slowly squeeze off my shot. Even an inexpensive shooting aid such as a Caldwell rest (or similar) will be a great help in shrinking your groups. You have done VERY well, so far! Best of luck!

04-16-2008, 08:39 AM	#7
chewy4480 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Maine Posts: 122	There are 4 fundamentals of shooting #1 steady position, you want to make sure that gun is going to as steady as it can be even if you have to hold that position for a period of time. If are on a bench it wont be as hard. If you want to shoot from a knee the best way to do it is to put your firing side knee on the ground and your none firing side knee up. Lean back and set your butt on your foot. Its uncomfortable but it is as steady as you can get. The other thing to remember when shooting from a knee is to place your none firing elbow in the meaty part of your leg just above your knee, you never want to be bone on bone. #2 sight picture, you want to make sure that every time you look down your sights at your target you see the same thing. Not just where your sights land on the target but every thing around it to. Its a lot easier with a scope or peep sights. #3 breathing, you never want to hold your breath because it makes your muscle twitch. What you do is, theres a natural pause every time you let a breath out and thats when you want to shoot. just breath normal and take your time. #4 trigger squeeze, put your finger on the trigger where it is comfortable and slowly squeeze the trigger until it fires. like Hotled said the gun should surprise you when it goes off. at least thats what they teach you in the Army

04-16-2008, 08:48 AM	#8
Ron AKA Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 704	See page 11 & 12 in the attached. http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/rimfire.pdf Ron

04-18-2008, 10:44 AM	#9
cremley Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern New Mexico Posts: 957	Wow! I didn't have any Idea about the body alignment or sight picture. Thanks guys. O, to "Ron AKA", I unfortunately bought my rifle without the accutrigger because it was used when I got it and was probably built just before the accutrigger was put in place. I do however have a parallax scope and it is mounted so close to the barrel that I cant even put scope covers on it.