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shooting.txt
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1995-11-18
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-= SHOOTING TIPS =-
from
TARGET CENTRAL
Manufacturers of Precision Shooting Targets
Post Office Box 150-F
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(408) 655-GUNS
(FAX) 655-1510
Authored by Ray Johns
Revised 12/17/93
---------------------------------------------------------------
The act of firing a rifle, pistol, shotgun or other firearm
accurately is made up of a combination of the following skills.
Mastering these skills, and repeating them as consistently as
possible, each and every time you fire your gun, forms the
foundation of accurate shooting.
---------------------------------------------------------------
ATTITUDE: The attitude you take to the shooting range will
largely be reflected in your shooting. If you have convinced
yourself, "I'll never be able to shoot any better than I do right
now", chances are you'll never get any better. However, if each
day you go to the shooting range, you say to yourself, "Today I'm
going to shoot more accurately and more consistently than I ever
have before", pretty soon you'll notice you're shooting more
accurately and more consistently! Simply put, the more positive
your attitude is about shooting, the better your shooting will
become. Imagine yourself shooting nothing but bull's-eyes, and
before you know it, you will be doing just that.
EQUIPMENT: Your equipment should be in good repair, functional
and above all else, clean. Even as you shoot, you should
maintain a certain level of cleanliness. Don't be affair to
clean the bore and chamber of your rifle or pistol after every
couple of shoots to maintain consistent functioning and accuracy.
Firearm items, such as screws, sights, scopes or rings should be
tightly secured. Rifle and pistol barrels should be free from
obstructions and kept away from contact with other objects.
Simply resting the barrel of your rifle on a support (such as a
universal bipod) can influence the direction of your shot.
Ammunition should be clean and undamaged. Whenever possible, use
high quality (match grade) ammunition. During any particular
practice session, you should try to use ammunition that is from
the same manufacturer and of the same type (i.e. bullet weight
and design). Ammunition from the same box or closely produced
boxes is ideal. Always remember that consistency is the key to
accurate shooting.
BODY POSITION: Whether you are firing a rifle or pistol, you'll
want to maintain a body position that affords you two things.
First, and most importantly is comfort. Few can consistently
fire accurate shots while in a position that is uncomfortable.
Second, is support. Your position should allow your bones and
muscles (i.e. your body) to provide proper support for your
weapon. If you are firing a pistol, this may be no more than
holding your arms out in front of you. While firing a rifle may
involve the use of a bench or other stationary supports. Don't
be afraid to try different positions until you hit on one (or
more) that work well for you.
GRIP: How you hold your rifle, pistol or shotgun can directly
effect how accurately you shoot. A grip that is too loose, will
not afford the stability needed while firing a high powered
weapon, while a grip that is too tight, may tend to influence
your shoots or restrict an otherwise smooth trigger pull. An
even, unhindered grip works best. When firing a pistol, your
free hand should support, not grip your firing hand. For rifles,
your free hand should steady or support the forearm or buttstock
of the weapon. Once you find a grip that works well, be
consistent about it.
BREATHING: Controlling your breathing goes along way towards
increasing your accuracy. The act of breathing (inhaling and
exhaling) actually moves your body enough to keep you from
getting a really steady sight picture. By momentarily holding
your breath, just before you take your final aim and squeeze the
trigger, you'll remove that extra shaking associated with
breathing. However, don't make the mistake of holding your
breath too long, as oxygen deprivation can set in and introduce
blurry vision or additional body shaking. The best breathing
method involves taking one or two full breaths, then releasing
the air and holding your breath momentarily as you squeeze off a
shot. You may find other methods also work well, don't be affair
to use the method that works best for you. But again, be
consistent about it.
SIGHT PICTURE: Sight picture is very important to accurate
shooting, after all, if you can't see it clearly, aiming will be
very difficult, if not impossible. Additionally, if you aren't
seeing your target in the same way each time, you'll have greater
difficulty hitting the same spot with each successive shot.
Therefore, the two most important aspects of sight picture are
clarity and consistency. The picture you see, whether through a
scope or with iron sights, should be clear and sharp.
Concentrate on a specific point, don't just aim "at the target"
select a very small location on the target and aim at that spot.
When using a scope, your sight picture should be round and
without dark "half moon" areas. For iron sights, your target and
sighting post should be aligned and in focus. Sometimes looking
away briefly and then looking back before taking final aim will
help to refocus things. Being consistent about your sight
picture is equally important. Whether you decide to shoot with
one eye closed, or both eyes open, be consistent about it, don't
change midstream. Did I mention consistency is the key?
TRIGGER PULL: Pulling the trigger should be the only motion
involved in firing your weapon, and as such, it must be smooth
and precise. Pulling the trigger should not effect (i.e. move in
any way) any part of the gun other than the trigger. Sloppy or
inconsistent trigger pull will cause more inaccuracy than any
other aspect of shooting. When pulling the trigger, you should
use the tip of your finger (not the body of it) because this is
the most sensitive part available to you and pull the trigger
straight back. Pulling at an angle, even slightly, can change
your point of aim prior to firing. Dry firing (i.e. pulling the
trigger without a live round in the chamber) is beyond a doubt
the best exercise for increasing your accuracy. Practice this
over and over, until you can squeeze the trigger without moving
your gun at all. Balancing a dim (or other small object) on the
barrel as you dry fire will enhance your ability to keep the
weapon still while pulling the trigger. Note: the firing pins on
many weapons can be damaged by dry firing, contact your local
gunsmith or gun store for plastic dummy rounds that will protect
the firing pin while dry firing your gun.
FOLLOW THROUGH: The instant the trigger is completely pulled,
the hammer is released. The time between the hammer being
released and striking the firing pin (firing the chambered round)
is called lock time. Any movement, such as letting up on the
trigger, relaxing your grip or anticipating recoil, during this
lock time, can greatly effect accuracy. Some guns have quicker
lock times than others, but regardless, you should concentrate on
following though with each and every shot you fire. No movement
should occur until well after the bullet penetrates its target.
Only then should you let up on the trigger, adjust your grip or
change your sight picture.
CONSISTENCY: The more consistent you are in your shooting, the
more accurate you'll become. Without a doubt, consistency is the
key to accuracy. The closer you can come to providing the exact
same conditions for each shot, right down to the cleanliness and
temperature of your barrel, the more accurate your shooting will
be. Become consistent and you'll become accurate.
ABOUT TARGET CENTRAL: Target Central is a manufacturer of high
quality precision shooting targets.
The shooting targets we produce are of the highest quality and
are designed for rifle, pistol and shotgun and air-gun use. We
currently offer 32 different designs all featuring the following:
* High quality 11x15" light tan paper
* Fluorescent orange bull's-eye(s)
* .5" precision background grid
Because of the high quality paper we use, even round nose and
pointed ball ammo will produce a clean "punched out" hole, the
same as if you were using a flat nosed wad cutter. This makes
spotting and scoring a breeze.
The double printed fluorescent orange bull's-eye(s) allow for a
very clear and visible sight picture at any range, even in low
light. Especially nice looking through a scope.
The half inch background grid, which is featured on all of our
gun targets, aids in scoring and sight adjustment. Two lines
away from the bull's, is easily calculated to be an inch
adjustment.
We have rifle and pistol targets designed for rapid fire, slow
fire and sniping use. All of these targets are clearly displayed
in our 16 page, color catalog.
For a copy of our latest catalog, please call, write or fax your
request, including your name, address and phone number (optional)
to us at the following address.
Or for faster service, order our 32 target variety pack, by
mailing $12.95 (check or money order) along with your request to:
TARGET CENTRAL
Post Office Box 150-F
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(408) 655-GUNS
(FAX) 655-1510
(We accept credit card orders 24 hours a day by fax)
* * * LAW ENFORCEMENT, DEALER & PUBLIC INQUIRES WELCOME ! * * *