-= 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 ! * * *