Tips for better marksmanship?

[SixteenGauge]

I've recently decided to get into serious hunting and target shooting with rifles after hunting and shooting with shotguns and Handguns almost exclusively for my entire life. As expected, my marksmanship leaves alot to be desired. I can't seem to shoot groups tighter than 5" at 20 yards offhand with my new .22lr rifle (90% condition 1922 Savage Sporter) with a marble bullseye sight. I'm aware of the basic principals, such as exhaling before the shot and slowly squeezing the trigger but I still can't seem to shoot worth a darn. Does anyone have any tips that would help me shoot straighter?

 

[sarduy]

Yes, first of all forget the breathing part for now, lets focus on sight alignment and fundamentals.

First lets make sure the gun fits you, length of pull, and consistent cheekbones contact with the stock. Then comes trigger control, too much or too little trigger finger can throw your shots off target, so make sure you get that consistent as well. Break the shot as soon as you exhale in the first 1-3 sec, do not hold your breath with empty or full lungs. Also you should be as stable as possible with multiple points of contact, this means with bipods or bench or even a sand bag in the front at the foregrip, do not rest the barrel into the rest. The idea is to not muscle the gun but use as much support as possible. Then work on the follow through, meaning try not to anticipate the shots and keep your eyes on the target and sights after you take a shot, a good pair of ear protection will reduce the noise and help a lot with follow through, a lot of people are scared of the noise and make them flinch, try avoiding that.

i can go on with many details but I believe you should start from the basics and work your way up, also don’t forget to clean your rifle and buy somewhat good ammunition, trash ammo will produce trash results.

 

[3850remhep]

Practice, practice, practice.

Do you have excellent, perhaps even replacement triggers?

Use a snap cap, aim at a point on a distant wall, and practice, practice practice.

Stay very calm, control your breathing, use only the pad after the last joint of your trigger hinger, be conscious of a constant grip, practice, practice, etc.

Repetition and muscle memory are essential.

Range time is the real tale of the tape. Analyze your targets, are your groups influenced by wind? trigger break, either push or pull (left or right)? vertical? Analyze and understand what & why.

Lousy ammo can produce lousy results, or rather, your groups may be limited by your ammo choice.

"Aim small, miss small"

 

[Bcwitt]

Core strength workouts/stretches are helpful. Especially push-ups. Whole body strength is the essence of good marksmanship.

 

[12Bravo20]

I agree with all the above.

I will add that I am fond of using a washer to teach/practice new shooters on consistent trigger pulls. For those that don't know, this is done by sitting a flat washer on top of the barrel out at the muzzle. hen have the shooter dry fire until they can keep the washer from falling off repeatedly. I could get new soldiers that never touched a firearm to qualify expert with the M16 and the washer practice was part of the training.

 

[Picher]

First, you need to have good practice sessions, using empty (fired) shells or snap-caps to keep from damaging the barrel/and/or firing pin. After about 10 practice clicks on an empty shell, check it to see if it's still got enough metal to keep from damaging the rifle.

When sighting the target concentrate focus on the front sight and alignment with the rear, then move the two toward the target center. You should be shooting at a 6" bullseye on a sighting-in target and not be as concerned about target center as your consistent iron sight-alignment.

I'm a great proponent of using a receiver (peep) sight, along with a higher front sight that allows centering impact at 50 feet and rear-sight adjustments for longer ranges. (Red-Dot sights or low-powered scopes are very nice for beginners, but may require professional installation.)

Keep practice fun! I learned to shoot using BB guns and that was fun at distances up to about 40 feet. I probably shot about a half-million BBs before I was 12 yrs old and had a place where I could shoot lots of empty cans.

 

[3850remhep]

First, you need to have good practice sessions, . . . .

I'm a great proponent of using a receiver (peep) sight, along with a higher front sight that allows centering impact at 50 feet and rear-sight adjustments for longer ranges. (Red-Dot sights or low-powered scopes are very nice for beginners, but may require professional installation.)

Keep practice fun! I learned to shoot using BB guns and that was fun at distances up to about 40 feet. I probably shot about a half-million BBs before I was 12 yrs old and had a place where I could shoot lots of empty cans.

A quality BB gun or even pellet rifle with the caveat that the sights are target quality is an excellent avenue for beginning shooters as well as seasoned competitors who want to stay on the trigger during stretches of inclement weather (perhaps winter time) or even daily as prep prior to a big match.

I'm not advocating using firearms outdoors in an urban environment with neighbors just across a fence, but that is where a pellet rifle with match grade sights might be of practical use for actual target time. Always be mindful of your neighbors and local laws and don't invite unwanted attention.

 

[Varminterror]

Can’t ignore breathing: it forever remains the first step of “B.R.A.S.S.”

 

[12Bravo20]

Breathing, holding your breath, and shooting in between heart beats are all important.

The Army always taught exhale, hold, squeeze. But I never could do that well so I have always use inhale, hold, squeeze. Either way go with what works the best for you.

And being in shape is important. I'm out of shape since I can't exercise regularly due to disabilities and I notice it while shooting.

 

[Varminterror]

@SixteenGauge - the easiest path into rifle shooting is to start from the bench or prone, as these positions offer the maximum support available. Bipod out front, rear bag under the buttstock. The task is then to simply reduce as much as possible the shooter influence on the rifle.

Building from there, positions which offer progressively less support can be used, again, focusing on minimizing tho other input to the rifle, until eventually, you’re standing with the rifle resting on your bones, not your muscles, and your body influence can remain separated from the rifle.

It sounds like a proper rifle marksmanship class is in order for you, such you can learn proper techniques, and learn proper PRACTICE techniques which will then allow you to build your foundation brick by brick. What you’re doing now, 5” at 20yrds, will most likely end in bad habits - shoving the rifle around and trying to hold your breath to fix on target, then slapping the trigger to break on target… all bad things, and all common bad habits that need shooters train into themselves by trying to fly before they can crawl.

 

[trackskippy]

Something that I think would be a real big help would be to sign up for your local CMP type shoots. Youll learn to shoot from field positions and many there with you will be on your level. A lot of them wont be too, which is even better. You learn more when shooting with people better than you.

A lot of those clubs usually have clinics and bring in people like the Army and USMC MTU's, which are great resources.

Constant dryfire, from all positions, is also a big help as it helps with all the basics and it helps you build and keep your muscle tone there.

Then just shoot live ammo, as much as you can, and as often as you can.

 

[Varminterror]

Something that I think would be a real big help would be to sign up for your local CMP type shoots.

I’m struggling with this one. CMP/Service Rifle competition is very gear limited, and offers exceptionally challenging courses of fire with very little support. Yes, a new shooter will meet experienced folks and yes, there are sometimes clinics to help get into that sport, but the target design, course of fire, and match results really reflect how difficult that sport is designed to be.

 

[trackskippy]

I guess it depends on where you shoot and how casual or disciplined they are. Ive shot at clubs with just 100 yard ranges and you shot reduced targets. They were very informal and allowed any military type rifles, and Ive shot at clubs where they were strict on what you used and had better facilities and ranges.

The couple of clubs we used to shoot at regularly usually had M1 loaner rifles if you didn't have one, and encouraged everyone and anyone who wanted to try, to come and shoot. They were pretty informal.

You really dont need all the gear that a lot of people seem to get caught up in, unless that's the type of shooting you want to pursue down the road. Most of us were just shooting in street clothes, but there were also the "gear guys" who had all the stuff, which is fine too if you want to shoot like that. You dont really have to though.

 

[entropy]

I agree with all the above.

I will add that I am fond of using a washer to teach/practice new shooters on consistent trigger pulls. For those that don't know, this is done by sitting a flat washer on top of the barrel out at the muzzle. hen have the shooter dry fire until they can keep the washer from falling off repeatedly. I could get new soldiers that never touched a firearm to qualify expert with the M16 and the washer practice was part of the training.

Dime drills, I call them. I did the same, and watched them do them, offering tips about breath control, trigger finger placement, etc.

I’m struggling with this one. CMP/Service Rifle competition is very gear limited, and offers exceptionally challenging courses of fire with very little support. Yes, a new shooter will meet experienced folks and yes, there are sometimes clinics to help get into that sport, but the target design, course of fire, and match results really reflect how difficult that sport is designed to be.

Starting with a .22 to get the fundamentals back is a good choice, but at some point I recommend trying a CMP Match,

The couple of clubs we used to shoot at regularly usually had M1 loaner rifles if you didn't have one, and encouraged everyone and anyone who wanted to try, to come and shoot. They were pretty informal.

I had a blast at one I got to shoot simply by wandering down to the rifle range after Trap one day. They asked if I wanted to shoot in the match they were warming up for, and next thing you know someone is handing me an M1, and explaining the course of fire. I had ETS'd about a year and a half before that, so I didn't embarrass myself too badly. I came in 3rd. I should have got a CMP Garand then.

 

[Telum Pisces]

Shooting offhand without a rest and using open/iron sights are going to limit you. I'm a horrible shot when it comes to trying to shoot without a rest.

Get a scope, and get a good rest to shoot from. It will help.

 

[entropy]

Shooting offhand without a rest and using open/iron sights are going to limit you. I'm a horrible shot when it comes to trying to shoot without a rest.

Get a scope, and get a good rest to shoot from. It will help.

Yes, offhand is the least stable shooting position. If he is practicing with the idea of hunting with a rifle, eventually he will have to practice from offhand. If he's just going to break paper or ring gongs, bench and prone are the best positions.

 

[trackskippy]

Offhand is generally everyone's weakest position and one that should be practiced the most.

Keeping yourself in decent shape and building and maintaining your "shooting" muscle tone is very important to all of this too. Shooting is a very physical thing, and if you arent strong enough, or limber enough to get into and/or maintain a position and bear the weight of the gun, things arent going to go too well.

 

[Varminterror]

If he is practicing with the idea of hunting with a rifle, eventually he will have to practice from offhand.

A better strategy is to develop the habit of utilizing field expedient supports for shots taken while hunting.

Hunting in over 20 states over the last ~30 years, taking hundreds of big game animals, I might have taken only a handful of unsupported, offhand shots, and those exclusively at hogs on the run. It’s just too easy to employ supports.

 

[entropy]

Agreed. But it never hurts to learn to shoot as accurate as one can offhand. I actually have never shot a deer in any other position. I stillhunt/stump sit a lot. I consider seated unsupported the same as offhand. I have shot coyotes from prone, kneeling supported. sitting, and offhand. Only one offhand, though.

 

[DazedandConfuzed]

A sling can be very beneficial when shooting offhand.

 

[lightman]

I agree with the poster that said practice, practice, practice. Nothing beats trigger time. Make sure your equipment is good enough to meet your goals. Theres not much point in trying to shoot a possible at 600 yards if your rifle is not capable of it. Physical condition is also important. You don't have to be a body builder but upper body strength, strong arms, wrist, lower back and core strength count for a lot.

 

[someguy2800]

Just my opinion but your better off learning from a rest or a bipod first. It easier to recognize your bad habits and mistakes by ruling out the natural sway of your arms and body. Once you have mastered sight alignment and trigger control from a rested position then you can add the variability of shooting from a sitting position with shooting sticks, then sitting offhand, then standing offhand. Trying to learn to shoot offhand is forcing yourself to try to master all the principals of marksmanship all at once and will just lead to frustration and prolong the learning curve.

 

[Chuck R.]

The most important thing I've learned over competing in multiple disciplines is to develop a plan, prior to going to the range and record your progress (or lack). This in the long run will save you time and money. We tend to practice what we do well at. IF you're really struggling now, I'd suggest seeking instruction, rather than ingrain bad habits. It would be cheaper in the long run.

For hunting, I go with the "train as you fight" mantra, probably due to a 23 year army career. Once you've got the basics down, get off of the bench. Use what you will have available, bipod, tripod, backpack. The same goes with dryfiring. Personally I wouldn't spend too much time/effort on off-hand, as has been noted, by others I've very rarely hand to take an off hand shot in 30+ years of hunting on a couple continents. The times I did, it was under 50 yds. I've also only used a sling a couple times, although all of my hunting rifles wear quick adjust slings.

I fully believe in the value of "trainers" in either .22LR or .223 to save costs and wear and tear on me. They also work great when you don't have access to the distance you'd expect to take a shot at. With a .22LR I've gone so far as duplicate my match/ hunting rifles and shoot scaled down silhouette tgts to replicate the longer shots. In prep for a guided mule deer hunt in MT this year I'm setting up a practice range with field expedient rests and tgts at varying distances. I did the same last year in prep for an antelope hunt in WY and the actual shot on a buck was a "chip shot" when compared to what I practiced for. I'd like to have a similar experience this year.

 

[Varminterror]

Just my opinion but your better off learning from a rest or a bipod first. It easier to recognize your bad habits and mistakes by ruling out the natural sway of your arms and body. Once you have mastered sight alignment and trigger control from a rested position then you can add the variability of shooting from a sitting position with shooting sticks, then sitting offhand, then standing offhand. Trying to learn to shoot offhand is forcing yourself to try to master all the principals of marksmanship all at once and will just lead to frustration and prolong the learning curve.

This.

As I mentioned above, functionally minimize your influence on the rifle with prone or benchrest positions to develop your skills for trigger management, breath management, sight/scope alignment, and target/sight/reticle picture. Once proficiency in that position is achieved, adopt a slightly less supported position, forcing slightly more shooter influence into the rifle, subsequently forcing more effort by the shooter to maintain minimal influence. Move to seated or kneeling with tall bipod or shooting stick support. Again, when proficiency is achieved, move to less supplemental support and more bodily support - seated with a sling or standing with shooting sticks, as examples. Eventually, you end up proficient all the way from full ground support to full bodily support, moving from prone/benchrest to standing offhand. NPOA and letting gravity support the rifle on your bones instead of musculature, and all of the aspects of sight/reticle alignment, sight/target/reticle picture, breath management, and trigger management will remain critical in every position.

 

[redneck]

I'm not a competition shooter by any stretch of the imagination but I do try to stay proficient for some offhand shooting.

First and foremost is to figure out a stance/position that makes you stable. You need to be able to stand comfortably and sight the rifle, don't try and shoot from a position that requires a full body flex. There are basic positions taught for marksmanship but everyone is built differently and you will have to modify things a bit to find what works for you.

2nd big is to get over the idea that you can hold the gun perfectly steady on the target. Without a rest you are bound to have some wobble. The trick is to make it manageable and then learn to break the trigger as the sights come on the target. You will not get an opportunity for the sights to align and sit steady for a 2 count while you decide to shoot. Control your breathing, keep as steady as you can, and break the trigger when things line up. The longer you struggle to hold a position the more you will wobble. The longer you try to hold your breath the more you will wobble.