Proper Shooting Technique

[Darkhorse]

Good pictures Guy, thanks. I wonder about using the sling and if it changes where the bullet hits? With my McMillan stock which is quite stiff there has been no difference but wonder about more flexible stocks and guns with barrel bands like your No.1.

Years ago I did a lot of informal match shooting, there were several gun clubs in surrounding counties and we held rotating matches. The centerfire was 4 position, 5 shots at prone, sitting, kneeling and offhand. I always shot with a sling.
At that time it was all wooden stocks. To prep mine I generously floated the barrel to where the stock never touched regardless of position or pressure, and bedded the rifle.
100 yards using a 100 yd. smallbore rifle target. With the rifle prepped so, I never noticed a change in POI from any position.
Things got real competitive after awhile. We even had some folks from Ft. Benning attend some of our matches. If you had more than a couple in the 8 ring you didn't place. I managed to win my share so I would have noticed a change in POI.
On the other hand I would not trust either my Browning Abolt synthetic or my Tikka T3 not to have a POI change because of the flexibility of the stocks. I would not even trust a bipod but that's just my personal opinon. I have been giving a lot of thought to adding some glass bedding to the forends just to stiffen them up.

 

[Guy Miner]

Good pictures Guy, thanks. I wonder about using the sling and if it changes where the bullet hits? With my McMillan stock which is quite stiff there has been no difference but wonder about more flexible stocks and guns with barrel bands like your No.1.

Yup. Most match rifles have Very Free-floated fore-ends, and sturdy stocks, so that the pressure from the sling doesn't affect the barrel. I don't have my old Palma rifle anymore, but that thing had a wonderful custom walnut stock that really had a large space around the barrel, and was also very stiff & strong.

The McMillan on my Green Machine is also very stiff and sturdy and that barrel is free floated. I haven't noticed any difference in POI from sling to non-sling positions with it.

I did some messing around with the .375 H&H Number One, with the barrel band. If I put just modest pressure on the sling, just enough to stabilize the rifle, I can see no change in the POI at 100 yards. If I go reefing on that thing like I'm Scotty trying to crank out a max set of pushups, then yeah, I can make the POI shift, because the sling is putting pressure directly on the barrel. Pretty stout barrel contour on those .375 cal Ruger single shots.

My 700 CDL's with their fairly slender barrels and slim stocks, are subject to shift in POI if I use the sling really tight.

I've learned to back off a bit from the really tight sling tension I used to prefer.

FWIW, Guy

 

[truck driver]

When I first got my 300 Weatherby Vanguard I had some serious POI change. It is a S1 and the cheap plastic stock that came on it was as flexible as a plastic spoon. Just the weight of a bi-pod hanging on the front sling stud would cause it to change. I was really put out with this rifle expecting more out of it because of the brand name.
To fix it I placed the action in a B&C Medalist stock and floated the barrel and put a Timney trigger in it. The front sling stud is screwed into the aluminum chassis that is molded into the stock. Very stiff and won't flex.
I also had the forearm on my M77 warp and had to gut it and fill with glass to stabilize it and the action which also made a world of difference in it's accuracy. Also the POI hasn't changed with the 1.5-5 VXIII I put on it right after bedding it back in the 1980's.
The old M725 has had nothing done to it except a new barrel and the original stock with factory bedding hasn't changed, POI is the same. The M725 is my most accurate rifle with the Douglas XX air gauge barrel on it.
An accurate rifle with a light trigger pull makes it easier to make those off hand shots we all dread when there is no rest available.

 

[Guy Miner]

Gerry - I really like this post.

My opinion - we should all spend more time, effort, thought and money on improving our shooting, rather than acquiring the latest and greatest cartridge/rifle/scope/whatever...

But improving our shooting is work sometimes. It's nitty gritty, not exciting, and doesn't make for pretty pictures. So... We tend to not emphasize it. It's much easier to spend a grand on a new rifle, than to spend two days a week working on marksmanship.

FWIW, Guy

 

[DrMike]

Improving our shooting is work sometimes. It's nitty gritty, not exciting, and doesn't make for pretty pictures. So... We tend to not emphasize it. It's much easier to spend a grand on a new rifle, than to spend two days a week working on marksmanship.

FWIW, Guy

All too true, Guy. All too true.

 

[truck driver]

Guy I'm with you on that one. When I was younger I could only afford one rifle and wore the barrel out using it for everything but I could hit what ever I wanted with it from any position because I learned that rifle inside and out. Now I have 5 rifles and only 2 of them that I'm confident enough with that I can hit what I'm shooting at all the time because I haven't shot the others enough to know them. So I think it's time to down size and thin the herd out after reading this post it has made me realize that I have at least one rifle I won't shoot much and I should send it on it's way to someone who can use it.

 

[gerry]

Good thing shooting is fun so more practice is an easy thing to do. Hope the weather improves for this weekend since we didn't get a chance to head out this last weekend.

I had a nice little Browning BLR rebored to 260 Rem that we put a barrel band on which was a mistake on my part since the barrel is such a light contour, point of impact was definitely affected by the sling, something which I won't do again. The heavy contour barrel on your 375 H&H No. 1 would be a lot less sensitive than the BLR I would bet.

 

[Guy Miner]

Guy I'm with you on that one. When I was younger I could only afford one rifle and wore the barrel out using it for everything but I could hit what ever I wanted with it from any position because I learned that rifle inside and out. Now I have 5 rifles and only 2 of them that I'm confident enough with that I can hit what I'm shooting at all the time because I haven't shot the others enough to know them. So I think it's time to down size and thin the herd out after reading this post it has made me realize that I have at least one rifle I won't shoot much and I should send it on it's way to someone who can use it.

Agree - I'm about to thin the herd yet again. I've got this great .300 WSM Model 70 that I've almost sold several times. Once I did sell it and bought it back eventually.

I almost NEVER use the danged thing! It shoot great. But... what am I going to do with it? Been trying to figure that out since I first bought it... quite a while ago.

Doubt I've put more than 100 rounds through it. Yup, it's apparently not high on my list of preferred firearms. Though it looks great. Feels good. Shoots just peachy and has a Jewell trigger... I dunno, we will see. If I was truly into long-range hunting, I'd keep it for sure, but that seems to be an area, out there much beyond 400 - 500 yards, where I'd just as soon not shoot game.

Guy

 

[Wis65x55]

Improving our shooting is work sometimes. It's nitty gritty, not exciting, and doesn't make for pretty pictures. So... We tend to not emphasize it. It's much easier to spend a grand on a new rifle, than to spend two days a week working on marksmanship.

FWIW, Guy

All too true, Guy. All too true.

Does anyone know of a shooting school/coach? I am trying to improve my technique without reinforcing all of my bad habits.
Keith

 

[Guy Miner]

If you want to come to Washington, I teach. NRA High Master with the rifle. SWAT sniper instructor. Handgun instructor. Shotgun instructor. NRA instructor. I'll send you a PM rather than advertise for free here on Nosler's dime.

Guy

 

[Vince]

Guy,

To a great extent I agree with you but I am something of a rifle slut. Having only been at this for four years or so I've got a lot of catching up to do as far as selecting the right rifle, etc, etc.

I've finally selected the four rifles I'm going to keep, not counting the right handed 25-06 or AR, and it's not all new and flashy. The 6.5x284 for long range fun, the 22" 30-06 for stand and brush, the 26" 30-06 for long range deer and intermediate range elk, and the .338 for the big stuff if I feel the need.

Over the course of time I've worked with every rifle I own to learn them. I like to shoot so going to the range is fun for me. I've come to learn that I'm more of an exception to the rule. I shoot throughout the year unlike a majority of hunters. I thought we all spent time at the range throughout the year? How little did I know when I started this voyage.

Vince

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[Guy Miner]

Heck Vince, I have too many rifles myself. If I was truly honest with myself I could do everything I do now, with three rifles:

.22 Marlin 39A
5.56 AR-15, match grade (scope it for varmints, peep sights for NRA match shooting to 600 yards)
.30-06 bolt action, with a 6x scope

Truly, those would be the only rifles I'd need for target shooting, varmint & coyote hunting and big game hunting. Sure could raise a fair chunk of change if I'd just sell all the others and concentrate on getting good with those, and enjoying them afield...

Guy

 

[Vince]

I left out my lever gun and .22LR.

I won't part with those either. Don't get me started on handguns. The wife thinks I have an armory. I'll have to take her to a friend's house. His gun room could fill a store and then some. He has one model, new and unfired, of every handgun S&W made in 1973. They are stacked in boxes by the door to the gun room.



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[truck driver]

Well I've been practicing my standing off hand door seal rest position with my sons El cheapo 177 brake barrel air rifle with the ghastly horrible trigger pull on the squirrels that frequent my bird feeders and I unintentionally head shot one at about 40yds this mourning. I usually only shoot at them to scare them but the wind must have been right and with the open sights I got lucky or unlucky with the head shot. Open sights and nasty triggers will help hone your skills also.