You miss 100% of the shots you don't take?

quote:

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take?

Plus One on that!

"No animal has ever been killed with a clean bore"

Frequent practice needed. Less powder consumption and less fatigue using reduced loads. Results shown from yesterday's range session using my Ruger No.1 9.3x74R with 285gr bullets and Blue Dot measured with a Lee powder scoop to save time. Zeroed for my hunting load (320gr at 2200 fps) so at 1500 fps muzzle speed it shoots low at 100 meters.

The rifle has a balanced and lightweight handy feel. The trigger isn't bad but lock time is pretty laid back with its internal hammer that swings through a wide arc.

The trick for me was realizing that I'd seldom be able to hold a rifle steady. I could either squeeze the trigger when the sight alignment was good enough and getting better, or jerk it when it was good enough and getting worse. The first works better. The odd time the crosshairs will hang there for awhile, but I've come to regard those as a gift.

On a good day the crosshairs will float across in slow motion, and the trigger will break as they approach center. I shot this group when I was in a groove and didn't want the feeling to go away. 50 shots with a .458 Win Mag at 100 yards.

quote:

Originally posted by Gundog 64:
King,
Look on You Tube for any videos done by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, you could also look on their website. All I can tell you having spent many hours and thousands of rounds practicing my offhand is, "It ain't easy" but you can learn. I still struggle as do most, but I feel I am a much better than average offhand shooter, but given the chance it is always my last option.

Couldn't agree more... and get your self a copy of the Army Marksmanship training manual and read it, then read it again, and a couple more times after that.. then buy a decent 22 and a case of ammo (10 bricks) and start working on your technique. Bad habits are easier to identify and correct when shooting a 22 than a center fire. after that, centerfire offhand will come more naturally.. good luck

quote:

Originally posted by Dogleg:
Perfection is the enemy of the perfectly adequate. Try for perfect and get nothing. Get so scared of missing that you can't hit anything.

In offhand perfect sight picture is an occasional thing. The rifle wonders about, generally following a pattern. So the shooter can anticipate when the sight picture is approaching perfection and can commence pressing to the rear on the trigger. As the sight picture loses perfection the finger goes to "hold" on the trigger until the rifle wonders back to the target and the press continues. It's a matter of recognizing perfection and timely action.

A Prairie Dog shoot is terrific fun and practice! I like to take a fast varmint caliber centerfire and a .22 Magnum/scoped. I would shoot a few at longer range with the centerfire, then switch to the rimfire. with Prairie Dogs you learn to "get on him quick" or he goes in the hole! It is the same way with Big Game, learn how to get into position ( whatever time/terrain allows and 'shoot him"! Don't dawdle! In the timber its good to remember "there is a lot of air" between all those branches/brush! Pick a hole and "finesse him". I too highly highly recommend a rimfore for practice. Heck, even a pellet rifle in the basement is good too!