Guys, I am fixing to start target shooting because I can't hit the broad side of a barn. I can shoot better groups at fifty yards with a bow than a gun, but I want to get better. Is there more too shooting a gun than holding the crosshairs on the target and squeezing the trigger?

I shoot some F class with a 308. I am not the go-to guy for this stuff, but this is what I work on. Trigger time.

Call your shot when the gun goes off. You should see your aiming point as the gun fires. If you can't see it then you are closing your eyes. That is a flinch. If you call an x and you hit a 9 you need to figure out why. Did the wind change?Trigger time.

Mount your gun. The butt of the rifle should be in the same spot every time. Your cheek weld to the rifle stock at the same place every time, before, during and after the gun fires. Follow through on every shot. Trigger time.

Control your trigger. Trigger time. Know when it breaks and feel it break every time.

I have read and heard a bunch of stuff on how to breath at a bench and while prone. For me I try to shoot on the exhail. I never hold my breath and then exhail for the shot. Trigger time.

About 6 years ago a bench rest shooter told me to take the thumb of my trigger hand and lay it on the stock behind the receiver. On a right handed shooter the thumb will tend to pull your shots left due to the thumbs pressing on the stock. That little tidbit of info has help me more than anything else. Trigger time.

Trigger time. You have to put bullets down range. Shoot as much as you can. I lay on the floor and dry fire. It helps but you gotta shoot. Did I mention trigger time.

I just shoot for fun but here is my 2 cents-

Develop proper technique like you would for training for any kind of sport. Try to not develop any bad habits that you will have to break later.

Watch for guys at the range who do shoot well and have them watch you while you shoot and they can give you tips. Find SAFE guys to shoot with. Most guys at the range are glad to help. See who does well and then watch and ask how they do it.

You didn't mention what your gonna shoot but do a lot of practice with 22LR- they dont kick and are cheap. If you try to shoot a lot of heavy high power stuff your probably gonna start flinching, so work up a tolerance for it.

I think if you can get comfortable and settle the gun so you can see the cross hairs holding steady on your bullseye and you can make a controlled trigger squeeze, do not pull it, without moving the gun you will be off to a good start.

You will find some guns have really sweet triggers and are easy to shoot good groups and other guns have crappy triggers and just dont shoot to well.

Also some ammo is sometimes really good in some guns and some ammo is not too good in any gun.

You shoot a bow- use the same approach for shooting a gun. I bet you did a lot of practice and worked on your technique till you got it down pat.

GOOD SHOOTING!

I think one of the best things you could do, if you are serious, is get a coach. Someone that has been or is serious about target shooting. One of the best things is observation. Your coach will observe your technique at the bench and the little pointers will be invaluable. As Dick said, Trigger time, but good technique is important. Good luck. One thing that will help is a very accurate rifle.

I'd start with a .22LR and practice my trigger sequence until the cows came home. If you can consistently hit the bull with a fairly good quality .22, then when you step up to a real long-range gun, you'll have the let-off portion down pat. The shot is made or lost when you trip the trigger. When you do it right, you'll know it before the bullet leaves the barrel. When you do it wrong, you'll know it in just as much time...

Starting with a 22 is good but for distances of 100yarsd I would go for a mag. The problem with the rim fire is that you can not control the particulars of the load by more than sorting by weight.

There are aspects of your rifle that you can not control. If you have a rifle that is known to produce groups by others then your techniques is in need of work. If the rifle is of an unknown accuracy level things like a lighter trigger 1-2 pounds, a bedding of the action and a good sighting system may help. Your rifle must be able to shoot before you can diagnose your technique.

Also your position is important to the standards that you should expect. If you are shooting 5 inch groups off hand with out a sling you really are not doing badly.

There is allot of printed material out in cyberspace that can get you acquainted with the different methods. Do a "Google" key word search and you should be able to find more key words to bring you to where you want to be.
Good luck.