Holding those crosshairs steady

[North Wales Hunter 6]

Hi again guys,

 

just wondering if you could give me any tips on how to hold my air rifle steady and improve my freestyle shooting. My air rifle is a springer by the way.

 

I know I put a post up about humane killing and shooting within the range you feel comfortable in, but I would like to know some some tips or techniques for a better and steady shot.

 

Thanks again

 

Jake

[R4881T 1]

Jake,

 

I had a problem with this for a while. If as you're lining up your cross hairs, rather than holding your breath to take the shot (which makes your muscles tense and invariably shake) breathe out very slowly as it relaxes the muscles and enables you to take a steady shot. It worked for me and may well for you too.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Ryan

[Rake aboot 4,935]

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/187884-prone-position-stability/

 

Check this thread out bud !! standing shots are the least preffered

 

ATB

[andyfr1968 772]

One other tecnique is to deliberatly but very slowly move the cross hair across the target then squeeze the trigger once it's in the right place.

 

That way instead of trying to hold the gun totally still, which no one can really do when standing, it's a slow controled movement but you've got to be 100% used to your gun's trigger release for this to work. That's one of the reasons a good trigger set up is so important

 

This technique doesn't work for everyone and like any other it takes practice but it works OK for me.

 

Cheers.

Edited February 10, 2011 by andyfr1968

[woodchip 2]

buy a bipod

[Phil8282 8]

For a steadier shot avoid sugary drinks and most of all caffiene! Nothing worse for shooters than to have a cup of coffee before any type of shooting! It will give you the wobbles and also interfere with your head. Have water to drink, or any squash. As has already been stated, never try to hold the gun bang on, this will cause muscle fatigue and strain, causing wobbles and in the longer term pain in the muscles you are stressing, creating, you guessed it, more wobbles!

 

Go with the flow! Breath easy, if you are preparing to take a shot take 5 or 10 slow deep breaths, push your chest out, make sure the air fills all of your lungs, this will increase the oxygen content in your blood and get your muscles and head ready for taking the shot. When it comes to your stance, make sure you are evenly balanced, don't force all your weight onto one leg. Keep your back straight as you can, if you're not used to doing standing shots it will take some strain on your lower back and intercostal muscles, once again creating pain, a mental and physical distraction that you can do without!

 

If you really want to get good at standing shots, or any shots for that matter, give "isometric workouts" a go, try holding a light weight for a perlonged period of time, (arms length with 3 kg) for example. This will bet your body used to perlonged muscular contraction and will help your body to cope with strain. I know this sounds very long and most of you probably won't pay a blind bit of attention to it, but this is the difference between a miss and a hit, or even worse a wound. 5 or 10 minutes a day justwith your gun shouldered in any position with your crosshairs over a target will help.

 

ATB, Phil

Edited February 10, 2011 by Phil8282

[darren watson 14]

its now become second nature for me to get into a stable kneeling position whenever i get a target, not only because i'm steadier but also because it makes my sillouhette smaller and harder to see against any background foliage. If i have to stand, i'll try to get my leading hand on a tree or branch or something and rest the rifle on my wrist.

[davyt63 1,845]

buy a bipod

 

 

great!! advise

[darren watson 14]

iv'e often considered getting a bipod for the obvious benefits to stability, but never shoot in a prone position as i'm only shooting roosting pigeons and squirrels at the moment. am i right in thinking that getting a bipod would be pointless unless i have to shoot rabbits from a prone position?

Edited February 11, 2011 by darren watson

[andyfr1968 772]

Bi (or straight, gay, curious) pods don't work on springers, it fecks up the way they recoil which in turn ruins the accuracy unless each and every shot is taken from the pod.

 

They're fine on PCPs and Co2 guns but not much use on a springer.

 

Cheers.

[zini 1,939]

Hi mate,

 

Let the rifle recoil on its own accord and don’t try and pull the rifle in to your body to tight.

 

Only rest the rifle on your palm when aiming, it doesn’t need a tight grip.

 

Try and keep your supporting arm as close to your body as possible using your elbow as a table leg and your palm as the table top.

 

Make the final aim of the shot on your outward breath.

 

Stop you’re breathing so the diaphragm doesn’t move then squeeze off the second stage for the trigger.

 

Keep your eye looking through the scope until you have heard the pellet impact.

 

Keep your trigger finger pulled in until you lift your eye from the scope approx 2 seconds after you take the shot, these two tips are part of something called follow through and is very important on any rifle but especially spring piston rifles.

 

Remember to squeeze the trigger not yank it.

 

Practice in this way and your shooting will improve 100% I guarantee you pal.

 

Si.

[darren watson 14]

top advice as per usual from si there. i'm constantly trying to get better at standing shots using the technique he's just mentioned above and slowly getting there. its also easy to under-estimate how much the 2 seconds or so follow through helps you keep calm and steady throughout your shot as well. the main reason i want a springer again is to keep skills/techniques like these sharpened. good luck with your shooting mate, you'll find no end of good advice from the guys'on here

[ghillies 209]

try relaxing, shallow breath (same as the breath out bit about), as you 'locate' the target practice bringing the hair on target in one gentle movent,(not swinging about looking for target,then putting the hair on...then aiming...then hold breath...then panic the trigger off cause your sufacating lol) gentle as in the grips a just holding.. only way i'd exsplain the grip is like touching a new borns cradle spot, definatly dont push on it..so a ''firm' but lose 'sticky grip' that starts the instant you lift the gun straight on target...

 

yup let the springer shoot, if hold it tight well..try lifting a bag of potatoes 30 times and exspect to relax on target lol...(can be dun like...after 3-5 years serious training weights running etc lol...)

 

 

so..see your target, bring the gun up and on target in one, if you move the hair onto target your lateraly tensing mustles. (like sidways,up,down,diagonal etc). so as your still 'gripping' the recoil hits that musstle lateral tensing and bounces more.

 

as you come to target, time your trigger so that everything goes on target at that trigger moment, then continue to see the hairs on target (follow through, an yes even with a springer)). at first it doesnt seem like time enough, but as you practice that half a second can feel like an internaty, or just another casual step as you walk.

 

its the stopping, aiming, then squeezingthe trigger the brakes the 'fluidity' of it all... the harder you try the more you will shake, the tireder you'll get and the more you'll shake...chaising yu tail.(same with the breathing..try holding your breath for as long as you can some time then notise how heavey you breath is as you panic and sufacate lol...heart pounds more...

 

chill dood...let it go.

 

 

edit....its not 'snap shooting' thats some thing else.

Edited February 11, 2011 by ghillies

[North Wales Hunter 6]

Hi all thank you all for all of the tips they will be practiced on monday when I go home.

 

Thanks alot guys :thumbs:

 

Jake