Sunday will be my first SB match, {Last mo was canceled}. Ive been practicing both live fire and dry. Ive gotten so that I can hold pretty much on horizontaly but verticaly I still bounce up and down alot. I try to start above the target and slowly drop till Im on but I cant seem to drop smoothly. It drops in jerks. Is there anything I can do to help this or is it just practise practise practise... In practise I can hit 19 out of 40 regularly [without a timmer, crowd, etc...] but this bouncing up and down doesnt seem to be getting better. Im using a hunter class rifle with a 4x12 scope set at 10x [ the most I can go without wiggle becoming too much.] Any Ideas on how to tame this bounce would be most apreciated. #57

My 2 cents (which is maybe worth that) is to make sure you are focusing on the animal instead of focusing on the crosshairs/dot in the scope. I find that by focusing on the center of the animal, that the crosshairs tend to migrate naturally to that spot. If I try to focus on the crosshairs, then I tend to get jumpy and over-correct, resulting in more misses.

Also, check to make sure that you have a solid stance and position for the shot. Consistency and relaxation are more important than textbook-perfect technique.

If you can already hit nearly half of the animals, you are quite a good shooter to begin with.

SteveM.

That is very good advice to focus on the animal better yet a spot on the animal. Then push the cross hair to where you want it.
You mention bouncing on the way down, this in normal. Try holding your left arm out horizontally and lower it slowly pointing at a target like you were holding a rifle. Now try starting a bit lower and raising it into the target and you should notice less bouncing. Because you arm is dampening the movement. Just like the rifle weight will dampen the upward movement. This is quite common in newer shooters. It still seems best to pick a spot on the animal and drive or push the cross hair to the point. So get 4 or 5 bricks of ammo and work on pushing the crosshair to where YOU WANT IT. Put some spots on the animal and drive and push to the spots. Then after a couple weeks and 4 to 5000 shots you should see a change.

The vertical movement you are talking about most often results from not having your forward arm totally relaxed. There should be no tension in that bicep at all. This can commonly result in anticipating the shop and dropping the shot low just as the rifle fires, also.

That is my main issue as well. I almost never miss left or right just over the back or low. My issue has more to deal with weight displacement over my legs and my stiff neck and back. I found I was leaning to far back and not centering my weight for a nice solid stance that was well balanced. I have since moved my scopes a bit forward to force my head further forward not inducing the off balance rearward lean I had been experiencing. So far I can tell I am more centered and my scores have gone up a bit but I think I may still need to move the scope further out.

Besides that if I could just get flexability again in my neck and back along with a custom stocked Annie 1712 I think I would improve a lot oh and then there is following through like I should etc etc etc. No shortage of points to improve on thats for sure.

Oh and just so you know the movement is magnified 4 times during a real match

Have fun and let us know how you did.


Dee

tomorow is saturday and Ill try to focus more on the target and try pushing up from under the animals . well see if that helps. I shot cowboy action for a number of years but had to quit after a drunk hit us [ wife and I ] head on out on the highway.I broke both wrists. Im still not able to shoot the hand guns But I really miss the shooting and the friends. I found small bore silhouettes while looking for a small bore game. It doesnt seem to hurt my hands like big bore does. Thanks all! #57

Dee
Create the stock you think would need. You can use double sticky tape and put layers of cardboard on your rifle stock to try different configurations. Be creative Once you have what you want have one made within the sizes the rules dictate.

Jetmugg wrote:My 2 cents (which is maybe worth that) is to make sure you are focusing on the animal instead of focusing on the crosshairs/dot in the scope.
SteveM.

An analogy I use is: "looking at the dot instead of the target is like driving your car looking at the hood ornament instead of the road". Like chassin' your tail..... Look down the road and the car will usually go there.

Remember: do as I say, not as I do....

2 more cents

Gator

We have four cents...anybody with six cents?

#57 how did you do today, we are all waiting to hear the scores?
Innocent Mary

Shoulder the rifle,

1. breathe in,
2. breathe out,
3. If your dot passes through the animal
   - breathe in one more time
   - breathe out slowly
   - When the dot settles on the animal,
   hold,
   squeeze the trigger until something goes bang,
   hold on target and watch it fall.
4. Otherwise, If the dot didn't pass through the animal,
   - shift your feet to adjust your NPA (Natural Point of Aim)
   - repeat from the top.

Well! the shooting gods have not been smiling at me lately. last months shoot was canceled. this mo I had everything ready the day before. called the RO to make shure we were still on for Sun. got up early Sun morning [ at least for me, I work nights] grabed the rifle and was headed out when I see my wife chasing me up the drive. She said our youngest son had wrecked her car. so instead of shooting I cleaned up that mess. the boys fine, but her car is totaled. Ive been kind of ichin to shoot so I was really disapointed . I did find out about another shoot about 40 mi north of here. but its at a private club. I Emailed the director to find out if their shoots are open to the public or if I needed a members guest card. So we will see. #57

#57, glad to hear the boy was ok, but what a bummer....You'll make a match soon I'm sure.
Mary

Shoulder the rifle.

1. breathe in,
2. breathe out,
3. If your dot passes through the animal
- breathe in
- breathe out slowly
- When the dot settles on the animal,
hold,
4. Zzzzzzzz

Ahhh, so you're good and relaxed!

Personally the routine I prefer is:
Putting down a pot of strong coffee
Increase blood pressure by running late
Forget your magazine
Do wind spints setting targets
Tell yourself to go to your mental quiet place (Unfortunately, it looks like Guantanamo)
Watch your reticle bounce more than a super ball
Be proud of the fact that a little fake chicken is laughing in his little steel heart at the fact that you have been humiliated again.

I find that this is the best practice for marriage that I can find.