Wow, thank you for that info, I'll be sure to creep out my family and practice with my empty rifle when I'm not at the range.
One thing that I've noticed is that I do anticipate the shot and I'm fairly certain that kills any semblance of aim I may currently have. I'm not "scared" of the rifle, it's not even too loud (I have great headphones) and the kickback isn't all that bad, either. I find that I usually close my eyes and tense up when I pull the trigger. Do you perhaps know of any tips or tricks to help relax, or is it just a mind over matter sort of deal I need to work on?
Thanks again, I appreciate you taking the time to help a newbie out.
No troubles.
What you can do is a couple things.
The best (it sounds ridiculous but it really works) literally say quietly to yourself once you hold your breath and start the slow steady squeeze "sights, sights, sights, sights" as you focus on them and start squeezing the trigger smoothly. It will take your mind off expecting/anticipating the shot. It only works if you choose to use the take in a breath and hold method.
Another is an old army trick, lay prone with the empty rifle like you were before, #### the action, balance a dime or small coin on the barrel end somewhere near the tip and go through the whole breathing control, hold, focus on the sights, "sights, sights, sights", squeezing the trigger all the way through. See if you can get it done without knocking the coin off. Keep doing it until it becomes second nature.
It's not the sound or the kick of the rifle that most people anticipate that throws off their groups, they just anticipate when the trigger will break and makes you flinch subconsciously, it also makes you lose focus on your front post and sights for that most important split second before it breaks. Like I said before as well focus on squeezing the trigger slowly without pause all the way from the start to the very back of the trigger movement. It will break somewhere in between but you should be focused 100% on the sights and not when it will break.
You will find one of two things as you practice this live with ammunition in the rifle, you will either be a person who shoots better when they go through the whole proper shot routine very slowly, or you may have to speed it up a notch. I find personally if I take too long on the whole routine that I tense up too much and my groups go right out of it.
Practice it slowly at first until you can get that 4"-8" circular consistant groups at 100 meters then try speeding it up, then try slowing it right down. See which works best for you.
