How do you set up your shots?
- Thread starter kolkim
- Start date
At the range is where it starts for me. Benchwork and testing hand loads will taught me a lot about my trigger. Holding your site picture and follow through are great habits formed in any position. However, I almost always finish a range session with off-hand shooting. I like multiple targets or aiming points. With a full mag(hunting cap) I like to shoot once at each aiming point. This can also be done from a different field position for each shot.
Practice prone, kneeling, sitting, and standing. If you're getting shooting sticks practice with them. I like a lot of the suggestions so far, and agree wholeheartedly about the required hunting accuracy. As for slings you can use any to improve your hold. While not as effective as the ching sling you can put your arm through the sling as it hangs from your rifle then moving your fore arm outward and back over the sling getting a wrap of sling around your arm. This will help you stabilize the rifle while moving your elbow down and against your side.
Any improvised rest in the field is great, but shoot shoot shoot(practice, practice, practice). Also one thing, you seem more confident off hand with your open sited SKS than your scoped Tikka. Try practicing with your scope on its lowest setting(what is that by the way?). High scope magnification amplifies any minor movement, shake, or tremor which can ruin your concentration on your sight picture.
Practicing off hand can be done with any rifle or firearm, I often practice with the 22. You could even practice with an air rifle, just focus on good habits that lead to better shooting. It's probably a good idea to practice with a scope as close to your Tikka's as possible. Of course if its affordable to practice with the Tikka go ahead. When I was shooting the most frequently me and my friends would shoot close to a brick of .22 per weekend and at least 20rds from our centerfires each. Try to shoot on a regular basis as well. The worst feeling I had was when I realized I had gotten rusty and I wasn't as good as I once was.
Popped this little 2pt with my kids from my knee at 110yds Oct 14th. He was in the trees and my only shot was the shoulder. The bullet went through and through exactly where I intended. Not an amazing shot, but I hit him right where I wanted to.
Also, find a mentor if you don't have one. You have an SKS, there are many friendly SKS shoots at rod and gun clubs. A great place to get advice and hone your skills.
Good Luck and Good Hunting,
Willy
Practice prone, kneeling, sitting, and standing. If you're getting shooting sticks practice with them. I like a lot of the suggestions so far, and agree wholeheartedly about the required hunting accuracy. As for slings you can use any to improve your hold. While not as effective as the ching sling you can put your arm through the sling as it hangs from your rifle then moving your fore arm outward and back over the sling getting a wrap of sling around your arm. This will help you stabilize the rifle while moving your elbow down and against your side.
Any improvised rest in the field is great, but shoot shoot shoot(practice, practice, practice). Also one thing, you seem more confident off hand with your open sited SKS than your scoped Tikka. Try practicing with your scope on its lowest setting(what is that by the way?). High scope magnification amplifies any minor movement, shake, or tremor which can ruin your concentration on your sight picture.
Practicing off hand can be done with any rifle or firearm, I often practice with the 22. You could even practice with an air rifle, just focus on good habits that lead to better shooting. It's probably a good idea to practice with a scope as close to your Tikka's as possible. Of course if its affordable to practice with the Tikka go ahead. When I was shooting the most frequently me and my friends would shoot close to a brick of .22 per weekend and at least 20rds from our centerfires each. Try to shoot on a regular basis as well. The worst feeling I had was when I realized I had gotten rusty and I wasn't as good as I once was.
Popped this little 2pt with my kids from my knee at 110yds Oct 14th. He was in the trees and my only shot was the shoulder. The bullet went through and through exactly where I intended. Not an amazing shot, but I hit him right where I wanted to.
Also, find a mentor if you don't have one. You have an SKS, there are many friendly SKS shoots at rod and gun clubs. A great place to get advice and hone your skills.
Good Luck and Good Hunting,
Willy
At the range is where it starts for me. Benchwork and testing hand loads will taught me a lot about my trigger. Holding your site picture and follow through are great habits formed in any position. However, I almost always finish a range session with off-hand shooting. I like multiple targets or aiming points. With a full mag(hunting cap) I like to shoot once at each aiming point. This can also be done from a different field position for each shot.
Practice prone, kneeling, sitting, and standing. If you're getting shooting sticks practice with them. I like a lot of the suggestions so far, and agree wholeheartedly about the required hunting accuracy. As for slings you can use any to improve your hold. While not as effective as the ching sling you can put your arm through the sling as it hangs from your rifle then moving your fore arm outward and back over the sling getting a wrap of sling around your arm. This will help you stabilize the rifle while moving your elbow down and against your side.
Any improvised rest in the field is great, but shoot shoot shoot(practice, practice, practice). Also one thing, you seem more confident off hand with your open sited SKS than your scoped Tikka. Try practicing with your scope on its lowest setting(what is that by the way?). High scope magnification amplifies any minor movement, shake, or tremor which can ruin your concentration on your sight picture.
Practicing off hand can be done with any rifle or firearm, I often practice with the 22. You could even practice with an air rifle, just focus on good habits that lead to better shooting. It's probably a good idea to practice with a scope as close to your Tikka's as possible. Of course if its affordable to practice with the Tikka go ahead. When I was shooting the most frequently me and my friends would shoot close to a brick of .22 per weekend and at least 20rds from our centerfires each. Try to shoot on a regular basis as well. The worst feeling I had was when I realized I had gotten rusty and I wasn't as good as I once was.
Popped this little 2pt with my kids from my knee at 110yds Oct 14th. He was in the trees and my only shot was the shoulder. The bullet went through and through exactly where I intended. Not an amazing shot, but I hit him right where I wanted to.
Also, find a mentor if you don't have one. You have an SKS, there are many friendly SKS shoots at rod and gun clubs. A great place to get advice and hone your skills.
Good Luck and Good Hunting,
Willy
My scope's magnification is 3-9x and I always shot at 9x, but it makes sense to shoot at 3x at 50 yards so I will do that next time. I want to get a 22 with a scope for practice although my .270 rounds aren't that expensive as I reload my own. I think my next gun purchase will be a sling, either a ching sling or a USGI sling.
That deer with his tongue sticking to the side made me laugh
Without a doubt, all of my 'best shots' happened off-hand, with animals moving, sometimes at distances of 250 yards, and the rifle just came up and it's hard to describe but I just channeled the shot, through the rifle and afterwards it was like, wtf...
I can think of a rapidly walking black bear at 250 yards, a mulie buck in a snow storm heading into the timber, a black bear walking rapidly at close range that I worked the bolt like it was a semi-auto... I think about those shots and I don't know how I did them. The gun was just an extension of me hands, arms blash, blah, blather...
Having said all that, given the time, I prefer to use something for a rest. I like to go to one knee and anchor off the other knee, or sit and rest both elbows on my knees (probably my fav' rest).
I have a bipod; tried it. Now I never use it. Never shot an animal using it.
I can think of a rapidly walking black bear at 250 yards, a mulie buck in a snow storm heading into the timber, a black bear walking rapidly at close range that I worked the bolt like it was a semi-auto... I think about those shots and I don't know how I did them. The gun was just an extension of me hands, arms blash, blah, blather...
Having said all that, given the time, I prefer to use something for a rest. I like to go to one knee and anchor off the other knee, or sit and rest both elbows on my knees (probably my fav' rest).
I have a bipod; tried it. Now I never use it. Never shot an animal using it.
On scope magnification: I keep the scope on the lowest magnification while I'm walking/stalking. If I see something and have a chance to set-up a shot, that's when I'll grab the magnification ring. If I'm on a stand, or otherwise waiting in ambush, I may adjust the power in anticipation.
That said, I also do most of my "practice shooting" at the lowest power of my scope. (practice shooting being different from load development, plinking and sighting-in).
I also have frequently used the method Banditos wrote about. Though I'm most often the "bipod" and would normally be holding binos during the shot (and wearing electronic ear defenders [got addicted to them in the late 1980's!]).
Tho' something to think about when using human rests, is that I have a small scar on my right "trap" where the sling swivel of a light .300WinMag cut me.
PS
I love my 3-point slings, especially on my (stupidly) heavy rifles (I've got one that slightly exceeds 20 lbs!); but even on a light rifle, a "hasty-sling" on a correctly adjusted 2-point (standard) sling is a great help in all positions!
That said, I also do most of my "practice shooting" at the lowest power of my scope. (practice shooting being different from load development, plinking and sighting-in).
I also have frequently used the method Banditos wrote about. Though I'm most often the "bipod" and would normally be holding binos during the shot (and wearing electronic ear defenders [got addicted to them in the late 1980's!]).
Tho' something to think about when using human rests, is that I have a small scar on my right "trap" where the sling swivel of a light .300WinMag cut me.
PS
I love my 3-point slings, especially on my (stupidly) heavy rifles (I've got one that slightly exceeds 20 lbs!); but even on a light rifle, a "hasty-sling" on a correctly adjusted 2-point (standard) sling is a great help in all positions!
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Dry firing is one of the best things you can do to improve your shooting. Make tripley sure your rifle is unloaded, pick a spot on the wall, aim and press the trigger. Pay attention to where your crosshairs are when the striker falls. It's a good time to learn to run the bolt from your shoulder too. And no, you won't hurt your rifle.
For whitetail hunting I usually watch fence line or cut lines, I sit in a beach lawn chair an use shooting sticks. This is steady as your back is supported by the chair and also very comfortable can sit for hours. I always have my shooting sticks because I know i am a horrible shot off hand. The trick is to lean your back or gun on somthing solid to help steady the shot.
I hear the budget model is a foot of pool noodle with a slit down one edge.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Gotta love the guy who says he shoots running animals at 250 yds offhand. Reminds me of so many hunters stories where "I shot a 14 point buck at 400 meters, running, offhand. I'm just that good." I'd love to see someone demonstrate such an amazing feat.
Its rare I can't find a tree, log or stump to use as a rest in the forest. My pack works great for shots above the treeline. Not that a bipod isn't great, but its more weight and hassle than I'm willing to deal with.
Please don't do this. That is an air rifle, not a centerfire. Shooting from a vehicle aside, the noise of a gun fired inside a vehicle is something you will be reminded of for possibly the rest of your life. The recoil may produce some unpleasant effects as well.
New Camper
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lurking in the woods near SFRC.
earplugs. After sustaining gunshots unprotected years ago, I decided it was worth it more to be able to hear while rocking in my chair, than to shoot that particular animal. Last few times hunting, I've always had time to use earplugs: They are conveniently wedged between scope and mounting rail. Using electronic ear muffs are a viable option when one expects game to be flushed - grouse, ducks, or driving for deer when hearing is needed, but loud noise will be encountered, automatic shut off is well worth the thirty dollars plus batteries.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
