10 minute read
GOOD SHOOTING ADVICE
BY JOHN COLEMAN
Most people have slightly different ways of shooting, but the basic principles remain the same. To be an outstanding shot, a person has to have natural ability and aptitude right from the beginning, the same as any top sportsman. Thereafter, practise, practise, practise! If you do not have natural co-ordination, quick reflexes, discipline and determination you will never be an outstanding shot, but with the right attitude and training, most people can become competent, good shots. This applies to both competition target shooting and hunting. I will be mainly covering shooting under hunting conditions.
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When choosing a hunting rifle, get a good, reliable brand and make sure that the weapon fits and is not too light for the occasion or too cumbersome and heavy for the person to handle. It should not have such violent recoil that it will make the shooter “gun-shy”, causing flinching and missing or wounding. It should also be of legal calibre for the animals to be hunted. Make sure the feel and balance is right for you. After you get your firearm, learn how it works, handle it (unloaded) extensively and get used to its feel, so that when you point it, it is on target. Also, get used to the trigger pressure by dry firing at imaginary targets. (In doubles and certain old makes of rifles, dry firing causes damage to the action and firing pin, but with modern magazine rifles, it does not do any harm as a rule). When dry firing, get someone to balance a coin or other small object on edge, on top of the breech or scope when you are aiming. If the coin falls off when you pull the trigger, then you are jerking it.
Make sure the bullets to be used are the right weight and construction to do the job and are readily obtainable. Once you have settled on a suitable bullet weight and brand, do not keep
chopping and changing. To set or ”zero” your point of aim, fire some groups of three or four shots from the same position at the same point of aim at a target at 100 metres, using a good rest (or a bench-rest if available). Make sure the fore-end of the stock rests on something soft but firm, like a sandbag or hard cushion. If resting directly on a hard stone, metal or wood surface, the rifle will shoot high. I do not recommend sighting in at 25 metres (as the “manual” suggests) except to initially centre the point of aim on the scope or iron sights. If the sight is slightly out at this short range, it will be far out at normal shooting distances. In general, the point of impact at 100 metres should be between 15 and 50mm above centre, depending on trajectory and velocity of the bullet. (I prefer to have it dead on at 100m). If it is off-centre, adjust the sight accordingly. If the group is consistently scattered, there could be a problem, such as head spacing on the bolt or bad bedding. (It could also be just bad shooting, so get someone who is a good shot to check it!) If the rifle groups badly, unless you are an expert, get a gunsmith to check this and remedy it. A well-constructed rifle should get groups of between 25 and
50mm at 100 metres. A heavier barrelled rifle generally groups better than a very light one, but in most hunting scenarios this is not very critical because you do not fire more than one or two shots at a time. Always re-set your sights when changing bullet weights or make of cartridge. I prefer to use open iron sights for close-up shooting on big game because they don’t get knocked skew easily and are ideal for quick shooting. With open iron sights on a heavy rifle, I set the sights to hit dead on at fifty yards.
It is of paramount importance to use a good ‘scope and to have it well mounted on the rifle; badly made ‘scopes and loose mounts
are a cause of bad shooting. You have to be very careful not to bump the ‘scope hard, as this often puts it out of setting. It is not necessary to get an enormous, “astral telescope” type ‘scope. Big optics help in very bad light and high magnification is ok for spotting, but enormous ‘scopes are cumbersome. For shooting, even at distances up to 300 metres, I do not recommend magnification of more than 7x; most people shoot better with lower power. A reliable make of variable 2x7 is a good choice and for a set ‘scope I recommend 4x. The design of the reticules or cross hairs is quite important and I find that the “dual X” type is best suited for most hunting. Heavy cross hairs or big dots cover the target at distances.
Before you go hunting, make sure your ‘scope is fastened tight and check the point of aim by firing a couple of shots at a target from a good rest and adjust if necessary.
Bumpy travel, hard knocks and bad handling can put the alignment out and altitude affects the elevation, especially at longer ranges. If you set your sight at low altitude, it will cause the rifle to shoot high at high altitude and vice-versa, if set at high altitude you will shoot low at low altitude. It is always advisable to sight-in near the area where you will hunt, but not too close to unduly disturb the game. Always make sure the holding screws on your rifle and scope are tight. Before firing the rifle, swab out the oil from inside the barrel and chamber. When shooting at a stationary animal or target there is usually enough time to consciously control breathing and trigger pressure. Just get steady, breathe normally, settle on your point of aim, breathe in fully and when you have let out about a quarter of a full breath, squeeze the trigger. When hunting, with snap shooting or on moving targets, you must fire offhand, taking the shot when you can and smoothly pull (not jerk) the trigger as the sight centres on the point of aim. Shooting at distances over 100 metres, especially with a light rifle, wind direction and strength have to be taken into consideration and, with strong crosswinds, it is advisable, if possible, to manoeuvre into a position where you can shoot directly up-wind or down-wind; otherwise, you have to aim slightly off to one side or the other. It is amazing how far out a bullet can be deflected with a crosswind, particularly with lighter calibre rifles at longer ranges. The “weather” or “mirage” can also put your shot out. This appears as a slight haze running across your vision at longer distances and must be taken into account for deliberate firing. You must aim off, as for crosswind. Most people close one eye when aiming but, with open iron sights and ‘scopes at shorter ranges, I keep both eyes open, thus seeing better all around. I am right-handed and my right eye is the master eye, so centres on the target. This takes a lot of practise, but can be mastered with perseverance. With target shooting there is no danger and very little adrenaline rush or “buck fever” involved. With hunting, there is the build-up of excitement whilst stalking, getting into position and picking the right target. Shooting at a live target is a completely different ball game from target shooting. The method of trigger pull is slightly different and, generally, there are no perfect rests or shooting aids when hunting and distances are not pre-set. You must judge the distance and aim accordingly. The military-type competition shoots are more similar to hunting shooting. There is snapshooting, double-tap, moving targets and run-up shooting. In the deliberate “application” or Bisleytype competitions, time must be taken, breathing regulated and the trigger has to be deliberately squeezed until the shot goes off, whereas with snap and moving targets, as with a lot of hunting situations, the trigger must be smoothly and quickly pulled. “Lunging” or pulling down on the fore-end as the trigger is pulled must be avoided. When aiming, grip firmly with both hands, but not too tightly and, with a rifle that has heavy recoil, pull the stock firmly into your shoulder. Do not fire a heavy rifle from a prone or semi-prone position; it will hurt you if you do! “Buck fever” and flinching are the main causes of bad shooting with most hunters, and people take shots without following correct procedures or cool action; they just lose their heads with excitement, even if they are excellent target shooters. In most cases shots have to be taken quickly and from positions that are not ideal and, quite often, offhand with no rest. Discipline is very important and, with dangerous game, fear and panic cause wounding and tragedies.
In dangerous situations, you must keep your nerve. If you cannot control your fear and impulses, do not hunt big game; in fact, you should not hunt at all!
When shooting at an animal or target, always “follow through” after the shot goes off. This will enable you to “call” the shot and
will help eliminate flinching. This means keep looking through the sights and hold your point of aim at the target after you have fired the shot. With a moving target, follow the point of aim, lead that point slightly, fire and keep following, looking through the sights. This takes a lot of practise so do not take running shots unless you need to. Except in a war, you do not need an automatic or semi-automatic firearm. One or two well-aimed, deliberate shots are far better than a whole magazine of automatic fire. “The more lead you have in the air, the less you hit”; that is a fact! Do not go blasting away as fast as you can; you will not have good results. Do not take chancy shots; if the animal runs, you can follow it up or hunt some more and find another one. The first shot must count, so make it a good one! Do not take impossibly long range shots. In hunting conditions, very few people, apart from professional snipers, can shoot accurately at over 300 metres. Study the ballistics, particularly trajectories of the ammunition you are using so that you know how much drop there will be at various distances and aim accordingly. Another thing, don’t try to force an extra round into the breech on top of a full magazine; you can jam the rifle that way and you certainly don’t need or have time for more than two or three shots as a rule. Load from the magazine.
Always ensure careful handling of firearms and never point them at anyone or anything you
do not intend to shoot. Always identify your target before pulling the trigger. Except in a combat situation, before travelling in a vehicle or entering a building, remove the round from the breech, making sure the firearm is not loaded or cocked when you close it. Never let anyone handle your rifle before you remove all ammunition, unless they are about to shoot. Remember, you cannot take back a shooting tragedy! If someone has a certain style of shooting and gets good results, do not try to change that style. Why change something that works well?
Attitude and state of mind. If you are uptight or unwell, you will
not shoot at your best. The same applies if you have had much to drink the night before. Under no circumstances go hunting or target shooting when under the influence of liquor or narcotics; that is asking for trouble! In fact, even one drink the previous night can affect your precision shooting in a competition. Aggression or fear also causes bad shooting and unexpected reaction from big game. Get your mind calm and overcome your fear before approaching. If you are shaky, sit down, contemplate and calm down before getting into a shooting position. Children should be taught how to shoot and handle firearms responsibly and correctly. Then they will learn what a firearm can do. They will realise the terrible consequences of shooting someone and will not imagine that they can shoot at people without injuring them, as appears to be the case in movies.
Finally, always clean and lightly oil your firearms after shooting and keep them locked in a gun-
safe when not in use. If standing unused for long periods, take them out, handle them, clean, and oil them regularly. Take good care of them; this will ensure reliable operation and could save your life in a bad situation.
