Target shooting is a popular pastime and can provide many hours of fun. But to get the most fun and usefulness out of target shooting, there are ways of practicing that improve the shooting experience while also improving shooting accuracy in the field. The following are five useful tips.
Practice the Shooting You Will Be Doing
Shooting from a bench is fine for sighting in a rifle, but when preparing for hunting or competitive shooting, it is best to practice the routine that you will be doing in the field. If a hunter uses shooting sticks while hunting, those would be fine to practice with while target shooting leading up to a hunt. If a hunter or competitive shooter typically fires from standing or prone positions, those should be the positions from which he or she practices.
Know Your Trigger Throw
Most people understand the basics of breathing, holding a rifle properly and how to adjust for bullet drop and wind conditions, but many do not take into account the trigger throw and distance the trigger must be pulled before the hammer strikes the cartridge. Knowing exactly how far a trigger can be pulled before it will release the hammer enables the shooter to sight in the target, draw slightly on the trigger, and then take the deep breath and release half of it before giving the trigger a final bit of pressure.
Practice to Avoid the Flinch
Being comfortable with the rifle is one of the best ways to ensure accuracy after it has been sighted in. A rifle that has a strong recoil can cause a shooter to flinch during the trigger pull and miss the target or vitals on prey. Practicing by dry firing the rifle might seem like a bad thing for some people, but dry firing will not damage the hammer or trigger and can instill confidence in shooters while practicing the proper sighting, breathing and trigger pull techniques. It also can save money on ammo by ensuring the proper shooting techniques are being used.
Don’t Use Too Much Rifle
Having fun while target shooting means using firearms that are comfortable and won’t intimidate the shooter. If a cartridge, like a .30-06 or .300 WinMag, is too much for a shooter, stepping down to a more comfortable caliber that won’t scare or intimidate is the way to go. There is a good reason why most people started with a .22 long rifle.
Know When to Stop
While a long day at the shooting range is a lot of fun, if the weather conditions or other factors make it difficult, it’s best to stop and come back another day. Wasting ammunition and poor practice can cost a great deal of money and develop bad shooting habits. Churchill shooting