"Kim"Mike would you share how exactly you practice indoors? (Obviously outdoor practice includes wind hold-off) ie, what aspects of shooting do you work on to improve accuracy/consistency? Trigger pull, follow-through, experimenting with different pellets, rest points, frequency of cleaning, etc?
Also noticed on your (excellent) target, there is slightly more horizontal than vertical stringing. Do you know why?
Thanks!
Kim
Hello Kim
the horizontal stringing might have been caused by me hanging the target sideways when I shot it....You saw that??You have a real discerning eye!
To improve on my accuracy/consistency, I try to find a target where the bulls-eye is about the same diameter as the pellet's. In this case, I was trying to shoot out the center of a 1/4" circle. Shooting at such a small target helps me focus. Shooting at a number of targets..100...helps me stay focused...keeps me in the moment. Sure it's repetitive, but that's target shooting. And yes I do shoot all 100 in one sitting. I an not just trying to hit the target....I am trying for a dead-center shot every single time...practice with a purpose.
My trigger is set very light...around 7oz. During my practice sessions, I try to move just my trigger finger when taking the shot. My grip is light, like you would hold a bird. The rifle is not touching my shoulder. I adjust the aim by manipulating the rear bag
I make sure that I am consistent in my cheek meld...again a very light touch between the cheek and the rifle.
When I aim at a target, I usually try to hold the point of aim for a second or two to establish that position is stable. I exhale, keeping the target dead on sight's, and just before I inhale, I take the shot, then I hold that position until I can clearly see where the shot has landed...I guess this is what you mean by follow through.
I have tested a variety of pellets in my rifle, mainly because I wanted to see for myself which pellet was the best in my rifle. Pellets are cheap, so I bought a few here and a few there. I tried a lot. Each one I will subject to the same testing to see if it can be a precise pellet. The ones that pass the test in my indoor range are tested at a longer range to find the most stable pellet. I used to think that the JSB jumbo heavies in the 5.52 head were the best for my rifle, until I accidentally tried the same pellets in a different head size. Now I find that the best pellet for my rifle is the JSB jumbo heavies in a 5.53 head. Just a small amount of difference, but it was noticeable when you fire off 100 shots at 100 targets on the same piece of paper.
Rest points....not to sure what we are talking about here...I am only guessing you are asking where I place my bags when shooting....the answer is at it's balance point where it is at it's most stable ???
Frequency of cleaning...I usually pull a dry patch through the barrel after every 100 shots. I will use a wet patch(soaked in cleaner) after every 500 shots. I like to keep a clean barrel
I really hope this helps/make sense
Mike
