cant get scope to stop jumping

[jjohnson]

I know some of you have read my post on which rifle I should buy but this is a whole new problem I need to addres before buying anything. I have been practicing with my new heavy barrel 22wmr, getting ready for squirl and cyote season. I get a good shooting position and sight picture but when I am shooting (mostly at 100+yds at x9 power) I can realy see the cross-hairs jump on the target every time my heart beats. when I say it jumps it jumps bad and realy throws me off! I watch my breathing like I was tought but it doesnt help. I was told by a friend that since I am a muscular and have big developed shoulders from years of weight lifting and wrestling that my body make up is not good for long range shooting! Is this a major problem or can it be fixed? If I can't get this under control I am never going to hit anything with a large calibur at long range. I know that I did not notice this at all with any of my old guns, I have shot expert with every weapon system I have ever fired in the military and as a police Officer (All pistols or iron sights on rifels and machine guns). I was brought up on iron sights and shotguns (A good old fashiond American farm boy you could say), the whole scope thing is faily new to me. Is this a common problem for newbies or is it my build like I have been told

[doc76251]

A couple of questions and with a little intuative thinking you may be able to try some things. Since you said Military I will AssUMe that you know what a good shooting position is.
Are you using a sling? bags? bipod? or bench? With a sling a pulse is more noticable w/ a scope because of how it wraps around your hand, hence highpower shooters use a glove.
With any of the other methods, are you using a rear bag or trying to hold the front of the rifle? A rear bean bag that is gripped by the non-shooting hand makes for a very stable platform.
Butt position in the shoulder. The butt of the rifle should fit in the pocket of your shoulder right on top of the thinnest part over your collar bone. It get's wedged into position when you bring your shoulder forward. If you put your left fingers on your right collar bone and do the "Dracula swing the cape in front of your face" move you will feel where the shoulder muscles come forward and bunch up. Right at that crease is where you want the butt of your rifle.
You said your a pretty big guy. Are you laying flat on your belly or up on one side? If your a belly shooter try to get up on one side, it will take the preasure off your full chest and put it on your left side rib cage. Bring your right leg up and put your heel on your left knee cap. Your whole body will be in line except where your right elbow and right knee hit.
Natural point of aim, not only good for follow up shots but good to keep you from fighting the gun and makeing the body work which increases blood pressure which makes your pulse stronger.

Food for thought.

As far as your body type and build not being good for rifle, I call BS. I have shot with some VERY BIG BOYS that work for our gov't and get paid to shoot long range. They shoot just fine.

Cheers [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[jjohnson]

thanks thats what I wanted to hear. I kind of thought he was full of BS also since I have seen some bigger guys shoot but I had to ask. As far as my shooting I do most from a modifide roll over prone (more weight on the side with the rifle and my body is slightly bent like an L with my opposite leg slightly bent up to my side) I use this for long range shots with my duty weapon (sig p220 on man sized targets up to 75 yards, remember its a auto pistol 45acp with factory sights, thats what I consider long range for that and got realy good from there I have been using it for the rifle because it is the most comfortable for me to stay in for long periods of time. I am using a sand bag on the front of the gun but nothing on the rear at this time, and I was putting my non-shooting hand on the bottom of the stock.

[gmiller]

this may be a little personal but have you had your blood pres. checked latley?high blood pres.will make your crosshair jump problem much more extreme (you will have some pulse induced movement but it's usually not too bad.)i'm a big guy myself and i shoot out to 7-800 yds. regular and i can really tell when my pres. is up just a little .just my .02 worth GM

[jjohnson]

acctually I am in very good health, I was at the dr's office just 2 days ago and he said that I was good to go, rested hart rate at 58-65 bpm and my blood presure was perfect. Maybee I just need more practice with a scoped gun.

[milanuk]

FWIW, I do think it is a little odd for you to be seeing a lot of jump in the scope on only 9x, w/ it on a bag. Unless you have something freakish like a major blood vessel very close to the surface right under where you are contacting the gun, I'm not entirely sure how that would happen. I don't see a lot of pulse even w/ a 16x or more scope. Since you said the doc gave you a clean bill of health, I guess we can rule out extreme high blood pressure [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] Maybe try w/ a coat or something else for padding btwn the gun and your shoulder and see if it diminishes the apparent pulse bounce.

Monte

[jjohnson]

actually I do have alot of viens that show in my soulders and chest even when I am relaxed. When I get a good pocket on the stock my shoulder gets as hard as a rock. Trust me when I say that I am not intentionally flexing or anything like that at all but when I raise my arms even staying relaxed "like to shake someones hand" they get real solid. As far as the scope jump, I should specify that I am shooting at a 3" target at 100, and a 6" at 200+ on 9X. On those targets I can watch every heart beat very prevalent, it will bounce off the bull and them come prety close to right back on again. When it comes on is when I am trying to fire but its kind-of hard to get used to everything at once,sight pic, triger finger, breathing and this heart beat thing. I realize I am a beginger with a scoped gun and will probably get better with time and practice, I just wanted to know if this was normal for everyone or is it like you said am I kind-of a freak since it only happens when I have it in the pocket.