Steadying the crosshairs

[CleanShot]

Hello

How do you go about steadying the crosshairs? They move around quite a bit on me. Is that a matter of practice? I'm usually fine in probe but I struggle in seated position. I'm not sure if folks use their bags or other things to help keep them steady while in these positions and if so how.

Thanks

 

[dok7mm]

Always a tough position for me. Ideally, you would have a fixed front rest ( a taller bipod or tripod ) and your back against a solid support w/ your elbows supported on your knees. Try different angles with your body to find which gives you most comfortable and solid hold. Experiment with different holds that tax your muscles the least and practice, practice, practice. Breathing, heart rate and muscle control are the most important factors after you establish a steady position. In a hunting situation, all the practice should pay off, if you don't try shooting past the effective range of your ability to cleanly take an animal.

 

[augnmike]

Being a hunter who hangs out with guys who shoot metal at distance they have convinced me that I tend to shoot way over magnified. These guys shoot 10x to a thousand

 

[Barrelnut]

Try one of these (the taller one) if you have to shoot seated a lot to get above grass or whatever. I use one of these with a tall harris bipod pretty effectively.

Bipod Buddy Home

It's kind of a crutch, but all types of rear support used for long range shooting are, even a rear bag.

 

[CleanShot]

All great pieces of advice. Thanks! I do shoot over magnified but I felt that allowed me to see the crosshairs best. I guess it also exaggerates the movement and makes your muscles work harder to steady it. I'll keep practicing and consider getting a tall bipod. Thanks again.

 

[CleanShot]

So I figured out what I was doing wrong. I tried to use my arms to told the crosshairs steady. Today I tried to find my natural point of aim and by the end of my session at the range I was doing much better. Getting settled into it is not all that easy for me yet. I find that even my micro adjustments can move my NPA by a pretty good distance. I think I'm doing something wrong so I'll spawn off a separate thread about that.

 

[royinidaho]

CleanShot,

See my response to your other post.

Any position other than prone, in my line of work, isn't suitable for LR shooting. All other positions decrease the shot to one of being of low probability. They seem to work well for me, when things are right out to 400+ yards.

They way I hunt and shoot prone is the only position used.

 

[CleanShot]

CleanShot,

See my response to your other post.

Any position other than prone, in my line of work, isn't suitable for LR shooting. All other positions decrease the shot to one of being of low probability. They seem to work well for me, when things are right out to 400+ yards.

They way I hunt and shoot prone is the only position used.

I guess I'm a newbie and I don't feel comfortable taking an animal past 400 yards yet. Other positions are most likely to me and I'd like to master them.

 

[FEENIX]

I guess I'm a newbie and I don't feel comfortable taking an animal past 400 yards yet. Other positions are most likely to me and I'd like to master them.

Good on you for recognizing it ... you're way ahead than most when you know your limitations.

Take your time and enjoy the experience, it definitely does not happen overnight.

Practice, practice, practice ...

Good luck and happy safe hunting/shooting.

 

[moombaskier]

I will disagree with the lower your magnification idea. Higher magnification will allow you to aim small so you miss small. Learn to keep those crosshairs steady before and after the shot. Dry fire practice is a great help. The prone position is my only position past 400 yds.

 

[JeffP40]

It looks like you are figuring it out. If you are in a position that takes muscles to hold it, you will see the muscle quiver in the hairs. Shooting 50' smallbore is probably the best way to learn to hold a rifle. You have a sling and you learn to hold with bone structure instead of muscle. After a while, you will feel yourself relax and let the bones hold you if you are in the correct position. Tight slings are a great aid to steady position shooting.

 

[Rick Richard]

To shoot tight groups, let the rest do its job of supporting the gun. The shooter is there to simply break the trigger (over simplified to make the point). Also, too much magnification will cause the shooter to loose focus and continuously attempt to compensate for the constant movement.

 

[StrutNut]

Maybe I am doing it wrong but it works for me. I shoot the same way I do with my bow. Line up correctly, close your eyes, open them back up and make sure you are still on the bullseye. I tend to not look at the cross hairs as much as I know I am lined up and really focus on the target. I exhale out and hold it and slowly squeeze. I practice dry firing all the time from a variety of positions. Focus on target and squeeze. I think the key is making sure everything is lined up perfect so you can close your eyes, open them back up and still be right on the money. I ended up getting a raised cheek rest so I line up better on the center of the scope. I have a good bipd and rear bag as well. It all seems to work together for me anyway.

 

[roninflag]

by shooting in f-class competition it will be second nature.