Aiming point

[stubbicatt]

Watched that video at the Bulletin page showing Mike Huckaba shooting his rifle, and the photo of his group as viewed through his riflescope. It prompted a question for me: do you fellas pick an aiming point located away from where your shots fall? I mean, if you picked the center of the bullseye as your aiming reference, and you put holes in it, doesn't that make it difficult to find a proper aiming reference thereafter?

Thanks.

Regards,
Stubb

 

[Lapua40X]

... do you fellas pick an aiming point located away from where your shots fall?

The aiming point depends on conditions, especially wind conditions. It is not always possible to aim for the point on the target where you desire to have the bullet impact and achieve success.

 

[LHSmith]

They actually pick a point where they want the group to form (POI) which can vary from shooter to shooter, many want the group to form at the bottom (6 o'clock) of the inner circle (aka the mothball), and aim accordingly based on what sighter shots (unlimited) and experience tells you.
As said above, the aiming point will vary depending on conditions (as shown by flags, wind probes, and mirage present at the exact time of the shot. Remember, you're just watching just one group (a Match) being shot (alloted time of 7 minutes). The day's contest will consist of 4 more matches (5 Total) which is an Aggregate. Depending on the number of competitors, there may be several relays, based on the number of benches available, causing the agg to last several hours.
Setting wind conditions aside, typically mirage conditions WILL change due to temperature, humidity, and differing levels of light.......to prove this point, place a relatively high powered scope in a solid rest and observe the POA wander around the target over a period of several hours.
So, you may start the first match zeroing the sighters to where you want the group to form....but almost always you are going to have to revert to Kentucky windage to counter the mirage (and wind if present)....and NO, it is not a good idea to keep re-zeroing the optics (in most cases).
Here-in lies the difference between casual shooters who claim their rig can shoot .xxx groups "all day long" and competition shooters' scores........the casual shooter controls his results by time, pace , and place....the competition shooter has finite limits when shooting "for record" and had better be on his game when "commence fire" is given as there is no do-overs, or wait for MY condition to come back.

 

[stubbicatt]

Thanks guys. Just looking at the BR target, it would seem to me, the uninitiated, that one would level up his cross hairs on one corner of that box like device, and adjust the POI in the round target area below it to where he wants it, thus giving him an unchanging reference for that target. Hold off's for wind would be uninfluenced by elevation by merely sliding the aiming reference to the left or the right along the horizontal printed line provided. If one needed an elevation adjustment due to fishtailing winds from down range or from behind the shooter, the reference of that horizontal line would be handy I would think.

I guess that was the purpose for my question.

 

[Eddie Harren]

If you aimed at the lower left corner, of the black square, and you needed to hold a bit high and right, you wouldn't get a very good sight picture.

 

[expiper]

OP,,I try to have my gun mechanically "zeroed" and the any left/right or up/down is caused by condition,,,,then I can correct the appropriate amount by holding if I ever have to go to the sighter target,,,I prefer to not return to the sighter and simply hold/fade with the conditions if/when they change,,,,It is difficult to aim at a box that is wayyyy up the paper from then intended pt of impact,,,and that black box is to avioded like the plague because if a bullet evr get in it you prolly wont see it!!!....remember it is rare to ever shoot 5 shots and NOT hold just a little...Roger

PS for LONG range shooting I let my last sighter shot at 5 seconds tell me where the gun is hitting (the best info you have is the last shot down range) and then use a coresponding hold on the bulls-eye...

 

[Lapua40X]

I find it humorous that, throughout the years, we've developed a lot of fancy sighting mechanisms for our rifles but if you don't understand how to use "Kentucky Windage" you probably ain't in the top ten.

 

[FergusBailey]

It can actually be quite difficult to tell where a shooter is holding if the winds are up, as fall of shot on the target may not have a lot in common with the shooters actual point of aim on the target.

The actual point of aim used varies a bit from shooter to shooter, but most use the "mothball" as the main reference point. Using the mothball gives a good reference to hold off using the lines as vertical or horizontal aiming points if you need to hold off for any shots.

Some shooters set their point of aim to match their point of impact - ie the shot hits the point they are aiming at. Others prefer to have the shots fall slightly away from their holding point - ie hold at 12:00 o'clock on the mothball, but have the shots form up in the centre of the mothball. Some will hold in the centre of the mothball - this is mostly shooters who prefer a dot reticle, which centres fairly intuitively in the centre of the mothball.

I have tried having shots actually hit to point of aim, but don't like it. I prefer to see the shot strike above or below my point of aim as I can see it more easily and therefore shoot quicker. I tend to hold 3:00 o'clock or 9:00 o'clock on the mothball depending on wind direction, with the shots striking just under the point of aim.

It is not too important where you hold as long as it works for you. but it does need to be consistent as you are trying to develop a pattern in the subconscious - kind of a "muscle memory" thing where you can shoot without thinking when the conditions are right.

 

[SS427]

I've tried it both ways and now I like to hit my aiming point. I think it is easier to adjust for the wind that way. If I recall correctly, in the Jack Neary tuning videos he suggests it. When I don't intend to hit my aiming point, I try to place the group below and between the rings. I measure my groups with calipers and if I hit the black ring it makes it harder to measure...I think I end up measuring bigger and I certainly don't need that.