Been shooting our winter local league and am noticing a pattern I am not sure how to correct. At all distances I seemed to have developed a flaw to were when I am missing they are generally to the left and low. This is all being shot from a bench using a Harris bipod and a rabbit ear rear bag. Very seldom am I missing right. Other times I can place 5 shots inside a 1" dot at 100yds. Of course this is more pronounced at longer distances.
Erratic Shots?
- Thread starter KMW 1954
- Start date
Some thoughts assuming you are right-handed:
Scope canting?
Trigger finger position not centered on trigger and not pulling straight to the rear, i.e., pulling to one side?
Not applying uniform shoulder pressure against the stock shot to shot, i.e., pressing forward?
Not applying uniform pressure by bottom four fingers on the pistol grip of the stock. Thumb wrapped tightly around pistol grip - instead place thumb alongside of stock.
Not following through with shot.
Changing head position on stock / changing cheek weld.
Try some extensive dry firing at 100 yards at a diamond shape bull concentrating on your technique until you develop consistency as evidenced by constant reticle position on the bull shot to shot.
Scope canting?
Trigger finger position not centered on trigger and not pulling straight to the rear, i.e., pulling to one side?
Not applying uniform shoulder pressure against the stock shot to shot, i.e., pressing forward?
Not applying uniform pressure by bottom four fingers on the pistol grip of the stock. Thumb wrapped tightly around pistol grip - instead place thumb alongside of stock.
Not following through with shot.
Changing head position on stock / changing cheek weld.
Try some extensive dry firing at 100 yards at a diamond shape bull concentrating on your technique until you develop consistency as evidenced by constant reticle position on the bull shot to shot.
Being uncomfortable is not conducive to sustained good shooting. Becoming "one" with the gun is the key to sustained good shooting, something I learned in 30 years of NRA Precision Pistol competition. In other words, the rifle when in the shooting position should feel like a natural extension on your body. If you are fighting the fit, it's difficult to shoot well.
Stock fit is necessarily overlooked a lot of the time because most of us cannot afford the cost of a custom fitted stock. However, today a few brands of firearms are coming with modular stock designs so that the rifle can be adjusted to fit individuals such as adding adjustable check risers and adjustable length of pull. These features provide a better fit and result in better shooting. This should be a prime consideration for target shooters in selecting a rifle / stock.
Tikka is one example that I am personally familiar with. I purchased their aftermarket vertical pistol grip for my sporter T3X rifles, and it made a significant improvement in my ability to shoot these rifles because it gave my trigger finger a better fit to engage the trigger properly.
I gave you a response over on Savage Shooters. I see in your pic
that your not showing the rear bag you are using. It's all about the
art of the squeeze as you break each shot. Shots going low left and
on a regular basis ?? Your squeezing a little extra as you anticipate
the shot. Raise the butt, you lower the muzzle. Same with shot going
left. Your putting too much pressure to the left side of the bag.......
Check that adjustable butt plate for any side slop. That's not your
friend either when the cap busts.....
that your not showing the rear bag you are using. It's all about the
art of the squeeze as you break each shot. Shots going low left and
on a regular basis ?? Your squeezing a little extra as you anticipate
the shot. Raise the butt, you lower the muzzle. Same with shot going
left. Your putting too much pressure to the left side of the bag.......
Check that adjustable butt plate for any side slop. That's not your
friend either when the cap busts.....
Consistent cheek weld and consistent eye alignment with reticle is important. I have used vet wrap to raise my check weld. It isn't the most pleasing sight, but it works and it's cheap.
I assume the scope is mounted for your optimum eye relief resulting in a full view of the reticle without any shadows.
I have some questions.
What cartridge are you shooting?
What is the weight of your rifle?
You didn't say how far off, from the center of your 1" inch centered group, how far off are these low left shots?
When are you getting them in the sting of fire, mostly first shot, mostly last shot?
Are they more towards the end of the shooting session?
Is you parallax adjustment spot on?
What power is your Athlon set on shooting 100 yards?
What trigger release weight?
I guess I sound kind of nosey, but anyone of these, a combination or all could have an effect!
If it were me.....along with the other suggestions, dry fire is my friend (@K22). I wouldn't change anything and at distance on the same target, using the 40 power magnification, dry firing 20-30 times or more, if I can detect the reticle movement moving low left and that might help me diagnose what I'm doing different during that dry fire than the others. If I can detect the reticle movement I have my training tool. Now I can check all the suggestions, one at a time, and make adjustments and test each at a time, using dry fire, to determine when I can identify an improvement.
What cartridge are you shooting?
What is the weight of your rifle?
You didn't say how far off, from the center of your 1" inch centered group, how far off are these low left shots?
When are you getting them in the sting of fire, mostly first shot, mostly last shot?
Are they more towards the end of the shooting session?
Is you parallax adjustment spot on?
What power is your Athlon set on shooting 100 yards?
What trigger release weight?
I guess I sound kind of nosey, but anyone of these, a combination or all could have an effect!
If it were me.....along with the other suggestions, dry fire is my friend (@K22). I wouldn't change anything and at distance on the same target, using the 40 power magnification, dry firing 20-30 times or more, if I can detect the reticle movement moving low left and that might help me diagnose what I'm doing different during that dry fire than the others. If I can detect the reticle movement I have my training tool. Now I can check all the suggestions, one at a time, and make adjustments and test each at a time, using dry fire, to determine when I can identify an improvement.
Coyotefurharvester
Silver $$ Contributor
Could be simple, scope has a reticle shift when magnification is changed. If your dialing,don't your sighters confirm your numbers? It's league, you shoot same distances/targets.
Yes and I responded to your post there. It is a green Caldwell rabbit ear. One many have suggested to be replaced and I agree as of 22 members I am the only one using one. I also asked for clarity to your term "hard hold", don't think I am quite following the expression.
The adjustable rear butt is very secure and tight. I do struggle to get it pulled out.
Hoping to shoot practice target this Saturday and as with some other suggestions I will be paying attention to the items you pointed out in both responses..
League we shoot different targets and different distances every week. Targets are quite varied in how they are shot and how they are scored.
1. 223REM, Savage model 12, 26", 1:9 twist, heavy Varmint barrel. 60gr VMAX over Benchmark powder
2. No idea, haven't weighed it. Not required for the league
3. There is no distinct measurement. Generally between 7oclock and 8oclock and increases with distance. But in general most of my shots when I miss are to the left side and low. The ones that are high or right I can generally call those as a mistake.
4. Place in string makes no difference, can be first, last or anywhere in-between. Very random.
5. Adjust parallax at each distance change while looking through the scope.
6. Normally shooting at 24 TO 32X depending on target design.
7. Again no idea but it is adjusted as light as it will go before I get trigger hang-up.
Thank You....
1 & 2 I would rule out recoil, the gun looks heavy and the peewee 223 is light. Of course you know that and now we know it as well.
3. When you call a high or right shot as a mistake, have you identified what specific caused the mistake? Trigger released off target, flinch, something on the table top, sitting uncomfortable, bad wind call? If we can call the high and/or right shoot we should have the tools to diagnose the low and/or left.
4. We can rule out shooting fatigue, unless we arrived that way!
5. Unless there is something adverse with our eyesight, and you would be aware and suspect of this, than we can eliminate any miss adjustment, although there could be something going on inside the scope, but I would doubt it, and that wouldn't be first on my list to question.
There is nothing in those answers that jump out as a cause and anything you probably have not thought about.
I will go back to the rest of my post about dry fire. Sometimes we can identify when dry firing where the reticle moved, but need a coach to watch us when we do, to help identify what we may be doing at the bench. The coach watches to see a difference between when you detect a dead center hold and dead center after dry fire and that when you tell them dead center hold, but reticle fell low left. I have also found it helpful to run a ball and dummy drill. You may be shooting single load, so you would need a coach to do the loading as you looked away. Often a bad habit will show up pretty quick running this drill. I think I'm saying a whole lot of what you already know.
1 & 2 I would rule out recoil, the gun looks heavy and the peewee 223 is light. Of course you know that and now we know it as well.
3. When you call a high or right shot as a mistake, have you identified what specific caused the mistake? Trigger released off target, flinch, something on the table top, sitting uncomfortable, bad wind call? If we can call the high and/or right shoot we should have the tools to diagnose the low and/or left.
4. We can rule out shooting fatigue, unless we arrived that way!
5. Unless there is something adverse with our eyesight, and you would be aware and suspect of this, than we can eliminate any miss adjustment, although there could be something going on inside the scope, but I would doubt it, and that wouldn't be first on my list to question.
There is nothing in those answers that jump out as a cause and anything you probably have not thought about.
I will go back to the rest of my post about dry fire. Sometimes we can identify when dry firing where the reticle moved, but need a coach to watch us when we do, to help identify what we may be doing at the bench. The coach watches to see a difference between when you detect a dead center hold and dead center after dry fire and that when you tell them dead center hold, but reticle fell low left. I have also found it helpful to run a ball and dummy drill. You may be shooting single load, so you would need a coach to do the loading as you looked away. Often a bad habit will show up pretty quick running this drill. I think I'm saying a whole lot of what you already know.
I’m relatively new to long range shooting and I have a similar flaw except it’s low and right shooting prone at 600 and 1000 yards. Like you sometimes I can shoot a string of X’s. This flaw is not present when I shoot off a bench. I’m almost certain the cause is in my grip and/or trigger pull. I just converted to a vertical grip and plan to do some dry fire drills.
Well folks I believe the advice and pointers presented in this thread have helped. Paid special attention to a few things that were the most suggested and also altered my rifle setup in that I moved the bipod from the rear lug to the forward lug on the fore-end. That helped dramatically and wish I had done that long ago.
This past weeks target shot at 200yds. Scoring is the numbers with the red doubles/triples. Outside ring is 5 points, inside ring is 10 points. hits in the red do not count. Last 2 years all shots were aimed into the 7 score ring.
This target has historically been the lowest aggregate scored target of all 10 that we shoot.
This past weeks target shot at 200yds. Scoring is the numbers with the red doubles/triples. Outside ring is 5 points, inside ring is 10 points. hits in the red do not count. Last 2 years all shots were aimed into the 7 score ring.
This target has historically been the lowest aggregate scored target of all 10 that we shoot.
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