getting behind the scope ?
- Thread starter rebs
- Start date
Don't know what you're doing mechanically, or what you're firing off of (bipod or some kind of rest) but this can happen if you're breaking your position after every shot. After squeezing off a round, don't move keeping head and shoulder in same position as you eject and chamber a new round to fire, then fire and repeat.
Deleted member fkimble@charter.net
If it's simply a head to scope left/right up/down issue, you can move your head back or move scope forward to reduce the view thru the scope. Tihs will help you to get/keep your target centered in the scope lens with a smaller image. Could also be an out of adjustment parrallex adjustment on the scope. Are you shooting off a bench with good support?
Frank
Frank
It does take alot of concentration on everything to break your position and go back each shot. Best to try and stay locked in if possible.
DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
I admit I have the same problem. Everything I shoot is a factory rifle with some upgrades and it's difficult at best to not break position due to the heavy bolt lift. I'd hire a shooting coach for a few hours if I knew where to find one near me. Never heard about the lens cap trick before. I'll be trying that on my next outing. Hopefully it will help me identify some problems.
DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
Forgot to say I'm a recreational shooter and can't get to a range often due to still being a working stiff. I've thought about investing in a custom action but just can't justify the expense right now or at least not until retirement.
What diameter should the hole be in a lens cap?
What diameter should the hole be in a lens cap?
FeMan
Gold $$ Contributor
Scope mounting is one thing that could help. Too many people get some bases and rings and mount a scope and then adjust themselves to see through it and shoot. I always get behind the rifle in the position I am going to be shooting it most (bench, prone or hunting) then close my eyes, get comfortable on the rifle, then open my eyes and move the scope to make sure in/out and up/down (with different rings) to make sure it is in a natural position. Ill do may iterations of this until it is right. It is tough to be consistent if you have to carne your neck or move closer/farther than you want to to get a sight picture.
Is the cross hair adjusted for your eye? If not properly focused it can be the cause. I've seen this over the years being a surveyor.
Are you using “Natural Point of Aim”?
If not familiar with what that is, in a nutshell it means getting the gun lined up on target while you hardly touch tighter gun at all, then you settle in behind the gun and a slight final correction on the crosshairs and let it go. If you’re having to move it more than a couples of inches or target, the you are putting too much pressure on the gun and inducing (probably varying) amounts of torque into the shot. That easily causes “flyers”. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
On the bench, and even using my shooting tripod in a deer pop-up blind, I also do a kind of “Free Recoil”. That’s when you don’t hold the gun tightly (inducing torque as explained above), don’t lean into it hard at the butt plate, off hand not even touching the gun. IDEALLY - When the shot goes off the gun slides straight back on the bags and then slides back forward again and should be fairly close to the NPofA again. Don’t fight or try to prevent any movement during the recoil, just “go along for the ride” with it. Death grip on the grip is bad too. Everything should be relaxed when that shot releases, at least that’s the only way I can be assured that I wasn’t the cause for that “flyer”. At least that’s been my most reliable approach gathered from 50-some years of trying to shoot the best I can on every shot. You’ll also be able to “Call Your Shots”, you’ll know where a shot lands before you even look at the target. You’ll know where its going because you saw where the crosshair was when thre shot released.
At least that’s what worked for me the last decade or two. YMMV, of course!
Hopefully some part of this long winded advice will be of some help for ya. If not, just remember what you paid for it……
If not familiar with what that is, in a nutshell it means getting the gun lined up on target while you hardly touch tighter gun at all, then you settle in behind the gun and a slight final correction on the crosshairs and let it go. If you’re having to move it more than a couples of inches or target, the you are putting too much pressure on the gun and inducing (probably varying) amounts of torque into the shot. That easily causes “flyers”. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
On the bench, and even using my shooting tripod in a deer pop-up blind, I also do a kind of “Free Recoil”. That’s when you don’t hold the gun tightly (inducing torque as explained above), don’t lean into it hard at the butt plate, off hand not even touching the gun. IDEALLY - When the shot goes off the gun slides straight back on the bags and then slides back forward again and should be fairly close to the NPofA again. Don’t fight or try to prevent any movement during the recoil, just “go along for the ride” with it. Death grip on the grip is bad too. Everything should be relaxed when that shot releases, at least that’s the only way I can be assured that I wasn’t the cause for that “flyer”. At least that’s been my most reliable approach gathered from 50-some years of trying to shoot the best I can on every shot. You’ll also be able to “Call Your Shots”, you’ll know where a shot lands before you even look at the target. You’ll know where its going because you saw where the crosshair was when thre shot released.
At least that’s what worked for me the last decade or two. YMMV, of course!
Hopefully some part of this long winded advice will be of some help for ya. If not, just remember what you paid for it……
CharlieNC
Gold $$ Contributor
Try setting up at home for dry fire practice. When doing this close your eyes before settling comfortably into final position. Then open your eyes, and you may see the scope view is not "perfect" such that you are compensating with your position vs moving the scope to align with you. Dry firing has fewer diversions that at the range, and you can recognize some issues easier that way. Now I'm going to dry fire practice before the match Sat!
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
If you are consistently getting the same “bad” results on group size and pattern then it’s probably not you but rather the rifle won’t shoot a good 5 shot group with the ammo or load you are using.
Of course make sure your parallax is dialed out when using high mag levels and good shooting form is always a must, but none of that will cure a bad load in a rifle.
Of course make sure your parallax is dialed out when using high mag levels and good shooting form is always a must, but none of that will cure a bad load in a rifle.
You have not given nearly enough information. Does your scope have an adjustable objective, or side parallax adjustment. or neither? If it does the answer may be one thing, if not...another. Is it always three and then two, or do they sometimes alternate? What kind of rifle and what caliber. If it is a bolt action, has the action been bedded and the barrel floated? What is the weight of your trigger? Are you comfortable when in shooting position? Do you stay in position throughout the shooting of the group....if not, why not? Is the rifle able to slide freely on its bags?
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