Better rifle shot... help?

[wraithen]

Ok, so I've put a couple thousand rounds through my .223 now and I'm getting into reloading for economy and getting the bullets I want when I want them. I'm in the army and know the basics of shooting. I know for a fact that my rifle is at least an MOA rifle because I did it once. My normal groups at 100 for a 5-7 round group are about 2 inches. The biggest problem I have now that I've gotten used  to using a scope is I usually can't get the scope to settle down. I have a set of bipod legs and I've tried various positions with my arms to settle the rifle. I've tried my left arm up on the stock, wrapped around the back of the stock and locked on my right bicep, and resting my cheek on my left hand as it steadies the butt of the rifle (all three are different positions.) For whatever reason, I usually have an issue getting the rifle to be still enough to keep crosshairs on the X, at least for the first round of the magazine. After that I can usually get a pretty steady shot and my next 4 shots are much quicker and steadier. Are there any tricks to getting myself to not be pulsing so much for the first shots of the magazine? The scope is only a 9 power but I kind of need that to see the X accurately. I feel like I'm on the verge of getting clover leafs consistently but can't quite get there. Anyone else have this problem before and know how to get past it?

[uplandhunter870]

for me personally when shooting off a bipod i will hold my hands just like i hold a pistol, not the cup and saucer technique but the "other" way, ill explain.  im right handed so my right hand goes on the grip and trigger as it normally would and i put the palm of my left hand on my right fingers, pretty much a two hand grip on the grip of the rifle. this allows me to use my elbows as a rear bipod, in prone my elbows are on the ground and in a sitting position i rest them on my knees. once im steady ill exhale, hold my breathe and squeeze off the shot. ive tried the off hand on top of the comb resting my cheek on it, under the stock holding my bicep and a few other positions and the dual hand pistol grip works best for me.

[BOWHUNTER45]

1st thing is to control your breathing ...take a couple deep breaths and let out half of your next while holding the other half .... eventually if your really concentrating on the bullseye... the movement will slowly get steadier... usually as it starts slowing down I start to put pressure on the trigger and has the crosshairs hit the center of the bullseye I will squeeze it off ....I always squeeze the trigger by slowly applying pressure by tightening up my finger pressure....some people will squeeze on a quicker note but when the gun goes off it should be a total surprise to you ....knowing when it is going off usually means your worried about the kick or your jerking the trigger.....My dad taught me about jerking the trigger the hard way .... I think I was 7 or so and we were out shooting and he kept saying I was jerking the trigger ...Of course I called BS  He HAD ME SO PISSED I way  So I walked off to cool down and when I got back I got back on the.243 took aim AND CLICK ... The gun raised up 2 inches and did not go off .... :yoke: He turns to me and said ( NOW ) Your not jerking the trigger ? That thought has been in my head for 30 + yrs and I done it to my boys too ...  :Tupi:

[KFhunter]

yup


trigger pull is everything, this is why so many folks upgrade triggers to jewell or timney triggers - it's to facilitate their trigger pulls with a better trigger

if your blood pressure is high and your pulse is hard and pulsing good luck

[addicted]

Can we see a picture of your shooting stance?

As mentioned, trigger pull can make it difficult..... but honestly taking up archery for a year probably made me a better shot with the rifle.

[JohnVH]

if your off a bench, use sand bags, and dont flinch

[44 Flattop]

Trigger control and lots of shooting on paper.  A crisp trigger and breath control with a slow heartbeat.

[Heredoggydoggy]

I shoot for groups the way I learned to benchrest shoot.  The front bags or bipod control side motion, and squeezing the bag under the buttplate, or just using my fist to control the elevation.  After that, it's like Flattop 44 says: trigger and breathing.  I even put my left hand under the buttplate when I'm kneeling with the bipod extended.  I find it steadies me a bit more in my shaky old age. 

[addicted]

cheek weld.

[Jim the Plumber]

Don't stop breathing. Teach yourself to shoot at the 'bottom' of your exhale. When shooting off a bi pod, learn to load the bi pod. When shooting prone off a bi pod and rear bag, learn/ teach yourself to build your shooting position so you are straight behind the rifle and your NPA is correct.
You really need to understand the basics first.  When you correctly build your shooting position, recoil, jump will be minimized. Stay on the rifle as you cycle the bolt. Your head should never leave the stock while shooting a string from a bolt gun. Learn trigger control. Learn how to squeeze the trigger and what part of the finger and what angle the finger is to the trigger.
Again, do not stop breathing. That is the wrong way.

[madmack76]

lots and lots of lead down range and then it just happens practice is everything

[Bob33]

I know for a fact that my rifle is at least an MOA rifle because I did it once.

That doesn't mean anything.  If I hit enough golf balls, I may eventually get a hole in one but that doesn't make me Tiger Woods (thankfully).  Have someone else shoot your gun and ammunition.  Two inches may be the best that combination is consistently capable of.

[Bofire]

  one word,   RELAX  yer trying too hard. relax, sight picture, rifle is firing ! do it again.
Carl

[KFhunter]

I can almost fall asleep on the rifle 
 
tried to learn all I could from my ol man.
 
Offhand and pistol is where I shine  - confidence plays a role too

[kentrek]

I can almost fall asleep on the rifle 
 
tried to learn all I could from my ol man.
 
Offhand and pistol is where I shine  - confidence plays a role too

  the only thing moving is that trigger and your finger  control your breathing and work around your heart beat...