My brother let me borrow back the .30-06 Winchester from daddy, so I purchased a sling for it and a little notebook to see how much I could remember from that Appleseed a while back.
Not too terrible - I only did prone today, and not much of that to be honest. But I'm already finding half a box of ammunition paying attention and taking notes is a heck of a lot more brain-buirning and tiring than an hour or two spent plinking with a .22.
It's kinda like the fiddle that way I guess. Just playing is the fun part and will keep you from rusting up too much - but it's the monotonous "perfect as you can" scales that make you better.
< whine > self-improvement is hard < /whine > :)
skill problems (the "known unknowns")
- My inexperience at getting/keeping a good position where the rifle actually jumps and moves and makes loud noises, and I need to keep moving to work the bolt, reload it, so forth and so on. With a lower recoil semi-auto a "zen" state came pretty easy last month. This was work the whole time.
- I get tired easy. Some of that may be recoil, but I think the greater part is just plain frustration because of my position problems.
Equipment problems/frustrations:
- Biggest was eye protection. It fogged up so much, so fast that I was having real problems seeing the target. Pulling them down my nose a touch for more airflow helped a touch - I could at least get one or two shots off before I couldn't see any more. The weird thing is that I can wear eye protection in a workshop for hours and not notice it - but put me behind a rifle and I'm staring through a cloud bank inside a couple seconds. Solution - no idea.
- I think my sling loop wasn't tight enough at fist - under recoil and my movement it started creeping down my arm until it was useless. Solution - just hork the keeper down more, maybe move things around so the second keeper can lock it somehow? Dunno.
- Even the rubber pad on the stock was slipping around some, making keeping a consistent position hard. Solution - maybe some kind of friction tape on the butt? Or maybe I'm just not pulling it in tight enough?
Results? I started at around 3MOA, and as I got tired and frustrated opened up to 6MOA. Not horrid, but not good. Paul was patient enough to let me stop for a little bit the .22 side, which helped at least end the day on a happy one-raggedy-hole note.
The best part though was prolly coffee at a swank "globally conscious" coffee place Paul knew of not far away (Travis, we are SO going next time you're in town!) It was especially fun pulling out the notebook of range notes, throwing a bunch of targets of the table, along with the "what are you doing wrong" diagnosis notesheets from Appleseed, and reviewing everything over coffee.
Fun day - thanks Paul!
Anyhow... someday. :)
8 comments:
This will help you:
Ultimate Sniper: An Advanced Training Manual For Military And Police Snipers
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Sniper-Advanced-Training-Military/dp/0873647041/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1315093113&sr=8-7
Practice dry firing every couple of days in various positions for 30 to 60 minutes. Take your time.
Have fun.
(Don't drink caffeinated drinks before you shoot)
It was my pleasure; I finally had fun with the rifle again. Lately, my shooting had been so bad that I wasn't enjoying it anymore. Today was much improved, so now I know what I need to do, going forward.
Re: your experience, if you have a very small-diameter drill bit, put a series of holes across the top so that air can move from bottom-to-top, and the safety glasses won't fog up so quickly.
I got tired more quickly than I expected, too, so Curtis' advice sounds good.
Good on ya for keeping up the practice and taking notes. When I took my AK to the range, it was just to finally shoot it and have a little fun. I need to go back with some of my other guns, get them out of the storage, I'm thinking maybe my Swede '96 and Chilean '95 Mausers (got some "gallery ammo" for the Swede, for indoor practice, which is where this range is). I don't think you've got much to worry about, I haven't heard of anybody having their "Rifleman" patch revoked and taken back!
Thank y'all!
Truth be told, the fun part of Appleseed for me was the history. But I figure the price of being able to tell American history stories is being able to measure up to everyone else. :p
It's a little easier 'cause once upon a time when I figured I should actually know how to shoot a rifle, I knew a sniper instructor guy who taught me at least a few rudiments. I remember he gave me two rules - no coffee, and no benches.
...the first rule was a lot easier before I learned what a mocha was. :)
"no benches"
So THAT'S why you keep insisting I should move away from a seated position. You didn't 'splain.
Paul - tee! Yup!
You would have liked some of those Idaho guys. :)
Which position were you having the most issues with?
In prone the most important part is to position yourself so your natural point of aim is on target, you ought to be able to work the bolt with your right hand without shifting your left elbow.
Seated is somewhat harder, you need to get your left elbow into the pocket formed behind your pattela. Again, you ought to be able to work the bolt without moving your left arm.
Offhand, I can't help. I suck at offhand.
As for Joe Bethancourt, I took guitar lessons from him. If you are ever down here in the valley of the death sun we'll see about getting you to a concert.
"Biggest was eye protection. It fogged up so much, so fast that I was having real problems seeing the target."
See if there are any scuba divers in the area. There are many products to reduce fogging of the mask. And maybe some field expedient preparations.
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