How much accuracy from various positions?

[Nocalphoenix]

Ok I have dug through all the threads and have found several posts relating to absolute accuracy in .22s. Most of it seems to be centered on selecting the correct ammo and reading the environment really well due to the inherently poor BC and low speeds of the .22.

How well does everyone do in position shooting their rifles? Talking offhand, kneeling, sitting, barricade etc. Today I was at the range and after some quick ammo testing I started duplicating positions I have used in recent matches to see how much I could refine them when Im not under match nerves and time constraints. I ended up posting three of the splatter targets and fired from 75 yards. Starting from left to right they are offhand, sitting and kneeling. I found some mistakes in my sitting position which caused some ugly fliers in the beginning but settled down and was over all pretty pleased with my shooting. Now if my dumb ass would have remembered the sling they would hopefully have been a bit tighter but at least this should be a worst case scenario.

The high fliers on the center target were a good example of not getting into a proper sitting position, my elbow was slipping all over the place and I was really mashing the trigger. And all those other hits off the target are not mine, they were all on the backer when I got it (unless you see tiny groups with no fliers they they are mine)

I think the targets were about 5" but I did not measure and forgot before I threw them away.

 

[donws2]

Re: How much accuracy from various positions?

Well when I was shooting a M14 on a state team they issued us a 22 just to practice off hand. We were told if you can hit the bull with a 22 then a center fire would be easy. The theory was that 22 are slow enough that if you don't completely follow through you will push off the target and shoot 9' or 8's usually low and right or left, just depends on the shooter and which hand they shot. I know my 200 yard scores were always better than my indoor 22 practice. So maybe it works.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: How much accuracy from various positions?

In general (very generally), the lower the position, the better the accuracy. Some folks make it look easy, myself <span style="font-style: italic">not</span> included.

When I was shooting H/P NM club matches in the good weather months, I was also shooting NY State Light Rifle League with .22LR at 50ft indoors during the Winter months, which uses an Offhand discipline. It helped my C/F Offhand stages immensely.

I find it helps to use the .22LR to find and correct difficulties with shooting in all the positions. Once it's working as good as I can get it, the time has arrived to take it out to the longer distances with the C/F. Trying to do that prematurely can end up wasting precious C/F ammo components and bore life, and may also serve to reinforce bad technique.

This approach has made my Mossberg 44 .22LR bolt gun with micrometer sights absolutely indispensible for NM simulation, and the Savage MKII scoped rifle does the same for F Class shooting.

Greg

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: How much accuracy from various positions?

1 bench
2 prone
3 "barricade standing"
4 "barricade kneeling"
5 sitting
6 kneeling
7 "barricade sitting"
8 off hand

 

[JoeMartin]

Re: How much accuracy from various positions?

Follow through with the shot is IMHO very important regardless of what caliber you're shooting, and from what position you are shooting from. The positions mentioned and listed above should provide increased accuracy from top to bottom.