It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

[juiceman]

Hey Ya'll,
I went to the range to sight in a rifle and as I was trying to hold steady on the target my cross hairs were moving consistently. Since I couldn't figure out the problem I had to squeeze when the cross hairs crossed the center of the target. Needless to say it was not a fun day at the range. I had one good group and everything else was inconsistent or just plain pitiful.
If I remember right the movement was left and right.
I asked my gunsmith what he thought and he said it was probably my heart beat and to have my blood pressure checked. I checked and my blood pressure seems to be normal or below. I believe my breathing was fine but I'm open to any suggestions.
Ammo is too expensive to be trying to wing it. In hindsight I should have stop when I was behind and packed it up for the day instead of wasting the ammo.

 

[dddoo7]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

are you shooting off of a bench or prone? are you using a front bag or a bipod? are you using a rear bag?

Your most stable form of shooting is going to be off of a solid bench with a bag in the front (be sure the barrel doesn't touch the sandbag). then (if you are right handed) use your left hand to squeeze a rear bag to fine adjust up and down. crosshairs should not be moving when you squeeze the trigger. you should be able to take your time in squeezing the trigger. If you don't have a bench available, then lay down on the ground and use a sandbag in the front and rear.

Also-- be sure you have your paralax adjusted. If your paralax on your scope is not adjusted properly, then the crosshairs will move with any movement of your head and that can make it difficult to get a consistent group. especially if you don't have a consistent and proper cheek weld on the rifle.

 

[juiceman]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

I was on a bench with a caldwell rest at first then went to harris bipod and monopod. I'm going to look into the paralax because I may have disturbed that by accident.

 

[dddoo7]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

Monopods are really not all they are cracked up to be. You would be much better off with an old sock filled with beans.

What scope are you using? Does it have adjustable parallax or jus a focus ring? The parallax needs to be adjusted differently for each distance you shoot at. Whan your gun is sitting firm on front and back bag, you should be able to move your head up and down and side to side and the crosshairs should not move on the target. If the crosshairs move, then the parallax is not adjusted regardless of what the focus looks like.

Parallax may be part of your problem, but not all of it. My money is on the monopod being the problem.

 

[juiceman]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

I have a Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 FFP. It has the parallax knob on the side and a focus ring. I really did check either one when I was at the range because I was in a hurry before they closed. I think I need to look at them though. If I go out to the range with it again I will try straight sand bags. I say if because I may end up selling my bolt action. It's too expensive to shoot and my eyes are getting a little too weak for accuracy stuff any more. I would like to pick up a nice .22 bolt action one day. At least if I shoot like crap it won't be expensive.

 

[kraigWY]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

You need to find someone to set down with you and work on your positions, steady hold procedures.

Maybe take in a CMP GSM Clinic or Appleseed.

Spend $6.95 and buy this book, the USAMU Service Rifle Guide
and work on your fundamentals.

https://estore.odcmp.com/store/catalog/c...note5=&max=

Yeah I know, you're not shooting a service rifle, but fundamentals are fundamentals.

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

OP,

Kraig is right about this, he probably sees shooters like you everyday. These are shooters who have a perception for how it's done but, having no knowledge for the fundamentals, are likely to miss their mark.

 

[eracer]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

I'm 53 years old with life-long vision issues and I'm in the process of building a 1000 yard gun.

What makes me think I can shoot it well, given my mediocre vision?

Because I've gotten some precision rifle training, and I learned two things:

1. Good equipment + proper technique can overcome a lot of physical roadblocks.

2. As long as you can actually see the target you can hit it accurately, assuming you have the equipment to help you do so.

Don't give up, OP. Once you learn to settle those crosshairs down and understand the subtleties of the sight picture you will be rewarded with shots on target.

OP, I've been shooting a long time, but I'm new to long-range precision work. I've made accurate shots from a stable platform, and so can you.

 

[19Scout77]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: juiceman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hey Ya'll,
I went to the range to sight in a rifle and as I was trying to hold steady on the target my cross hairs were moving consistently. Since I couldn't figure out the problem I had to squeeze when the cross hairs crossed the center of the target. Needless to say it was not a fun day at the range. I had one good group and everything else was inconsistent or just plain pitiful.
If I remember right the movement was left and right.
I asked my gunsmith what he thought and he said it was probably my heart beat and to have my blood pressure checked. I checked and my blood pressure seems to be normal or below. I believe my breathing was fine but I'm open to any suggestions.
Ammo is too expensive to be trying to wing it. In hindsight I should have stop when I was behind and packed it up for the day instead of wasting the ammo.
</div></div>

Is the problem consistent with every rifle/scope combo that you have tried?

 

[Graham]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: juiceman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I asked my gunsmith what he thought and he said it was probably my heart beat and to have my blood pressure checked.</div></div>You are much better off by asking the question here; and having your doctor give you medical advice.

 

[kraigWY]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

Eracer is correct about eyesight. Not to brag, but in my nearly 35 years of firearms instruction I've gotten pretty good at detecting eye problems in regards to shooting.

I've made serveral good shooters by sending poor shooters to the eye doctor.

The AMU keeps a eye doctor on staff just for that reason.

To quote Gary Anderson "there are no hopeless shooters".

 

[Bronco]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

Could be a sugar issue, low blood sugar can cause some funky eye stuff. I always take some orange juice or cups of Mandarin oranges with me to matches just in case.

 

[juiceman]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

Thanks for all the replies gentlemen!
I took an Appleseed course a couple years back and earned my Rifleman patch but that doesn't mean I could not using some brushing up on the basics.
Honestly, I can never seem to get comfortable shooting from a bench, and that is the only way they will let you do it at my range. It seems hard for me to get the ergonomics right.
I adjusted my parallax and focus in the back yard so I'll see if that helps since I was doing a fair bit of turkey necking.
I probably need to find someone locally who will work with me a little. The next time I go to the range I may try to get someone who looks like he's shooting well to shoot a group with my gun just to make sure it is not an equipment issue. That has happened before, where I was very inconsistent and then found a loose bipod or something so.....
Thanks again guys!

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

OP,

Here's what I think, the scope is distracting you. You are steering the rifle to get a target/reticle relationship before having properly built the position. You might want to try this: shoulder the rifle cognisant of the 5 factors of a steady position but without any consideration for the target. Be sure to bring the stock to your head rather than the head to the stock. This may seem awkward, that's to say, you may perceive the rifle will not likely be point-able, but be patient. Upon finishing up the position the rifle will indeed be pointed down range. Regarding height, rather than letting the limitation of your bipod dictate position height, initially, support the rifle with the non-firing hand on the hand-guard placing elbow as close to directly under the rifle as possible using sandbags to steady things up. After shouldering the rifle adjust NPA for the reticle/target relationship you are seeking, check eyeball/eyepiece relationship, exercise smooth trigger control, and follow-through, continuing to aim until recoil has subsided.

 

[Enough Said]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

Stock weld

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

too much coffee or mountain dew.

 

[Luke]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bronco</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Could be a sugar issue, low blood sugar can cause some funky eye stuff. I always take some orange juice or cups of Mandarin oranges with me to matches just in case.</div></div>

 

[juiceman]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

Thanks for the help guys. I will look into all of these suggestions.

 

[juiceman]

Re: It's like shooting a moving target that not. Help!

..except for Luke's subliminal spinach suggestion. I don't want my arms to look like that, ever.
Spinach appears to have a positive impact on the forearms but very negative impact on the biceps.