Positional shooting noob help

[DocRDS]

I got totally destroyed today trying prs.

I thought from my class that I had at least some basics, but the clock hits and my fat ass couldn't get the rifle stable to save my soul. Had 1-2 moa targets, at 4-500 and I looked a fool. That's shit I should clean prone.

Example: wooden barricade 4 feet high. Slap a game changer down and try and squeeze the rifle between it and me. I've got wobble in all directions to the point of jerking the trigger to snatch a hit.

Could use some advice on how to build a position, even on simple props.

 

[The4GunGuy]

I've done some videos and hope they help:

 

[Kfive73]

Navasota match? I wanted to make that one today but couldn’t. Hopefully next month.

The videos 4gunguy posted are very helpful. I’ve watched them a few times and have picked up some tips.

Another helpful tip about wobble that I saw in another video…. If your reticle is forming a “figure 8” wobble on the target, your center of gravity is too high….. so spread your feet more. If your wobble is horizontal (going left to right left to right) across the target, your hips aren’t square to the target.

Work on natural point of aim. Don’t try to muscle the rifle to be on target.

Dry fire from a ladder, chairs, whatever you have and see what small changes in your form have impact on movement.

Concentrate on follow through when you dry fire. Is that reticle moving at all when it clicks?

Just my .02 and what I’ve been concentrating on

 

[Precision Underground]

You need to spend a lot of time on different height barricades dry firing. That’s where you will learn the most. Tips are great and you need to know how to do it but it takes time and experimentation to figure out how all of it will apply to you and what it should feel like. If you can get an indoor dry fire set up and work on it for an hour or so each night you’ll get better pretty quickly. Doing that will give you 10x the results that going to the range and practicing on a barricade will. Sure you need to translate it to live fire but dry fire is where you can make huge gains when you’ve got a lot to learn. *Always remove all ammo from the general area you are dry firing in and check the rifle every single time you pull the trigger*

 

[Wild_Bill148]

I don't compete but I do shoot from a lot of unconventional positions. The above advice is solid. What works for one persons body won't work for someone else. I've watched guys getting into positions that I thought looked extremely uncomfortable and unstable but they made hits.

 

[Rippey715]

Get a dry fire trainer (DFAT) from DST precision. Then get a ladder. Practice one shot; build, break, repeat drills. A lot. You will find that not only will your wobble get better, so will your target acquisition. The positional changes will also feel more comfortable and fluid. Lastly it’s a great time to build stage mantras you do every time pre and post stage. Pre: Caps up, dope dialed, parallax, flag out, mag in, bolt back, bag in hand. Post: zero your turret!!! Drop mag, flag if necessary.

Good luck dude and congrats on your first match!

 

[Mormegil87]

Get a DFAT and if you decide to stay in this sport, spend the money and take a JTAC class. The class is worth its price in every way shape and form.

In the meantime, listen to the JTAC Podcast, and practice some of the little nuggets you'll pick up from listening. Also the PRS has started releasing a bunch of stage videos on there youtube.

 

[Mordamer]

Practice.

 

[DocRDS]

Lots of good advice and encouragement. Thank you all. I had the idea to build a barricade at home, so Def will use all those prop and dry fire ideas.

 

[Emerson0311]

A 6’ step ladder and a 22LR trainer. A couple of cases of ammo. Build a position, shoot 1, stand up, do again. Always shoot paper. In the beginning, only use 1 step per range session. Keep your targets and make notes about where your group Center deviated. Dryfire is very useful, but holes in paper are incontrovertible evidence of what you did behind the rifle. Wobbly props require a slightly different protocol. Practice one thing at a time until you get a basic level of unconscious competence.

 

[hlee]

This is why rifle balance is so important for PRS, and also fuels the move to super heavy weight rifles with mouse fart cartridges and obnoxious brakes. “Free recoil” is a dirty word, but it is the unspoken secret in unstable positions. Guys slap down a game changer, throw the rifle up on it at the balance point, steady the rifle with a hand on the scope, and feather a 10oz trigger. The weight and the brake eliminate recoil so they can spot impacts.

 

[DocRDS]

Ugh. Lil embarassing but I'm having trouble at 18lbs (and I think my rifle is a pig). I can work on balance, but I think before I go to mouse caliber+ hvy gun+brake I need some fundamentals work.
WTF yesterday did NOT stand for "Wind, Target, Fundamentals"
More like "Winded, Tired, FUCK!"
I seriously wanted my 7-8 lb AR.

Any fatass can lay down and make shots prone (I am living proof). I'm down 40+ lbs and still these youngsters are killin me. Maybe by the time I hit Senior Class, I'll be in shape. (ugh) I'm not going quietly though. Age and ill health is a bitch for you youngsters. DOn't let it get away from you.

I also called my own ND as I ham fisted a shot before I was truly ready on one of those feather triggers (2 stage AI Comp). It was NOT a good day.
Much Practice. And complaining (cause I complain a lot)

 

[Mormegil87]

Don't get hung up on what your rifle weights, how light your trigger is or if your rifle fits some arbitrary definition of "practical". Definitely don't listen to dudes giving you advice about PRS who have never shot PRS.

This is a game, learn how to play it. No one cares if your rifle is sniper approved or western hunter approved.

Get yourself a DFAT, it's cheaper than .22lr, and work on position building and being stable. Take a competition course or clinic from someone reputable. I recommend JTAC because there is a reason they have multiple golden bullet winners as instructors.

 

[OREGUN]

Navasota match? I wanted to make that one today but couldn’t. Hopefully next month.

The videos 4gunguy posted are very helpful. I’ve watched them a few times and have picked up some tips.

Another helpful tip about wobble that I saw in another video…. If your reticle is forming a “figure 8” wobble on the target, your center of gravity is too high….. so spread your feet more. If your wobble is horizontal (going left to right left to right) across the target, your hips aren’t square to the target.

Work on natural point of aim. Don’t try to muscle the rifle to be on target.

Dry fire from a ladder, chairs, whatever you have and see what small changes in your form have impact on movement.

Concentrate on follow through when you dry fire. Is that reticle moving at all when it clicks?

Just my .02 and what I’ve been concentrating on

You need to spend a lot of time on different height barricades dry firing. That’s where you will learn the most. Tips are great and you need to know how to do it but it takes time and experimentation to figure out how all of it will apply to you and what it should feel like. If you can get an indoor dry fire set up and work on it for an hour or so each night you’ll get better pretty quickly. Doing that will give you 10x the results that going to the range and practicing on a barricade will. Sure you need to translate it to live fire but dry fire is where you can make huge gains when you’ve got a lot to learn. *Always remove all ammo from the general area you are dry firing in and check the rifle every single time you pull the trigger*

Don't get hung up on what your rifle weights, how light your trigger is or if your rifle fits some arbitrary definition of "practical". Definitely don't listen to dudes giving you advice about PRS who have never shot PRS.

This is a game, learn how to play it. No one cares if your rifle is sniper approved or western hunter approved.

Get yourself a DFAT, it's cheaper than .22lr, and work on position building and being stable. Take a competition course or clinic from someone reputable. I recommend JTAC because there is a reason they have multiple golden bullet winners as instructors.

These are the best pieces of advice here. It’s not the arrow at this point. Dry fire A LOT shoot paper targets at 100 A LOT. I’m not a gadgets guy so I think a DFAT is optional. Just put some tiny targets ( 1/4” label stickers work good depending on your distance) out a window somewhere . It’s not just slapping the rifle down and snatching the trigger. With practice, the rifle will stop moving. It’s not about free recoil. It is about executing the fundamentals, clean trigger presses and watching the target all the way through impact. Take a class that’s focused on PRS….from someone who has won a golden bullet in the last few years. There are at least a handful of old fat men who finish in the top ten at any match they shoot….you can correct fat, you can’t correct old. No excuses.

 

[M4orturnate]

The hardest part is showing up the first time. Most never get there. Youve been given good advice. Dryfire practice with intention. Work on one skill or position at a time. Nobody ever listens but when youre new trying to go 6/6 or 8/8 is better then rushing to go 5/10. Speed comes on its own. Rushing with shitty fundamentals will instill bad habits(i personally cant stop slapping the trigger now). Its harder to fix after working your way up the leaderboard. Its a game enjoy it and some of the best people to be around

 

[Precision Underground]

Lots of good advice and encouragement. Thank you all. I had the idea to build a barricade at home, so Def will use all those prop and dry fire ideas.

If you have a tripod just put an arca base on a 1x4 and you have a barricade of any height you want to practice on. A ladder works too. Building one is an option but unless it gets complicated it will only be one height.

 

[hlee]

Not that complex. Legs extend, and fold into the base for storage…

 

[DocRDS]

2 dumb questions:
(1) Are slings allowed? No one had a sling, but i LOVE slings even if it is just to carry.
(2) Trigger Weight: I DQ'd myself for a ND during the match. I was getting on the trigger and sent a round "wild" downrange. Target was in view, but I was not on it, so I called it (I'm a super safety guy). I had a LOT of problems with the lighter (for me) trigger (2-stage, 1.25 lbs AI Comp). Should I practice with this more to get my nerves/adrenaline under control, or bump that weight UP.

 

[OREGUN]

practice with this more to get my nerves/adrenaline under control, or bump that weight UP.

Maybe both. I run an 8 oz single stage...so it’s not just the weight. Practice keeping your finger off the trigger until you are ready to send it.

regarding slings, no one will care if you have or use one. I find they are always in the way (another thing getting tangle in a prop or caught under the gun on a prop, etc.) so they are a no go for me on a comp gun. Check out the OBI, flush cup mounted carrier thing if you want a way to get some of the weight onto a pack strap when walking. https://oldballsinc.com/products/obi-link-system-clamp-lock

 

[hlee]

2 dumb questions:
(1) Are slings allowed? No one had a sling, but i LOVE slings even if it is just to carry.
(2) Trigger Weight: I DQ'd myself for a ND during the match. I was getting on the trigger and sent a round "wild" downrange. Target was in view, but I was not on it, so I called it (I'm a super safety guy). I had a LOT of problems with the lighter (for me) trigger (2-stage, 1.25 lbs AI Comp). Should I practice with this more to get my nerves/adrenaline under control, or bump that weight UP.

Slings are allowed, but mostly get in the way on the props- especially if/when there is movement.

Practice won’t help with nerves, but shooting more matches will. I’d suggest bumping the weight up until you have a few more matches under your belt, then consider dropping it incrementally.

 

[Kfive73]

One thing I’ve been trying lately, which may be silly, is practicing dry fire RIGHT after I do some yard work or something active…. While my heart rate is up and I’m feeling fatigue.

My idea is… there’s a lot of movement during matches, nerves, adrenaline, etc. so I’m trying to simulate that the best I can and figure out how to calm everything down quickly.

Again, might sound silly

 

[b6graham]

does your rifle balance 4-5" in front of the mag/mag well?

basically middle of the gamechanger with a little front weight bias

 

[ECK]

does your rifle balance 4-5" in front of the mag/mag well?

basically middle of the gamechanger with a little front weight bias

This ^. I struggled with the wobble from positional shooting when I had a factory rifle that didn’t balance well, it was too butt heavy.

So when I built out my Impact w/ Proof barrel and MDT chassis, I spec’d a heavy enough profile barrel so that the rifle balances about 4-5” in front of the magwell in the middle of the Schmedium. I did have to add a few internal weights to the chassis so that it balances without the bipod on there. Once I did that there was night and day difference in decreased wobble when shooting off my bag on barricades.

I dry fire a fair amount, usually from a Schmedium resting on the top of my tripod out one of my upstairs windows that overlooks my field, and I use the insulator caps on the fence posts as my targets. I’m pretty sure that has been helping my hit percentage. Nice thing about the tripod is you can practice at various heights from low kneel to standing upright and everything in between.

 

[Precision Underground]

2 dumb questions:
(1) Are slings allowed? No one had a sling, but i LOVE slings even if it is just to carry.
(2) Trigger Weight: I DQ'd myself for a ND during the match. I was getting on the trigger and sent a round "wild" downrange. Target was in view, but I was not on it, so I called it (I'm a super safety guy). I had a LOT of problems with the lighter (for me) trigger (2-stage, 1.25 lbs AI Comp). Should I practice with this more to get my nerves/adrenaline under control, or bump that weight UP.

I don’t shoot a lot of matches but I use a sling when I do. It’s mainly just for carrying the rifle around. I had a guy with a 25lb rifle and a push buggy warn me that my sling would probably get in my way lol. It’s wild how far from practical practical rifle competitions have wandered.

 

[DocRDS]

does your rifle balance 4-5" in front of the mag/mag well?

basically middle of the gamechanger with a little front weight bias

Pretty close, I'd bet money the wobble is me. It's a stock ATX, and iirc in the tripod it balances right in that area.

I also like the yard work idea, I get excited and pulse goes up, being out of shape (I'm not being humble here, i could not get off my knees from a shooting position to standing in one stage) are all factors. A lot of these suggestions are double factors where I can drill and exercise to regain some lost mobility.

 

[Tx_Aggie]

This is why rifle balance is so important for PRS, and also fuels the move to super heavy weight rifles with mouse fart cartridges and obnoxious brakes. “Free recoil” is a dirty word, but it is the unspoken secret in unstable positions. Guys slap down a game changer, throw the rifle up on it at the balance point, steady the rifle with a hand on the scope, and feather a 10oz trigger. The weight and the brake eliminate recoil so they can spot impacts.

No one winning PRS matches in 2023 is "free-recoiling." Free recoiling (balancing the rifle without any contact from the shooter, like the benchrest crowd does it) makes it nearly impossible to spot an impact, no matter how obnoxious a brake you have on the rifle. Guys are shooting with solid shoulder contact, because you can't spot impacts without it, and you can't win matches if you can't spot impacts (including hits on target so that you can correct to center).

OP (@DocRDS ) You'd be better served by either taking an in person class, or paying for something like Phil Velayo's positional shooting master class through Modern Day Sniper than listing to advice from a bunch of guys who may or may not actually shoot matches.

 

[hlee]

No one winning PRS matches in 2023 is "free-recoiling." Free recoiling (balancing the rifle without any contact from the shooter, like the benchrest crowd does it) makes it nearly impossible to spot an impact, no matter how obnoxious a brake you have on the rifle. Guys are shooting with solid shoulder contact, because you can't spot impacts without it, and you can't win matches if you can't spot impacts (including hits on target so that you can correct to center).

OP (@DocRDS ) You'd be better served by either taking an in person class, or paying for something like Phil Velayo's positional shooting master class through Modern Day Sniper than listing to advice from a bunch of guys who may or may not actually shoot matches.

A 20 lb rifle in 6 br can certainly be shot with “minimal shoulder contact.” Not free recoil in the sense of bench rest. But, so little contact that you don’t see your heart beat wobble the reticle when a well balanced rifle is perched on the “skills barricade.” Heavy rifles and light recoiling cartridges reduce the necessity for absolutely 100% fundamentals.

Hell, a duffer like me can clean the skills barricade with a 12 lb 6.5 Grendel (I know, not a huge feat) and spot all of the impacts while doing it.

Its been a couple of years, but I’ve shot a bunch of matches (both center fire and 22lr) out there in Cawthon with Dave and Prentiss.

Internet advice is worth what you paid for it...

 

[OREGUN]

reduce the necessity for absolutely 100% fundamentals.

Who was it that said something to the effect of ”new shooters practice tricks while masters practice fundamentals”.

Natural point of aim, sight picture, breath control, trigger control, follow through. Any rifle, all the time.

 

[hlee]

Who was it that said something to the effect of ”new shooters practice tricks while masters practice fundamentals”.

Natural point of aim, sight picture, breath control, trigger control, follow through. Any rifle, all the time.

Fundamentals often go out the window when confronted with the occasional “carnival shooting” of PRS. You don’t often need a sand wedge in golf, but it does come in handy. Just another tool in the tool box.

 

[Tx_Aggie]

Fundamentals often go out the window when confronted with the occasional “carnival shooting” of PRS. You don’t often need a sand wedge in golf, but it does come in handy. Just another tool in the tool box.

Many PRS 2-day matches are adding difficulty these days by using smaller targets, often around 1 moa at distances as far out as 8-900 yards, and by adding complexity to target arrays, instead of the carnival tricks and rickety barricades that were common a few years ago.

No one is hitting those targets consistently in the wind without using sound fundamentals.

 

[hlee]

Many PRS 2-day matches are adding difficulty these days by using smaller targets, often around 1 moa at distances as far out as 8-900 yards, and by adding complexity to target arrays, instead of the carnival tricks and rickety barricades that were common a few years ago.

No one is hitting those targets consistently in the wind without using sound fundamentals.

Well, I’ll take complex target arrays over; standing on one foot while shooting off handed, or laying on the downslope of a roof to shoot strong side any day... My son isn’t shooting for the youth select shotgun team anymore, so it is time to redirect that money back over to prs and the like.

But, the op was shooting the 1 day monthly match put on by Texas Precision Rifles. Everyone with a spotter, including the designated scorer for the stage, is calling hits and corrections- especially for the new shooters who should be squadded in a ”mentored” squad. At least, that was the vibe when I was shooting them.

 

[DocRDS]

It was a one day match, but no spotter feedback. Targets were 1-2 moa out to 550. I guess it was a regional prs Qual. Most peeps were good, helpful (I ask a lot of questions) but always 2-3 Dicks who don't do shit, sit on their ass whole match, except to shoot. Even I ran the score pad as a 1st timer.

 

[OREGUN]

One of the worst positional shooting myths, perpetuated by internet wizards, is that in positional shooting, the rifle must be “driven” into the supporting structure. Leaning hard into the rifle, anything less being called “free recoil”. When I shot benchrest, the only part of me that touched the rifle was the trigger finger. That was free recoil.

In positional shooting, the rifle needs to be connected to the ground, the body needs to be connected to the rifle, the sights need to be on target, and everything needs to stay that way through the recoil impulse. That’s Natural Point of Aim. If you see your heartbeat, the rifle is likely in a bad spot on your chest.

Everything in balance. Sometimes the only way to slow the wobble on a shitty prop (fence strand, rickety barricade, standing tripod, etc) is to back off the shoulder pressure a bit….and I’m talking firm pressure becoming slightly less firm pressure…but you do that knowing that as you do, your ability to spot the shot is going down and the absolute need for a smooth trigger press is going up. And only rarely does less pressure into the gun mean you aren‘t holding the gun back into your shoulder, especially as caliber, and recoil, goes up. But that’s just me and although I’ve won a handful of local matches, my best finish at an AG qualifier was 69th.

 

[021411]

It was a one day match, but no spotter feedback. Targets were 1-2 moa out to 550. I guess it was a regional prs Qual. Most peeps were good, helpful (I ask a lot of questions) but always 2-3 Dicks who don't do shit, sit on their ass whole match, except to shoot. Even I ran the score pad as a 1st timer.

Just find the right squad. Start paying attention to names and remember who are/were helpful. Squad with them in the future. My squad was full of high level experienced shooters but all were very helpful. If you shot Navasota on Saturday it was a little tricky because of the wind. If you hit a few targets then you did good for your first outing in those conditions.

 

[hlee]

One of the worst positional shooting myths, perpetuated by internet wizards, is that in positional shooting, the rifle must be “driven” into the supporting structure. Leaning hard into the rifle, anything less being called “free recoil”. When I shot benchrest, the only part of me that touched the rifle was the trigger finger. That was free recoil.

In positional shooting, the rifle needs to be connected to the ground, the body needs to be connected to the rifle, the sights need to be on target, and everything needs to stay that way through the recoil impulse. That’s Natural Point of Aim. If you see your heartbeat, the rifle is likely in a bad spot on your chest.

Everything in balance. Sometimes the only way to slow the wobble on a shitty prop (fence strand, rickety barricade, standing tripod, etc) is to back off the shoulder pressure a bit….and I’m talking firm pressure becoming slightly less firm pressure…but you do that knowing that as you do, your ability to spot the shot is going down and the absolute need for a smooth trigger press is going up. And only rarely does less pressure into the gun mean you aren‘t holding the gun back into your shoulder, especially as caliber, and recoil, goes up. But that’s just me and although I’ve won a handful of local matches, my best finish at an AG qualifier was 69th.

We are in violent agreement and parsing semantics at this point.

 

[CK1.0]

It was a one day match, but no spotter feedback. Targets were 1-2 moa out to 550. I guess it was a regional prs Qual. Most peeps were good, helpful (I ask a lot of questions) but always 2-3 Dicks who don't do shit, sit on their ass whole match, except to shoot. Even I ran the score pad as a 1st timer.

Sadly, I was in a squad like that recently (damn near sounds like the same match), even had a couple of douchebags cheating by calling impacts for each other that no one else saw/called as the squad RO was in over his head a bit... and all I can say is: try not to let that shit deter you, they are not all like that.

I've shot with the same group/squad of guys at another place, good/pro shooters but no egos, two different 1-day matches, and while I shot like shit at both, I had an awesome time at both, good hang and learned more than a little.

Get stable fast, and then, force teach yourself to pull the trigger slow.

 

[spife7980]

Practice.

@DocRDS
This quote is your answer on how to get “good.”

I shoot everyweekend and showed up to my first match, what is a number of years ago now, and thought I was hot shit. I was squaded with a guy who won the match. I told him I was averaging 50 or so every weekend. He told me he was shooting 100 everyday.
Practice is what separates those who enjoy it from those who thrive on winning.

A 100 ladder etc dry fire trigger pulls a day will get you comfortable working the rifle. Once you have that down to a natural feel it all comes slower. It’ll never be “slow” though.

 

[Rippey715]

Target acquisition is also super important. Being able to get on target not just quickly but efficiently so you are ready and stable for the shot. A good practice for this is during dryfire, set yourself a 10 second timer and practice going from standing at the ready to making your first shot on target in the time limit. Keep trying it until it feels totally comfortable. Most stages are basically just a series of 10 second shots and positions tied together into 2 minutes. Little change in perspective can sometimes help.

 

[xxflyingturtlexx]

View attachment 8160597

Not that complex. Legs extend, and fold into the base for storage…

Man i was thinking the other day what would my neighbors do if they see me dry firing

 

[JayjayUK]

I got totally destroyed today trying prs.

I thought from my class that I had at least some basics, but the clock hits and my fat ass couldn't get the rifle stable to save my soul. Had 1-2 moa targets, at 4-500 and I looked a fool. That's shit I should clean prone.

Example: wooden barricade 4 feet high. Slap a game changer down and try and squeeze the rifle between it and me. I've got wobble in all directions to the point of jerking the trigger to snatch a hit.

Could use some advice on how to build a position, even on simple props.

The one biggest thing that's helped me start improving was triggercam.

You can see in 60fps at 4k every fuck up, from being too wobbly when the shot was taken, snatching trigger, anticipating.. you see it all.

Can't see it as well in the videos I upload as it goes into 1080p at 30fps but as an example.. on this stage I could not get the wobble under control.. apart from on one of the impacts it was alot more stable.. I don't really know what I did different but clearly it was something.

 

[DocRDS]

Was out again last night. Took a lot of the advice here and also just tried to chill.

1000x improvement. I still got excited when I started getting hits, but rifle much more in control.

That was so key that I felt on control In stead of fighting that beast as well as being much more comfortable on the trigger.

 

[mikeshaw2]

Pick a ladder and practice off all the rungs. Pick a sawhorse and practice off that. etc There's an Anirondak chair that's in that weird space between standing and kneeling that I shoot off of. Ditto with a wire patio chair that's still getting me cause there isn't much support for your bag.

Basically, practice helps

M

 

[Dirtrax]

I’m one of those that has never shot a PRS match. But I used to shoot IPSC at Master level years ago. When starting out time feels like it’s racing past until you get comfortable with the pace. Then seconds feel like minutes. The best insight I ever got was from Rob Latham. At the higher levels you don’t shoot with the conscious part of your brain. The fundamentals are ingrained, you trust your equipment and the work has been put in at the range. Let your training take over and don’t let yourself (conscience mind) get in the way. Not that you aren’t aware, you make adjustments as needed it’s just that there is less noise in your head.
Now that many years have passed and I have time again I’m looking to start a little rifle competition. Just for fun of course. I’m not interested in the grind anymore.

 

[R_A_W]

Didn't see this video linked, but found it helpful a few months back.

 

[C130]

I shoot up at Navasota almost weekly but new to shooting any long range stuff, only been doing it for a couple of months. I went to the PRS match there a couple of months ago just to watch. I went back a few weeks later and shot from a few different areas and pretty much felt like you did but I wasn't even competing. I couldn’t hit crap and was surprised how much the gun was moving around. I definitely need lots of practice and plan on taking a course or some lessons whenever it cools off.

Sounds like you maybe got in a bad squad. I watched most of the day, talked to quite a few different guys, and saw several first time shooters. Everyone seemed very helpful and they were helping the shooters spot and to make corrections. I thought about entering the match Saturday but chickened out. I drive a silver F-150, if you see me up there say hello.

 

[todd]

Kudos for stepping up and showing up. Many don't.

I would just grab a ladder at the house, and spend time experimenting to find out HOW to get stable in different positions. You don't even need to dry fire, just focus on what you need to do with your body to reduce your wobble in standing, kneeling, seated positions. There are a lot of reputable videos on YouTube from well-known instructors that can help direct you to the best ideas to try.

Once you figure out HOW to get stable, then work on figuring out how to get INTO those positions from a standing port-of-arms postion, and how to get OUT of those positions the most efficiently. Don't forget to work on smooth trigger presses and follow-through. Have fun!

 

[todd]

Get stable fast, and then, teach yourself to pull the trigger slow.

Isn't that the truth... Haul ass to slow down.

 

[kthomas]

There's an entire skillset to PRS shooting that's adjacent to target shooting.

Don't worry about getting your ass kicked the first few times out - we pretty much all did when first getting into the sport. It's humbling.

Here are some tips from my viewpoint:

- Keep things simple, and shoot stages how you practice. I think it's best to get good managing most/all props with one barricade bag before introducing things like tripods for rear support.

- Natural point of aim is really important, especially so when your rifle is balancing on 1 point on the middle (barricade bag) versus 2 points (bipod + rear bag).

- Take time to get stable if needed. Don't worry about rushing to get that first shot off. Slow down, be intentional, and build a good position for making solid shots. Speed will come with practice

 

[Oldloser]

Lots of good advice here.

The DFAT is the way to go. You can set it up inside or in the garage and shut the door and focus. And it's all about focus.

Specificity is the KEY. Have one thing that you work on until you get it right. Don't do anything else.

One prop. One position. One target. A low magnification on a DFAT on a 1 mil target. Until you perceive zero wobble and then zero movement when you press the trigger. Then add something - another position, or another target, or another prop. Raise the magnification to unhide wobble or issues you did not see before. Go to a smaller target. Then get that right. Then go on to other props and positions.

But., Master one prop first. In dry fire. Really master it. Master means getting off two perfect shots per position with no wobble in ten seconds or less per position with perfect economy of movement. Then take it to the range on a larger target at 400 yards.

For example - start with high standing on a ladder. Then add in the rest of the rungs going down until you are prone. Then reverse it up. until you can run that ladder in your sleep.

Another point. You have to experiment with things to get something that works for you. This is hard for a lot of people as they will settle for something less than perfect and just force it. If it's not working, change something. Don't reinforce failure.

I will play with a concept - grip, elbow position, shoulder to stock, support hand, pressure, feet, posture, on a given prop then test it by doing a build and break in dry fire - then take that to the range for a final test on. Then do lots of reps EXACTLY perfectly until its fixed. Both dry fire at home and dry fire/live at the range. If I find an issue I step back and fiddle until I figure it out then I rerun the reps.

Another hint. Start NOW with a heavy sand filled bag. Schmedium or game changer.

Finally, when you do go to a PRS match again, know what your rifle/ammo actually shoots as far as precision goes. Shoot 10 shots at 100 yards from prone carefully. If it's a circle 3" in diameter, then that should be your expectation. Most really good PRS rifles shoot from 1/2 to 1" over 10 shots. You can do everything right, but some of your shots WILL miss. Getting your rifle/ammo nailed down is another entirely different subject. There are lots of good gunsmiths who will be at the match who can help you with a rifle setup once you get a few matches behind you. Don't worry about the rifle just yet. Focus on you.