I've really been focusing on trigger control and follow through but still not happy coming from the bolt gun world. Any tips or suggestions or do I just suck?
Tipa for shooting gas gun better
- Thread starter Tombo650
- Start date
Connect yourself to the ground or bench, then connect the rifle to you. Too many guys are connecting their rifle to the ground or bench and then connecting themselves to the rifle. This sounds like semantics but the two are very different. Most guys are aiming their rifle with their rear bag and then laying on top of it. While our bags are as good as it gets when doing this, it’s not fundamentally correct and a 308 gas gun is going to let you know. Your body should be the main conduit between your rifle and the ground/bench. Most guys are using the bag as their main conduit. If you connect yourself to the ground, connect the rifle to you without imparting any out of line force on it, make a clean pull without flinching, and allow the recoil to pass THROUGH your shoulder, you will shoot well. It sounds really simple and it is. But it takes a lot of other small things to achieve these few big things.
Frank (@lowlight ) said on one of his videos pertaining to semi-autos that when shooting these rifles for precision; the trigger pull is in effect, "starting the machine". What I took from it was the fact that follow through is absolutely critical to shooting semis accurately. Its helped me focus better at least.
The thing that made the biggest difference in shooting a gas gun accurately for me was learning to actually (not just thinking I am, but have someone verify it) being straight and low behind the rifle so that the recoil travels through my core rather than deflecting off my shoulder. This is part of the follow through others have mentioned.
Also since we’re talking about a large frame gas gun it’s worth mentioning that getting the gas system adjusted well does make a difference down range. The majority of large frame AR rifles are pretty badly overgassed and that does make them harder to shoot well. Part of this has to do with the wide variety of 7.62 & 308 ammo; a rifle tuned correctly for typical mil-surp ball ammo is usually pretty overgassed with ammo at the other end of the spectrum like Hdy Superformance. That’s not about bullet weight so much as it’s about burn rate and pressure.
Also since we’re talking about a large frame gas gun it’s worth mentioning that getting the gas system adjusted well does make a difference down range. The majority of large frame AR rifles are pretty badly overgassed and that does make them harder to shoot well. Part of this has to do with the wide variety of 7.62 & 308 ammo; a rifle tuned correctly for typical mil-surp ball ammo is usually pretty overgassed with ammo at the other end of the spectrum like Hdy Superformance. That’s not about bullet weight so much as it’s about burn rate and pressure.
Start with your fundamentals. Follow Precision Underground's advice with regard to maximizing grounding. Surface to surface, minimizing intermediaries.
As you build a position, be meticulous about avoiding inputting nonlinear forces into the system.
Minimize loads to the barrel nut.
(Be very careful about the leverage you can apply through the pistol grip.)
Track your sights in recoil.
The gun is moving against your weakness in position. How it tracks is based on that weakness, plus how it is supported.
Adjust your position, mount (and mount pressures), to account for the combination of your weakness in position and method of rifle support.
What's the opposite of free recoil? Do that.
As you build a position, be meticulous about avoiding inputting nonlinear forces into the system.
Minimize loads to the barrel nut.
(Be very careful about the leverage you can apply through the pistol grip.)
Track your sights in recoil.
The gun is moving against your weakness in position. How it tracks is based on that weakness, plus how it is supported.
Adjust your position, mount (and mount pressures), to account for the combination of your weakness in position and method of rifle support.
What's the opposite of free recoil? Do that.
When I lock the gun into my body I can shoot about .5" 5 shot groups with my Seekins. If I'm lazy, I'll shoot double that group size. A light touch does not work for me & my gun.
I have had 6 different lmt mws .308 barrels. Both cl and ss. I would say they averaged about 2 moa. Also thought it was “hard to shoot a large frame gas gun” because that’s what you read online all the time. I have shot (2) 14.5” .308’s, a 20” .308, a 20” 6.5 creed, and a 20” .260 bartleins spun up for these mws’s and they all hammer. They seriously shoot like a bolt gun.
Also have a knights SR25 ECC that shot about 3” setup with the factory flashhider. I put a suppressor on it and now it shoots about 1/2 moa.
Just my experiences, but that being said..... it might not be the shooter.
Also have a knights SR25 ECC that shot about 3” setup with the factory flashhider. I put a suppressor on it and now it shoots about 1/2 moa.
Just my experiences, but that being said..... it might not be the shooter.
Great example how changing barrel harmonics can make a barrel shoot a lot better. The various “barrel tuner” devices attempt to do the same thing.
It’s certainly true that not all AR setups shoot well, no question about that. But even in one that does shoot well, technique generally has more effect than with an accurate bolt gun.
I’m not a precession shooter by the definition here, but I like the forum because the asshat ratio is extremely low compared to another forum so some on here tolerate me. With factory ammo and pretty much a mil spec rifle on a bipod I’m usually about a 3 inch group. As a fellow amateur I can tell you the biggest difference besides fundamentals is your trigger. I’m normally a 3 moa shooter with a 6 poundish trigger at 125 yards with a 1-6 scope, but my 308 at with a 3 pound trigger cuts that group size in half. The harder you have to pull the trigger the more your rifle will move at least in my experience.
Read #5 - people explain it differently or it clicks differently with people in their own terms - but great position that allows you to remain in that position as multiple recoil impulses occur is what is going on - ride it.
That whole 'equal and opposite reaction' thing - it begins with being square and encompasses things as small as making sure the trigger is pressed straight back.
Thoughtful dry fire is a great start.
That whole 'equal and opposite reaction' thing - it begins with being square and encompasses things as small as making sure the trigger is pressed straight back.
Thoughtful dry fire is a great start.
