Too long to acquire scope picture

[Andy T]

I participated in my first PRS competition yesterday. I was struggling with acquiring proper eye relief/scope picture when getting into prone and a few other different positions.
Any recommendations on what I can do (besides practice ) to improve it?

 

[bschneiderheinze]

When I had a problem going from the bench to prone it was cheek weld. Luckily I have an adjustable cheek piece. I just adjusted up a little and fixed the problem. It my seem like an I relief problem but I would bet its your cheek weld

 

[SubOptimal]

Either your rifle doesn't fit you or your position building is weak, or both. Both things fall within the Provence of a good coach. Get one.

 

[CShooter92]

Can't comment on your fundamentals or form or anything like that.

However I just recommend practicing getting in positions in your house. If you can, set up positions a ways back from a window, pick a spot outside and then practice getting behind your rifle and finding that spot in your scope. Practice, practice, practice until it becomes second nature to shoulder a rifle and you automatically find the target in the scope instantly.

If the problem is the scope picture/eye relief itself, it's more than likely the gun doesn't fit you properly, or the scope is mounted too far forward/backward. When I set up my scope on my rifles, I lightly tighten the rings, shoulder the gun with my eyes closed and then open them to check eye relief. Keep doing this until you can open your eyes and see the full sight picture. Then tighten the scope down in place.

 

[Andy T]

Thank you all. My rifle is DTA and I set it to the shortest LOP. I will play with cheeck positioning. Before the match the bulk of my shooting was done off the bench and I need to change it a bit as well as I was also struggling with the stock support - the monopod was a bit slow.

 

[Olen_4504]

Thank you all. My rifle is DTA and I set it to the shortest LOP. I will play with cheeck positioning. Before the match the bulk of my shooting was done off the bench and I need to change it a bit as well as I was also struggling with the stock support - the monopod was a bit slow.

I would ditch the mono pod and get a good rear bag. *coming from my very limited experience*

 

[MountainHunter]

Can't comment on your fundamentals or form or anything like that.

However I just recommend practicing getting in positions in your house. If you can, set up positions a ways back from a window, pick a spot outside and then practice getting behind your rifle and finding that spot in your scope. Practice, practice, practice until it becomes second nature to shoulder a rifle and you automatically find the target in the scope instantly.

If the problem is the scope picture/eye relief itself, it's more than likely the gun doesn't fit you properly, or the scope is mounted too far forward/backward. When I set up my scope on my rifles, I lightly tighten the rings, shoulder the gun with my eyes closed and then open them to check eye relief. Keep doing this until you can open your eyes and see the full sight picture. Then tighten the scope down in place.

This is good advice here.

I'd also add as far as the indoor practice goes, simulate some of the stages that you ran at the match. Use whatever items you have around the house that are similar to the barricades/props you shot off, write your dope down, dial you scope, time yourself. It helps prepare your mental game for actual match conditions.

 

[Apnea]

I participated in my first PRS competition yesterday. I was struggling with acquiring proper eye relief/scope picture when getting into prone and a few other different positions.
Any recommendations on what I can do (besides practice ) to improve it?

Since no one else brought it up, do you think this had to do with magnification being turned up making your target hard to find? Might not be your issue but Wasn't clear to me from what I read.

If you have to climb all over behind the rifle to get into the eye box, getting LOP correct on your stock should help.

Luckily you can mess with both of these at home.