Advanced Marksmanship Troubleshooting target impacts

[rickp]

Hey guys,
I need a bit of advice with a bad habit I've been trying to correct for a while.

let me start by saying i'm a lefty so everything is opposite when using round impacts to troubleshoot my shooting.

I've noticed that whenever I "pull" a shot it's usually to the bottom right, which is consistent with a bad trigger pull/flinch.
But sometimes, when I "pull" a shot it's to the bottom left.

I think the low right shots are all trigger pulls/flinch, but the low left shots have me a bit perplexed. I don't know if I'm adding pressure with my support hand causing the bad impacts or if it's still a trigger issue.
I enclosed my target from today's session so you can see what I'm doing. Again, any troubleshooting help would be appreciated.

BTW, the top rounds, where all zero confirmation.

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: Troubleshooting target impacts

buy a can of "slap off"

 

[Redmanss]

Re: Troubleshooting target impacts

Troubleshooting purely off a target is difficult and only a guess based on minimal information. Give some more info, and even better a video that shows you shooting for trigger control analysis. Equipment, position, support, skill level/ shooting background, and shooting conditions are all necessary too.

I'll still give it a shot though. If you think you're trigger control sucks and you're anticipating the shot, then you're probably right. Looking at your target, you're high, low, left, right, and center throughout the entire string. Jerk, buck, or flinch are all possibilities, or maybe all three at once. Can't tell though without a video or being there.

It might even just be the rifle or ammo. What size groups are you shooting with it?

When I'm coaching a shooter, I'm watching their eye, trigger finger, non-firing hand, position, etc. for anomalies. I'm also talking with the shooter about where they're calling the shots at before they're seeing the results and throwing the occasional dummy round into the mix. Only then can an accurate assessment of what to correct be given.

 

[rickp]

Re: Troubleshooting target impacts

Thanks Redmanss,
I know what you mean.
I'm shooting a AW with Blackhills 175. I normally shoot between .5" to just under .65". and the reason is trigger IMO.

I know I have a bad habit of sometimes yanking on the trigger, and a few of those shots I called before the shot hit paper. Like I mentioned before, the low right shots I know is trigger, it's obvious and consistent with LH shooter, but the low left i'm not sure about.

R.

 

[Redmanss]

Re: Troubleshooting target impacts

Low left, low right, or anywhere other than center can be a sign of sloppy trigger control, not just low and away from shooting hand. Remember the three common mistakes in trigger control are flinching (pulling away from the rifle), bucking (shouldering into it "helping" the round down range), and jerking/slapping the trigger.

I diagnose these in this manner: Flinch I watch the shooter's eye. If he blinks on the shot or tenses up in the face, it's a flinch. Bucking I find when using dummy rounds and see the shooter tense up or dip the muzzle on the shot. Jerking I simply watch the trigger finger itself.

Have a friend that knows what they're doing watch you next time at the range, or video tape yourself and watch it following the string. Also, get some dummy rounds and load them into the mag with your live ammo at the range, not knowing where they're at in the mag so you're not anticipating them. You'll know when you squeeze off on them if you're messing up or not. This way you can help figure out what you're doing wrong and take corrective action.

If you're not already doing it, DRY FIRE and do it a lot. Do it to warm up at the range before going hot, and remember when you're firing that you shoot live the same way you do when dry. The slop on the trigger should work itself out if you're doing it right.

Finally, if you're doing the SH Dot Drill as it is designed and you're getting up from position and getting back down each and every shot, it could be a natural point of aim issue you're having. Make sure you're checking it each and every time.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.

 

[rickp]

Re: Troubleshooting target impacts

I have dummy rounds and until just now I dind't think of using them. I usually start by dry firing before going hot, but I don't do it at home as much as I should.

I'll keep up at it and I'll get it worked out. Anyway, thanks for the info.

R.

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: Troubleshooting target impacts

It's all about a consistent relationship between the shooter, gun, and ground. And, if the gun's not broken, and ground is not shaking between shots, errors are about the shooter's inconsistency. Honor the factors of a steady position by maintaining elbow, stock-weld, non-firing hand, grip, and butt-to-shoulder placement between shots. With motor memory producing consistency at a molecular level, bullets will always go into the hole vacated by their predecessors, assuming corrections have been made in sight adjustment to account for wind and weather effects on the bullet.

 

[LawnMM]

Re: Troubleshooting target impacts

To go along with the dummy round suggestion, have your buddy load your mags or gun for you. Not knowing when the dummy round is going to come into the chamber, if at all, will ensure whatever you are doing will happen just as it is now.

You can tell, believe me, I've caught myself forgetting to chamber a new round or flick the safety off. When you flinch or jerk and it doesn't go bang boy oh boy do you feel like an ass...its THAT obvious that you're doing it. It helps ya work harder to avoid it.