Chapter 9: Basic Shooting Skills
Rifle Shooting (continued)

Rifle-Firing Techniques

Using correct firing techniques will help you steady the rifle for the most accurate shooting. Bear in mind that these are only the basics. Further study will help you understand other factors that can affect your accuracy, such as wind, heat, and parallax.

parallax: Optical bending of telescopic crosshairs in relation to the target

Shooting from a Rest: When shooting in the field, the safest and most accurate shots are taken from a rest—a log, large rock, or other stable object. Don't rest the barrel directly on a hard surface, or it will shoot higher than normal—put some padding, such as a hat or a jacket, under the rifle.

Open Sight Alignment: Open sight alignment is the process of using your eye to line up the rear and front sights on a target. The sight picture is the image you see when the sights are aligned correctly with the target. To make sure that the bullet will travel to the target in your sight, it's necessary to sight-in your rifle. When properly aligned:

• The front sight should be centered in the rear sight with the top of the front sight even with the top of the rear sight (see illustration).
• The front and rear sights should form an "E" lying on its side (see illustration).

Breathing: Your breathing can move the rifle just enough to throw off your shot. When you're ready to shoot:

• Take a breath.
• Exhale until comfortable.
• Relax and hold your breath.
• Squeeze the trigger within six seconds—if you hold your breath too long, your heart beats faster, which increases your pulse and causes the rifle to move.
• Remove your trigger finger after six seconds if you haven't fired.
• Take a few breaths and repeat the process from the beginning.
• Sometimes the excitement of spotting game will make it more difficult to control your breathing. Try to relax and follow the correct procedure.

Trigger Squeeze: Jerking the trigger or quickly pulling the trigger hand can move the gun enough to cause a miss. To squeeze off a shot smoothly:

• Place the first section of your index finger on the trigger.
• Don't tightly squeeze the stock with your trigger hand.
• Apply slow and steady pressure on the trigger until the firearm fires.
• Don't anticipate the shot—you should be surprised when the gun fires.
• Practice will make holding your breath and proper trigger squeeze habitual.

Follow Through: Proper follow through prevents you from jerking the gun before the bullet leaves the barrel. After you fire:

• Continue to squeeze the trigger for two or three seconds.
• Hold the shooting position and sight alignment.