Blew it in 4th stage - again...and I'm seeing a pattern.

[mdoerner]

Hi All,

I have pictures but I won't waste the bandwidth (unless you wanna see 'em.) I was shooting my M1 Garand w/ Boyd's fat stock and club issued HXP ball today.

1st stage 71-0x, but I was able to call the last shot as a flyer. Why my freakin' left arm decided to "Go EAST young man!" on me is a bit disappointing, but oh well.

2nd stage: 86-1x Woo-Hoo, someone forgot to put X-ring repellent on my target! :D This is workable.

3rd stage: 87-1x This is getting better, I just may break into the low 400's

4th stage: 102-0x (Grrrr!)

Starts off with EVERYONE complaining about how they cannot see thru the mirage (very wet field and lots of sunshine). The major fault I had during this stage was I broke position on every shot to check thru my scope (even though I couldn't see a freakin' thing). I didn't position my scope and ammo close enough together. However, I thought I re-gained position correctly, so it should not have mattered that I broke position.

1st shots are in the back, and then climb vertically. Only 7 shots in the black, 1 in the 10 ring, 3 in the 9-ring, then 3 in the 7-ring, 4 in the 6 ring, 4 in the 5 ring, 2 on the paper, but outside the 5-ring, then 3 on the cardboard.

Question #1: When I break position, and resume my stance, is it the butt of the gun going progressively lower on my shoulder that is causing this? I've seen this on several if not most of my 4th stage targets (over the past year) that I've reviewed today. The holes get higher and are vertically strung for the 4th stage on nearly all the targets I've looked over.

Question #2: If the mirage is so bad that you can't see thru it, do you break position to raise your scope up so you can see over it? I'm not sure that is legal or not, but once I raised my scope off the ground, I could clearly see my "failure". I just couldn't do anything about it at that point.

BTW, I did check my position after recoil. I was shooting at target #2, and after recoil my rifle was either pointed at the number 3 on the right, or the center of the bullseye on target #3. My left elbow was NOT underneath the gun anymore like it was prior to recoil. When I relaxed prior to shooting, I was definitely looking at the bull of #2 w/o muscling the gun. The shots went up vertically, not diagonally (I was about 1 click to the left of the X-ring).

While "shooting blind" really messed up some scores (like mine and some others) there were a few who were unaffected. I'm DYIN' to be one of THOSE guys who can hold their position regardless. They were all AR mousegun shooters. Of the three shooting M1's with HXP ball, I got a 346-2x today, the winning score was a 389-?x. The 3rd guy shooting his M1 had even more problems and couldn't get thru the 240's. Once this position thing is licked I think everything else will fall into place. Shooting blind also has the benefit on unmasking faults/flaws in my technique that I hope you guys can point the way to greater success.

In any case, thanks for all your help so far. If you need the pictures of my targets to "Read the Tea Leaves" so to speak, I can post 'em.

Mike Doerner

[Parashooter]

If you can't find a coach to work with, at least get hold of a good .22 rimfire target rifle and some ammo it likes. Shoot .22 prone until you get over the flinching habit that is a probable reason you're shooting better in prone rapid than in prone slow. (Rapid fire forces you to concentrate on shooting - instead of having time to anticipate recoil and blast). Once you can produce a nice round group in the middle with the .22, go to a mousegun and learn to put them in the middle with that. Then when you want to go back to .30 caliber, you'll have mastered the art of aim, hold, squeeze, and follow-through - preferably without the flinch.

If you don't think you're flinching, make up some dummy rounds (no powder or primer), mix two or three of them in a clip with live rounds, and shoot some slow-prone practice from the magazine. Each time you hear "click" instead of "bang" take note of body and rifle motion - if there is any, you're flinching.

[mdoerner]

I've got a Browning T-Bolt w/ scope and monte carlo stock.....I don't think that'll help in this instance. :D

Anyways, I did have flinch, and may have it still, but I was VERY focused on shooting, sight alignment, and trigger squeeze. I think possibly my breathing may have contributed to the vertical stringing, but since it was only going upwards (not above and below) the black I'm still thinking it's a positioning and re-positioning problem.

Mike D

[Plain Old Dave]

Natural Point Of Aim practice at home would be in order; don't give up God's Gun for a mousegun. Set up in a room (if you have one big enough) that will allow you to set up in prone. Find some feature on the wall that will serve as a 'target' and align on it. Close your eyes and take a couple breaths. Open and see where you are sighting, and adjust as required. Once you can do this, practice a slow fire 6 string a couple times a week. USMC approved (ca. 1990) drill follows:

-Squeeze off good shot
-Maintaining left elbow in position, roll over toward left and dismount piece from shoulder
-While maintaining toe of buttstock under armpit, roll back into position and await score
-If your sling works loose, NOW is the time to cinch the keepers back. If you can feel your left hand at about Shot 17 or so, sling might need to be tighter
-When ready, reload and trip bolt
-Again maintaining left elbow in position, roll toward left and remount piece
-Roll back into position
-Fire next shot and repeat 19 more times.

Anther common error I see is people cocking one leg or another; keep 'em both straight. As for your right elbow, if you need to wrestle the sights onto target when you're in position, the right arm's only real purposes are balance and trigger control. Once you do this drill enough, your SF Prone will be as natural as falling out of the rack.

EDIT: With this drill and not having shot an NRA registered match in @20 years I shot a 145-1x with a RG Dane WRA and Talon M2 on the 15th. You can do this.

[mdoerner]

I kept both legs straight, but now that I think about it, I had to move my right elbow away from me as the 4th stage progressed, as the position I was in (with left hand against the front sling swivel) wouldn't allow me to align the sights up with the target (I was muzzle low) so I had to lower my body to align the sights with the target. Now in hindsight, this was probably throwing the shots up higher. I must have been doing something with my left arm that was causing me to drop the muzzle of the gun on re-positioning. I must have been moving my left arm out as well.

Well, I know most, if not all, my effort for the next match will be in getting my 160 points in the 4th stage so I can get thru to 400. Time to break out the mats again.....

Mike D

PS Thanks for your help.