No matter if you are new to shooting or are well experienced handling a rifle, there is always room to improve. Even the best shooters out aim to get better. There are a few tips and guidelines to consider when shooting if you are looking to improve your accuracy. Here are some ways to improve when handling a rifle.
Fundamentals and Stability
One of the first things you want to focus on when you are shooting and trying to improve your accuracy is to get your basics and fundamentals correct. This refers to your shooting stance or your position. Shooting in a prone position provides good, consistent stability, whereas having to shoot from a crouching or bent position over a table or stand can be cumbersome or uncomfortable. The surrounding area can also affect your shot consistency, forcing you to have to reposition yourself and your rifle. It is best to shoot in positions where you can establish a good base and not have to worry about moving around and rebalancing yourself or your gun. Once you have taken the time to shoot from a consistent position, you can then move onto different shooting positions to increase your comfortability.
Having a Quality Scope
Your rifle plays just as much of a role in your shooting accuracy as your fundamentals and basics. You can have all the techniques down pat, but if you are using a rifle that is inconsistent or outfitted improperly, your shooting will ultimately suffer. One of the import accessories that play a significant role in your shooting outcome is your scope. Consider the expertise of those at badass optics and their article on the subject that focuses on scopes. Different scopes help in a variety of ways, from helping in different light situations to providing different measurements to allow for better adjustments and more accurate aiming.
There are also different scopes to consider for various ranges and mobility. These will ultimately all factor into your accuracy and how you handle and operate your rifle.
Clean Your Rifle
As you continue to shoot, you may notice a drop in your accuracy. This can happen to even the most accurate of marksmen or shooters. The reason for a potential drop inaccuracy is the residue that can form in the muzzle or barrel of your rifles. It is important to practice regular cleaning and maintenance of your guns. There are many different cleaning kits that can provide the quality and care for your rifles, without having to spend an exuberant amount.
If you are unaware of the tools you need, consult a professional to help you learn exactly what kit you need for your rifle and what instructions you need to follow. Regular cleaning ensures not only that your rifle is operational, but that you keep their performance consistent and at the peak capability. Keeping your rifles clean means more of your accuracy is dependent on you, the shooter, and you cannot blame any external factors.
Exercise
One important aspect to consider to help increase your shooting accuracy is exercise. Shooting often requires a lot of energy usage and expenditure, so doing certain exercises will help keep your endurance steady for long shooting stretches such as camping trips. Some exercises you can do would be ones that focus on shoulder rotations, strengthening your wrists, and lunges for balance and stability. One other very useful exercise to consider is putting a small weight onto the end of the rifle and trying to hold your aim steady for short stints to help build your stamina and ability to hold steady.
Practice Shooting
At the end of the day, one of the best ways to increase and develop consistent accuracy is to simply shoot more. Practice your shooting, and over time, you’ll notice your shooting pocket shrink, and your spread begins to tighten. You want to make sure that you try to recreate the different ways in which you will shoot whether from a standing or prone position, as well as handle different rifles in order to be fully comfortable with different guns. The more you shoot, the more comfortable you will get, and the more consistent and better your accuracy will be.
Your accuracy won’t magically improve overnight. Of course, practice is important, but there are other things you can do to help you improve as well. It is important to remember that, like all things, getting better will take time and effort. This is not to discourage you, but to remind you that with dedication, patience, and a goal in mind, you can improve your accuracy.