OUTDOORS TO THE CORE
Sighting in Your Rifle— Tom
Sighting in your rifle or bow will determine the success of your hunt and yet many people fail to do so every year. It’ s crazy to go to the time and expense of getting in the position for a shot and then missing because you didn’ t sight in. Worse yet, you may wound an animal.
To have confidence in your rifle you must know that it will hit your target. Once I took my boss black powder hunting. I bet he took 12 shots the first day. I’ m convinced he never sighted in his new rifle.
To sight in your rifle do so on a steady bench. If you don’ t have access to a range then use a steady table and a chair that sets you at the right level. If your gun is way off, start at 25 yards and get it on paper and then move back to 100 yards.
Remove all variables that make you flinch. Wear earplugs plus ear muffs. I also recommend using a Caldwell Lead Sled. It does two things. 1. Holds your rifle perfectly steady. 2. Eliminates flinching from too much shooting.
To shoot, take a deep breath. Let out half and squeeze off the trigger. It should surprise you when the round touches off if you have a proper squeeze. Don’ t stick your whole finger into the trigger guard. Just use the first pad of your finger. You’ ll have a more sensitive pull.
More so with a bow but if you’ re wobbling don’ t fall prey to the tendency of pulling when it crosses the X or you’ ll invariably jerk the release. Hold it steady the best you can and release your arrow. Try this and it will surprise you on how your group tightens. Let the shot surprise you.
Everyone tells you to shoot a three shot group but to save ammo I shoot two shots. If it’ s a good group then I will make any necessary adjustments. If they’ re all over then you have problems. Most likely you’ re jerking the trigger, not steady, the scope is loose, your rifle has problems, or your gun does not like the ammo.
If your shots are in a tight group but off the mark, prop your rifle up firmly and focus it on the bullseye. Now turn the scope knobs so it sights in on the original bullet hole. It should now be on target. This will save you ammo.
On most scopes one click equals ¼” @ 100 yards. If you’ re shooting iron sights move the rear sight the direction that you want the bullet to go.
Everyone will tell you that every rifle likes certain loads. If you reload you can get down to the inth degree. If you shoot factory ammo, experiment with different manufacturers.
Charts are available that tell you where your particular grain of bullet hits at what yardage. You should know where your rifle hits at 50, 100, 200 and 300 yards. I have a buddy that tapes a chart to his butt( rifle butt).
If your shots are in a tight group but off the mark, prop your rifle up firmly and focus it on the bullseye. Now turn the scope knobs so it sights in on the original bullet hole.
It should now be on target. This will save you ammo.
On most scopes one click equals ¼” @ 100 yards. If you’ re shooting iron sights move the rear sight the direction that you want the bullet to go.
Everyone will tell you that every rifle likes certain loads. If you reload you can get down to the inth degree. If you shoot factory ammo, experiment with different manufacturers.
Charts are available that tell you where your particular grain of bullet hits at what yardage. You should know where your rifle hits at 50, 100, 200 and 300 yards. I have a buddy that tapes a chart to his butt( rifle butt).
Due to liabilities, gun manufacturers send out rifles with unacceptable trigger pulls. Years ago this was not the case. Due to this, many hunters do a trigger job or a replacement altogether. Bear in mind, the lighter the pull, the easier it can accidentally shoot off if it’ s dropped. Set down boys. I have some big news to break to you. Your pet rifle is a machine and can malfunction. I like a moderate pull because in a week of elk hunting I fall 4-6 times and 2 times hard. I hunt rough country.
Once I was walking down an icy trail and wiped out big time. My. 22 went flying in the air and did a complete flip and hit the ground with the muzzle under my armpit. Not good. If you’ re setting in a deer blind you may get by with a lighter trigger. Granted, there are a ton of people that are better shots than me and if you audit them 99 % will have a lighter pull than me.
I am really, really particular with my scopes. I never lay my cased rifle on hard surfaces as in the back of a pickup even while driving down the highway. Consequently I can go for years without having to adjust my scope. Baby them.
24