Hello all, I have some basic, straightforward questions about learning to shoot on the AR platform.

1) Using a barrel that has sub-MOA capability at 100 yards, I was able to zero in my rifle with the help of a gentleman who had a good spotting scope. And at 50 yards had an ~7"(including the last few rounds of my zeroing- so that's not all just bad aim). But I hold my head so close to my rear sight that my nose is touching my charging handle(just as an Army Shooting Instructor told me to years ago as part of a JROTC class) to maintain consistent shot placement.  The problem is that to me this feels unnatural.  When I bring up my rifle I feel comfortable when my head is at ~1/2-3/4 forward on the stock.  The other problem is that I have seen other people/military shooting accurately with their heads being 1/2-3/4 on the stock.  So while the Instructor's way is correct, I feel like there is more than one way to peel this banana, right?  As someone learning to shoot, would there be anything negative to keeping my head where it feels comfortable(and what risk of inconstant shot placement would there be)?

2) I am left-eye dominant. I am right handed. Holding my rifle in my left hand feels terrible.  Not just "this feels good but this side doesn't feel as good", no I mean it feels almost as if when I switch hands my right arm suddenly loses strength, or my left hand suddenly goes wobbly on me. I know it's an idiotic gripe, but I just don't like at all the feeling of shooting left handed. I have been told that when I get into the Marines that dominant eye will be the thing Instructors go off of, not comfort, so my question is; to anyone who is/separated from the Corps will the instructors teach me to fire from the left? What if I turn out to be proficient from the right?  Would it be better for me to learn to shoot with my dominant hand, or force myself to learn with my dominant eye?

3) Am I freaking out about nothing? Getting  7" grouping at 50 yards, so over a foot grouping at 100 yards, even if all other factors being equal and my aim is this bad, is there any realistic hope that going to the range with no instruction, I can be accurate enough to hit a 1" target at 300 yards within a year?  Or should I pay for basic shooting course(s) and try to learn from someone who knows more about what they are doing than I?  I hate to admit it but part of my apprehension comes from hoping I am not in a class with my AR with a bunch of 8 year olds wielding My First Rifles. Again, stupid to think about what other people think but, it is something which would detract from my self esteem.  

So there it is. I would appreciate any real help.

What position where you in while shooting? Prone, sitting at a bench or standing?





























 

There's no shame in taking a class no matter if it's a bunch of younger or even a bunch of older people. My fiancé and I will be when I can save up the cash and get the ammo for it. Its probably one of the best ways for a new shooter to learn.

I've never heard of putting your head that close to the sight. I've always just brought the rifle up and rested my cheek on the stock where it's comfortable.

1)  While basic marksmanship instructors may teach "nose to charging handle", the Army Marksmanship Unit doesn't.  The REASON behind "nose to charging handle" is to try to get a consistent head position, but, as you've noticed, it introduces some strain.  When I shot on a rifle team in high school, I had a piece of tape on the stock as a reference point.  Go to about 4:30 in this video  to see a USAMU shooter demonstrating a good, consistent stock weld.



2)  The current doctrine used by most training teams is to teach to shoot with the dominant eye, it is easier to retrain the muscles to hold the rifle or pistol differently than it is to overcome the eye strain and other issues from trying to shoot with the non-dominant eye.  From what I was told at a USAMU clinic, one of the first things they do with new shooters to the unit (who are already experienced competitors) is an eye dominance test, and they are taught to shoot with their dominant eye.  In all cases I know of, after the adjustment period, the shooters scores went up.



3)  1" at 300 yards?  That's roughly 1/3 MOA, VERY FEW rifles shoot that well.  But you can almost certainly do better than 7" at 50 yds.  Is that offhand or supported?



An easy way to find training?  Find an Appleseed or highpower rifle clinic.  Look at the USAMU video series about the basics of rifle marksmanship.  Quite honestly, your JROTC shooting instructor may not have really known all he should have known about how to properly shoot a rifle for accuracy, if he didn't have a competition background, the basic marksmanship training in the Army isn't very good.  I was fortunate in that my JROTC rifle coach had been a college ROTC rifle coach and had coached winning rifle teams for decades, that man didn't even have to look down range to see where your shot had gone, he could tell from watching you.  Or from hearing the shot hit the backstop.  A good instructor will help you avoid building bad habits, a poor instructor will reinforce bad habits, making it that much more difficult to learn to shoot well.