Posted: 5/14/2007 8:51:01 PM EDT
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So I have four matches under my belt and I am beginning to see some things that I never would have assumed would be relevnent to shooting Service Rifle. I'm as green as can be but the first thing I noticed was feedback, from the rifle. It really does almost tell you everything you need to know, I just have to listen. pretty cool actually. Calling my shots works! Mental preparation, at night before I fall asleep, I imagine myself shooting. Seeing the sight picture in my mind's eye, breaking the shot. Dry fire practice in the living room. Seems to be working. Here's where I am lacking. My organization at the firing line. I get all slung up, into position, scope set, and the mags are on the table behind me  . Not aggressive enough with my sights. This is where my I question myself. I call the shot, it impacts off from what I call. So then I think, "Did I call it wrong or was I correct? Take another shot before you adjust your dope." The next shot impacts the same and I adjust the sights and i'm good but I wasted the shot because I doubted myself. I think this is gonna be tough to over come for me..Now evaluating my strengths and weaknesses. Im always behind the eightball. In a hurry during prep time. Not settled, etc. Getting better though. Strengths? Not many except offhand is my strong point. Now mind you im only in the high 80's but it's consistant and comfortable to me. Followed by rapid sitting. I hold nice tight groops prone but with my above mentioned self questioning, I end up with half the string out of the ring before I decide to adjust my sights.. But this game is really the shooters sport. Basic rifleman stuff. I always considered myself a decent shot, and I still do, but I am lower on that scale than I could have imagined. I'm hooked. |
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Time management is very important. When they call the 3 minute prep to start, The only thing you should need to do is pick up your rifle and build your position. If you are still doing things like putting on your jacket and loading mags you need to do that before prep starts. It really sounds like you are starting to get good feedback on your shots. Once you really start feeling that you are calling your shots move those sights to correct anything. If you are shooting across the course it is more difficult to learn as you have the wind to contend with. But on a reduced course where most days you can see every impact in the slow stages trust your calls. Now again if you have been hammering the middle and you get a wild shot you did not call that is about the only time you do not adjust to the middle. But those should not come to often. |
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When I first started I spent a couple nights with all my gear setup in the living room and started my timer for 3 minute prep. Now I have all the time I need. I figured out where all the stuff I need or may need is in my shooting stool and I'm relaxed. Put your sling on and off a couple zillion times, you will get better at it and know when it's right, and when it not. It took me some time as well to have faith in my calls so I knew when to adjust my sites. Looking for missed wind changes or mirage is what I chase now. Frank |
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I've found that having a set routine during a match is very important to minimize stress. I like to have my sling adjusted, mags loaded, data book filled out, etc. before the match starts. I also recommend having only the minimum necessary things in the shooting stool and having everything in the same place so I can find it during the match. I also adjust my sling and reload mags after the 200 SRF to prep for the 300 prone. |
| All of those issues will disappear as you gain confidence and experience. You can relieve a lot of stress and hurry your progress along by getting a good routine and sticking to it. Your routine will evolve through your own experience and also observing others with similar equipment i.e Service rifle, coat, number of mags etc. |
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Organization is the key. Everything I need is in/on my stool. I carry 9 mags...1 for slow fire, 8 for rapid fire (or less as needed) loaded the night before. 2 mag pouches are strapped to my stool each containing 2x2 and 2x8 rnd mags. Slow fire mag and a couple pens are in the front right-hand pocket. Timer, a batting glove and a couple pens in left hand pocket. The only things inside my stool are shooting necessities: 2 gloves, 1 Jose Cuervo sweat wiper, 1 can sight gunk, 1 can stickum, 1 pair spare shooting glasses. No sandwiches, bottles of water or anything else to get in the way. Side pocket contains bug juice, sun screen, an extra coat strap and a few other misc items. The stool is prepped the night before. I also put a final patch thru the bore. It takes about 30 mins while watching TV. After each course of fire, I use the remaining time on the line to prepare for the next course of fire. I adjust my sling as necessary. Close the current data book page by writing final sight settings and personal comments then turn to the next page and begin data entry with sight settings. After I get done scoring, I put on my sweatshirt. As time expires, I put on my coat (unless a long delay is expected) When the Range person calls eq to the line...2 mins to prep, all I have to do is roll up with the stool, roll out the mat, position the scope, lay out mags as necessary and cinch up my coat. When prep time starts all I have to do is sling in and adjust my position. This is my system and I stick to it as best I can. To some it may sound like a lot of work for something that's supposed to be fun but it's even less fun to arrive at a match and not have a fore-arm stop for your rifle or, in another case, the rifle itself.  When you can relax and think less about the little important things, like setting up, and concentrate on the big important things, like NPA, sight aling, sight picture, breathing and trigger control shooting becomes easier. As your scores go up, it becomes even more fun.  |
Sir, my system is much as Mr. Dracster has described, however I'll describe a few variations and the reasons I do some of the things that I do. As most everyone has already mentioned, organization is the key. Everything has it's place and everything in it's place! Most across the course matches that I shoot in are squaded consisting of four relays on a target point. Two of those relays are in the pits while the other two are on the line, one shooting the other scoring. Since hydration and food are important to the process and vehicles are parked far away it is often necessary to keep these items in my stool, but lately I've started carrying a camel back. I've also noticed that many of the USAMU and USMC team shooters are doing the same. I check my stool to ensure everything is in place before I leave for a match. I carry seven magazines, one fitted with a single round follower. I actually use one magazine loaded with two rounds and two with eight rounds, reloading the first mag with two rounds after the first string of rapid fire. I use the mag with single round follower for all slow fire including sighters. I reload magazines while I score for the other shooter. When I move to the line I already have my sweat shirt and shooting coat on, but the coat is not yet cinched tight, eyes, ears, and hat all properly placed. At the line all I need to do is set my cart in place, adjust the scope and lay down the mat. Once I've done this I adjust my coat set out the mags and make ready for the start of prep time. I like to make max use of prep time to dry fire and adjust my position. Therefore the only thing I need to do at the start of prep time is adjust the sling, get into position and start dry firing with magazine inserted, and ECI removed. During slow fire prone I learned long ago not to allow my data book to become an obsession. Often conditions on the range change so fast it is impossible to keep up with the changes if you have your nose in the data book. Don't waste time with the data book when conditions are changing, keep your eyes on the conditions. Even when the conditions are not changing rapidly it's better to get as many shots off while the conditions remains unchanged as possible, that's why good pit service is important. HTH, 7zero1. ETA: One thing I forgot to mention above, when making shot entries into my data book, I mark down the shot in my book after I fire the second shot, ie: I fire the first shot and mark my call in the book. When the target comes up I make a mental note of the POI and fire the next shot. While I'm waiting for the target to come up after the second shot I mark down the POI of the first shot in the book. All successive shots are marked this way. Accordingly I can watch condition changes through the scope while I'm waiting for the target to come back up and don't waste time after the target comes up to mark the score book before I break the next shot. YMMV, 7zero1. |