In order to achieve good results and get real pleasure at every trip to nature, the hunter must master the shooting technique perfectly. If there are problems with it, a large number of wounded animals will remain in the forests and fields. A beginner does not always manage to hit a game, especially a moving one. But all the skills associated with accurate shooting can be developed to achieve excellent results.

Rack

To reduce the chance of a miss to a minimum, it is important to develop the correct stance. In general, it looks like this:

• legs are shoulder-width apart, feet are turned slightly to the right of the direction of the shot;
• the body is half-turned along the line of fire;
• the body is slightly tilted forward, which reduces the recoil force.

If the gun needs to be driven before firing, it is necessary to turn the body, and not work only with the hands. Of course, in real hunting, especially running, it is far from always necessary to shoot from the correct stance. When the outcome of a case is decided by a split second, there is no opportunity to take an ideal position. However, every beginner hunter needs to take the time to develop the correct stance. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that it must be selected for oneself individually.

The given general scheme is a guideline that should not be copied blindly. What should be the ideal stance for each hunter depends on the physical, psychological and other individual characteristics of the organism.

Other possible shooting positions are kneeling, kneeling, sitting, prone or supine. Many prone hunters prefer to work only with their hands when they are moving the barrel before shooting, because this option seems to them easier. But the correct technique involves a rotation of the body, which can almost always be done by simply lifting the shoulders off the ground - both in the prone position and lying on the back.

In this case, even if the target is motionless, you should not pull with a shot. The gun is difficult to hold still, so the barrel can wobble and the result will be a miss.

Shotgun grip

Do not strongly squeeze the fore-end and bed with your hands. If they are tense, the body inevitably becomes enslaved, and this makes it difficult to correctly lead the trunks in the right direction. In addition, due to overvoltage, the likelihood of jerking the gun before firing increases.

It is better to keep your hands relaxed, while the gun can simply be placed in half-open palms. It is enough to fix the butt close to the shoulder with the entire area of ​​the butt plate, there is no need to press it strongly against you. With this technique, the vskidka and leash will be quite soft and even elegant.

The exception is situations when powerful cartridges are used. In such cases, there is a lot of kickback, and the result can be a strong blow to the shoulder and injury.

Shooting at a fixed target

The technique of shooting at a fixed target looks like this:

• it is necessary to throw the gun to the shoulder;
• bring the fly to the point you want to hit;
• gently press the trigger with your finger.

The throw-up technique must be worked out in such a way that after it is completed, the fly is in the field of view, and not an open bar or block without a fly. In this case, if it is necessary to shoot quickly, the look after throwing up the gun should be directed immediately to the target. And only in a situation where it is possible to aim for a long time, you can carefully control the front sight with your eyes.

The technique of shooting at still game is fairly simple and usually not difficult to master. However, much more often the hunter has to hit a target that is moving.

Shooting at moving game

The technique of shooting at moving game in advance looks like this:

• you need to throw up a gun;
• aim the fly, taking the lead;
• while continuing to move the barrel, pull the trigger.

This is a classic shooting technique that has been used for centuries. The lead should be several bodies of a flying bird or a running animal. The specific amount depends on the distance, the speed of the object, the direction and strength of the wind. It is quite difficult for a novice hunter to choose the amount of lead, but after gaining experience, this happens intuitively.

Another option for working on a moving object is shooting while overtaking, or shooting with a leash. In this case, when throwing up the gun, the front sight is not directed to the lead point, but directly to the target or slightly behind it. After that, the barrel is moved, overtaking the target. The gun moves faster than the game, and this negates any speed advantage it has.

Shooting while overtaking allows you to achieve better results, as it provides more accurate aiming. This technique is very effective when working on a flying target. Pre-emptive shooting was widely used in the past, when unapplied, heavy and low-maneuverable guns were used.

The hunter must be ready to shoot immediately after vskid. Therefore, after its completion, the front sight should be in the field of view, while the gaze must be directed to the target. During the rapid rise of the gun, it must be fed forward so that it does not cling to the folds of clothing on the shoulder.

Shotguns with normal and increased action

There are two types of guns - with normal and increased combat. You need to know how to properly aim with both types of weapons. For conventional firearms, the direction of flight of the ammunition coincides with the point of aim. Therefore, the front sight before the shot must be placed in the center of the target.

A high-action shotgun has a point of aim below the point of impact of the projectile. When firing from such a weapon, the front sight must be brought to the lower edge of the target. Shotguns with increased combat are more convenient, it is easier to aim from them, since the front sight is clearly visible before the shot.

Practicing shooting skills

The technique of throwing a gun needs to be perfected at home. Such workouts can even be included in the morning gymnastics program. To achieve the best results, you must use the exact weapon from which you beat the beast and bird. Also, if possible, it is advisable to wear for training clothes in which you hunt, at least - its thickness on the shoulder should correspond to the thickness of your hunting suit.

To practice the skill, you must first aim at the point where the vskidka should end. Then you need to lower the gun, take a free position and throw up the gun, trying to come to the previously planned point. After that, you can move the trunk, imitating a leash. The exercise must be repeated until the jump is obtained automatically, without errors and delays. The lifting speed of the gun can be changed, while avoiding jerks.

You can hone your shooting skills at the stand. Ideally, you need to study under the guidance of experienced instructors. In this case, you can quickly master the stance, learn how to properly hold the gun, throw it up and point it at the target, while avoiding mistakes. By training on a round stand with targets flying in different directions, you can learn to confidently hit game birds.

Common Mistakes

At the time of aiming and when making a shot, beginners often make the same mistakes, which drastically reduce their chances of staying with prey. Sometimes experienced hunters make such annoying mistakes.

• shooting without warning: Novice hunters often aim directly at game even if the target is moving. In this case, by the time the charge has traveled the required distance, the target has already managed to leave the affected area. When shooting at flying or running game, it is imperative to take lead;
• jerk when lowering the hook: Proper technique involves holding your breath before firing and then gently pulling the trigger. In this case, the chances of hitting the target will be maximum;
• long preparation: moving game quickly moves out of range of a successful shot. It is necessary to have time to throw up the gun, make a leash and shoot before this happens. To make this possible, you need to develop a technique, then all the necessary actions will occur automatically;
• stopping the gun at the moment of firing: if a leash is carried out after throwing the gun, the movement of the barrels must be continuous and continue, including while the trigger is pressed;
• hand leashes: the movement of the gun after throwing up must be carried out by turning the body. It seems to some beginners that it is easier to do the leash with your hands, but this is wrong. It is possible to turn the body even when shooting from a sitting and lying position;
• aimless shooting: If a target suddenly comes into view, many novice hunters will shoot without aiming. You shouldn't do it this way - in that case it's much better to just let the game go.
• flock shooting: if a flock of birds flies in the shot zone, you need to select one specific target and hit it. Proper aiming implies that you need to choose a bird that flies ahead of the rest.

By avoiding these mistakes, every hunter greatly increases his chances of staying with good prey.

To learn how to beat a bird and an animal without a miss, it is important to master the theory. But only practice will give all the necessary skills and allow you to learn how to accurately shoot shot or bullets from a hunting rifle. You need to analyze your mistakes and continuously work on the level of technical skill. In this case, you can achieve excellent results.

When everything goes right, aiming a gun at a moving target is as easy as pointing your finger at it. It really is the same natural movement. Or should it be. The problem is that we humans tend to develop bad habits. These habits, in turn, can make it easier to miss rather than hit the target. Even when it seems that you are doing everything right on the stand or in the field, the sensations can be wrong. When you are tired, chances are high that you will make one of the listed mistakes and not even notice it. This article describes the five most common causes of misses and how to fix them. Following which you will understand how to learn how to shoot accurately and minimize the number of misses.

you peep

It's nice to see how a target is destroyed by a shot charge or feathers scatter. In practice, this is a magnificent sight, many shooters are so eager to see it that they raise their heads from the butt immediately after pulling the trigger. The problem is, if you're peeping, you're more likely to miss. Instead, concentrate on the tab and keep your eyes on the target. Do this from the moment the target leaves the car and keep the tab for a while after pressing the trigger, and then you will not only see the target hit, but see them much more often.

you change focus

There are many products advertised on the market that can improve your flying target performance. Most of them are front sights of different colors and shapes, or other devices attached to the end of a gun barrel. They work great when you're aiming at a stationary target like a turkey, but for a fast-moving target like a plate or a bird, it creates more problems than it solves. Why? Because the last thing you need to look at when shooting at a flying target is your barrel. A bright front sight can force you to shift focus from target to barrel, sometimes several times from the beginning of the aim to the shot. The moment you look at the trunk, you stop the leash. Instead, focus on only one thing - the goal.

Point shooting

A flying target seems light. She approaches the shooter. Unfortunately, such targets are missed more often than they should be, because shooters tend to aim at a point in front of the target and press the trigger. This may work if the target is flying straight at you and fits into the pattern, but this is rare. In fact, the target is approaching at an angle, sometimes at a very slight angle, and as a result, the flight pattern assumed by the shooter is confirmed, or he misses. Instead, follow the target in flight and do not stop the movement of the gun. And then you will hit every time.

You don't finish things

Doubles that cross paths or fly in pairs puzzle even the most experienced shooters. The problem is that most people think about how to hit the second target before shooting the first one. This haste causes the barrels to move prematurely on the first shot, i.e. the shooter fires the shot and immediately begins to dribble on the second target. Just like in golf, it's important to get things done, so try to finish chasing the first target first before you start dribbling the second one. The best way to learn is to accentuate the lead and continue it for a while after the target has been fired. This, along with focusing on the target rather than the barrel, should help you avoid being shot behind the target.

you flinch

Everyone knows that involuntary flinching is a shooter's worst nightmare, but people tend to forget how annoying it is for shooters. When the shooter flinches while aiming at a flying target, he raises his head up and away from the stock, while the arms stop their natural movement and pull the weapon strongly away from the target. Since everything happens within milliseconds, this may not be noticeable. This error is the most difficult to detect and the shooter cannot understand why he misses, although he does everything right. To avoid involuntary flinching, focus on the target and want to see it shatter into pieces. If you don't see this, you are most likely closing your eyes involuntarily, waiting for the recoil from the shot. Try to concentrate if you can't solve the problem - try cartridges with a weaker charge or buy a recoil pad to soften the recoil.

The ability to properly shoot a hunting rifle will ensure you reduce the number of wounded animals and increase the number of trophies obtained. If shooting a stationary target with a gun is pretty easy, then shooting a running or flying target is very, very difficult. In this topic, we will tell you how to properly shoot a hunting rifle at a stationary or moving animal and bird. We recommend that you read

HOW TO LOWER A GUN?

Proper throwing of a hunting rifle is the key to accuracy and precision. To properly raise a hunting rifle, you need to stand in a waiting position. The left foot is pushed a little forward and to the left, and the back foot is set a little back and quite a bit to the right. In this case, the body should be turned with the left shoulder slightly forward. The gun in this position is held with the left hand on the forearm, and with the right hand on the stock with the position of the shooting fingers on the triggers, while the muzzle of the gun looks down at 45 degrees and to the left, and the butt is held at the level of the belt on the right side of the body. Remember, the gun is aimed from the bottom up, while the left hand brings the rear sight with the front sight and aims at the target, and the right hand brings the butt of the gun to the shoulder and pulls the triggers. By the way, pressing the triggers should be smooth and without a sharp jerk.

HOW TO LEAD THE GUN FOR THE TARGET?

Remember, while reining and pulling the triggers, it is important not to stop the gun, but to continue the rein on the trajectory of the target. The leash begins with raising the barrels of the gun from the bottom up and is followed up to the moment of the shot. If you are shooting a double-barreled shotgun or self-loading shotgun, after the first unsuccessful shot, continue to leash and shoot. We recommend that you read

HOW TO PULL THE TRIGGERS?

The correct pull on the triggers is the second key to a successful shot. To check if you are pulling the triggers correctly, fire some precision blank shots and see how far your gun (rear sight and front sight) deviates from the target when you pull the trigger. The gun should not deviate from the target, and pressing the hooks is done with a soft cushion of the phalanx of the trigger finger of the parallel direction of the gun without twitching (smoothly).

HOW TO SHOOT A GUN?

To properly learn how to shoot a gun, you need to train at least twice a week. Only in this way will you reduce the number of misses and increase the amount of game caught. If you do not want to pay shooting range for training, you can do it at home, by throwing up and aiming, but be careful, do this with an unloaded gun. We recommend that you read

HOW TO TAKE LEAD ON A MOVING TARGET?

Remember, if you shoot, for example, a flying duck, then the speed of this duck can be very high (different types of duck have different flight speeds), and the shot speed is only 370 meters per second, so when shooting from a gun you need to take lead. What kind of lead to take when shooting from a gun, you will see in the figures below, but you can learn more precisely only from your own practice. Since the lead depends on the flight speed of the bird, the distance to it and the direction of flight relative to the shooter.

Probably not a single publication on shooting in flight will give definitive and concrete advice on how to learn to hit targets or game without a miss. This was talked about and argued a hundred years ago, but even today opinions on this matter sometimes differ fundamentally.

"Secrets" are not only advice "from outside", but also a certain historical digression into the "evolution" of the technique of shooting into an "empty place". A fly-shooter needs to be careful and not forget the “past” in order to succeed in the “present”.

Of course, any advice should not be taken as an axiom and a guide to action. But any information and its discussion is the way in the right direction, if, of course, you add a creative approach to it, analyze not only your actions and the proposed recommendations, but also regularly revise the acquired skills and various trends in the development of shooting sports and the technical base of rifle affairs.

When shooting in the air, binocular aiming is a very useful skill, especially in low light conditions, which happens quite often on a number of hunts. If we talk about trap shooting, then two open eyes and a high result “walk” side by side, but with the appropriate technical training of the shooter. Here I did not give various tests to determine the "leading" eye. In my opinion, it is enough, having invested, to point the gun at a distant target, aiming with one eye (right shoulder - right eye). Open your left eye, if the front sight remains on the target, and a slight “doubling” (if any) does not make much of a hindrance, feel free to shoot with two eyes open. If, when you open your left eye, you see that the target is “gone”, then the dominant eye does not correspond to the “main” hand.

It also raises some doubts about the alteration of sights and gun stock (cross butts) under the leading left eye for right-handers (and, accordingly, vice versa, for left-handers). From such an “orthopedic” box, sports peaks are hardly achievable, and fencing a “garden” with the sole purpose of looking at a shot with two eyes is justified with a significant loss of vision in the right eye (for right-handed people) and the impossibility or unwillingness to switch to the other shoulder corresponding to the dominant eye .
For those with cross or non-absolute dominance, it is easiest to close one eye when shooting. Advice from the outside: “This works well for a trap, and it might work for a skete. For sporting or shooting at live birds, when distance, speed and angle are much more difficult to determine, the eye should be covered immediately before the shot, this will allow the main time to observe the target with two eyes.

I will add: “The eye should be covered immediately before the shot itself”, it should be attributed to all types of shooting in flight. And for some shooters, it will be enough to slightly squint the “interfering” eye or darken it with a light filter. Other tips on "blocking" the unnecessary eye of the front sight of a gun with various devices or a raised thumb on the forearm, of course, can help in some way, but in amateur shooting, not in professional shooting.

There are many conflicting opinions regarding the placement of the feet and the placement of the body's center of gravity during shooting. The most general recommendation for all or almost all types of shooting is to turn towards the target, and transfer the largest part of the body weight to the forward leg. This recommendation belongs to Percy Stanbury, who also believes that the heels should be placed fairly close together (say, 15 -22 cm), and the left leg at the knee should be straight, but not tense. In this classic position, the ideal position of the feet is to point the toes at about one and three o'clock relative to the direction of shooting, and a straight line tangential to the outer surface of the heels should pass through six and twelve o'clock, as if you were standing in the center of the hour dial.

It is clear that these recommendations apply to sports shooting, and not to hunting. In addition, I dare to suggest that this is a rack of a trencher rather than a round one. Although something similar can be seen in Nikolai Milchev, the champion of the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the skeet exercise. In the past, many shooters fired the trap in a "running forward" manner when the cartridge misfired. Today, although it looks elegant, it is still “archaic”.

Some refer to the following position as the "boxing stance". The center of gravity here does not shift forward as much as in the Stanbury stance (body weight is distributed on the legs in a approximately 60/40 percentage in favor of the forward leg), and the body should be slightly turned towards the target. In this case, the straight line passing through the outer contour of the heels should coincide with the direction of "five - eleven o'clock".

It should be recognized that most athletes use this stance as the basis of their shooting position. Due to physical features, different mobility of the shoulder and lumbar girdle, you can “play” with the setting of the angles of the feet relative to the main line of production, given that the left leg is “responsible” for the right turn of the shooter’s body, and the left, albeit to a lesser extent, for moving to the left.

In accordance with the recommendations of Robert Churchill, when shooting, you should turn almost completely towards the target, slightly spread your legs and shift your body weight in the direction of the shot (on the right foot for a shot to the right and on the left for a shot to the left). This shooting technique can be useful for people of small stature and strong build, like Churchill, or for those who have difficulty moving their back or hips.

It is clear that this is more of a historical note than a hint of some recommendations. It is possible that a “disabled” stance is the lot of “clumsy” shooters for whom sports shooting is contraindicated, but for hunting “legs together” in combination with shifting from one foot to another will come off on “park” pens along the feather, but not in conditions of various hunting shooting, Olympic sports and sporting.

Much depends on your physical characteristics and the flexibility of your back. Depending on which stance you choose, be sure to control the position of the body's center of gravity. You should also make sure that your stance keeps you in a balanced position throughout the entire shooting cycle - not only at the moment of acquiring a target, but also during its tracking. The task is to find and master such a balanced body position that ensures its stability from the moment the target appears to the end of the leash. And even if you have perfectly mastered any rack, in certain situations it may be necessary to change it. A good stance is one that provides good balance and lightness and stability to the leash.

Here we can only agree. But I note that if some “ossification” in sports shooting is compensated by the initial stance, the position of the feet, then in hunting limited mobility can play a negative role. You often have to shoot at game with "wrong" legs, in the complete absence of a "classic" starting position and setting the gun. Therefore, sufficient attention should be paid to the development of the shoulder and lumbar girdle, i.e. physical exercises for mobility and flexibility, completely freed from the “slavery” of setting and positioning the legs at the time of the flight of the game.

How you hold the gun and, accordingly, manage it, the results of your shooting depend. What recommendations can be given in this regard? I would not dare to say that there is only one way to properly hold a gun. The vast majority of shooters can be advised to have a fairly strong (but not to the point of discoloration of the skin of the fingers) girth of the neck of the butt (pistol grip) and forearm. I would especially like to highlight one detail: at the time of the shot, the thumb of the shooting hand must completely fit the neck of the butt (and not lie on the fuse or somewhere else), otherwise the finger may be injured during recoil, for example, by the top key of the bolt mechanism.

The advice is primarily for beginners. I would venture to quote from the old movie "Scaramouche", however, in relation to melee weapons, but in this case it is also suitable for firearms: "You should hold it like a bird, squeeze it hard - strangle it, weakly - it will fly away."

Of course, the correct grip of the gun is necessary for any shooting. There are plenty of recommendations for this. If we analyze the grip of the leading shooters, we conclude that the handguard lies on the palm, mostly on the fingers than in the middle of it.

Chris Cradock believes that the left hand lying on the forearm should be pushed forward as much as possible, and the right hand should be pulled back. This isometric arm tension can reduce the perception of recoil and better restore the muzzle to re-fire, but this hand placement should not be overdone. The advice given by Chris Cradock is highly questionable. Rather, in shooting practice, an “unconditional” reflex arises, the body's reaction to recoil, unconsciously softening the push of the gun in the shoulder.

Shotgun marksmanship

Accuracy in shooting is inborn - it's a talent. The people to whom it is bestowed become outstanding sportsmen-shooters, snipers. But even without having a unique innate ability to shoot accurately, any person is able to hit a target from a weapon. True, in order to learn how to shoot accurately, you need to constantly train.
Marksmanship with a hunting rifle does not require special talent. You just need to learn how to shoot correctly. In order to shoot accurately, it is necessary to perform a series of manipulations and precise movements in a certain sequence. On the hunt, an unprepared person will not be able to do this. First, you need to shoot as quickly as possible. Secondly, there is stress, excitement, nervousness. And the process of aiming for a beginner comes down to simply raising the gun, pointing at random at the target and pulling the trigger.
I want to offer a series of exercises that will help you learn how to shoot correctly, and therefore accurately shoot a gun.

How to accurately shoot a gun

We have already mentioned what it means to aim correctly. This skill will just provide you with a well-aimed shot. But you need to aim correctly, firstly, to learn, and secondly, to bring this process to automatism, to do everything without thinking, at the level of reflexes. The following exercises with a gun are devoted to this.
Exercise 1
Stand up straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart. Take the gun in front of you with both hands (by the forearm and neck of the butt), throw it up to your shoulder, put your cheek on the butt and align the front sight, the middle of the aiming bar and the middle of the upper edge of the receiver shield in your line of sight. If you feel that your grip is uncomfortable, intercept the gun.
Mark the places where you grab the gun with your hands with pieces of electrical tape (make marks with a colored felt-tip pen). Also mark the place of application to the butt with the cheek. Pressing your cheek closer to the butt, mark for yourself that part of the cheek that will touch.
Repeat throwing the gun. Make sure that you immediately align the front sight, the middle of the rib and the middle of the upper edge of the receiver shield in your line of sight. If necessary, make adjustments to the grip on the gun or to the position of the hand supporting the handguard.
Close your eyes and raise your gun again. Open your eyes, check the correct aiming.

How to learn to accurately shoot a gun

Vskidka gun for one approach should be performed 10 - 15 times. Attention! Do not lower the gun after it is raised, hold it for at least 10 seconds without closing the eyes with which you are aiming. Otherwise, if, while training, you immediately lower the gun and close your eyes, you will develop a muscular error. As a result, on the hunt, you will involuntarily lower the gun and close your eyes even before the shot. Thus, you will knock down the correct sight and shoot blindly.
Take a break for 10-15 minutes and repeat the exercise. Then again.
When you learn how to raise the gun correctly, complicate the exercise. After you stand with your gun raised, make body turns to the right - to the left, without ceasing to aim. Lower the barrel down to the left, lift it up to the right. Then lower down to the right, lift up to the left. All the while, keep aiming. After doing each movement 10-15 times, rest for 10-15 minutes, then repeat two more times.
To be continued.