Shot set up

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11 years 2 weeks ago #30248 by Libertarian623
Shot set up was created by Libertarian623
Been doing a lot of prone shooting lately, and had a chance to observe some really good shooters this fall. Which brings me to the title shot set up , I am talking about all the mental and physical stuff we go through for each shot. Seems everyone is a little different. Anyways heres mine, after ranging and getting the dope for the shot, first check the breech and place on safe, make sure rear bag is in hand, go to ground, dial the dope, recheck wind, get a site picture of the target and load the bipod and position the rear bag and pause for a couple seconds until everything is calmed down check eye relief and halo while checking target if all is well roll off the safety, calm down see and know its in the bag concentrate on a trigger smooth rearward motion, straight back not to either side, drive the weapon, bang, watch for the wake and impact,stay on the weapon and follow through. Well that's it. Please post your thoughts and perhaps your set up. Thanks
The following user(s) said Thank You: jtallen83

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11 years 2 weeks ago #30253 by jtallen83
Replied by jtallen83 on topic Shot set up
Sounds like you would be an excellent instructor!

The prone is a position I rarely try, hurts my back. I do follow most all of the procedures you list. I never use a rear bag though, figure I won't have one in any real world situation so I just practice making it work without one, I use my hand on longer shots.
I rarely shoot long enough ranges to bother with scope dope, I just eyeball it, Kentucky windage. I like to time myself and keep a rapid pace on multiple targets with changing positions.
Your tip on setting up a scope with the halo effect is going to help with my accuracy a bunch! It makes it easy to insure my eyeball is in the same spot regardless of the rest of my body. "Know it's in the bag" is a critical step in my view, your mind and body will guide you, if you let it. Muscle memory is a critical factor for me. If it doesn't feel right odds are it isn't.

Great thread, I can't wait to read what everyone else does! :usa:

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11 years 2 weeks ago #30254 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic Shot set up
I am too busy taking notes on what you guys said! Good stuff. I always take three breaths while I am lining up the target, checking for wind, going through my mental checklist. I don't use a bag. I take my non trigger arm and crook it with the palm holding the base of the stock like a bag. Just the way I learned. While exhaling the third breath I take the safety off and get my sight picture. After exhaling, i stop breathing, sent a mental note to my heart to calm its beating, and let my eye direct my trigger finger. I usually don't consciously think about pulling the trigger. If I have skipped morning coffee it works pretty well.

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11 years 1 week ago #30268 by Libertarian623
Replied by Libertarian623 on topic Shot set up
JT - I know what you mean about not having a rear bag , but I did a little test this summer and found out that my shooting over 300M improved by more than 10% with a rear bag. I went out and bought three of the 4"x6x3 palmbags with the loops and attached one to my assault vest right shoulder with a beaner, then one to my pack , same thing right shoulder with a beaner, one in the case and I made one lightweight bag for my hunting coat. I have no shame or pride left only a desire to hit faraway targets. Also every competitor in that shoot last fall LE/Military had a palm bag of some type and they where all getting use during the shoot.
Sis- I know what you mean about the damn coffee, it definitively degrades my accuracy.

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11 years 1 week ago #30272 by MrMarty51
Replied by MrMarty51 on topic Shot set up
I suffer from attention disorder, a cup of coffee usually tends to calm Me. More than a cup or a cup and a half and it then goes the other way.
I too never use a bag for support when shooting from the prone position, bad back and all, I will sort of turn My body to about a 45* angle and that helps a lot, find the position that My body is most comfortable when shooting prone.
Taking and processing mental pictures, constantly changing, target to eye to brain, steady control breathing, keep both eyes open, halo, alignment, halo, breath, halo,both eyes open, press trigger, both eyes open as the rifle bucks out it`s round, breath controlably, target to eye to brain, eye to halo, both eyes open, must concentrate to keep both eyes open, breath, press trigger, both eyes open, buck out another round, repeat. But, this is going on a lot faster`n I can explai it in a post.
My cousins son, heading into the marines, had a few shooting sessions, kept coaching Him from standing behind, trying to rememer all that I had learned from My stint in the Army.
He got to Basic, onto the firing range, the DIs thought it incredible the way David had so much control when it came time for the range.
He told the DIs that His cousin had sort of coached Him with using the AR10, I guess they were even more impressed when they found out that He had got to use an AR10. :cowboy:

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11 years 1 week ago #30278 by Libertarian623
Replied by Libertarian623 on topic Shot set up
Mr. Marty- that's awesome about coaching your cousins son. I know at that age it would have been a very cool thing to get trigger time behind a AR-10.

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