Learning to shoot -- Judging performance/progress

[dburkhead]

When one is trying to gauge improvment and ability, one often gets well-intentioned advice to "compete against oneself" or "so long as you're happy with the results" or the like. And to a large extent that is helpful in getting people not to worry so much and just enjoy the activity.

Well, I'm a believer in having a hard standard to judge oneself against. For example, when I was bicycling with some seriousness, knowing the kinds of speeds that competitors at different levels of the sport, active club riders, and serious relative beginners could do helped me to place my own progress and performance. For one thing, it demonstrated that I was actually pretty good at that bicycling thing (do largely to a high anaerobic threshold and a high tolerance for modest levels of pain that just goes on and on for hours).

So I'm wondering about judging how my shooting is progressing. I've been shooting my Ruger 10/22 since early March, averaging at least once per week, shooting 150-200 rounds per week. Shooting almost exclusively standing with sling. Most of that time with iron sights, recently switching to a scope (mainly because the front sight had worked loose in the dovetail so I need to find a replacement). So what kind of groups "should" a person with that kind of experience, doing that kind of shooting, be making? One hole at 50 yards? 1 inch? Six inches? The side of a barn if you happen to be inside it?

[22-rimfire]

I'd say if you can keep your shots within 3" circle standing without a support, you are doing just fine. On a bad day, I might be hard pressed to keep my shots in a 6" circle at 50 yds standing. 50 yds is pretty far. I doubt I would shoot at that range standing unless I was training for something. I'd shoot at 25 yds which covers many hunting situations as well as plinking ranges.

[kraigwy]

Get you a score or data book, be honest with yourself and you log each and every shot. You'll be able to track your improvments and detect problems.

Every good coach DEMANDS that his shooters keep and use the score book. When I was coaching the AKNG Rifleteam I was harder on team members for neglecting their score books then I was for skipping practices.

Record everything, Guns, ammo, zeros, range and weather conditions.

[LHB1]

David,
Yes, you need a consistent standard to judge yourself. You might use a method similar to the one I use for pistol shooting. I no longer shoot in registered competitions but compete against myself. At each shooting session, I fire 50 shots on one target at 18 yds standing, two hands, no rest, and score the result. Then I post the score into an EXCEL spreadsheet and graph the results. That graph tells the story. With my Kimber .45 I averaged 475 of possible 500 over a six month period. Obviously I had reached a plateau. Then I bought my first Wilson pistol and the scores began improving again. Within three months I was scoring above 490. Create a standard shooting program for yourself. Measure the result and post scores on a graph. Amazing tool for self motivation.

[22-rimfire]

One thing when target shooting, always aim at exactly the same point for every shot. It is one of the reasons that an "X" is sometimes a more repeatable aiming point than a bull. Half inch bull's are good with grid lines.

If you can't see it, you can't shoot it.

[dburkhead]

Thanks for the help.

I used 50 yards in the example because of the ranges I have to shoot at: up to 50' (local indoor range), 50 and 100 yard rifle (Atterbury Shooting Range), and whatever the pistol distances are at Atterbury.

[TimRB]

The ten ring on the SR target is about 3MOA across, and the X-ring is about 1MOA. 3 minutes at 50 yards is about 1.5 inches.

Tim

[boltgun71]

Go to an Appleseed Marksmanship Clinic and fire the AQT(Army Qualification Test). It has its own rankings based on score and you are scored on standing, sitting, and prone shooting. Keep track of your scores to track your personal progress. On the AQT and at an Appleseed you are only competeing against yourself, nobody else. Click on my links below for more information.

P.S. A 10/22 like you have is almost ideal for use at a Appleseed shoot.

[johnwilliamson062]

Go to Tijuana, cause as much trouble as you can. If you make it back you are shooting pretty good.

Seriously though, I only shoot for fun. If I can hit a pie plate at 200 yards with my rifle and put a few pistol rounds in one @ 25 yards I leave it at that.
If you want to shoot competitively in marksmanship competititions hit a few up. Only way you will know.

[funfaler]

Get yourself a 1 inch square. Place it at 25 meters/82 feet.

If you can place 10 rounds within that 1" square, you are doing just fine.

If not, well, might I suggest an Appleseed Shoot, you will gain the skills to complete the above, with practice.

This level of skill will give you the level of skill (mechanical skill) that is required to be accurate out to 500 yards. (you will need some further information on range/wind estimation/correction for actual distance, but your shooting is there).

Enjoy