Why i can't shoot a rifle.

[5RWill]

K im almost to the point of furious with myself guys. I took the .308 out shooting today, set up a 30gallon drum with a water bottle on top and shoot at the bottle about 6 times, all are misses. This is at 100 yards resting on my truck. Its not that im afraid of the kick although my shoulder is aking now it doesn't bother me that much. My dad tells me to take a deep breath blow out and ease the trigger back. I somehow just can't force myself to do it. Everytime im trying to squeeze the trigger back, i think to myself this is taking to long or some bs like that and pull it. Any suggestions or reasons that could help me would be appreciated.

[wpcexpert]

My very first thought after reading this...is you rifle sighted in? Is it on?

If I were you I would now go to a target with a much larger "show". Maybe it's not you. Your rifle could be broken, the scope loose...whatever. Try setting up at least a 2'x2' cardboard and see where your bullets are hitting. That can tell you more than anyone here.

Then come back with detailed results. And we can further troubleshoot.

Shawn

[Rant Casey]

Patience.

Try a smaller caliber, get a bit closer to the target etc..

Have an experienced shooter test your rifle out to make sure it's zeroed properly and not an equipment problem. Are you shooting with any optics or using iron sights?

[5RWill]

No see thats the problem there is no blaming this on the rifle, my dad can shoot 1/2 groups @ 100 cosistently with this rifle. Now i haven't had the experience he has but there is a flaw somewhere, in my shooting habbits.

[5RWill]

Thats the thing that stumps me, i grew up shooting a .243 same casing same amount of powder right? The pad on either rifles isn't that soft where as the pad on my kimber i ordered is superbly soft, could make a difference. Mabe it is the .308 ill try the .243 tomorrow. But if they are the saming casing but one is necked down it is the same amount of kick right? Shooting with a leupold 3-9 vx-II

[Rant Casey]

Like i said, patience.

Everytime im trying to squeeze the trigger back, i think to myself this is taking to long or some bs like that and pull it.

[5RWill]

Then i guess i get afraid of the rifle taking me by surprise or something, for instance i can ease the trigger back on a .22 LR but when it goes off i find myself kinda jumping because it startles me if that makes any sense.

[Rant Casey]

Are you new to shooting? Eventually the flinching will stop with practice. Just try not to be so nervous. Unless bugs bunny ran up and bent your barrel to face you, you'll be fine, the bullet will travel down range into it's intended target and you'll be happy. Nothing to worry about. Practice more with a lesser caliber until you stop flinching.

[wpcexpert]

Still go to a larger target area. Case in point...

My wife and I always shoot in the back yard just about every Sunday. She loves to shoot my GP100 with .38's. But when she picked up my P89, 5 out of 7 shots were in the dirt. It took several clips and some dryfiring to figure out exactly what she was doing. It was her grip. When she was squeezing trigger, she was also squeezing her pinky, pulling the shot down.

Another thing is having someone watch you dryfire. Setting in and watching the crosshairs while you fire. Also another story...(sorry)...but a buddy of mine was having the same problem. I finally convinced him it was not the gun. So we played a little game. I would turn around and load the gun for him. I was either loading a live round or a spent case. He didn't know. This way, he always assumed it was going to fire. And when I loaded a spent case, and he pulled the trigger as if it was going to fire...he was anticipating the bang and pulling the hell out of it. But it was almost unnoticable when he was shooting. And with the dryfire when he knew about it, wouldn't jerk.

Sorry it was so long. But it may help.

[publius]

No, the .243 does not have the same recoil as the .308. It is less. Get your .22 out and go do plenty of range practice. concentrate on form.

[ndking1126]

Maybe you could post a video of yourself shooting on youtube? Maybe it would give these experts enough to help you.

I'm a computer technician... just trying to think of ways to use my career to help out

But honestly, it sounds like you know what the problem is.. jerking the trigger. Have you always done this with larger calibers? Is this a newer thing?

[5RWill]

I'm new to shooting as in taking a high powered rifle out and shooting more than once yes. Other than shooting i've been hunting since i was little. Thanks for the feedback guys ill try this tomorrow if i can get my dad out there with me to watch. But the easing the trigger back thing just bothers me, idk why i mean even on a .22 which has no recoil. But to reverse the scenario i can shoot a 12 gauge pump all day long dove hunting or duck hunting, and im a pretty good shot with a shotgun.

[Loader9]

If you think that squeezing the trigger is taking too long, just how hard is it? You won't squeeze one of mine too hard unless it's on safety. On most of mine, you never feel the trigger move, it just goes bang. Mine usually break around 1 1/2 lbs. What brand and model of rifle?

[wpcexpert]

Two different worlds brother. Shotgunning upland game is more instinctive than technical, IMO. I do alright, but I've got buddies that can flat out shoot.

[5RWill]

loader, it's a old remington model 700 where you have to put it on fire to bolt the gun, and i've told my dad i believe the trigger is way to hard to push back, where as our custom sporter 22 is like you said you don't even feel it move and it goes off.

[Dezynco]

When you get ready to shoot.....

take 3 breaths - don't GULP for air - just breathe a nice deep breath, you know iiiiiinnnnn-------ooouuuuuuttttt. Really calm!

Now take in a breath and sorta let it out easy as you count down - 5, 4, 3,......while you're squeezing the trigger.

Of course you've sighted the target before you do all this. It really helps to keep you from jerking the trigger. If you need, don't be ashamed to get a strap-on shoulder pad.

I'm a "lightweight" guy, but I love to shoot my big rifles. I 'aint got no natural padding, so I've got to have some padding for multiple shots(more than around 5-10 shots).

[5RWill]

Thats about like me i'm kinda skinny, my dad being the farmer that he is has a lot of padding, to him he says he feels no recoil in that .308. I say different. For 3 shots it doesn't bother me but i shot about 7-10 today and my shoulder was akeing afterwards. He told me to fold up a towel and put it behind my arm. He said he did that when sighting in his 7mm. He also told me with practice it just wont effect me anymore. But I truly believe part of the problem is his trigger pull is way to heavy. I whish is was light it would make easing the trigger so much easier for me. I feel like the kimber i ordered wont kick as bad cause of the pad also, it's extremely soft, softer than a custom 100$ pad we put on my 20 gauge when i was little.

[uncle moe]

a lot of the old military rifles were designed with a lot of trigger creep and heavy trigger pull to prevent accidental firing,including my old 8mm mauser best solution for me was an after market trigger with ajustable creep and trigger weighlt

[Dezynco]

What I've found that's the best help for "getting used to" a particular rifle's trigger pull and recoil is to handload. You can load down, then load up. Load some cartridges that are WAY down in velocity and weight - some that just barely go "POP" when you touch them off. Work your way up from there.

[44 AMP]

As others have said, patience. It takes as long as it takes. Rushing the shot is why you miss.

Breathe normally. Watch your sights (crosshairs). See them wobble around the target a bit. Don't bother trying to hold them steady. Let your breath about half way out and hold it. As the crosshairs move over the target, squeeze (don't jerk) the trigger. Don't worry about the rifle firing. Watch the crosshairs. As they drift off the target, hold the pressure you have on the trigger. Don't pull any more (to hurry up and hit-you won't). Just hold the pressure on the trigger, and when the crosshairs drift back on the target, squeeze some more. Take as much time as you need. Breathe when you need to. Let you breath halfway out and hold it when the cross hairs come back on the target. Squeeze some more. When the rifle fires, it should be a surprise! You should be concentrating on the crosshairs, and be (slightly)surprised when the rifle fires.

If you have done it right, the crosshairs will be "drifting" over the target when the rifle goes off, and you will hit. If you are using iron sights, substitute "front sight" for "crosshairs".

You should also learn the basic shooting positions, and how to lock "bone on bone" for the most stable shooting hold.

The old martial arts adage of "make haste slowly" is what applies. Don't rush, you only screw things up. Speed comes AFTER experience. You have to walk before you can run, etc.,etc.
This works for me, it works for others. Just be calm, and patient, and it will work for you as well. It takes practice, but don't give up. You can do it.
Good luck

[uncle moe]

as for some one else shooting 1/2 moa most of it probably is in how your shooting breathing control ,holding for more than about 10 seconds starts to give most people the shakes so just get your sight picture take a deep breath hold it and squeeze dont jerk. if your flinching try this . have some one else load your gun 1 or2 rounds short of capacity and not tell you how many,then have them stand behind you and watch to see if your flinching you will probably find out when that empty round doesnt go off. also make sure you have a good solid rest. accros the hood of a pickup isnt a very solid rest .try a bipod or a regular old shooters gun rest /site in vise about 30 dollars at walmart. also check your stock to cheek position and stock to shoulder position . try the prone position its the most solid .little things up close can make a big diff downrange

[ndking1126]

You might try not shooting as many rounds per outing. If your shoulder never gets really sore from shooting, it will probably help you forget about how hard it recoils.

I'm guessing when you head back out the next outing, the pain you left with was at or close to the front of your mind.

And I definitely agree there's no shame in getting padding for your shoulder, especially since this is kind of a new experience for you.

Just a thought.. I don't think someone has already mentioned that. Sorry if I am repeating.

[Dearhunter61]

I use a Cabela's Nitro shoulder rest. Although I am not skinny I seperated my shoulder about twenty years ago and since then have ripped the scar tissue free, which holds everything together, another 5-6 times. My shoulder simply can not take more than 2-3 shots before I begin to flinch with my big guns so I purchased one of these and go to the range quite a bit to shoot and when I shoot the big guns I use it. It has helped a lot with technique and confidence. How? It allows me to concentrate on the keys of good shooting while I do not have to worry about the recoil. I have hunted with these guns for years so it is not a big deal to fire them once when I am hunting..then I do not even think about recoil. So I would suggest you consider getting one and using it while you get comfortable with it. Then a month before hunting season after you have practiced a lot go to the range without it and just plan on firing three rounds. I think this could help you.

[Dezynco]

Yep, yep, yep. You just have to get a good rest, and calm down. The kick's not too bad from a .308, you just need to get steady.....

Try it with a Encore .308 handgun! Wheeew! You'll be lucky to hit the target at 100 yards, much less shoot anything that could be considered a "group"! Too much fun when you actually manage to make a 3-4" group at 100! Some guys can shoot MOA at that distance with a handgun!

[ndking1126]

You said you are almost furious at yourself. If you are anything like me, you might just take a day or 2 to chill and clear your mind. At least for me, when I get mad, that anger distracts me from technique..

Mostly I experience this while playing golf