Marksmanship  Fundamentals

1.   Get as LOW and SOLID as possible. If you can lay down or

      use bags or a bipod or whatever it will make your shots better.

      If you can’t lie down then try to sit, or kneel.  Remember as you come up

      you get shakier. Stay just as low as is Feasible. 

      NEVER, EVER,  rest your barrel on anything. 

   Use the forearm or your hand on the forearm to rest on the side of the tree, etc. Not only will it shoot more to zero but it will also prevent malfunctions.

2.   Sight alignment – Absolute focus on  the sights (crosshair) not the target.  The target is a reference only.  Don’t let it take  over your point of focus. Reference the crosshair to the center of the circle of light in the scope. Maintain this reference over and over as you slowly add pressure to the trigger and wait.

 3.  Trigger control – The art of slowly adding pressure to the trigger while checking & correcting the sights until the gun fires.

    NEVER,  EVER,  make it fire.  Keep adding the pressure and

    wait for it to fire, as you monitor & correct the sights.  If you knew it was going to fire, then you BLEW it. You'll be surprised how fast you can get it to break this way with a little practice and never have to make it break . In my opinion, this is the absolute most important basic of good marksmanship.  What happens to perfect sight alignment when you jerk the trigger? 

4.  Follow Thru -  Learn to watch where the crosshairs are at,  when the gun fires ( you will see it rise) and then stay on the scope or sights til they fall back on target.  Make it a point to reacquire the target in the scope (or sights) and then take a full breath while you are looking as a part of each shot, before you let the gun down. (Why do all that work to make a perfect shot & then Not Let It Finish?)  Really exaggerate the follow thru to train the correct muscle memory.

                                                                      Chief