Improving accuracy

[alderchokedhellhole]

Lots of good advice already mentioned on here but just curious too if you have a secondary rifle that is capable to your desired range that doesn't kick as much that you can practice with and get more efficient then transition what you learned to the 06'? Even a smaller rifle at 100 yards practicing getting your groups smaller might help.

Good luck.

Lots of good advice for sure!

I do have a browning ab3 compact in 6.5cm for the wife and kids.

 

[Ramem7mm]

Ya might be worth shooting that rifle as its probably cheaper to shoot and kicks way less. Simultaneously make some mods(muzzle brake) to what you got to see if it will do what you need/ want and go from there.

 

[alderchokedhellhole]

Ya might be worth shooting that rifle as its probably cheaper to shoot and kicks way less. Simultaneously make some mods(muzzle brake) to what you got to see if it will do what you need/ want and go from there.

I like this method.

Was talking to some folks and they also stressed the importance of dry fire practice and tigger break follow through.

 

[Southern Lights]

I would avoid a muzzle brake as they increase noise/concussion for you and it may cause a flinch to develop or make practicing harder.

If you shoot the TTSX, maybe you can try the 130gr version. I have just made a load that shoots 3100fps in the 30-06 and has less recoil than the heavies. Full disclosure I have not used it on game yet, but I don't anticipate any issues. Also you can load at the bottom end of the specs to get less recoil as long as impact velocity suits your max distance. People I know that have used a lot of TTSX like to have 2200 on impact.

If the rifle is jumping a lot, you should strongly consider holding the front vs. doing the cross armed prone if you are not already.

Also yes if you have a 6.5CM, by all means try it out as it may do everything you want with much less recoil.

 

[Castle Rock]

If the rifle is jumping a lot, you should strongly consider holding the front vs. doing the cross armed prone if you are not already.

That’s probably the best bit of advice here so far.
Light rifles that recoil need to be held solid and choked down to shoot well.

 

[alderchokedhellhole]

So last night I started dry fire practice at home.

It has definitely exposed some areas of concern that I will continue to work on, a bit one is trigger break follow through.

I’ve been scouring forums and watching plenty of videos on techniques, form etc. I’ve taken lots of notes and I will continue to build on my form and process.

Thanks all for the helpful tips, please keep it coming! I’ll be continuing to add with my progress.

 

[TaperPin]

I remember getting a fairly light 30-06 and getting beat up practicing with it. It’s a great hunting gun, but not a great practice/training/plinking gun. I typically shoot a gun like maybe 10 times at the range and spend the rest of the time with something like a 243.

Given that’s what you have, definitely spend time dry firing at home, but also at the range. Dry fire at least a couple times for ever round down range and 5 or 10 times isn’t crazy. Mix in dummy rounds or have a friend load the gun and not tell you if it will fire or not. Get a good sissy pad of some kind so it’s easier on your shoulder. Don’t spend all your time prone and it wouldn’t hurt if only 10% or 5% of your shots are prone. Sitting is a much more comfortable position to practice with heavy recoiling rifles.

If it feels uncomfortable, it’s because it is. If it wasn’t something would be wrong.

 

[S-3 ranch]

It might not be shooter error, but the composite stock getting pinched by the bipod?
The three rifles with plastic stocks I have had, I always had to constantly check for putting to much pressure on the barrel and bipod.
I would think sako would have a premium plastic stocks, but I have never had
A plastic sako or tikka only had wood

And 30-06 and ammo cost , I would personally recommend price checking
Some thing cheaper in 180gr or even 165gr like federal classic, Remington, Winchester
Hornday whitetail, they kill just as good as expensive eldx or barns
P.S don’t F around with turrets on your scope
Learn mental and muscle memory on wind and holding over
Mechanical failure imo is the #1 reason for poor results

 

[Jordan Smith]

It might not be shooter error, but the composite stock getting pinched by the bipod?
The three rifles with plastic stocks I have had, I always had to constantly check for putting to much pressure on the barrel and bipod.
I would think sako would have a premium plastic stocks, but I have never had
A plastic sako or tikka only had wood

And 30-06 and ammo cost , I would personally recommend price checking
Some thing cheaper in 180gr or even 165gr like federal classic, Remington, Winchester
Hornday whitetail, they kill just as good as expensive eldx or barns
P.S don’t F around with turrets on your scope
Learn mental and muscle memory on wind and holding over
Mechanical failure imo is the #1 reason for poor results

Disagree about scopes and holdover. The #1 reason for poor results is a lack of practice/training. Start with robust gear and practice. And use a chambering/rifle that is comfortable to practice (a lot) with. Either use that 6.5 CM or get a good .223 (like a Tikka Lite with 8" twist). BTW, a .223 is going to be legal to hunt with in AB this year, so it's not just a training/coyote rifle anymore.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Disagree about scopes and holdover. The #1 reason for poor results is a lack of practice/training. Start with robust gear and practice. And use a chambering/rifle that is comfortable to practice (a lot) with. Either use that 6.5 CM or get a good .223 (like a Tikka Lite with 8" twist). BTW, a .223 is going to be legal to hunt with in AB this year, so it's not just a training/coyote rifle anymore.

Yes practice and train is very important, but if you’re using a mechanical device
For wind and distance training, mechanical equipment failure is impossible to prevent when the turret wears out

 

[WoolyBugger]

Mechanical failure imo is the #1 reason for poor results

As a bad shooter myself, I haven’t found this to be the case at all. It’s almost always user error or bad wind calls. Maybe scopes losing zero account for a small percentage.

 

[Formidilosus]

mechanical equipment failure is impossible to prevent when the turret wears out

Which scopes have you shot and “worn out” the turrets on.

 

[Formidilosus]

As a bad shooter myself, I haven’t found this to be the case at all. It’s almost always user error or bad wind calls. Maybe scopes losing zero account for a small percentage.

Way more than a small percentage.

 

[WoolyBugger]

Way more than a small percentage.

Compared to people just being bad at shooting? Or not having a proper zero in the first place

 

[Formidilosus]

Compared to people just being bad at shooting? Or not having a proper zero in the first place

Yes to all. They are all connected.

In close to 100 students at S2H classes the last couple of years, it’s less than 10 that actually were zeroed when they showed up on day 1- yet all of them (with a couple exceptions) said that were zeroed and confirmed it right before class. That is- the center of their groups (cone) were not remotely centered on the target. Not only that, the amount of them that had a 10 round group size less than 2 MOA could probably be counted on one hand. Of those, maybe 2-3 got all 10 rounds in the 2 MOA target.


People suck at shooting. The people coming to S2H are on average far more experienced and capable than the VAST majority of hunters, and yet that is still the result. I don’t mean that rudely- it’s bluntly factual.

We miss due to the largest source of errors. The largest source of errors are in order-

1). We suck
2). Scope/rifle were never actually zeroed
3). Scope/rifle lost zero
4). Scope/rifle have a non optimum zero
.
.
.
.
.
.
5). Wind.

 

[alderchokedhellhole]

Yes to all. They are all connected.

In close to 100 students at S2H classes the last couple of years, it’s less than 10 that actually were zeroed when they showed up on day 1- yet all of them (with a couple exceptions) said that were zeroed and confirmed it right before class. That is- the center of their groups (cone) were not remotely centered on the target. Not only that, the amount of them that had a 10 round group size less than 2 MOA could probably be counted on one hand. Of those, maybe 2-3 got all 10 rounds in the 2 MOA target.


People suck at shooting. The people coming to S2H are on average far more experienced and capable than the VAST majority of hunters, and yet that is still the result. I don’t mean that rudely- it’s bluntly factual.

We miss due to the largest source of errors. The largest source of errors are in order-

1). We suck
2). Scope/rifle were never actually zeroed
3). Scope/rifle lost zero
4). Scope/rifle have a non optimum zero
.
.
.
.
.
.
5). Wind.

I think the vast majority think we are better than we are.

 

[Southern Lights]

In rifle courses I helped teach in the past we always had students saying the rifle wasn't shooting. An instructor would take the rifle, shoot a tight group, and hand it back telling them it was fine.

I have only once seen a rifle that didn't shoot well at a course that was actually the rifle. The problem is the action screws came very loose and it was rattling around in the stock. After we tightened them it worked fine.

The short story is I never blame gear for a miss unless all other options with the shooter have been exhausted. This is also why making sure the rifle system is reliable from top to bottom is so important. I want to know if I miss that it was 100% my fault and can't blame the gear. Most modern rifles are way more accurate than the average shooter.

Also, it's a bad mental habit to blame gear for a poor shot because it causes shooters to not assess their own form and what they are doing wrong.

In the case of a Sako, I have shot them a lot and they are extremely common in New Zealand. I have heard stories of people saying a Sako can't shoot, but honestly I've never seen it myself. I used a Sako TRG in competition for years and they always performed flawlessly with accuracy that beat any custom. Sako rifles are world class and unless there is something physically wrong with the rifle, it will shoot.

I'd get back to wanting to control the rifle better on recoil by holding the forend. Possibly consider learning to use a loop sling with it. The 30-06 is a stout cartridge and in a light rifle needs to be held.

 

[Formidilosus]

I'd get back to wanting to control the rifle better on recoil by holding the forend. Possibly consider learning to use a loop sling with it. The 30-06 is a stout cartridge and in a light rifle needs to be held

We shoot standard lightweight unsuppressed and unbraked Sako’s and Tikka’s in 308, 30/06, 7mm mags, 300mags like every other rifle, and they all shoot just fine.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Which scopes have you shot and “worn out” the turrets on.

I don’t use mechanical turrets, my main rifle scopes is a Burris signature with a posi loc
And I have not needed to unlock it and adjust it in probably 20 years ( hundreds of rounds down field with no issues)
Now my buddy Jodi white shoots competitions and wears out scopes and barrels
He neither condemns nor promotes any brands of glass , and only states
Some are better than others but they all have a limited number of shots before failure!

I know apples and oranges between a hunting rifle and competition or military.
Failed is failure ultimately whenever you fiddle fudge will turrets
German and bohemian components imo last longer in terms of a hunting scope than say a scope manufactured in the Philippines or Portuguese factories?
Sorry if I swerved off topic , but I will still stick to importance of components !
Plastic stocks putting pressure on the barrel , scope turret wear. Unfavorable ammunition. And trigger pressure irregularity’s ,

 

[Formidilosus]

I don’t use mechanical turrets, my main rifle scopes is a Burris signature with a posi loc
And I have not needed to unlock it and adjust it in probably 20 years ( hundreds of rounds down field with no issues)
Now my buddy Jodi white shoots competitions and wears out scopes and barrels
He neither condemns nor promotes any brands of glass , and only states
Some are better than others but they all have a limited number of shots before failure!

I know apples and oranges between a hunting rifle and competition or military.
Failed is failure ultimately whenever you fiddle fudge will turrets
German and bohemian components imo last longer in terms of a hunting scope than say a scope manufactured in the Philippines or Portuguese factories?
Sorry if I swerved off topic , but I will still stick to importance of components !
Plastic stocks putting pressure on the barrel , scope turret wear. Unfavorable ammunition. And trigger pressure irregularity’s ,

So no experience at all in what you are saying?

Good scopes do not wear out. At least not in 100,000 plus rounds of dialing on them. However the list of “good” scopes is pretty small, and they aren’t Burris or Leupold.