Spotting your shot, most import factors.

[hereinaz]

That’s cool. Yeah I think you’re right about it being a perishable skill. lol

It’s sounds weird, but once in position I normally dry fire a few times before every shot and visualize what the recoil would be. It seems to help my brain with recoil, maybe not shot for shot as good as burning powder, but enough I can tell a difference by the end of a good range session.

Did a bit more investigation into my reflexive blinking - shot a few mags through the gas gun, the 22 lever action and a 9mm pistol (guns I haven’t fired in a long time) while taking some video and found that on the first shot of any of these I get a full blink under recoil, but that if I continue with follow up shots in quick(ish) but not rushed succession, the blink subsides/goes away to a very slight twitch of the eye lids visible only on slow motion. If I pause in firing for a bit I get a full blink on the first round again. Makes me think I just need more rounds down range with set ups I can go blink free on and it will fade in time. It also seems like a quickly perishable skill and I imagine a hiatus will bring the reaction back. The gas gun has a muzzle break so the muzzle blast is decent - more so than the 6cm with the suppressor - but the recoil is still a bit less.

IMO, this partially explains the cold bore myth…

 

[TaperPin]

IMO, this partially explains the cold bore myth…

The myth that the cold bore is less accurate because of the rifle? I agree. This brain settling down thing, inconsistency in first shot hand placements, inconsistency in first shot pressures imparted into the pistol grip/cheek/shoulder, and probably uneven muscle tensions that can’t be seen.

 

[hereinaz]

The myth that the cold bore is less accurate because of the rifle? I agree. This brain settling down thing, inconsistency in first shot hand placements, inconsistency in first shot pressures imparted into the pistol grip/cheek/shoulder, and probably uneven muscle tensions that can’t be seen.

Cold bore is largely a myth. Clean bore, of course that is a thing, follow up shots are in a different condition.

If cold bore is mechanical, it is the rifle getting jostled so that something gets out of place and then upon the first shot it returns to its neutral position. It could be bedding, scope movement, barrel movement relative to stock if it touches, internals of the scope moving, etc.

But, the common element is always the human that is not well practiced and did not build a solid position for the first shot.

Once a shooter settles in, it is much easier to shoot small groups.

Test it by doing build and break practice. Pick up right rifle, do the Hokey Pokey, reset the rifle to low power, load the magazine again, then try to build the same position.

I guarantee that groups shot during build and break practice will not look like groups when you get settled in and fire them without breaking position.

After firing, there is often slack taken out of the human/rifle connection, fill in bags settle, eyes blink less, the rifle butt slips to a position it rests more easily in, etc.

 

[TaperPin]

Cold bore is largely a myth. Clean bore, of course that is a thing, follow up shots are in a different condition.

If cold bore is mechanical, it is the rifle getting jostled so that something gets out of place and then upon the first shot it returns to its neutral position. It could be bedding, scope movement, barrel movement relative to stock if it touches, internals of the scope moving, etc.

But, the common element is always the human that is not well practiced and did not build a solid position for the first shot.

Once a shooter settles in, it is much easier to shoot small groups.

Test it by doing build and break practice. Pick up right rifle, do the Hokey Pokey, reset the rifle to low power, load the magazine again, then try to build the same position.

I guarantee that groups shot during build and break practice will not look like groups when you get settled in and fire them without breaking position.

After firing, there is often slack taken out of the human/rifle connection, fill in bags settle, eyes blink less, the rifle butt slips to a position it rests more easily in, etc.

Yes good advice.

Definitely no substitute for repetition.

 

[longrangelead]

I'm not a competitor but continually improving my shooting skills is what drives me.
Along the lines of blinking, I spend and have spent a lot of time behind glass for long periods which causes facial fatigue. I trained myself to use single eye optics with both eyes open. it just takes reps and the decision to be intentional.
Same with blinking. I used long range 22LR semi-auto in part to train out blinking. Seeing the bullet in flight and the hit in the scope is pretty cool. Training on a small rifle obviously scales up to larger cartridges. Seeing bullet trace and the hit in the scope never gets old.

Bandwidth might be a better way to say this. During the entire shot process until it starts over, I'm so focused on the shot process and input from the scope, my brain doesn't have the bandwidth to blink because it's tasked with getting information. Getting visual information is prioritized over blinking.

You can't see my other eye, but I'm shooting a 100yd 10 shot/60 second drill with both eyes open. The goal is 1.5" or less for 10 in under 60 seconds, not just shooting fast.
My body knows how to run the bolt so my brain is watching through the scope and correcting sight alignment the entire time. As soon as the bolt is closed, final sight refinement begins as I begin to press the trigger within wobble limits.

The shot is not "timed", the shot process is compressed to do it quickly but correctly.

Most people I've been around are pretty casual about shooting, thus they learn/improve slower.
A course like S2H or just friendly challenges can be beneficial because humans naturally want to be as good or better than the other guy. When the guy next to you is shooting smaller groups and/or doing it faster, you try harder to get better.

Being intentional with every shot is learning with every shot.

 

[hereinaz]

I'm not a competitor but continually improving my shooting skills is what drives me.
Along the lines of blinking, I spend and have spent a lot of time behind glass for long periods which causes facial fatigue. I trained myself to use single eye optics with both eyes open. it just takes reps and the decision to be intentional.
Same with blinking. I used long range 22LR semi-auto in part to train out blinking. Seeing the bullet in flight and the hit in the scope is pretty cool. Training on a small rifle obviously scales up to larger cartridges. Seeing bullet trace and the hit in the scope never gets old.

Bandwidth might be a better way to say this. During the entire shot process until it starts over, I'm so focused on the shot process and input from the scope, my brain doesn't have the bandwidth to blink because it's tasked with getting information. Getting visual information is prioritized over blinking.
View attachment 986119
You can't see my other eye, but I'm shooting a 100yd 10 shot/60 second drill with both eyes open. The goal is 1.5" or less for 10 in under 60 seconds, not just shooting fast.
My body knows how to run the bolt so my brain is watching through the scope and correcting sight alignment the entire time. As soon as the bolt is closed, final sight refinement begins as I begin to press the trigger within wobble limits.

The shot is not "timed", the shot process is compressed to do it quickly but correctly.

Most people I've been around are pretty casual about shooting, thus they learn/improve slower.
A course like S2H or just friendly challenges can be beneficial because humans naturally want to be as good or better than the other guy. When the guy next to you is shooting smaller groups and/or doing it faster, you try harder to get better.

Being intentional with every shot is learning with every shot.

Good stuff and practical advice.

 

[TimberHunter]

Test it by doing build and break practice. Pick up right rifle, do the Hokey Pokey, reset the rifle to low power, load the magazine again, then try to build the same position.

Good way to get a true zero on rifles used for hunting


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[tall]

This rifle below has a 14.75” LOP, very short trigger reach of approx 1.5”, and a very well designed grip. Every single person from 12yo girls to 6’6” males that have shot it, have done easily, and almost all have stated it was the best feeling and shooting gun they have ever shot. Hell, there are 4-5 posters on here that after shooting it, went and found one and bought it.

View attachment 979889

This stock looks similar to the CZ 457 MTR which is one of my favorite stocks to shoot. It's on a 22LR so recoil doesn't exist for comparison but, the grip and fit are second to none among the handful of stocks I've owned. I'd be delighted to find something similar for a Tikka.

 

[Formidilosus]

This stock looks similar to the CZ 457 MTR which is one of my favorite stocks to shoot. It's on a 22LR so recoil doesn't exist for comparison but, the grip and fit are second to none among the handful of stocks I've owned. I'd be delighted to find something similar for a Tikka.

View attachment 986172

Right now the ROKStok is the closet thing to it in shooting. There is work being done on one that is much closer.

 

[longrangelead]

I'm not a competitor but continually improving my shooting skills is what drives me.
Along the lines of blinking, I spend and have spent a lot of time behind glass for long periods which causes facial fatigue. I trained myself to use single eye optics with both eyes open. it just takes reps and the decision to be intentional.
Same with blinking. I used long range 22LR semi-auto in part to train out blinking. Seeing the bullet in flight and the hit in the scope is pretty cool. Training on a small rifle obviously scales up to larger cartridges. Seeing bullet trace and the hit in the scope never gets old.

Bandwidth might be a better way to say this. During the entire shot process until it starts over, I'm so focused on the shot process and input from the scope, my brain doesn't have the bandwidth to blink because it's tasked with getting information. Getting visual information is prioritized over blinking.
View attachment 986119
You can't see my other eye, but I'm shooting a 100yd 10 shot/60 second drill with both eyes open. The goal is 1.5" or less for 10 in under 60 seconds, not just shooting fast.
My body knows how to run the bolt so my brain is watching through the scope and correcting sight alignment the entire time. As soon as the bolt is closed, final sight refinement begins as I begin to press the trigger within wobble limits.

The shot is not "timed", the shot process is compressed to do it quickly but correctly.

Most people I've been around are pretty casual about shooting, thus they learn/improve slower.
A course like S2H or just friendly challenges can be beneficial because humans naturally want to be as good or better than the other guy. When the guy next to you is shooting smaller groups and/or doing it faster, you try harder to get better.

Being intentional with every shot is learning with every shot.

I'll add that the 22LR semi auto was not rapid fire trigger yanking.
semi-auto to reduce the shot process to trigger press-recoil-reset only for higher reps on that aspect only.

 

[TimberHunter]

Right now the ROKStok is the closet thing to it in shooting. There is work being done on one that is much closer.

Are these of any comparison to that tikka sporter stock you have?

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[Formidilosus]

Are these of any comparison to that tikka sporter stock you have?

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They are ok. After using GRS stocks, I went back to factory. I would rather use a KRG Bravo than about anything if for some reason I wouldn’t use a ROKStok.