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Stupid question....

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TAKE A CHANCE

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My dad didn't realy show me so i have had to learn from experience and i want to teach my boys the best way to sight in a rifle. I usualy set up at thge rang and start at 50 yards and work out to 100. What type of rest to use and how to make the most consistant shot afer shot? How often do you clean and what techniques hlp you get the smallest groups. Any help would be great.
 
Not a stupid question, but your gonna get an encyclopedia's worth of answers.

A few basics that I use for adequate shooting.

Sandbags make good rests to start for bench shooting. I clean rarely, unless the gun has been rained on and then from the breech end.

Adjust triggers for a crisp clean break. Not too heavy so you have to yank it.

Allow the rifle to cool betwen shots.

Pmc
 
It's never stupid to ask questions, its stupid to be too proud to admit you don't know!
You don't have to hold the barrel down unless it is a real powerful rifle/shotgun.
I let the rifle rest freely on the front sandbag and aim the gun from the my shoulder and the rear sandbag.
A smooth trigger pull is very important and trying not to flinch when pulling the trigger is equally important.
Unless it's a muzzleloader you don't have to clean the bore too often.
Make sure you don't mix bullet weights and brands when shooting for groups.

Others will add a more information, so good luck.
 
As the others have said Not a Stupid Question.

I have used homemade sand bags to decent store bought bags and rests.Really cant say one is any better as a whole over the others but I do like the Caldwell "Rock Deluxe" from Midway USA and other places for the front and sandbags under the rear.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... mid=412484

Also have the older Outers version of this Shooter Ridge shooting rest it isn't bad either.And it comes in handy as a take along on hunts.Note got to be careful on were you place the rifle in this type,have taken the grip cap off a couple a time or 2. :D



http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... mid=341095

I have also used a short bi-pod on the front with sandbags under the rear a few times.

IMO, the Rest one usees to ZERO a rifle isn't as near important as what they are setting on.I much perfer a good soild and stable and level platform for that.That I can rest my elbows on and is real comfortable aiming from.

The above along with being consistant on each shot,breathing,trigger pull,and the rifle being in the same spot/postion each shot will show best on the target.Some rests come with a forend stop/rest to aid in this,but a piece of masking tape on the forend marking the front rest postion works just as well.I perfer to lightly crasp the forend myself as I generaly do when out hunting,so I don't use the forend stop myself.

I sometimes clean at the range between groups,always clean whitin a day or two at the house unless I'am heading out hunting,then I wait till the season or hunt is over.

Good Luck.
 
Pillow ticking material, play sand, and a wife who can sew can make dandy sandbags. You can make several for a small outlay of cash for beginning. Some use old shot bags that shotgun reloaders get their shot in but they tend to leak sand a little more than the homemade ones. Place a front sandbag on a military ammo box or wood blocks for a front rest and use a smaller sandbag for the rear. Make creases in the bag with the side of your hand to hold the rifle. Then wrap up with the right hand on the trigger and the left hand squeezing the rear sandbag for changes in elevation. That's the cheap way to do it or later if you get more into it you can spend hundreds on the various commercially made rests and bags. That's for later. Get out there and shoot now and then you'll know what or if you want to invest more.

Something I always do for my hunting rifles is to then shoot either off of a softer pillow or my hand to check my zero before using the rifle for hunting. The difference in the hardness of sandbags and hands makes a difference in some rifles. I have a small soft bag that I zero off of and carry in box blinds to use for a rest so I'll some consistency for longer shots.
 
50 to 100 yds is good. stay at 100 after your sighted in. main thing is get a comfortable soft rest, backpack sandbags what ever works to be holding on the target with no effort. I shoot with my left hand on the barrel/scope, squeezing the trigger ever so lightly with my right, wile holding on target. I don't really know when the gun will go off. This is called surprise shooting, some shooters use this technique some dont. It's also a good idea for you to put in the rounds for your partner and every now and then throw in a dummy round looking for flinches. also shoot off hand, shoot, and shoot offhand some more if your getting ready for hunting
 
Also a good thing to do is if it's a new rifle set up,take to a gun shop or a friend with a bore sighter to get it on paper before you go to the range,sometimes it will save you $$$ in the long run.

If you can't do that, bore sight it yourself at the range. Remove your bolt,set it up soildly on your bags,look through the bore of your rifle and get it so you can see the bullseye and center it in the barrel. Now without moving the rifle look through the scope and adjust the scope so the crosshairs line up to the spot where you were looking at through the rifles bore.

Don't worry about asking questions,in our world the only dumb question is the one not asked.
 
I use homemade 'sandbags' which I fill with rice (strictly for the weight... but don't get them wet!). I never touch the barrel, it changes the harmonics of the barrel during the shot. On hard recoiling guns, I'll usually fold up a towel and place it between the pad and my shoulder, but just let the gun recoil back into me, rather than holding it down.

The key to shooting small groups is doing everything consistently during the string... same trigger pull, eliminate parallax when looking through the scope, same cheekweld, same position of bags, etc. Kinda like being able to shoot a bow accurately and precisely...
 
Good info. I might add, to aide your barrel in cooling off faster, open the action and have the barrel pointed straight up in the air. It works like a chimney as hot air rises and cooler air is sucked into the action. I've noticed my barrels at the range cool off much faster than if I just laid them down in the case.
 
Model70Man said:
Good info. I might add, to aide your barrel in cooling off faster, open the action and have the barrel pointed straight up in the air. It works like a chimney as hot air rises and cooler air is sucked into the action. I've noticed my barrels at the range cool off much faster than if I just laid them down in the case.
Click to expand...

Interesting, verrrry interesting. I'll have to try it.
 

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