Top 10 Tips for Shooting Targets

For avid shooters, it is important to have several rifles to improve long distance aim and accuracy. Additionally, Jumping Targets offers several shooting targets, ranging from AR500 steel targets, steel rifle targets and paper targets to metal spinning targets. Top tips for improving rifle accuracy includes the following:

• Quality Scope – Rifle shooters should invest in a quality scope. A scope can dramatically improve shooting in low-light dusk shooting situations, which can help bag a deer, elk, moose or coyote. Scopes can also help improve accuracy for elevation and windage.
• Mounts and Rings – Quality rings should be lapped on scoped rifles. Lapping helps smooth down raised areas on the bottom rings, helping to closely center rings near each other. Misaligned rings can actually scope the tube and high winds can further bore the scope’s sight. When the scope is further from the optical center, there is a higher chance for distortion and a darker picture, which makes it more difficult to accurately shoot. Accuracy may be compromised as the scope reaches its maximum range. These kits cost only $35 and take nearly 20 minutes to install.
• Rifle Screws – Shooters should always confirm their rifles do not have any loose screws. Screws are to be tightened according to manufacturers’ specifications and instructions.
• Clean – Regular gun cleaning helps improve accuracy. Remove the bolt, clean the muzzle and clean the copper residue. Over time, guns accumulate copper fouling and powder residue. Purchase a high quality cleaning kit that includes a cradle.
• Rifle Barrel – When purchasing a new rifle, it is vital that the barrel is broken in, which helps further reduce accuracy-reducing fouling. If not properly broken in, rifles will generally foul out in less than 20 rounds, which result in a dramatic loss in accuracy. Using inexpensive ammunition, clean the gun’s barrel, fire a single shot, remove all the copper residue, fire another fire shots, doing the same after each shot, then fire two shots and clean the entire weapon. Do this three times and then clean the weapon. After doing so, the barrel should gradually become easier to clean and copper residue should decrease.
• Trigger Pull and Action Fit – Always invest in a high quality trigger pull so the trigger does not break when practicing shooting targets or while hunting. The action fit may improve with a custom-bedding job.
• Bullets – Using several different bullet weighs, try different ammunition to see what type the weapon prefers. Whether it’s coated or non-coated, always clean the bore in between to test for accuracy.
• Bore Sight – Starting at 25 yards, bore sight the rifle. Center the target and check the scope to verify that the crosshairs are accurate. Fire a single shot to confirm accuracy. Move the target further back, eventually to 100 yards, repeating the same exercises
• 200 Yards – Test the rifle at 200 yards, zeroing the rifle to 1.75 inches high. This will help ensure more accuracy when shooting large game.

References:

• http://www.qdma.com/articles/10-shooting-tips-from-army-marksmen