It takes a lot of training, a lot of patience and knowledge to be a good shooter. Focusing on training to improve your skills will help you get the most out of a shotgun, especially in stressful situations, such as competitions or gunfights.
Steps
Part 1 of 7: Choosing the Shotgun
Step 1. The rifle must absolutely adapt to the needs of the shooter
A low quality shotgun or one that is too expensive to maintain could compromise your skills.
- Evaluate the brand of the rifle. Most brands are fine, but in today's market they might sell for an exaggerated price. Take a look around, the prices of online shops and auctions change considerably.
- Generally, bolt action shotguns are much more accurate and have a higher shot rate than an equivalent semi-automatic shotgun (price and quality). AR15s have achieved high accuracy and are often considered capable of greater accuracy to the "minute of angle" (MOA). This means that they can fire within a minute of an angle (3cm to 90m), which is very competitive among bolt action weapons.
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Other rifles with rifles allow you to fire heavier bullets with greater accuracy. For example, a.223 caliber barrel with a 1:12 rifling will only fire 40-52 grain bullets, while a barrel with a 1: 9 rifling will very accurately fire 40-65 grain bullets and will also improve the tendency of..223 barrels to roll the bullet after hitting the target.
The downsides of rifling are that it could reduce the muzzle velocity by 1 or 2%, it can damage the barrel, and the added stability of the bullet reduces the damage done to the target (disadvantages not too important, however)
Part 2 of 7: Choosing the Caliber
Step 1. Always choose a.308 caliber to train
It uses shotgun bullets (identifiable by the narrow neck, while the.22s have the same diameter throughout the length). These bullets contain more powder and are heavier, thus promoting a higher muzzle velocity. Of course, if you think it's too much expense,.22lr bullets will do just fine for saving.
Step 2. For competitions it is preferable to use bullets that are more suitable for your weapon
Thus you will improve the accuracy and quality of the bullets; but for training, cheap ammunition is fine.
Step 3. To hunt small animals (smaller than a coyote, such as squirrels, rabbits, birds, etc.)
) uses the.22lr. Less noise and recoil will scare your prey less, allowing you to fire more shots consecutively. Some of the more powerful.224 caliber bullets will improve your performance far superior to.22lr ones.
Step 4. Do not use bullets smaller than.223 to hunt larger animals (such as a coyote or small boar)
While it is possible to kill these animals with small bullets, it is essential to be able to kill them with a single blow to the head or heart to prevent them from suffering. At the same time, for smaller animals to use a.308 would mean exaggerating. A middle ground is recommended.
Step 5. For wild animals (wild boar, deer, etc.)
) should be enough to use a 6mm to a.30 to take them down quickly (deer, moose, bear, wapiti and more). Even a.223 can kill these animals, but if you use smaller bullets it will be much more important to be accurate. If you use small diameter bullets, it will be good to use heavier ones for more energy.
Large calibers such as the.338 Winchester Magnum or the 45-70 or larger are useful for even larger animals, such as bison, or for more dangerous ones. However, many people believe that accuracy is more important than caliber, for example some shooters prefer to use a.270 but be accurate, instead of a.300 Winchester Magnum
Step 6. We will deal with targets and animals, but if you should be shooting a person in a dangerous situation, a.223 bullet fired at a vital zone will do just fine, although a.308 or.30 will cause more damage if missed. a vital area and you hit someone wearing heavy clothing
Step 7. The weight of the bullet is important, but in many cases it is less important than the shape of the bullet itself
The unit of measure for the weight of bullets is wheat, which is very common in the field of weapons.
- Light bullets are recommended for hunting smaller animals or for shooting at targets. The high muzzle velocity will favor a flatter (accurate) trajectory within a range of 200m. The bullet reaches the target faster, avoiding manually compensating.
- Heavier bullets are recommended for competitions. In contact with the target, it releases more energy in less time (therefore more lethal), probably also avoiding going too deep. For long distances, due to the ballistic coefficients (the trajectory of the bullet as it travels through the air), heavier bullets favor flatter (more accurate) trajectories that are less affected by the wind.
- An example for the.223 (each caliber and rifle reacts differently): a 42 grain bullet (3700FPS) at 90m will drop (without zeroing the front sight) by 4cm. At 450m, it will likely drop by 1.20m while maintaining 80% speed. A 65-grain bullet (3000FPS) at 90m will drop 5cm, but at 450m it will only drop 90cm. At 450 m the bullet maintains approximately 85% of its speed.
- Just out of curiosity, if a bullet falls from your hand at the same speed as it leaves the rifle (horizontally), both bullets will land at the same time. Gravity has the same effect on the bullet, whether it is moving or stationary.
Part 3 of 7: Security
Step 1. Suppose the guns are loaded and ready to use until you realize there is actually no ammunition in the breech
Use a yellow plastic indicator for the breech when using a firearm.
Step 2. Pay attention to the people around you and focus on the direction you are shooting in
High-speed ammunition can travel for miles. Most bullets can also penetrate house walls.
Step 3. Aim the shotgun ONLY at what you want to shoot
Otherwise, point the shotgun in a safe direction (to the ground).
Step 4. Don't keep your finger on the trigger and put the safety on until you have to shoot
Step 5. Make sure you keep your firearm and ammo in a safe place inside the house
Guns and babies don't go well together.
Step 6. Make sure you have read the article on handling a firearm with caution
Always follow the basic principles.
Part 4 of 7: Choosing a Location
Step 1. Choose the right place (mainly in terms of safety)
Get comfortable. When shooting cardboard (or similar) targets, convenience is the main focus. Train in the best conditions. When you shoot animals, you have to be invisible to them. Squirrels also easily perceive predators (in this case you). If they see you, they run away and it may take a while for them to return.
- When you go hunting, height is an advantage, and allows you to see better. Hide in the trees, bushes or crawl.
- In competitions, studying their habits by often visiting the same area several times can be useful; if you discover a deer hideout or escape route, make it escape and then wait for it at the hangout.
Part 5 of 7: Location
Step 1. Bench rest
It is the most accurate position, even if it is more of a place to place your rifle than an actual position. It allows your rifle to land on something other than you or the ground.
Promote a stable platform by reducing human error. This will allow you to use a telescopic sight, so if you miss your prey you will know it was your fault. If you plan to go hunting, practice the positions listed below as you will not be able to carry a platform for use with the shotgun
Step 2. Prone Position
By far the position that favors high accuracy when firing. Lying on your stomach, legs apart, feet arched and shotgun against your shoulder: you will find yourself in a "Y" -shaped position. This is the most stable position to control recoil through your body. It will dampen recoil for more accurate accuracy when shooting from a distance. In addition, the breath greatly influences the shot.
- If you use a bipod or similar to hold the shotgun, put the non-firing hand at the end of the butt. It will allow you to be more precise while using the sights or the telescopic sight.
- If you don't have a bipod or something to hold the rifle, the non-firing hand must support the front of the weapon, which could compromise accuracy, so purchase and use a military leather headband. Use a "ring sling": place one ring at the revolving pivot of the weapon and the other along your bicep, then place your arm between the gun and the sling. Then, moving clockwise, grab the shotgun under the front of the receiver near the pivot pin.
- You can build a bipod or tripod yourself, or use something else as a weapon platform, such as a backpack.
Step 3. Crouching / Kneeling
This position is certainly less accurate than the prone one. There are several variations for the squatting position.
- The most common is to sit on one foot sideways on the ground while the other foot is as close as possible in front of you, with the knee towards your face. It is always a good idea to lean with your back against something. After that, hold the weapon with your hand resting it on the knee in front of you.
- You can crouch or kneel behind something hard (or a bipod) and use it as a platform on which to place the shotgun. Or you can use a "kneeling roll," which is an old rug, t-shirt or pants rolled up and taped between the laces of your boots and the ground. This position needs a "trick" to make you more stable: point the toes of your forward foot towards the arm you use to shoot. In this position you should be able to shoot accurately at 400m.
Step 4. Stand up
It is not a recommended position, as it is not as accurate as the others. However, the best way to stand is against a tree or rock to reduce swaying.
Another trick is to put the rifle against the shoulder pointing it upwards, placing the hand that will be on the stock and the other supporting hand on the receiver. Bring the rifle down as you bring your arm closer to your hip, lean back and breathe slowly as you bring your cheek closer to the weapon. With good training, you will be able to shoot accurately at 270m
Part 6 of 7: Techniques
Step 1. Place the weapon
Based on the preferences of the shooter and the situation. The most common position of the rifle is with the butt against the shoulder (slightly above the armpit), cheek slightly against the butt, while aiming with the sights or with the telescopic sight, remaining relaxed. For large calibers, bring the butt of the rifle more inward in partial contact with the pectoral muscles.
A critical component of the shooter is that of the cheek versus the butt. Place your cheek against the butt to aid in optimal alignment of the sights when aiming. The recoil will be dampened by the shoulder. Without this technique, parallax is guaranteed and you will never be able to be competent with a firearm equipped with an optical system
Step 2. The forearm against the stock (prone position) or under the front of the gun, where it obviously grabs
The forearm is quite forward in a traditional grip, 35cm from the "castle".
Step 3. Focus on the breath
This affects the swinging of the weapon, which will then determine how accurate your shots will be.
- Note: It also helps you train when you are under stress, in situations where you need to shoot fast or when you are tired. Try running for about 400m to get your heart rate up, and do pushups to contract the arm muscles. Learn to compensate for the shaking your muscles cause. If you only shoot at paper targets, you don't need to, but when hunting or in firefight situations you can't afford to have relaxed muscles. At least try to see how well you can manage nervous stress.
- There are many different breathing techniques while standing; it is often recommended to have full lungs while shooting. Hold your breath and wait until you are well aimed.
- If you are a shooter, a headband is required. Shooting while standing is very tiring, especially when you need to support the barrel. A headband will help you support weight and shoot more accurately.
- For the prone and kneeling position, it is best to open your mouth and throat until your body relaxes, which is when you have fully exhaled. Relax, and if your heart rate is low enough, try to keep it that way for 10-15 seconds while aiming.
- When you have fired a couple of times you will notice that the reticle of the telescopic sight moves according to your heart rate. Shoot between beats for greater stability (this will only last a fraction of a second, but it will be the moment of maximum precision).
- Avoid eye strain. If you look through the telescopic sight for more than 15 seconds you may develop parallax or lose focus on the target.
Step 4. Consider the trigger
When you pull the trigger (of any kind), be sure to push it straight towards your shoulder. Keep your hands relaxed. Keep them in a relaxed position and only release the dog when you have accurately aimed at the target.
- Practice shooting without ammo to better control the trigger, if that doesn't damage your gun. It helps you improve without wasting ammo or being "scared" by the recoil that doesn't make you focus properly.
- If your firearm does not have a light-action trigger, it will surely have a tension of 1-2.5 kg. If applicable, get used to the trigger. Practice by pulling the trigger back, stopping before the dog is released. Do this many times, until you can only release the dog when you want to. It's important to only fire when you want it, so make sure you know where the trigger will release the hammer.
- Note: Sniper Rifles have a two trigger system, so you know when you are about to fire. Otherwise, follow the previous advice. You will probably miss the target if, before firing, you do not pull the trigger back a little without obviously releasing the hammer. This applies to ALL weapons. Even gunpowder rifles have two separate triggers, the second being called the "hair trigger".
- With a light-action trigger, the tension is 220-400g, which makes things easier. The effort of pulling the trigger should be done as soon as you want to shoot, so be sure to train yourself to get used to the tension of the trigger.
Part 7 of 7: Telescopic Sight
Step 1. The telescopic sight helps the shooter to see us better from a distance
For traditional shotguns the power ranges from 1.5x to 50x. Standard rifles or shotguns for hunting small animals are reset to 90m (let's assume, from now on, that 90m is 0).
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Depending on the shotgun and bullet chosen for a distance "0" (you have to do some research and try different equipment) the bullet could be below the crosshair reticle before 0, above after 0 and possibly lower again (at a different distance) aligning itself with the reticle again (at 110 m or 270 m and changing from shotgun to shotgun, even of the same caliber).
Another case is that in which the bullet immediately rises and, from 35 to 90 m, is above the reticle, lowering to 0 and continuing (beyond 90 m) lower than the reticle (as in less powerful rifles such as the.22lr)
- The best way to reset the telescopic sight is to fire a shot. Determine how far away from the target the bullets are going, then adjust the scope appropriately. Many telescopic sights have knobs that can be turned to adjust the height and compensate for inaccuracies also due to the wind. This height affects the bullet point of impact (POI) vertically. Instead, the knob on the right side affects the POI horizontally.
- Many sights have dotted or solid line reticles which help the shooter to line up the shot easily when firing from greater than the "0" point. Some telescopic sights have a graph that will help you align the scope based on the caliber and weight of the bullets you use, although it's best to make your own graph.
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While the military always adjusts the sights to the circumstances, hunters don't do it to measure wind speed and other factors. It is always better to make rough calculations and use the viewfinder, without resetting it. There are many factors to consider when adjusting a viewfinder, here are a few (in order of priority):
- Distance to target, bullet speed, wind, bullet weight, location and more.
- There are computers or PDAs that, by providing the data listed above (or the most important ones), can calculate the point where the bullet will land. The calculator assumes you reset the viewfinder. This is the best way to calculate, but for target practice, where you don't need a single shot to kill, resetting the scope is a hassle.
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Telescopic sights (except low-end ones) also have the adjustable parallax, which will allow the shooter to place the reticle on the same flat distance as the target. This is essential for an accurate shot. Most parallaxes also have specific distances marked above, use them as a basic guide.
One way to "cheat" the parallax is to put your head in an elevated position so you can see black around the edge as you look into the viewfinder. Move your head and eye to make the black area around the reticle uniform
Advice
- Safety first! Always make sure your firearm is not loaded and the breech is empty when carrying the rifle.
- A good way to determine the level of accuracy is to always be able to hit a target of about 3cm at a distance of 90m while prone.
- Breathing exercises are great for slowing your heart rate as you shoot. If your heart rate is low you will be calmer and will have to wait to take another breath before pulling the trigger.
- Make sure you clean the shotgun after using it. Moisture and dirt can corrode or damage your firearm.
- Shoot regularly. You can always train more, with any weapon. The more you use your firearm, the more you will improve your skills.
- Secure when you're not shooting.
- With the H&K G3 shotgun you can fire your first shot normally but don't let go of the trigger completely, and slowly release it until you hear a click and stop. By pulling the trigger at this point, you'll fire instantly - no need to fully release it. This trick will help you improve your accuracy.
- The military, to control the trigger, apply a constant and light pressure, so as not to know when they will fire. But thanks to that, they don't need to compensate for the recoil using their shoulder.
- If you can adjust the trigger mechanism, put the safety on and then pull the trigger until you hear a click. Be sure to point the weapon in a safe direction.
- One way to show people your accuracy is to use the minute of angle (MOA) as the unit of measurement. Approximately one minute corresponds to 3 cm by 90 m. So if you can fire 3cm repetitive rounds, you are capable of firing at 1 MOA. This corresponds to 7 cm by 270 m or 2 cm by 45 m.
- A slowed heart rate will give you more time to fire an accurate shot.
Warnings
- Use firearms only in areas where it is permitted by law. Make sure you are aware of the local laws regarding the use and transportation of firearms and comply carefully with them. The law changes drastically from one place to another, between various countries or cities. Find out at police stations, shooting ranges or official websites.
- Make sure you know what's nearby when you shoot. Bullets can travel for miles, or bounce and continue in other unwanted directions.
- A rifle can seriously injure or cause death. Always point your shotgun in a safe direction and never point it where you don't want to shoot.
- Using a shotgun can be very dangerous. It should only be used by experienced people or in the presence of someone with a lot of experience.
