How to keep scope cross hairs from dancing (AR-15/rifle technique)

[danattherock]

Always fancied myself a decent shot, but that mindset is crippling. These past few weeks I have been load testing reloads in my Barnes Precision AR15 and it's been a humbling experience. It's not a bull barrel target gun, its an infantry style weapon with 16" stainless Montana barrel, but very accurate reputation locally. They are made here in NC and quite popular in local 3 gun circles.

Shot an 0.885" eight shot group with 69 SMK and Varget, but still working that load up. I'm also working up a 55 gr plinking load and a 77 SMK 300-600 yard load. Using my trusty 15 year old Burris Signature 6-24 cranked all the way up, I can not keep the scope reticle perfectly still. Using a decent rifle rest for load development but AR fits in it a little odd. It's almost like seeing my heart beat in the cross hair. A slight bit of movement, but I can't seem to stop it.

What technique do you find useful to steady the scope? I am particularly interested in shoulder pressure, breathing, trigger control, and such. I have never been around any serious rifle shooters so don't have much to emulate. Not sure which of the YouTube heroes are worth listening to, if any. I am self taught, if taught even makes sense. Point being, all aspects of my marksmanship are up for re-evaluation.

From a vision standpoint, I am going to get an eye exam which is overdue and some contacts. I have a hard time keeping focus at the angle I look through my eye glasses so that is a potential issue. At 6'6" 320 lbs, I am quite hunched over at the bench. Ill fitting on the bench like many other things in life. But it forces me to look through the very top portion of my glasses, at an angle, which causes some distortion perhaps. Had same issue years ago playing billiards. Balls appeared slight wider and shorter than they actually are.

But for now I am wanting to improve my technique which clearly has some short comings. Any and all suggestions appreciated. Any good DVD or books? Thanks guys. Sucks knowing you are the weak link. Would like to change that.


Dan

[hogfamily]

Attend an Appleseed marksmanship clinic.

http://www.appleseedinfo.org/search-...rth%20Carolina

http://www.appleseedinfo.org/index.html

The Appleseed forum has some suggestions about eyesight and wearing glasses when shooting.

http://www.appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php

[AGL4now]

No coffee on a serious target day. This is a mistake that I often make.

[PRDATR]

"It's almost like seeing my heart beat in the cross hair. A slight bit of movement, but I can't seem to stop it."

I started to notice this a few years ago but only while looking through 15X or 20X binoculars on a tripod when glassing long distances. That along with just getting pooped out in the middle of a steep climb like someone just pulled the plug convinced me to do a Stress Test. They did the dye and all that which showed no clogged arteries (Mom and younger brother both have stents) but after a few minutes on the treadmill my BP went up to 200.
I now take 1/2 a pill each day and feel a lot better. The doc said I was very lucky since I push myself to the limit and past it a lot just to test myself and hunt alone 90% of the time and always on foot with a full pack and I am soon to be 62.

I have a Colt 6920 and while it is "OK" in the accuracy dept with the Trijicon I have on it the low power and Dot don't make for much under 2 MOA. Having that trigger reworked helped a huge amount by getting rid of the creep and grittiness along with some lighter springs.
Good luck in your search for better accuracy.

[GD Yankee]

You ARE seeing your heart beat. I shot one of my best best groups timing the shot at the null point of my heart beat.

You'll never get rid of that unless you shoot like the bench rest crowd. I'm not a bench rest guy and am not 100% positive about their technique, but they set their guns up to shoot basically without touching them except for the trigger finger. Cheek pressure, grip pressure all contribute to "moving the crosshairs". Grip your gun tight, your heart beat will be transmitted. Rest your cheek on the stock - breathing and heartbeat. Either accept some small movement and work with it - shoot at the null - or get a good front rest/bipod and a rear bag and minimize your contact with the gun.

Look around this website for tips and advice:

http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html

[Nitroman]

Go to Sinclair and buy some weights for the forearm.

[rbuck351]

Get a shooting jacket (built in shoulder pad) and shooting glove for your non trigger finger hand (padded). Put on a padded cheek rest. The idea is to keep you from touching the gun where ever possible. The other method is to bench rest the gun meaning sand bag or lead sled where you don't touch anything but the trigger. You are seeing your heartbeat in the scope and you have to isolate yourself from the gun to stop it.

[Smitty of the North]

Don't turn yur scope all the way up.

SOTN

[AKBEE]

[QUOTE=GD Yankee;1418997]You ARE seeing your heart beat. I shot one of my best best groups timing the shot at the null point of my heart beat.
That is why some shooters choose to have beta blocker medication prescribed (not allowed for some shoots) to lower heart rate....

[limon32]

Get a shooting jacket (built in shoulder pad) and shooting glove for your non trigger finger hand (padded). Put on a padded cheek rest. The idea is to keep you from touching the gun where ever possible. The other method is to bench rest the gun meaning sand bag or lead sled where you don't touch anything but the trigger. You are seeing your heartbeat in the scope and you have to isolate yourself from the gun to stop it.

I do all my load development from a sled to take reduce my impact on the results, I believe it has helped me produce a little better loads. Then I shoot from bags or my bi-pod, gun depending, for practice.

[AGuyNamedMike]

I, too, am a better shot lately since I started hypertension medication.

As far as the glasses, I swear by my dedicated shooting glasses, Ray-Ban Shooters with cable temples. My horrendous prescription means the lenses are too thick at the edge to fold them, ha!

[redale]

Heart beat seems to be the focus but there is at least one more problem. I had the same problem of having to hunch over when shooting from the bench. 6'6", 285. The suggestions of sand bags and lead sled may solve that problem for you and may not. What I have done to solve this uncomfortable shooting position is to take my own chair to shoot from. I found an old office chair for a dollar at a garage sale that I could remove the arms and the back to create a stool that I can easily and quickly adjust the height I need to sit straight. At times I am almost on my knees but still sitting. By doing this I am sitting straight, holding my head up and looking straight through the scope. Much better shooting position and the stress of being hunched over is relieved.

[Smitty of the North]

Heart beat seems to be the focus but there is at least one more problem. I had the same problem of having to hunch over when shooting from the bench. 6'6", 285. The suggestions of sand bags and lead sled may solve that problem for you and may not. What I have done to solve this uncomfortable shooting position is to take my own chair to shoot from. I found an old office chair for a dollar at a garage sale that I could remove the arms and the back to create a stool that I can easily and quickly adjust the height I need to sit straight. At times I am almost on my knees but still sitting. By doing this I am sitting straight, holding my head up and looking straight through the scope. Much better shooting position and the stress of being hunched over is relieved.

Yup, me too.

A lower seat does wonders. I bring my own stool that is shorter when shooting from a bench.

Sitting straight makes shooting from a bench, just like shooting off-hand as far as felt recoil is concerned.

If you don't hafta hold your rifle so tight, to sight, maybe your heart won't move the gun so much. ????

Smitty of the North