Learning and improving

[lewis reynolds]

If you could list of one thing that you have done that has improved scores/ performance dramaticly what would it be? Other than time behind the butt Regards lewis

[Brad Y]

Going to the national teams in Tassie. Huge eyeopener and learnt so much.

[SENDIT]

GDAY LEWIS, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY SPENDING MORE TIME ON MY AMMO,CASE PREP ETC. ARE YOU GOING TO UNGARIE, IM SURE YOU OWE ME A BEER FOR LETTING YOU GIVE ME A LIFT TO THE AIRPORT

[Quick]

I agree with Brad. Tassie was a big eye opener for me aswell.

[Cameron Mc]

G day Lewis

This is a tricky one as there are so many answers possible.

Three words "being mentally prepared"

For me this is achieved by knowing my rifle will be spot on when I go to a shoot. What I mean here is: highly accurate, true wind zero and as reliable as I can possibly make it. I have got to a stage where my rifles will shoot great, week in, week out. (barring mechanical failure)

Then you can fully concentrate on technique and condition reading.

Cheers

[BATattack]

G day Lewis

This is a tricky one as there are so many answers possible.

Three words "being mentally prepared"

For me this is achieved by knowing my rifle will be spot on when I go to a shoot. What I mean here is: highly accurate, true wind zero and as reliable as I can possibly make it. I have got to a stage where my rifles will shoot great, week in, week out. (barring mechanical failure)

Then you can fully concentrate on technique and condition reading.

Cheers

Agree 100% with cam on that! Would also add developing a cleaning / maintenance procedure that minimizes the possibility of an equipment failure.

[aaronraad]

G day Lewis

This is a tricky one as there are so many answers possible.

Three words "being mentally prepared"

For me this is achieved by knowing my rifle will be spot on when I go to a shoot. What I mean here is: highly accurate, true wind zero and as reliable as I can possibly make it. I have got to a stage where my rifles will shoot great, week in, week out. (barring mechanical failure)

Then you can fully concentrate on technique and condition reading.

Cheers

Agree 100% with cam on that! Would also add developing a cleaning / maintenance procedure that minimizes the possibility of an equipment failure.

I'll make that a 3rd Cameron!

For myself, I'd just change that from '...knowing my rifle will be spot on...' to '...believing my rifle will be spot on...'.

I'm also keen to start trying to force errors when practising. I don't mean taking it to an unsafe or missing paper level. Just little things like pulling across the trigger or shifting my head position. Learning to understand what doesn't feel right or look right, and gauging what the end result looks like on the target.

[higginsdj]

As a newish TR shooter.... the National Teams + Leadup + VRA Queens this year - including all the training and mentoring I got leading up to these events. For me, the more I shoot, the more accurate/consistant I get, knowing (from significant testing) that my rifle/ammo are able to produce very small groups up to 1000yds.

I was a B grader leading into this years event series in Bendigo and came out of it auto qualifying for A grade as my group sizes have shrunk increadibly in the last 3 months. Steve Negus says it is, in part, the ability to shoot small groups that makes it possible to see actual wind change impacts on the target, learn from them and then accruately adjust for them in the future.

Cheers

David

[IanP]

David, a very interesting topic and I reckon everyone could add something to this thread!

I clearly remember going to the SA Queens and entering only for the Saturday. It was an unusual request but SARA let me do it as I was very new to the sport. I had been shooting a 223R in club comps for maybe 8 months and had just acquired a 6.5x47L barrel for the Queens.

I was pretty apprehensive about being in the company of a lot of pretty good F-Open shooters and hoped all would go well. It didn't go well at the second range, where I was confronted by a front on fishtail that only Lower Light can produce.

As a new shooter I had no idea what was going on and one shot would score a 4 on the right then the next shot would be a 4 on the left. I was thinking it must be a faulty scope but I had no idea and was completely clueless.

Richard Braund in a act of kindness which I will never forget came up to me on the mound with a plot sheet so I could work out how much to adjust my scope to compensate for the changing wind. From being completely lost I suddenly had a plan and the means to find the centre of the target. I'd like to say it turned my score around but it didn't.

What Richard gave me was a solution to shooting in the wind by using a calibrated plot sheet. It got me interested, (thru necessity) to use technology and ballistics in order to compete with any chance of success. That interest has only grown stronger over the years and the need to help fellow shooters when they are in a bind has been passed onto me and accepted.

Ian

[lewis reynolds]

Thanks for the info i agree with your comments cam. I am not yet at a point to have total faith that my rifles wont have unacceptable vertical (very temperamental brilliant one day vertical the next) . I am hoping the barrel weight idea will help with this then i can concentrate purely on wind reading without having my mind on set up and loading issues .. regards lewis

[John T]

Hello Lewis, howya doin?

I recall you scored well at Raton. What did you shoot and what was your load?

If you don't keep detailed records of what, where, when and how, every time you shoot, you can't answer the question. Nor can you confidently develop a load and update it as the barrel wears.

Every time you shoot, the prime purpose should be the improvement of your vertical string. Work your loads. Your 300 load won't be fast enough at 1000 for good vertical.

Maintenance; check your screws after the day's shooting.

Cleaning; get rid of carbon. (On the first day of the NRAA Queen's I had poor vertical. I switched to Gunslick which removed unsuspected carbon. There was immediate improvement.)

Regards,
John T.
25.6.14