I need help!

[silentfury214]

Hey everybody, i am a relatively new shooter in 3-p air rifle. I shoot with my local 4-H team, and we are going to be going to the national competition in Texas on Monday. Curremtly i only shoot in the sporter class. Do you guys have any tips for someone who is strugling in standing position? Right now, I am only shooting about 290-300 in standing and would greatly appreciate any advice that you would like to give to help out a new shooter.

Thanks!

[Soupy44]

If I had to give you one thing, it'd be to trust your trigger squeeze. If you squeeze the trigger and let the shot go off when it does, it will be where you want it. The minute you try to make it go off where you want it, bad things will start happening.

[silentfury214]

I always seem to get nervous that the shot will veer off, or miss , that i over aim.

[Soupy44]

It is a bit of a leap of faith. You have to let the shot happen. And if you have to put the rifle down, that's a really good thing. A lot of juniors have trouble learning to put it down and do it on the next hold. If you can learn to do that, you'll find yourself at the top of your game and rising in no time.

[jhmartin]

For the next few days practice the squeeze .... don't change too much else this soon before Nats.

Good luck to you and your team!

[silentfury214]

What are some good, informative books that a young air rifleman should read. and by "young", i mean 16.

[jhmartin]

Well .... of course, the rulebooks of the events you want to shoot in.

ADDED Gary Anderson's position articles - free
http://www.odcmp.com/Programs/TeachingR ... itions.pdf

NRA Junior Rifle Shooting - EM09450 - from the NRA ~$7.00
I like this book to give my shooters the basics of the positions

Rifle: Steps to Success - EM26015 - from NRA or Human Kinetics - ~$20
A great first book that begins to delve into the sport ... physical & mental.
Launi Meili is the USAFA Rifle Coach and a great role model for a young shooter

When you want to start getting into the REAL nitty gritty:
The Ways of the Rifle and Air Rifle Shooting - Reinkemeier, et al ... These are about $65 each

BTW ... I don't consider 16 young .... well, "Young Adult", OK. A 16 year old can easily understand all the concepts in all these books

[silentfury214]

I am saying young as in new to the sport, and being 16.

[Pat McCoy]

Another easy (boring) thing to do is "dry hold". Just hold the rifle in standing position, and let it settle to it's smallest "wobble". Use NO target, just the wall. Idea is to train your mind as to how steady you really can hold, then if it isn't that steady when shooting you know you need to adjust NPA.

Remember to have fun at nationals, that's what it's all about.

[jhmartin]

Gary Anderson wrote a series of articles on the positions for the "On The Mark" magazine .... I've edited the link into my previous post.

[stewart100]

Thank you for posting the G. Anderson article. Nice summary.

[silentfury214]

Thank you for all of your replies! i just got back and am ranked in the top 50 best 4-H 10m air rifle shooters in the country.

[jhmartin]

Congrats! Hope you had a fun week.

[silentfury214]

It was AWESOME! Except for all of the delays.

[RobStubbs]

Thank you for all of your replies! i just got back and am ranked in the top 50 best 4-H 10m air rifle shooters in the country.

Well done !

Rob.

[silentfury214]

Thanks, i thought i did pretty well for only shooting for 3 months prior, as well as having 4 pound triggers. :P