TargetTalk

I shoot prone only, 50 metre.
When people align sights and target do they come from 12 o'clock down to the bull or from 6 o'clock up to the bull?
Is there any advantage over either?

D.

Bottom up. When I take a breath the sights move down off the target. As you exhale the sights come back up. That's how I check my NPOA too. I close my eyes as I take a breath and towards the end of my breath i open my eyes and see if i'm on target. Not sure if that is correct, but that is what I have been doing. I hope some more shooters with more experience chime in on this.

Tenring

bottom up
Matt

Always bottom up.
I also do the "eyes closed" breathing to check NPA but on the final exhale, I watch the foresight come up around the aiming mark and take the shot quite quickly - 2 to 3 seconds if all is well. This stops "burn in" to the retina (if you see an after image, you've spent too long staring at the sights).
I find it easier to fix my focus on the foresight if I can see it moving relative to the target during the final shot phase.

YMMV.

I'd be surprised if anyone advocated for a shot routine where the sights would be lowered onto the target.

There are very good reasons why the shot is delivered during a pause in the exhalation phase of the breathing cycle. The most obvious reason is that the muscles used to breathe, are relaxing during exhalation, and tensing during inhalation.

In the prone position, where the rifle pivots around the elbow of the supporting arm, this can only lead to approaching the target from below.

Exactly as Bruce says, it's pretty much impossible to come down onto the target (unless you're breathing wrong). During the exhale the gun rises and that's the point you set as your NPA. You shoot in the pause after exhaling.

Rob.

Great article - as a new shooter... I was wrong... trying to come down from the top... logic works and I'll adjust (not to get in the way of this discussion -- for kneeling and standing... same approach?)... Thanks... Leo

Exhaling is also beneficial due to Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respirator ... arrhythmia where "Heart rate increases during inhalation and decreases during exhalation."

Leo, although I've not done any kneeling, I believe that it should be similar to prone, with the sights approaching the aiming mark from below.

The mechanics of the standing position are different, and the ideal approach to the target is directly from 12 o'clock, achieved as the shoulders relax.

In all three positions, the natural point of aim, or "zero point" , when the rifle points effortlessly at the 10 ring, should coincide with the point in the breathing cycle where you would naturally pause, the shooter shouldn't strain to empty the lungs, or hold too much air in.