Rules for shooting from a hunting rifle. “Fly-in” shooting technique while overtaking. Determining the gun's usability and the shooter's personal error

The ability to shoot correctly from a hunting rifle will ensure that you reduce the number of wounded animals and increase the number of trophies obtained. While shooting at a stationary target with a gun is quite easy, shooting at a running or flying target is very, very difficult. In this topic we will tell you how to correctly shoot a hunting rifle at a stationary or moving animal and bird. We recommend that you read

HOW TO RAISED A GUN?

Proper throwing of a hunting rifle is the key to accuracy and accuracy. To properly raise a hunting rifle, you need to stand in a waiting position. The left leg is placed slightly forward and to the left, and the back leg is placed slightly back and very slightly to the right. In this case, the body should be turned slightly forward with the left shoulder. The gun in this position is held with the left hand by the fore-end, and with the right hand by the stock with the shooting fingers positioned on the triggers, while the muzzle of the gun looks down at 45 degrees and to the left, and the butt is held at the level of the belt on the right side of the body. Remember, the gun is aimed from the bottom up, while the left hand brings the rear sight together with the front sight and points at the target, and the right hand brings the butt of the gun to the shoulder and presses the triggers. By the way, pressing the triggers should be smooth and without sudden jerking.

HOW TO GUIDE A GUN AT A TARGET?

Remember, while firing and pressing the triggers, it is important not to stop the gun, but to continue firing along the target trajectory. The leash begins with raising the barrels of the gun from the bottom up and is followed until the moment of the shot. If you are shooting from a double-barreled shotgun or a self-loading shotgun, after the first unsuccessful shot, continue to lead and shoot. We recommend that you read

HOW TO PRESS THE TRIGGERS?

Correctly pressing the triggers is the second key to a successful shot. To check if you are pulling the trigger correctly, fire well-aimed dry shots and see how much your gun (rear sight and front sight) deviate from the target when you pull the trigger. The gun should not deviate from the target, and pressing the hooks is done with a soft pad of the phalanx of the trigger finger parallel to the direction of the gun without jerking (smoothly).

HOW TO SHOOT A GUN CORRECTLY?

To learn how to shoot a gun correctly, you need to train at least twice a week. This is the only way to reduce the number of misses and increase the amount of game caught. If you don't want to pay a gun range to practice, you can do it at home by pointing and aiming, but be careful to do it with the gun unloaded. We recommend that you read

HOW TO TAKE ALERT ON A MOVING TARGET?

Remember, if you are shooting, for example, a flying duck, then the speed of this duck can be very high (different species of duck have different flight speeds), and the speed of the shot is only 370 meters per second, so when shooting from a gun you need to take a lead. You will see what lead to take when shooting from a gun in the pictures below, but you can only find out more accurately from your own practice. Since the lead depends on the speed of the bird’s flight, the distance to it and the direction of flight relative to the shooter.

Shooting technique is, first of all, the ability to quickly determine where to point the gun so that the shot, buckshot or bullet hits the target after firing. The most important conditions that are influenced by shooting technique and on which successful hunting depends are: permissible shooting distance; correctly loaded cartridge; the gun's usability, its action and compliance with the shooter's physical characteristics; good health, and sometimes even the mood (confidence) of the hunter.

The technique of shooting at the side is the most advanced. The hunter shoots simultaneously with the butt of the gun touching his shoulder. This shooting technique is the fastest, but its accuracy is inferior to shooting with aim. Therefore, a young hunter should shoot at a glance only in cases where the game appears in his field of vision for a few fractions of a second, for example, when hunting in dense thickets. The technique of cross-shooting requires a particularly capable gun.

Especially often during hunting, the technique of shooting with fine-tuning is used. Having prepared in advance to shoot at an approaching target, the hunter takes the necessary lead along the target’s path and does not stop moving the gun (turns it). Only after that does he shoot.

The shooting technique with a stationary gun is less advanced. In this case, the hunter, pointing the gun at the expected point where the shot meets the game, waits until the target approaches the selected point at the required distance, and then shoots.

When aiming at game, you should not follow it with your guns for too long: this becomes dangerous for your fellow hunters, and the animal or bird will have time to move a long distance.

The technique of shooting at moving targets is quite varied. For example, they aim a gun exactly at a bird or animal, and then jerk the front sight forward along the movement of the target and press the trigger. However, experience, shooting skills and the need for systematic training are of great importance.

The purpose of hunting is to obtain, and not to injure, game, therefore any shooting technique assumes that the shot should be fired only at the moment when the target is within the sure range of its shotgun shell. There are no particularly long-range guns. Yes, the hunter doesn’t need them, because game is usually struck at a distance of 20-30 m, or 30-40 steps. In addition, no shooting technique will help if the gun has an ultra-long range. It would be simply impossible to hunt with such a gun, since a shot from it at a normal distance tears up small and medium-sized game too much. In addition, such a gun would require precise, almost rifle-like aiming.

The whole technique of shooting from a smoothbore gun ultimately comes down to the following: in order for a bird or animal to be hit “cleanly”, 4-5 pellets of the corresponding size (number) must hit their carcass, and the speed of these pellets at the moment of meeting the target (sharpness of the battle) ) should ensure their penetration deep enough into the animal’s body. To “cleanly” kill game, the speed of pellets when hitting the target is about 230 m/sec, to wound - 190-200 m/sec, and at a pellet speed of less than 150 m/sec, the lethality comes to naught.

Modern gunpowder gives the shot an initial velocity of approximately 375 m/sec. After leaving the barrel, encountering strong air resistance, the shot quickly loses speed (Table 1). From Table 1 it can be seen that for shooting the most common types of shot, the maximum distance of effective rifle fire will be 40 m, and for smaller shot - 20-30 m. Accuracy of shot at a distance of more than 40 m does not guarantee hitting the target. At long distances, the accuracy and sharpness of the shot is already so small that for every bird or animal accidentally killed, there will be many wounded and wounded animals that escape.

Table 1. Shot flight speed (m/s)

In many ways, shooting technique while hunting depends on the correct choice of aiming point. Aiming points, even when shooting at stationary targets, can vary depending on the action of the gun and the habits of the shooter. For example, one hunter uses a shooting technique with an “invisible” bar (combines the front sight with the slot of the screw of the upper locking key), while another uses an “open” bar (Fig. 1), in which the target is completely visible, but the aiming point should be located slightly lower goals. The technique of shooting with a visible rib is simpler, since the ends of the barrels do not cover the target.

with invisible strip

with open plank

with increased fighting

aligning the center of the shot talus with the aiming point

with reduced fight

Fig.1. Aiming

Guns that have different firing points will also have different aiming points. During normal shooting of a gun, at a distance of 35 m, when the center of the shot shell hits the aiming point, the front sight is aimed directly at the bird or animal. With the increased firing range of a gun most convenient for shooting, when the center of the shot is located 10-15 cm above the aiming point (most modern guns have this firing), the front sight must be aimed at the target. And finally, if the gun is low, you have to cover the target with the barrels or shoot somewhere above it (Fig. 1).

The technique of shooting at moving targets, especially in wooded areas, is complicated by the fact that the game is in the hunter’s field of vision for an extremely limited time. Different shot travels the distance from the gun to the target at different times (Table 2).

Table 2. Shot flight time at various distances when shooting with “Falcon” gunpowder (sec)

From the moment the hunter makes the decision to shoot (bearing in mind that the gun is pre-positioned to his shoulder) until he presses the trigger (the so-called personal error), about 0.25 seconds will pass. Thus, the shot will reach the point chosen by the hunter only after 0.3-0.4 seconds. If a shot is fired, for example, directly at a duck flying quickly past a hunter, then during this time it will have time to move 7-8 m and go far beyond the killing circle. Hunting shooting techniques show that in most cases, when a shot misses, it passes behind a moving target. To hit a target, the hunter must send a charge not directly at it, but at the point of the intended intersection of the lines of movement of the target and the shot shell, that is, take one or another lead. It will depend on the speed of the target (Table 3): the faster the target moves, the greater the lead should be.

Table 3. Speed ​​of movement of game birds and animals (m/sec)

The lead can be easily calculated using the following formula:

U = Ut * t,

• Y is the amount of anticipation;
• Uts - target speed, m/sec;
• t - time of flight of the shot at the corresponding distance, in sec.

The formula is used to calculate the lead when using the shooting technique with a moving gun (“with a leash”). In this case, the amount of lead is affected only by the flight time of the shot from the muzzle of the gun to the target and the speed of the target when the shot meets it at an angle of 60-90°. As the angle between the direction of flight of the shot and the direction of movement of the target decreases, the amount of lead also decreases. Table 4, compiled on the basis of the mentioned formula, gives an idea of ​​how shooting technique depends on the approximate amount of lead.

Table 4. Lead value (in m) when shooting at different distances

When the lead shooting technique is used, it should be remembered that with a decrease in the angle of contact of the shot with the target, the offset of the aiming point should be reduced; in case of a crosswind, this point should be moved slightly to the side opposite to the direction of the wind.

Tolstopyat A.I.

GENERAL CONCEPTS

Shooting while hunting from a shotgun at a fast-moving target (a flying bird or a running animal) is significantly different from shooting from a rifle at a stationary target.

If, when shooting from a rifle at a stationary target, the shooter has a fairly significant period of time, measured in minutes (1-2), then the shooter has only a fraction of a second (from 0.9 to 1.2 seconds) to fire a shot from a shotgun at a flying bird. . Even with high-speed shooting from a rifle, the time to fire one shot is measured in several seconds. A shotgun also requires a different aiming, a different trigger release, a special shooter's stance and manner of holding the gun.

HUNTER'S STAND

The stances of a hunter (combat position) and a sports shot shooter on a shotgun stand are almost the same. There is a slight difference only in the position of the feet.

While most high-class shooters stand mainly on their left foot while shooting shotgun on a bench, with their right foot resting on the ground only with their toe, then this style is not practical for hunting shooting.

When hunting, you almost never have a perfectly flat ground surface under your feet, like on a stand. Often you have to fire shots with your feet positioned at different heights and not on solid ground, but on an unsteady swamp, hummocks or loose snow.

Thus, the most comfortable position for a hunter is to stand on both feet with the center of gravity shifted to the left leg (for people shooting from the right shoulder). The position of the feet in relation to the target is shown in Fig. 92.

The distance between the heels should be approximately equal to the length of the shooter's foot, but some place their feet a little wider, while others narrower; it depends mainly on the person’s physique (his constitution).

Fig. 92 Position of the shooter’s feet in relation to the direction of fire
A. The feet are angled.
B. Feet are parallel

The basic principle of the hunter's stance: it should, first of all, be comfortable and free.

Setting your feet too wide is inconvenient because it reduces the body's ability to move laterally and ties up the shooter. Very close placement of the legs makes the position of the body unstable.

The shooter's legs should be slightly bent at the knees. This is necessary for better recoil absorption and maintaining good body stability when shooting.

The shooter's body muscles should not tense.

GUN GRIP, POSITIONING

Figure 93 shows the “ready” position, i.e., how the shooter should stand while waiting for the target to appear.

The shooter holds the gun barrels parallel to the ground. This technique of the “ready” position is most appropriate for a round-up hunt for animals.

The shooter's left hand grips the gun barrels at the end of the fore-end or a little further, depending on the length of the arms, and the right hand freely holds the neck of the stock.

The ready position shown in Fig. 94, is most suitable for shooting at targets located significantly above the shooter’s head.

Rice. 93 Ready position; this position can be recommended for shooting at animals during raids

Which of the "ready" position techniques will be more suitable for the shooter, he must determine for himself. Both from the first and second positions you can fire successfully. In both cases, the butt is held almost at the hip, and the barrels are directed in the direction of the most likely appearance of the target. The butt plate of the butt is in line with the shoulder.

Rns. 94 Ready position; this position can be recommended for flights and tag, i.e., for targets that are located significantly above the shooter’s head

Rice. 95 This view of a caepxv shooter with a gun attached to his shoulder

From the “ready” position, the shooter raises the gun to the shoulder - an estimate or butt.

The estimate is made in the following order.

From the “ready” position, the gun (previously removed from the safety lock) is moved slightly forward and upward (the gun barrels are in a horizontal position and always in the approximate direction of the target appearance) to the shoulder, into which the butt of the gun is placed. The upper part of the body is slightly tilted forward so that the center of gravity of the body is transferred to the left leg, the head moves forward quite slightly so that the cheek touches the top of the butt.

The right hand clasps the neck of the stock so that its index finger, the front third of the first joint, easily rests on the front trigger.

Beginner shooters in most cases are predisposed to turn their right hand to the left. This should be avoided. You should try to give your hand a slight turn to the right. This position of the right hand contributes to a softer, more rational grip on the gun.

Rice. 96 Correct application

The trunks lie on the left hand, the thumb of which should be directed forward and slightly upward so that it is slightly visible to the left of the trunks. The remaining fingers are located to the right of the right trunk and are directed obliquely backward (Fig. 96). The fingers hold the gun freely, not tensely and without pressure, the gun seems to rest freely on the supports of both hands.

The place of the left hand is at the front end of the forend or a little further. During the final application, the left arm is slightly bent at the elbow. It is not recommended to hold the barrels with your left hand so that it is straight, since in this case it will be difficult to turn the body to shoot to the left and especially to the right.

The correct butt of the gun looks like shown in Fig. 96 and 97.

A novice hunter should remember the basic rule: both hands must be equally involved in lifting the gun to the shoulder, and the barrel of the gun must be directed in the direction at all times.

Rice. 97. With a straight stock, the butt plate of the butt attached to the shoulder should be visible 3-4 times from the rear. cm

the target and do not swing up and down vertically. During the landing, the left hand does additional work: it seems to point to the target. At the last moment of applying the right hand, the right hand moves the gun back and presses the butt to the shoulder. This backward movement is performed only with the right hand.

A correctly positioned gun should not fall to the side. If you place a ruler or pencil across the back of the gun sighting bar, when it is at the shoulder, then they should lie strictly horizontal. A beginner must take this into account from the first moments of training in the butt.

The butt of the gun is inserted with the back of the head into the shoulder socket, which is a kind of buffer (shock absorber) that absorbs the recoil shock of the gun. The elbow of the right hand rises almost to shoulder level.

During training in the butt of the gun, you need to make sure that the gun rests uniformly on your shoulder. An experienced comrade and trainer will greatly help a beginner with this, and in the absence of such, you can use a mirror.

RELEASE THE TRIGGER

Most rifle shooters, as a rule, when shooting from a shotgun, break the third joint of the middle finger and the front joint of the index finger near the nail into the blood (due to the recoil during the shot). This causes many people to be afraid of being shot, and therefore affects the success of hits.

To avoid such cases, it is necessary to know the difference between the triggering technique of a shotgun and the triggering of a rifle.

If, when shooting from a rifle, the trigger is pulled at the junction of the first and second joints of the index finger (Fig. 98) [ Old school rifle shooting. Currently, the trigger is pulled in the same way as in a shotgun, that is, the trigger is pressed with the first third of the first joint of the index finger.] then in a shotgun, the trigger is pressed with the anterior third of the nail phalanx of the index finger (Fig. 99).

In Fig. 100 shows the incorrect technique for releasing the trigger of a shotgun. The index finger is thrust far forward, which forces the hand to move forward until the third joint of the middle finger rests on the trigger guard.

This technique does not allow you to quickly move your index finger from the front trigger to the rear trigger after firing from the right barrel. In addition, under the influence of recoil, when the gun moves backward, the trigger guard hits the middle finger when firing from the right barrel, and when firing from the left, the index finger with the outer side near the nail hits the front trigger.

This does not happen when shooting a rifle because there is only one trigger, which is located close to the rear edge of the trigger guard.

Rice. 98 Correct position of the index finger on the rifle trigger

Rice. 99 Correct position of the index finger on the shotgun trigger (and fitting)

Rice. 100 Incorrect position of the index finger on the shotgun trigger (and fitting)

The novice shooter should always remember to never place two fingers on the triggers in order to quickly fire both barrels of a shotgun.

The speed of firing two consecutive shots is achieved by quickly moving the index finger from the front trigger to the rear by moving the entire hand back along the neck of the stock.

When releasing the triggers, the gun must not move from the target. This training is carried out as follows: copper cartridges are placed in the gun, holes are drilled in the capsule socket, into which either dense rubber or dense wood is inserted to support the gun's strikers when the hammers hit them. They mark the target, raise the gun and pull the trigger.

If, when releasing the trigger, the front sight moves downward, then it is necessary to check the trigger pull force and, if it deviates from the norm, adjust it. If a significant displacement of the front sight in all directions from the target is noticed, then you should more carefully grasp the neck of the stock with your right hand and make sure that all the muscles of the body are relaxed.

ABOUT SHOOTING WITH VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE BAR

With the “invisible bar” aiming method, the gun is aimed at the aiming point so that the shooter does not see the bar at all, and the front sight seems to him to be sitting not at the muzzle, but at the breech end of the barrel (Fig. 101, a). With this method of aiming, in many hunting rifles, especially older ones, the center of the scree coincides with the point of the blocked front sight. Only cage guns hit 120-150 mm higher.

Rice. 101 Aiming techniques: a) with an invisible bar. b) with a visible bar

When aiming in this way, a bird flying towards or hijacked (or a saucer flying above the height of a person) is completely covered by the trunks, or, as many say, the target is “overlaid.”

This method of aiming “with an invisible bar” causes a lot of inconvenience, since, firstly, it does not make it possible to see the result of the first shot and, if necessary, quickly shoot from the second barrel: the game (target) is covered by the barrels; secondly, it negates the role of the gun’s sighting bar, which makes it easier to hit the target.

The method of shooting “with a visible bar” (Fig. 101, b) has a number of advantages. With it, the same gun will hit above the point blocked by the front sight, and, therefore, you need to aim at the game, which is undoubtedly more convenient, since the target is visible.

Hunting rifles are sighted in such a way that they shoot above the aiming point, and, naturally, to hit game you should shoot below it.

A hunter shooting from a shotgun, undoubtedly, also “wants to see” both the target and the result of the first shot, so that, if necessary, he can shoot from another barrel. If he shoots “with an invisible bar,” then when shooting while aiming at game, he will “underestimate” and miss.

The bar should be visible so much that the center of the shot shell is above the aiming point, blocked by the front sight by at least 100-150 mm (at a distance of 35 m).

When aiming “with a visible rib,” the edge lines of the rib serve as guides and make aiming easier.

To determine the degree of visibility of the bar, proceed as follows.

1. Place a match on the bar at the breech end of the barrels and point the gun at the target, located approximately at the level of the shooter’s head in such a way that the shooter through the match sees only the front sight, whose upper edge coincides with the lower edge of the target with minimal clearance.

2. Leaving the gun in the same position, i.e., pointed at the target, remove the match. The shooter must remember how visible the aiming bar was to him (Fig. 101, b) *, and develop a uniform butt of the gun with the same degree of visibility of the aiming bar.

ABOUT SHOOTING WITH TWO EYES OPEN

Many hunters and sports shooters shoot with both eyes open, while others close the eye opposite the shoulder from which the shot is fired (the left one when shooting with the butt to the right shoulder).

Anyone who aims with one eye when shooting sees more clearly in what relationship the front sight and the sighting bar of the gun were in relation to the target at the moment of the shot.

It is more difficult for a shooter with both eyes open to notice this, but he can shoot faster and reliably hit the target.

Shooting with both eyes open is easily mastered by those who have the so-called “commander” or directing eye.

For some people, the “commander” eye is the right one, for others it is the left one, and some do not have a “commander” eye at all.

In persons with identical eyes, the picture received by each eye separately is transmitted to consciousness independently, but in persons with a “commanding” eye, only the picture seen by this eye reaches consciousness.

An instructor or friend puts on and takes off the match.

Rice. 102 Method of determining the commanding (guiding) eye. If two fingers are visible, replaced at equal distances in relation to the object at which the shooter’s gaze is directed, then there is no commanding eye

How can one determine whether there is a “commanding” eye and which one?

To do this, proceed as follows. Having fixed their gaze on some distant object, they quickly place a finger between it and the eyes, continuing to look with both eyes at the same object.

If two transparent fingers are visible (Fig. 102), then there is no “commander” eye at all.

If only one finger is visible, then you need to close one of your eyes; the finger will remain in place, which means the open eye is the “commander”; if it moves, the “commander” will mean the closed eye.

Some manuals indicate this method for determining the “commander” of the eye: make a ring out of your index and thumb and look through it with both eyes at some distant object, then close one eye. If the ring remains in place, then the open eye will be the “commander; if it moves, then the “commander” will be the closed eye.

The second method is not suitable for people who do not have a commanding eye, and they may make mistakes when using this method. A novice shooter must know whether he has a “commanding” eye, since it is better to shoot from the shoulder on the side of which this eye is located.

Those shooters who have a “commanding” left eye, and are comfortable shooting from the right shoulder, can make the right eye the “commanding” eye. It's done like this.

The gun is applied, and with the help of the right eye it is aimed at a stationary target. The left eye is kept closed. The left hand should grasp the barrels at the upper end of the forend or a little further. Now raise your left thumb so that it protrudes a centimeter or two to the left of the trunks. Now open your left eye first one-third, then half and finally all the way. The gun will still be pointed at the target, although both eyes will be open. This is facilitated by the raised thumb, which plays the role of a screen for the left eye on the line to the target (eye line - target).

Most shooters, with the help of this method, strong-willed concentration and training, can retain the commanding ability in the right eye.

This transfer of the role of “commander” of the eye from left to right can be achieved through systematic training over a period of one or two months.

In the future, it will be useful for the first two years while shooting to keep the thumb of your left hand placed as a small “screen” next to the left barrel of the gun.

But if it happens that the left eye tends to take on the function of “commander,” then you should cover your left eye and aim with your right.

It is very important to be able to shoot from both shoulders. In a hut, on a hangout, this will allow you to avoid many mistakes, and on a shuttle it will sometimes save you from “swimming.”

SELECTION OF BODY BY ARROW

A stock that is too short does not provide uniformity in the grip from shot to shot. The feeling of recoil when shooting with such a stock is usually stronger. In this case, it especially affects the nose and upper lip. An excessively long stock does not allow you to quickly and correctly raise the gun to your shoulder: the butt plate, clinging to the shoulder, does not allow you to quickly set the butt to the required height, which, as a rule, leads to a miss.

A long stock makes it difficult to turn and shoot to the right, which also leads to a miss.

The simplest and most accessible way to determine the length of the stock based on the shooter’s physique is the method shown in Fig. 103:

1. The gun is placed on the arm bent at a right angle at the elbow with the middle of the butt plate so that the stock is parallel to the forearm and touches it along its entire length.

2. The hand clasps the neck of the stock so that the index finger, with the middle of the front joint, rests freely on the front trigger without tension, and the middle finger of the same hand does not touch the trigger guard with its third joint. The fingers should clasp the neck, as when shooting.

3. The size of the stock determined in this way is shortened by 6-7 mm.

When determining the length of the stock according to the shooter, many people make the following mistakes:

I. Determine the length of the stock in light clothes, and when hunting they shoot in thicker ones.

Rice. 103 Reception is determined by the length of the stock suitable for the hunter

2. Determine the length of the stock without full equipment, with which they shoot while hunting. A backpack with a load, a bandoleer and other items of hunter equipment significantly change the position of the body, shoulders and head tilt.

Therefore, you need to determine the length of the stock in the same clothes and with the same equipment (load) as when hunting.

It’s a completely different matter if you choose a stock for skeet shooting. In this case, the length of the stock, determined by the above method, can be increased by 10 mm, but when shooting “from the approach” it is recommended to have a stock of normal length.

Some shooters notice that when shooting quickly, their gun ends up in the position shown in Fig. 104, i.e., dumped to the left, and the front sight also moves to the left of the aiming line. This happens because the butt is not set aside enough.

Rice. 104 Position of the front sight to the left of the aiming line and stalling of the gun as a result of a long stock or its small retraction

Rice. 105 Position of the front sight to the right of the aiming line with an excessively large retraction or short stock

If during quick throws the front sight is to the right of the aiming line (Fig. 105), this means that either the butt retraction is too large, or the stock is too short, or both.

A small stock drop can be increased to some extent by removing some of the wood on the stock, and an excessively large one can be reduced by gluing layers of wood and then filing.

They remove the wood to increase the removal with a rasp, each time checking the stock with a sideways glance and a series of control shots at a special target.

When, when raising the gun, the aiming line passes through the middle of the sighting bar on the front sight, this means that such a retraction and length of the stock are most suitable.

After determining the length of the stock and the amount of retraction, they begin to determine the degree of its curvature, i.e., bending in the vertical plane.

The degree of curvature of the stock is determined as follows.

1. The shooter raises the gun at a target located at the level of his head. To do this, it is best to make a target with a diameter of 8-10 mm, and aim from a distance of 5 m.

2. A match or stick 2 mm thick* is placed on the rear end of the bar, and the shooter aims through the match so that he can see the entire front sight from base to top. He should not see the bar, except for a small part of it at the base of the front sight.

3. The shooter continues to keep the gun pointed at the target, and at this time remove the match and put in its place a wooden stick, the thickness of which is one millimeter less than an ordinary faceted pencil (for this purpose, it is best to cut off one edge of the pencil by 1 mm so that its thickness was equal to 6 mm).

Rice. 106 The bar is visible a lot - the stock is too straight

Rice. 107 The sighting bar and front sight are not visible - the stock is too crooked

4. If you look through a stick (or pencil) placed across the back of the bar, then on top of it you can see the front sight, the base of which appears blurry, and the upper part protrudes more clearly. In this case, the curvature of the stock will be most suitable for the shooter.

If the shooter sees the bar (part of it) on top of the stick, then the gun stock is too straight, and if he does not see the front sight, then the stock is too crooked.

When determining the required curvature, it is necessary to take into account what targets will be primarily shot at - above or below the level of the hunter’s head, and taking this into account, make an overlay on the buttplate of the stock, and also hang the target at this level.

The match or stick is placed and accepted by a second person at the direction of the shooter.

METHODS OF SHOOTING AT FAST-MOVING TARGETS FROM A SHOTGUN

There are several ways to fire a shotgun at a fast-moving target:

• shooting with a stationary gun and “saddle shot”;
• shooting with a moving gun with a leash (leash);
• shooting with a moving gun “jerk”.

First, let's look at the most imperfect method: shooting “with a stationary gun.”

Only completely inexperienced shooters shoot this way.

The shooter marks a point in front of a moving target, aims at it and, when the target is at the distance of the required lead, in his opinion, shoots.

Hunters who shoot “with a stationary gun” usually shoot extremely unevenly.

The “fixed gun” shooting method requires a lot of lead (double) and gives poor results.

Now let's look at the method that is most easily mastered by a novice shooter: "leash" or "leash".

This method is especially convenient for hitting targets moving laterally.

Its essence is as follows.

The hunter raises the gun, trying to direct it with the necessary lead and, calibrating and directing it, “leads” all the time, holding the lead, according to the movement of the target and presses the trigger without stopping the movement of the gun.

With this method of shooting, the amount of lead is affected only by the flight time of the shot, and how much time passes from the shooter’s decision to fire until the projectile leaves the muzzle is completely indifferent, since although during this time the target continues to move, the gun turns accordingly. Due to the fact that at the moment the projectile leaves the muzzle, the gun is directed forward from the target at the required lead, the shot shell manages to reach the line of its movement and hits the target.

Some hunters think that when shooting “with a leash,” there is no need to take lead. This is completely false.

What is the shooting technique “with a moving gun”?

In order to hit a sideways target, it is absolutely necessary to shoot with the gun in motion. This is achieved by one of the following techniques.

The shooter begins to raise the gun to the shoulder at the same time as turning the entire body. The movement is facilitated by slightly bending the legs at the knee joints.

When the gun reaches the shoulder, the front sight should be on target

or next to her. At the same time, the hunter must take into account that it is impossible to first raise the gun, and then make a turn and catch the target on the aiming line. You must first turn in the direction the target is moving, then raise the gun and at the same time catch the target on the aiming line.

You should also allow the front sight to pass through the target to the desired lead. While maintaining this lead with the gun in level motion with the target, the trigger is pressed.

It is extremely important that the leash continues both at the moment of shooting and for some time after it, until the recoil pushes the gun out of the aiming line. If the lead is stopped before this, the shot shell will pass behind the target.

The heavier the gun (of course, up to a certain limit), the easier it is to shoot with a “leash”, since the inertia of the large mass of the gun prevents it from stopping at the moment the trigger is pulled.

The second technique differs from the first in that the front sight passes through the target at a significantly increased speed, which is why the apparent lead will be less than in the first case. This method requires years of shooting practice.

The third method of shooting is carried out in the same way as the first, but with the difference that, as soon as it catches the target, the front sight is thrown forward along the line of the target's movement and at the same time the trigger is pressed. With this method of shooting, you can aim at the duck's beak and hit it. But this technique is difficult to master, since you must always put exactly the required amount of force into throwing the gun and at the same time fire the shot in the required fraction of a second.

Most good shooters prefer the first and second techniques for side shots. For a beginner, the first method is perhaps the only one he can use.

It must be borne in mind that the leash can practically be used for any shooting at a moving target, you just need to strictly remember that at the moment of pressing the trigger you cannot under any circumstances stop the gun. This is the whole difficulty of mastering this method.

Shooting with a leash requires considerable time to fire a shot, but gives good results even at the extreme distances of a real shotgun shot of 40-50 m. Shoot in bushes and reeds when a target appears for a short period of time - less than 0.7 seconds. - this method is impossible even for a short distance - 20-30 m.

In this case, the hunter needs to use quick shots without aiming - “at a glance.”

This method of shooting gives excellent results, especially against hijacking targets at a distance of up to 30-35 m.

The method is as follows.

The shooter looks (often with both eyes) in the direction in which he wants to send a shot shell, and raises the gun to his shoulder, completely not paying attention to where the gun will be looking, how the bar and front sight are visible to him, etc.

The trigger is pressed by the finger while the butt of the gun is pressed against the shoulder. Thus, the shot is heard as soon as the gun hits the shoulder. The amount of lead, therefore, with this method depends mainly almost only on the time it takes the shot to travel the distance from the muzzle to the line of movement of the target.

Rice. 108 Body position" when shooting at a side bird

Rice. 109 The position of the shooter’s body when shooting a high-running or oncoming bird: aiming (pointing the gun) by tilting the body (bending at the waist)

The main conditions for shooting “at a glance” are the presence of a “butt” gun and the hunter’s training.

Having introduced the reader to the most rational methods of shooting at a fast-moving target, we will remind him of the work of the body and arms.

When firing a shot at a “hijacked” bird flying at the level of the shooter’s head, the hands raise the gun to the shoulder parallel to the ground, and at the moment when the butt hits the shoulder, the trigger is released.

When shooting at a “hijacked” bird above the shooter’s head, the gun is aimed not with the hands, but by bending the body at the waist. In this case, the hands work, as when shooting at a stolen bird flying at the level of the hunter’s head.

If you need to shoot at a bird on the side, you need to turn your body in the direction the target is moving, and then raise the gun and, if the target is moving above the shooter’s head, bend into the talin to give the gun the right direction. In this case, the hands work in the same way as when shooting at a stolen bird flying at the height of the shooter’s head.

DETERMINING THE APPLICABILITY OF A GUN AND THE PERSONAL ERROR OF THE SHOOTER

The usability of a gun is determined by shooting at special targets, and at the same time, the shooter’s personal error in aiming is determined. It's done like this.

1. At 10 m (from the muzzle of the gun) at approximately the level of the shooter’s head, hang a sheet of paper measuring 1X1 m, with targets drawn on it, the dimensions of which are indicated in Fig. 110.

Rice. 110 Targets for certain personal errors of the shooter in aiming and the usability of the gun for him

2. The shooter positions himself so that it is convenient for him to shoot in the direction of the target, loads the gun (with one cartridge, placing it in the right barrel) and takes it to the ready.

3. His friend or instructor calls the number of the target: “first” or “third”, etc.

4. The shooter raises the gun as quickly as possible and sends a shot shell into a dark quadrangle located below the center of the target.

5. Then the shooter loads the gun again and shoots at another target, the number of which will be called to him.

In this case, you should be guided by the following: a) the shooter fires a shot after the command as quickly as possible;

b) the shooter cannot make corrections, even though the center of the fall of the previous shot has deviated from the center of the target;

c) the shooter should not aim, but shoot in a “snapping” manner;

d) after each shot, it is necessary to remove your left hand from the barrel of the gun and each time try to grab the barrels or the end of the forearm in the same place;

e) the arrow numbers of targets are called not in order, but in any sequence. For example: 2, 3, 4, 1 or 5, 1, 3, 2, etc.;

e) shooting is not carried out at the last target, since the shooter can aim at it.

Thus, they shoot at five sheets, i.e. at 20 shots. It is very important that the shooting is carried out on the same day without a long break between shots.

After shooting, the targets are processed.

1. Find the center of the scree, measure the deviation of the center of the scree from the center of the target and mark the point of impact on the same clean target.

2. Determine the average impact point of all 20 shots.

3. The position of the midpoint of the hits is determined in relation to the center of the target, and by this amount of discrepancy they are judged about the gun’s usability.

If the average point of impact lies to the right of the center of the target, then this means that the lateral deviation is large, and if during shooting the gun was noticed to fall to the right, then, in addition, the deviation in the heel of the butt is large.

If the average point of impact is located to the left of the center of the target, the lateral deviation is small, and if the gun falls to the left while shooting, the deviation in the toe of the butt is also small.

The location of the midpoint of impact below the center of the target means that the large vertical stock has died. Correction of this defect is partially achieved by changing the shape of the butt plate of the stock (increasing it at the toe).

A short stock (against the norm, of course) gives the location of the middle point of impact to the right of the center of the target. During jumps, cases of the gun falling to the right are also observed.

i.e., almost the same picture as with a large retraction of the stock to the side.

If the midpoint of the hits lies above the center of the target, the stock is straight, the small vertical is dead. In this case, if the deviation is not very large, it is enough to eliminate such a defect by increasing the stock and the heel of the butt.

Personal error in aiming is defined as follows.

1. From the center of the scree of 20 shots (the midpoint of hits), a circle is drawn that contains half of the best shots, i.e. 10 hits located closer to the midpoint.

2. Measure the radius of the circle containing the better half of the shots.

The amount of personal error made by the shooter will be equal to:

at a radius of 5 cm -0.5% of the firing distance,

» » 10 cm - 1°/0 » » »

» » 15 cm - 1.5%» » »

These figures are given for a shooting distance of 10 m.

FOCUSING ON GOALS OR CONCENTRATION

Concentration should be understood as focusing the shooter's gaze on the target.

Most misses, especially among novice shooters, also depend on the fact that they are looking at the target incorrectly, and therefore sending the shot shell incorrectly.

Many novice hunters look at the emerging target as an additional detail in the picture, do not fully concentrate their gaze on the target and therefore send a shot projectile inaccurately.

To prevent this from happening, you need to cultivate in yourself the ability to focus your vision only on the target, look only at it, without paying attention to bushes, branches, clouds, etc. This is especially important when shooting quickly without aiming - " offhand." This focus on the goal is concentration.

Only through systematic training can you achieve concentration and, therefore, accurate shooting.

REASONS FOR SUCCESSFUL SHOOTING

The secret of good shooting at any targets - side, oncoming and hijacked - is as follows.

First of all, you need to maintain a uniform throw, correct stance and correct (smooth) movements.

Also needed:

1) A strong leash that continues both at the moment of the shot and a little after it.

2) Concentration.

3) Good physical and mental condition.

4) Large and versatile training. It is also necessary to have a good butt gun. If the shooter strictly fulfills these conditions, then he will be able to master the intricacies of shot shooting.

PREVENTION

Lead is the point at which the gun is carried (the aiming line) forward from the target along the line of its movement with the task of ensuring that the shot shell crosses the target’s path of movement and hits it.

What should be the lead for side shots? It depends on the shooting method, the target's flight speed and the distance to it.

It is quite obvious that the lead should be greater for fast-moving targets and less for slow-moving targets. The speed of the same target can be different under different circumstances.

The normal flight speed of a crow is about 10 m/sec, but in some cases it can reach up to 20 m/sec. Thus, in the first case it is necessary to take a lead half as large as in the second. The shooter must practice determining the target's speed in various environments.

The distance to the target affects the lead in this way: if for a side shot at a distance of 25 m the shooter should take a lead of 1.3 m, then for the same target at a distance of 35 m the lead should be 2 m, and at 45 m - about 3 m.

Let's assume that a novice shooter is shooting at a side target flying 25 m away from him at a speed of 15 m/sec. The shooter shoots with a leash, according to the first method, that is, the front sight of his gun moves in front at the same speed. In this case, he must keep a lead of 1.3 m, i.e. approximately equal to the length of the gun. And an old, trained shooter, shooting with a highly accelerated lead using the second method (the front sight passes through the target at a much higher speed than the target), will take a lead of 0.5 m at the same target. Both shooters will hit the target with the center of the shot sheaf .

How can this be explained? After all, we know that a shooter shooting in the second way presses the trigger when the front sight of his gun is 0.5 m ahead of the target, and a beginner - when the front sight is 1.3 m ahead of the target. This is explained simply. From the moment the experienced shooter pressed the trigger until the shot fired, 0.0056 seconds passed. Some shooters call this period of time “shot delivery time.” During this period of time, the front sight and the end of the barrel, moving at least twice as fast as the target, will reach a point located 1.3 m ahead of the target, i.e. the same lead as when shooting in the first way.

Table 47 shows leads for shooting at targets moving at different distances and at different speeds, provided that the shooter shoots with such a lead that the front sight has the same speed as the target. This method eliminates shooters' personal error in lead amount by moving the end of the barrel ahead of the target at a constant speed.

Table 47 can be used for side shots when the target is moving at right angles to the direction of the shot. If the direction of movement of the target is not at an angle of 90°, but at an angle of 45° towards or away from the shooter, then the lead will be less than indicated in the table. In Fig. 111 a graph is given that allows you to get an idea of ​​how the lead changes in this case.

The radius of the semicircle drawn on the graph is equal to the lead required when the target moves perpendicular to the direction of the shot, and the lower scale indicates what proportion of this radius the lead will be when the target moves at different angles towards or away from the shooter. For example: when the target moves at an angle of 45° to the direction of the shot, the lead will be approximately 0.7 lead for a side shot.

The flight speed of various game is given in table 48.

There are many rules about how to shoot game flying in different directions in relation to the shooter, where to aim, what lead to take, etc. Most of these rules are not only not useful, but rather harmful. Rules cannot provide for all cases, and memorizing them mechanically only leads to confusion.

For practical shooting, observing the flight of game in various environments is incomparably more important than knowing its flight speed in meters per second.

Having mastered the laws and principles of determining leads, the shooter establishes their value in practice.

Rice. 111 Graph of changes in lead value depending on the flight angle of the sang to the direction of the shot

Table 47

The amount of lead in meters for shot No. - 3 (D = 3.50 mm) at an initial shot speed of 400 m/sec

Table 48

Average flight speed of some birds in calm weather

Notes:

1. Birds flying high or in a flock usually have greater speed than solitary and low-flying birds of the same breed.

2. The speed of a bird rising from the ground or water can be taken as 2/3 of its speed indicated in the table.

3. A teal on landing, flying from a great height onto the water, sometimes reaches speeds of over 40 m/sec.

4. Goshawks and large falcons can reach speeds of up to 80-90 m/sec when diving for prey.

Rice. 119. Measuring parts of the shooter’s body to select a gun that suits him

Dependence of the size of the gun on the shooter’s physique (stock size and weight)

When everything goes right, aiming the gun at a moving target is as easy as pointing your finger at it. It really is the same natural movement. Or it should be like this. The problem is that we humans tend to develop bad habits. Such habits, in turn, can make it easier to miss rather than hit the target. Even when you seem to be doing everything right on the bench or in the field, your perceptions may be wrong. When you're tired, chances are you'll make one of these mistakes and not even notice it. This article describes the five most common causes of misses and how to fix them. By following these you will understand how to learn to shoot accurately and minimize the number of misses.

You're peeking

It's nice to see how a target is destroyed or feathers scatter when hit by a shot charge. In practice, this is a magnificent sight; many shooters are so eager to see it that they lift their heads from the stock immediately after pressing the trigger. The problem is that if you peek, you'll probably miss it. Instead, concentrate on the tab and keep your eyes on the target. Do this from the moment the target leaves the machine and keep the tab for a while after pressing the trigger, and then you will not only see hits on the target, but you will see them much more often.

You change focus

There are many products advertised on the market that can improve your target shooting performance. Most of them are front sights of different colors and shapes or other devices that are attached to the end of the gun barrel. They work great when you're aiming at a stationary target, like a turkey, but for a fast-moving target, like a plate or a bird, they create more problems than they solve. Why? Because the last thing you need to look at when shooting at a flying target is your barrel. A bright front sight can force you to shift focus from the target to the barrel, sometimes several times from the time you aim before firing. The moment you look at the barrel, you stop the leash. Instead, focus on just one thing - your goal.

Shooting at a point

The flying target seems easy. She approaches the shooter. Unfortunately, these targets are missed more often than they should be because shooters tend to aim at a spot in front of the target and pull the trigger. This may work if the target is coming directly at you and fits into the pattern, but this is a rare case. In fact, the target approaches at an angle, sometimes at a very small one, and as a result, the shooter's intended flight pattern is confirmed, or he misses. Instead, follow the target in flight and keep the gun moving. And then you will hit it every time.

You don't follow through

Doubles, with an intersecting trajectory or flying in pairs, puzzle even the most experienced shooters. The problem is that most people think about how to hit the second target before they even shoot the first. Such haste leads to premature movement of the barrels during the first shot, that is, the shooter fires a shot and immediately begins to aim at the second target. Just like in golf, it's important to get things done, so try to finish the first target first before moving on to the second. The best way to learn is to emphasize the lead and continue it for a while after shooting at the target. This, coupled with focusing your eyes on the target rather than the barrel, should help you avoid shots behind the target.

You wince

Everyone knows that involuntary flinching is a shooter's worst nightmare, but people tend to forget how annoying it is to shooters. When the shooter flinches while aiming at a flying target, he raises his head up and moves it away from the butt, while his hands stop their natural movement and pull the weapon far away from the target. Since everything happens within milliseconds, this may not be noticed. This error is the most difficult to detect and the shooter cannot understand why he misses, although he does everything correctly. To avoid involuntary flinching, focus on the target and the desire to see it fly to pieces. If you don’t see this, most likely you involuntarily close your eyes in anticipation of the recoil from the shot. Try to concentrate, if you can’t solve the problem, try cartridges with a weaker charge or buy a recoil pad to soften the recoil.

About, how to aim a gun, every hunter and gun owner should know. It doesn't matter if you're a keen hunter or just keep a gun in your safe for a special occasion. For example, for self-defense purposes, when bandits break into your house.

It would seem that a priori, if you bought a gun, you should be able to aim and shoot from it, but in reality there are people who apply for a weapons permit and put it in a safe to gather dust.

Such people have only fear for themselves and their family in their heads, and weapons give them confidence and peace of mind in life. When it comes to using a gun, the problem immediately arises of whether how to aim a gun.

Today you will learn about the rules of aiming with a hunting rifle, which will be useful to hunters and simply owners of shotguns. Let's consider all the important aspects of handling a gun.

How to properly aim a gun?

Any one requires certain actions on the part of the shooter. The first step is to properly pick up the gun.

The left hand should grasp the forend somewhere in the center or closer to the end so that the fingers of the hand do not cover the aiming bar. The index finger must be positioned along the forearm.

It turns out that it points to the target, but for many this position is uncomfortable, so they don’t do it, but this rule should not be violated. Follow the instructions exactly.

With your right hand you clasp the neck of the butt with four fingers. Place your index finger along the trigger guard. Pay special attention to your thumb, which should not be placed close to the safety and the bolt mechanism key.

The toe of the right foot is usually at the level of the middle of the foot of the left foot. There is no need to spread your legs wide, as it will be awkward to aim. Don't bend your legs.

The body should be turned so that the left shoulder moves forward and the right shoulder turns back. The neck should also be stretched slightly forward along with a slight tilt of the entire body.

We take the gun and throw it forward, and then up and press it to the shoulder so that the butt plate hits the shoulder socket. We press the cheek to the ridge of the butt.

We place our elbows in such a way that an angle of 15 degrees is formed between them and the surface of the earth. You shouldn’t raise your elbows too high, but you shouldn’t lower them either.

The main effort to press the gun to the shoulder goes to the left hand, but the right hand should only lightly hold the weapon.

The aiming bar of the gun should be closed. The shooter's eye should only see the front sight. When you close your left eye, your right eye looks along the aiming bar. So, lower it until the bar itself disappears from sight.

The line between the disappearance of the aiming bar and its appearance in the line of sight of the right eye is the most ideal option for accurate aiming.

When it comes to how to properly aim a gun, special attention should be paid to the shooter’s breathing. Before aiming and shooting, you need to fill your lungs with air and hold your exhalation.

Only this state allows you to fix the front sight and target. Pressing the trigger should be done smoothly to avoid a jerk that will lead to a miss.

When hunting, you often have to shoot hares that move at a certain speed. Situations like this require a proactive approach.

You can learn more about this from the video posted above in this article.