Moving onto a New Rifle

Most of us start our shooting career using club equipment. Equipment that is deemed fine enough for beginners skills. Fair enough! But the day comes when we have received that special bit of paper entitling us to buy our own. Our skills have improved to a level that we see a new rifle as the only way to advance and avoid the vexation of someone else altering your settings. The excitement of purchasing our new 'precious' soon becomes veiled with the realization of having to set up a new position and abandon our comfort zone.

Once you have received your rifle, check it over, make sure all screws are torqued correctly and clean the rifle. As you would expect the previous owner has most likely well oiled his cherished rifle and may have loosened it for transportation.

Where do we start? Simply, by getting acquainted with how the new rifle performs. Dry fire initially and feel the trigger setting. It may be very light and surprise you otherwise. Set it up on a bench, it helps to have an extra set of eyes to observe should the sights be too far out. Correct the sights to bring it in to the black then you are ready to shoot several groups either with a mounted scope (this hi-lights the recoil) or alternatively shoot with iron sights not moving your cheek off the rest(no scope). Then try different brands and speed of ammo to batch test. Shoot groups of ten and don't alter sights at this stage, what you are looking for is the smallest grouping, then repeat to confirm the outcome. Note this in a new chapter of your diary. During this exercise feel the trigger, the stages and tension. Does it need altered? It may help to have an experienced person check this with you. Check the hand grip and how your hand rests. Are there pressure points or occlusions that would benefit from adjusting or trimming down? So now you have confidence on how well your rifle performs. To maintain its performance level your rifle will need to be cleaned and wire brushed regularly.

Next stage is getting sized up for it. This can be done on your own but it may take a season and your level of scores will dip and dive as you continuously tweak to find the perfect measurements. So much time can be saved having someone to help you. Set aside at least a couple of hours, no range necessary,breaking for the occasional coffee to prevent fatigue and tension. Strip the rifle of its sights and handstop. Lay down on the floor with it and slide the handstop to where your hand naturally supports the barrel. Build a shoulder pocket and adjust the butt hook and length. Then add sights and adjust the cheekpiece. Then get dressed in jacket, sling and glove, lay down and adjust sling. When it feels right it is right! Your helper can check the butt pressure and the sling is correct by the 'return to natural point of aim' pressure tests. Your position will have changed so check the scope and correct its position. Take photographs and note down all measurements.

Its all going to feel different once in prone. It is different! You will be conscious of the 'new' 'trigger,the hold and recoil, the inner position,even laying your mat down with more attention. You may have new sights and your eye will see a new picture. It helps to write your observations down, noting the differences and what is right, what can be improved etc. N.B. Once set , remember the old rule, only make one change at a time! It's like going back to the beginning again but this time round you have the knowledge of what to look for and adapt quickly. It will take you back to your first days when you had no concept of what to expect and therefore freeing your mind from old goalposts. Where before, relaxed in your comfort zone, your own set boundaries are re-opened to become more experimental in a quest to perfect the sight picture, sling or hook etc. Being unfamiliar with a new rifle halos your concentration and awareness, thus catapulting an increase on your score levels. Log the scores, its encouraging to see the improvement. With skills and abilities resurfaced , your mind is confident and positive. You now have a better rifle and you have become a better shooter because of it.

MB 1/8/09