Shooting a Rifle
While shooting at the range or in the field, remember these fundamentals of shooting:
- Always follow firearm safety rules.
- Always wear eye and ear protection.
- Using a steady rest will increase the accuracy of the shot. When in the field, a steady rest could be a stump, log or even your coat.
- Obtain the sight picture and hold it.
- Control your breathing. Take a deep breath, and exhale about half-way.
- Squeeze the trigger with a steady pressure. Jerking the trigger will change the sight picture, which will cause the bullet to miss the center of the target.
- After the shot is fired, continue to squeeze the trigger. If you lift your head or jerk the rifle, the shot may be thrown off-target by the movement of the rifle. This waiting period is called the follow through.
