Novice Shooters Learn Quickly with Truly Accurate Rifles
On some internet shooting forums, self-declared “experts” advise new rifle shooters to stick to low-end factory rifles. These “experts” (many of whom don’t own a single really accurate rifle), claim that it will take years for a new shooter to learn how to shoot a rifle accurately. So, the argument goes, the accuracy offered by a precision-chambered rifle, with a custom barrel, is “wasted” on a new shooter.
We disagree with that viewpoint, at least when it comes to rifles shot from a rest. Certainly it takes time for a complete novice to learn how to handle the gun and to work the trigger smoothly. However, we’ve seen relatively new shooters, with help from a skilled mentor, do remarkably well with precision rifles right from the start. With a good bench gun, many new shooters can shoot well under 1 MOA on the first day. This editor has personally seen some inexperienced ladies try their hand at benchrest shooting, and within a month or two they are shooting on a par with the “good old boys” in serious competition.
Accurate Rifles Reward Progress As Novices Build Skills
For bench shooting, we think a highly accurate rifle is a much better training device for a new shooter than a typical, cheap factory sporter. With a gun capable of 1.5-2.0 MOA at best, you can never really determine if a “flyer” is you or the gun. Conversely, when a novice shoots a gun that can put 5 shots through one ragged hole, if a shot goes way high or low, the shooter knows his aim, trigger control, or gun-handling is to blame. He (or she) can then correct the problem. And when the shooter does everything right, he or she will see a nice tight group on the target. The accurate rifle provides more meaningful feedback and it rewards progress. That helps the novice become a better shooter in a shorter period of time.
A while back, Forum Member Preacher and his “bunny hugger” niece from California proved this point. The young lady, with almost no shooting experience, took Preacher’s 6-6.5×47 and shot a sub-quarter-MOA, 3-shot group at 350 yards. Don’t tell her she needs to stick to a cheap factory rifle. Preacher reports: “My niece flew in from the west coast and came up to visit. When she saw a few of my full-blown varmint rifles, she wanted to shoot one. She did a super job even if she IS a ‘bunny hugger’. She pulled the 1.5 ounce Jewell on a few fired cases to check out the trigger pull and then got in behind the gun and put three shots into a 350-yard target with a one-inch circle.” We measured her group at 0.822″ (0.224 MOA). Don’t tell Preacher that accuracy is “wasted” on novices. He joked: “I sure don’t want her shooting at me ….”
Rifle Features BAT Action, Krieger Barrel, and Russo Laminated Stock:
For those who are interested, Preacher’s rifle features a BAT 3-lug action, 30″ Krieger 7.5-twist heavy contour barrel, and Russo stock (with clear coat by Preacher). Chambered in 6-6.5×47 Lapua, this gun “shoots the 108gr Bergers very well” according to Preacher. Yep, we agree with that — even when a novice “bunny-hugger” does the trigger-pulling.
Similar Posts:
- Yes Novice Shooters DO Learn Faster with Very Accurate Rifles
- Novice Shooters Deserve Accurate Rifles Too…
- Why New Shooters DO Learn Better with Very Accurate Rifles
- Another "Glam Tactical" From Russo and Lambeth
- Ultra-Long Range — 0.44 MOA at 1,680 Yards with a .338
Share the post "Novice Shooters Learn Quickly with Truly Accurate Rifles"
Tags: 6.5x47 Lapua, Benchrest, Training
That was a mistake on my part about the trigger weight. It is a 1.5 ounces Jewell trigger in that 3 lug BAT…
Good story and point! I have had the same experience. When I have the time, after I have done what I came to that day with my custom 6PPC, if there is someone on the line that is sufficiently interested in the finer points of accuracy, I will let him shoot a group. Generally, they are able to shoot three shots around 1/4″. In most cases, this is the smallest group that he has ever shot. I have also done this for a shooter that is struggling with his own rifle, and is beginning to loose confidence in his ability. Now….is that Jewel trigger really set at 1/2 oz.? I have one, and that number seems like a typo or an inaccurate estimate. Even Jewel triggers have their design limits for safe operation.
I whole heartedily agree that novice shooters improve much faster with truly accurate rifles. On several occasions under relaxed one on one instruction I have witnessed first timers produce groups in the mid 2’s. Yes, lady shooters behind one of my bench rifles with just a few mintues of instruction have printed some fine groups. Actually had fellow shoot ten shoots in the 1’s with Panda 17M4 once! Makes me feel better than if I had shot the rifle! An ACCURATE rifle with a PROVEN load, shooting NO rush REPETITION, and WAITING for returning wind patterns works most everytime. And PRESTO, you’ve hooked another one!!!
Thanks for enlightening us on this offen overlooked most important fact about the relationship between adequate equipment versus true markmanship.
Tom (aceball) McElwayne
Young shooters beware of non-accuate guns even in non-benchrest type shooting. You can never outshoot the equipment and this is even more true for position shooting than it is for benchrest. If a shot goes awry is it the shooter, or is it the gun/ammo? Well if you take all the gun and ammo variables out it must be the shooter and this gives them the opportunity to improve. I learned this the hard way shooting CMP matches with my M1. If a shot was low, or off to the right I blamed the gun. When I got a .5MOA AR15 and learned the gun and ammo could not be blamed and a shot went out, I started examining what I could be doing wrong and fixed it. Now I am a 4-H instructor and I bought the best air gun and .22 I could afford so that the kids had the chance to do the same. It has paid off with a handful of trophies and some kids who have the confidence in their abilities to really shoot.
By the best equipment at the start no matter what the sport, this way you only cry once.
Just say it “SAVAGE”
This article should be a treatise for those wishing to learn precision shooting. My blood pressure and temper got back to “normal” when I stopped visiting on-line forums where keyboard commandos dish out BS advice based on nothing more that reading other BS advice, or validating their own (poor) consumer choices. One needs to remember what one paid for free advice.
I think the gun should reflect the wallet of the shooter. Buy the most accurate gun and equipment you can afford. Shoot it and don’t look back. Buy up as you go. I read an interview with Walt Berger who said he competed without winning for 10 years. If you can’t afford that custom Bat with Jewell trigger and tracker stock then don’t buy it. Buy the Savage Model 12 and get to shooting. Trigger time and building a passion is the key to this sport. I started out with a 110 Savage and now have a couple custom jobs I use for serious competition but I would have never gotten into the sport without that 110. I learned a lot behind that gun and there is no discounting that including some gun smithing I would have never undertaken on some other guns. getting off my soap box.
Its great to put a kid behind an accurate rifle with your best load, but the kid will never appreciate or understand the work that got you to that point. The hours of documenting, testing, trouble shooting the reloading process even the tuning of the rifle. The will understand that when it all is in line they have the ability, but they still need to foster the work ethic to make their rifle sing too.
A bad gun doesn’t install a work ethic, but just another hurdle. I can’t figure the math in some of these equations with the assumption that money is being saved. A quality piece of equipment can speed up the learning curve in my opinion minus the headache of diagnosing troubles and added wasted dollars.. You want to coach your kid up to throw a ball, do you give him the right throwing motion or just tell him to go throw the ball?
Guess im old school but there’s a lot of good reasons to start Juniors shooting from position with a service rifle. Not a equipment game for one.
A very interesting topic that I think I can appropriately comment on. I’m a newby long range precision shooter. I grew up in MT shooting 22s and 30-06s and a lot of cartridges in between. In the late 1960s, picked up reloading for cost (not precision at the time). Last year, bought a few books, pulled out the old guns and realized I wasn’t even on the same planet! 2+ MOA was a good pattern from them with match ammo. So I had a new Kreiger BBL put on a trued R700 receiver and started trying to shoot. Quickly realized that the ammo was one of the problems and started trying to get a gun happy load while still trying to learn to shoot properly. Yes, I have cut some .170 and .230 MOA patterns, but not consistently – is it the gun, ammo or me? Learning to shoot with a true .25 MOA gun/ammo/condition load would be a great confidence builder AND a gauge on what might be wrong. Wish that had been an option for me.
Michael
P.S. – right now I feel that case/bullet concentricity is my limiting factor and am welcoming any suggestions.
P.P.S. – I am waiting for the new 6.5 Creedmoor to be done!!!
Long Shot you nailed it perfectly. I think most people buy the best they can afford that would be common sense. There is lots of effort on the shooters behalf its not a hurdle its life. Work ethic is what is lacking in this country, try to install that in young minds and still have fun. It can be done.