Sunday Gunday: Kirsten Joy Weiss and Her Smallbore Anschutz

Kirsten Weiss knows a thing about accuracy. She won the 2012 NRA Three-Position Women’s Smallbore Championship, while finishing as the National Overall Woman Champion. She used to shoot with the American team in top-level World Cup competition. Kirsten started shooting fairly late in high school. Despite her relatively late start, she earned a place on the University of Nebraska shooting team. That literally opened up a new world for Kirsten: “During the course of my career, I’ve had a lot of success. I’ve gone to World Cups… in Zagreb, Croatia, in Munich, Germany. I’ve won National Championships, and got on to the U.S. Olympic short list, so it’s been a good career.”

In the sections below, Kirsten offers key tips on accurate shooting. In the first section she explains the importance of dry-fire practice and offers tips on dry-fire technique. Next, Kirsten talks about canting error — how having inconsistent side-to-side tilt on your rifle. In the third section, Kirsten explains the importance of proper trigger placement, with a helpful video that illustrates the correct trigger technique.

The Benefits of Dry-Fire Practice

Dry-Fire is a method of training without a live round in the chamber. Dry-Firing is effective, Kirsten explains, because “it eliminates all the extra noise and messages that you get when you fire a live round. Without recoil, without the sound of a shot going off etc., all you hear is the click of the trigger. This allows you to focus on your sight picture and your trigger press.” Kirsten says: “I hope it helps you, and keep on aiming true!” CLICK HERE for Kirsten’s Dry-Fire Training Video.

Consistent Rifle Cant (Tilt from Centerline)

Kirsten says most training manuals don’t explain rifle cant: “You won’t find this shooting technique just anywhere. Most shooters don’t even think about it — and they’re missing out. Proper Rifle Cant or Gun Cant (also known as cant error or even scope cant) is a complicated topic, but I’ll explain it simply — and how to simply avoid cant error.”

Want to know how to actually aim a gun right? This accuracy tip covers a crucial aspect of marksmanship. If you cant your rifle inconsistently from shot to shot, the point of impact will change, even with “perfect aim”. This is another episode in Kirsten’s How to Shoot Awesomely video series.

Proper Trigger Finger Technique

Kirsten tells us: “Finger placement on the trigger might not seem like a big deal, but it actually is. The reason for this is because, depending on where your index finger is placed on the trigger, [this] translates to different muscle interactions with the gun.” Watch this video to see Kirsten demonstrate proper finger placement (and explain problems caused by improper finger positioning).

When you pull the trigger, you only want to engage the last section of your finger, in order to avoid unwanted muscle engagement and to achieve a smooth shot. Remember there is a “sweet spot” between the crease (first joint) and the tip of the finger. If you position the trigger in that “sweet spot”, you should see an increase in your accuracy. Don’t make the mistake of putting the trigger in the crease of your finger, as shown below.

Watch more videos on Kirsten’s YouTube Channel »

A gifted “natural” shooter, Kirsten started shooting fairly late. Despite her relatively late start, she learned very quickly, and success in high school earned her a place on the University of Nebraska shooting team. Competitive shooting then opened up a new world for Kirsten: “During the course of my career, I’ve had a lot of success. I’ve gone to World Cups… in Zagreb, Croatia, in Munich, Germany. I’ve won National Championships, and got on to the U.S. Olympic short list, so it’s been a good career.”

Kirsten tells us: “A lot of people don’t think of shooting as a sport, but it absolutely is, and I would even go so far as to say that it is an art form.” We don’t know if this is art, sport, or magic, but very few shooters have the skill or flexibility to make this upside-down shot…

Interview with Kirsten on NRA All Access

Kirsten Joy Weiss is featured in an episode of NRA All Access. The show covers Kirsten’s development as a competitive shooter, and her success as a trick-shot artist with her own popular YouTube channel. Here’s the All Access segment featuring many of Kirsten’s most famous trick shots.

In this NRA All Access video Kirsten also talks about her background in shooting and how she wants to be a good ambassador for the shooting sports, “spreading the positive reality of shooting”. Kirsten explains: “The fun challenge and joy of shooting is important to me because I really wanted to be a positive example. So when the media says the ‘guns are a bad thing and nobody does anything good with guns’, they can say ‘Well, what about her [Kirsten]’?”

Anschutz — A Company with 166 Years of Heritage

Julius Gottfried Anschutz founded J.G. Anschutz in 1856 in Mehlis, Thuringia, Germany. Forty years later, the company moved from its small workshop to its first factory building, and within 10 years grew from 76 to 550 employees. After World War II, the Russians shut down and dismantled the factory, causing the Anschutz family to move operations to Ulm in West Germany. Again, the company grew quickly and shortly thereafter, the first Olympic gold medals were won at the 1960 Olympic Games with Anschutz target rifles, equipped with the world famous Match 54 action.

From its headquarters in Ulm, Anschutz now serves customers in approximately 90 countries. Anschutz North America is the primary distributor for the United States and Canada.

For its 160th Anniversary, Anschutz produced a series of commemorative rifles, including the rare, exotic $10,995.00 Model 54.30 with Titanium stock.