Mosin-Marauder
New member
When my dad gets home, I'll set up a target at 25 yards and use the scope. Should I use bench rest or prone? Sitting? Standing? I will be using CCI in my 10/22 with the scope on it. Answers would be appreciated, thanks.
The results of sighting in my Mosin Today.
- Thread starter Mosin-Marauder
- Start date
In this case, I'd suggest sitting, with the rifle well supported on a rest that'll hold it still while you're lining up on the target & pulling the trigger.
The problem with the other positions is that, for purposes of establishing the most consistency on each shot, they don't support the gun (or you) as strongly & repeatedly as a good rest off a solid bench.
Some shooters like prone, but again- it doesn't support the gun as well as a rest on a bench.
A bipod helps there, but let's not complicate this unduly.
You want to eliminate as much shooter-induced movement as possible, bench typically does that better for new shooters.
Denis
The problem with the other positions is that, for purposes of establishing the most consistency on each shot, they don't support the gun (or you) as strongly & repeatedly as a good rest off a solid bench.
Some shooters like prone, but again- it doesn't support the gun as well as a rest on a bench.
A bipod helps there, but let's not complicate this unduly.
You want to eliminate as much shooter-induced movement as possible, bench typically does that better for new shooters.
Denis
Mosin-Marauder
New member
Also, here are the targets from my first 4H meeting. These were with unzeroed irons (some kid told us we couldn't use scopes, we later found out we could). I know they're awful for 25 feet away. No need to point it out.
Re awful.
Awful is a sliding scale.
For me, that'd be awful.
For a pretty much totally new shooter, it's a foundation to build on.
This could also be incorporated into the Principle Of Shooter Relativity.
When you get your driver's license, will you expect to win at LeMans with a Prius against people who've been professionally throwing sophisticated racecars around the track for several years?
Three months into your very first horse, you'd expect to take the Triple Crown?
Buy your first canoe & expect to take home the America's Cup?
Everybody has to start somewhere.
You're doing that.
Hold off on the impatience, don't expect to be dropping galloping coyotes at 400 yards with your Mosin, take your time, work on that .22.
(Do continue to stockpile ammunition for the Mosin if you expect to keep it, just lay off shooting it for a bit.)
Denis
Awful is a sliding scale.
For me, that'd be awful.
For a pretty much totally new shooter, it's a foundation to build on.
This could also be incorporated into the Principle Of Shooter Relativity.
When you get your driver's license, will you expect to win at LeMans with a Prius against people who've been professionally throwing sophisticated racecars around the track for several years?
Three months into your very first horse, you'd expect to take the Triple Crown?
Buy your first canoe & expect to take home the America's Cup?
Everybody has to start somewhere.
You're doing that.
Hold off on the impatience, don't expect to be dropping galloping coyotes at 400 yards with your Mosin, take your time, work on that .22.
(Do continue to stockpile ammunition for the Mosin if you expect to keep it, just lay off shooting it for a bit.)
Denis
Mosin-Marauder
New member
So, me and the Pops just got done shooting the 10/22, used CCI .22 LR. 25 yards (probably a bit closer to 20, we didn't laser it.) I did okay, dad did better. We bagged it on our picnic table and fired 5 rounds into each. He shot the lower left bullseye and the center bullseye. I shot the bottom right, and both upper bullseyes. Dads groupings were 5/8" for the lower and center, mine were 1" +/- for the ones on the right and 3/4" for the top left. Here's the picture.
tahunua001
New member
ok based on your abilities with a 22 I'm going to say you have a problem transitioning from one rifle to another. I had a flinch when I was younger, put me behind a 22lr and I could hit empty 22 casings at 25 yards(my personal best was 7 of 10) but put me behind a centerfire and I would flinch like I was playing hit for hit with mike tyson. of course I couldn't believe that I was flinching because I shot a 22 so well and always blamed the ammo, or the gun, or the scope, but never myself. it was only once I took my M16 qualifications with the navy and I learned just what nasty habits I had what was happening when I moved from 22 to centerfire.
Much better.
Tweaking:
Take it out to 25 yards. No need for a laser, pace it off by whoever among you can do a one-yard pace.
Set up your practice at specific known & consistent distances, and for now stick to them.
Don't guess, don't change each session.
Buy solid round target aim points.
Easier to visually line up. Easier to center crosshairs in, more visible & easier to place on top of a front sight post.
That increases with distance.
I've found black is simply more visible all the way round with irons.
Round is easier to center across the top of a blade than a diamond.
You can use 25-yard black handgun bulls (relatively small) clean out to 100 yards with a scope, easily out to 50 yards with irons.
If you want more challenge, you can buy smaller pasties and try them out at different distances.
Orange solids will tend to be more efficient than orange diamonds.
Orange solid pasties will be more visible at distance with a scope.
Black pasties work fine, depending on sights & distance & lighting.
Smaller aiming point will generally give you finer accuracy, as long as you can still SEE it.
Whichever you choose, stick to the same target. Remember previous discussions of CONSISTENCY. Don't be using a hodgepodge of different target types, sizes & colors & don't be guessing on distances each time.
No "probably" this distance or "probably" that distance.
Take this seriously. It requires repeatable conditions, not doing something different each time.
Useful output depends on consistent input, also known to your older-generation predecessors at NASA as GI/GO in old computer lingo.
Suggest you DON'T be moving around on variable distances yet.
You did well on the above targets.
Tweak as indicated, do some more work with the scope at 25, then go out to 50.
Then back to 25 with the irons & repeat the process.
Stay with the bench. The other positions you mentioned are generally referred to as "field positions" & have their applications there- in the field.
I don't consider them useful for beginners where you're at.
Denis
Tweaking:
Take it out to 25 yards. No need for a laser, pace it off by whoever among you can do a one-yard pace.
Set up your practice at specific known & consistent distances, and for now stick to them.
Don't guess, don't change each session.
Buy solid round target aim points.
Easier to visually line up. Easier to center crosshairs in, more visible & easier to place on top of a front sight post.
That increases with distance.
I've found black is simply more visible all the way round with irons.
Round is easier to center across the top of a blade than a diamond.
You can use 25-yard black handgun bulls (relatively small) clean out to 100 yards with a scope, easily out to 50 yards with irons.
If you want more challenge, you can buy smaller pasties and try them out at different distances.
Orange solids will tend to be more efficient than orange diamonds.
Orange solid pasties will be more visible at distance with a scope.
Black pasties work fine, depending on sights & distance & lighting.
Smaller aiming point will generally give you finer accuracy, as long as you can still SEE it.
Whichever you choose, stick to the same target. Remember previous discussions of CONSISTENCY. Don't be using a hodgepodge of different target types, sizes & colors & don't be guessing on distances each time.
No "probably" this distance or "probably" that distance.
Take this seriously. It requires repeatable conditions, not doing something different each time.
Useful output depends on consistent input, also known to your older-generation predecessors at NASA as GI/GO in old computer lingo.
Suggest you DON'T be moving around on variable distances yet.
You did well on the above targets.
Tweak as indicated, do some more work with the scope at 25, then go out to 50.
Then back to 25 with the irons & repeat the process.
Stay with the bench. The other positions you mentioned are generally referred to as "field positions" & have their applications there- in the field.
I don't consider them useful for beginners where you're at.
Denis
Blindstitch
New member
Hey can we get a test target of you and your dad with the mosin at 25 yards?
Mosin-Marauder
New member
We couldn't really shoot today. I'll try to sometime this week. No offense but I'd like to focus on my 10/22 in lieu of the Appleseed I'm attending next weekend.
Mosin-Marauder
New member
I REALLY want a Ruger Mini -14 Ranch Rifle. Those things look so accurate and fun to shoot, not to mention they look really freaking cool. I've been looking at like 4 different videos the past few days of people reviewing them. I'm going to see if I can get one sometime. My family would probably let me get one as a birthday or Christmas Present. If only they weren't so expensive I could get one sooner. $1000 bucks is kinda hefty even for a new one in my opinion. For now, my 10/22 will work. Did I mention it's getting really fun to shoot that thing now?
Willie Lowman
New member
You can get a Mini-14 for a lot less than $1000. It won't be new.
The older Mini-14s aren't known for great accuracy but they had very thin barrels that would heat up quickly. The first few rounds would always be dead on, in my experience. The new ones have a different barrel design and are supposed to be quite accurate.
The older Mini-14s aren't known for great accuracy but they had very thin barrels that would heat up quickly. The first few rounds would always be dead on, in my experience. The new ones have a different barrel design and are supposed to be quite accurate.
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
I don't recommend the mini-14 for building marksmanship skills. I have one that is an early model of the new ones heavily modified by a respected gunsmith to be more or less like the "tactical" variant that wasn't offered when I bought mine, but bedded and some extra metal on the end of the barrel to mitigate its tendency to whip around. It isn't a target gun. I have shot it at CMP events and scored significantly lower than with my Garand.
It is a great rifle/carbine and my "goto" gun, but it isn't what I take target shooting.
I wouldn't hesitate to shoot it at a coyote at 200 yards though. I'd probably shoot it at Coyotes or rats out to 400 if the opportunity presented itself. It isn't the rifle I would take if I was planning on such shots.
A low end AR will generally be more accurate than a mini.
It is a great rifle/carbine and my "goto" gun, but it isn't what I take target shooting.
I wouldn't hesitate to shoot it at a coyote at 200 yards though. I'd probably shoot it at Coyotes or rats out to 400 if the opportunity presented itself. It isn't the rifle I would take if I was planning on such shots.
A low end AR will generally be more accurate than a mini.
Congrats on getting a MUCH better grouping!
Shooting with a scope can help with breathing and trigger control. Using iron sights will force you to focus on sight picture and sight alignment. (All of which are important skills.)
Keep focusing on the basics of making each shot count. A lot of people try to speed up while learning, and their groupings suffer. While you are learning the basics of marksmanship, each shot taking 10-20 seconds (or more) is fine. Focus on being consistent, smooth, and precise.
As your skills improve, you will be able to speed up or increase distance while maintaining your accuracy. The foundation to ALL of that is being able to be accurate, so that is where your focus should be for now.
Shooting with a scope can help with breathing and trigger control. Using iron sights will force you to focus on sight picture and sight alignment. (All of which are important skills.)
Keep focusing on the basics of making each shot count. A lot of people try to speed up while learning, and their groupings suffer. While you are learning the basics of marksmanship, each shot taking 10-20 seconds (or more) is fine. Focus on being consistent, smooth, and precise.
As your skills improve, you will be able to speed up or increase distance while maintaining your accuracy. The foundation to ALL of that is being able to be accurate, so that is where your focus should be for now.