Managing recoil Equal and opposite reactions. Bullet forward, rifle rearward. Heavier rifle systems have less felt recoil than light ones. Big people soak up recoil better than light people. How many of us have been surprised during recoil by the scope coming back and pecking your shooting glasses, or even worse, by contacting your forehead? It is a not-so-gentle reminder that you haven't managed recoil properly. A firm rearward pull of the rifle into the shoulder pocket, consistant grip and cheekweld, consistant eye relief, are all important factors that help the shooter control the rifle during recoil. A past strap-on recoil pad or a slip on butt pad like the "shooters friend" will soften recoil. Obviously, so will a muzzle break but with more noise and cost. Unfortunately, the shooters on either side of you will hate your guts because of the muzzle blast they are subjected to. How you manage recoil affects where the muzzle of the rifle is when the bullet exits. Very small inconsistant factors during recoil influence where the muzzle of the rifle is and will affect where the bullet hits downrange. In a perfect world, the shooter doesn't exert any undue pressure on the rifle system at all so the recoil is straight back, consistantly, every time.
Follow through OK. We've gone over some important stuff like N.P.O.A., sight picture, breath control, trigger control etc. Why is follow through important? This is why. It is the perfect conclusion to a perfect shot cycle. You should maintain your cheek weld on the rifle with the trigger kept to the rear. Stay relaxed during and after you fire with no undue muscle tension. This allows the rifle to recoil straight back naturally. You maintain your good form as the bullet speeds on its' way into the X ring. You are in your happy place. I'm not saying to become a statue after the shot breaks. Just pause a second or so after the shot breaks before you get up to reload your M/L or prepare for your next shot if you are a ctg. shooter. What does NO follow through look like? The instant your shot breaks, your trigger finger bounces foreward off the trigger and your head and body instantly pop up off the buttstock to look downrange. What are you going to see other than a cloud of smoke? In a worst case, you yank the trigger, break the shot, and lift your head up at the same time. You commonly see this in people who anticipate the recoil/noise when the rifle goes off. Poor follow through is also associated with other issues in shooting form. Fortunately, good follow through is easy to learn if you work at it a little and Stay on the rifle! Don't forget, the shooter is the weak link. You can never eliminate error. It's all about how you minimize error CONSISTANTLY! More later. X
Follow through OK. We've gone over some important stuff like N.P.O.A., sight picture, breath control, trigger control etc. Why is follow through important? This is why. It is the perfect conclusion to a perfect shot cycle. You should maintain your cheek weld on the rifle with the trigger kept to the rear. Stay relaxed during and after you fire with no undue muscle tension. This allows the rifle to recoil straight back naturally. You maintain your good form as the bullet speeds on its' way into the X ring. You are in your happy place. I'm not saying to become a statue after the shot breaks. Just pause a second or so after the shot breaks before you get up to reload your M/L or prepare for your next shot if you are a ctg. shooter. What does NO follow through look like? The instant your shot breaks, your trigger finger bounces foreward off the trigger and your head and body instantly pop up off the buttstock to look downrange. What are you going to see other than a cloud of smoke? In a worst case, you yank the trigger, break the shot, and lift your head up at the same time. You commonly see this in people who anticipate the recoil/noise when the rifle goes off. Poor follow through is also associated with other issues in shooting form. Fortunately, good follow through is easy to learn if you work at it a little and Stay on the rifle! Don't forget, the shooter is the weak link. You can never eliminate error. It's all about how you minimize error CONSISTANTLY! More later. X
