TargetTalk

I'm just curious really to find out what people use sighting shots for and how many shots they typically fire ?

For me it's a combination of a live warm (after dry firing), plus to make sure the point of impact is in the right place - i.e. to take into account differences in range design and lighting. I almost always fire just 10 sighters but it does vary on what I feel like and how it's going it may be a few more or less.

Rob.

i fire any where from 5 to 25. I just shoot them until i calm down to my normal pace

I agree with you Rob, I use them to account for differences in range and lighting, typically firing 10-15. If I'm "happy" after 4-5 then it's straight on into the match.

I agree with Rob and Trev: sight to check settings, and light. Tipically i prefer to do few, 4-5 not more of 10.

Smallbore I shoot a minimum of 15 sighters. Reason: I always start with a clean bore and testing has showed the rifle needs at least 15 shots before it groups properly.
First 5 shots (after dry-firing and getting proper NPA) are used to get rid of match nerves and to find my shooting rithm. Second group 0f 5 shots are used for determinimg rough POI, last group of 5 shots are used for proper sighting in the rifle - testing for wind, light etc. - and are fired in the same mental state as the match shots. After the last sighter I keep shooting in the same rithm, that way there is no transition from sighters to match shots. Any flyers caused by match nerves happen during the sighter and not during the first match shots. If I am not capable of beeing ready for the match after 15 sighters, something is desperatly wrong.
I use the same tactics with air-rifle because I am used to it - a change in tactics/rithm leads to thinking and deteriation of concentration/shooting technique. It is all done on "automatic pilot".
Center fire done the same, but with only 10 sighters. (a mauser K98 barrel - built in 1934 - gets heated quit fast).

Albert B
(The Netherlands)