Air Rifle and NPA

[Misny]

Training with the air rifle is new to me. I am coming to appreciate the importance of NPA. I have a pump-up air rifle, so I must remove the rifle from my shoulder after each shot. When I replace it, it seems like my NPA has shifted. I am guessing that this is due to my not getting the butt of the rifle into the shoulder pocket the same each and every time. Neither may not be getting a consistent hand position on the foreend. Would anyone care to make recommendations?

My jacket is a couple of sizes too large, so I moved the buttons and cinched down the straps on the back of the shoulder. I also wear a sweat shirt underneath. The pad in my shoulder is bunched up some. Is this critical?

One other question I have is that I tend to grip the pistol grip of the rifle pretty hard (it's hard to break old pistol shooting habits). Is this ok? I don't seem to have any wild shots because of this. I seem to be able to call my shots pretty well, even the bad ones.

[Pat McCoy]

Try establishing NPA with your eyes closed, then put gun down and pick it back up to see if anything has move (again eyes closed). You'll probably do pretty well after jsut a few attempts.

When adjusting with eyes open our visual cortext can overpower the body's kinesthetic sense. Looks like NPA is good, but it really isn't perfect becasue the visual effects overpowered the rest.

[Misny]

Thanks for the response Pat. I have been trying to get the NPA with my eyes closed. Should I expect to have to do this for every shot? I am training using multiple targets.

[pdeal]

Yes you need to reestablish NPA for each shot. Develop a shot routine where as you cock, load, and reposition the rifle you check each contact point and settle in the same way in the same sequence each time. Watch some of the worldcup finals online and see how they check butt plate position and settle into each shot.

[Pat McCoy]

As pdeal said, yes every shot.

As you go along your muscles will first relax, causing change in NPA, then later in the match they may begin to tighten up, again with a concurrent change.

If you want a real test of getting your NPA correct, try shooting on the AR5/10 target. You have to change NPA for every bull. Great training. With some of the kids who have problems with NPA we shoot the AR 5/10 is no pattern, just jumping around, which really tests their ability to get NPA right.

[2650 Plus]

Just a tip for minor NPA corrections. To move right or left turn your trail toe about 1/4 inch or I centimeter in the direction you need to move. Up and down are usually caused by relaxing more [ A good Thing ] or a change in placement of the rifle butt. [a bad thing ] Always look at your shoulder when mounting the rifle and very carefully place the rifle butt in exactly the same place. If a verticle change is needed you can make an educated guess as to the change required in butt placement. Good Shooting BIll Horton

[2650 Plus]

One more comment about NPA. The placement of the supporting hand is also a simple and accurate method of adjusting the NPA in the verticle plane. Look at where you position the support hand every time you mount the rifle. Again just a quarter of an inch forward will lower the NPA and the same movement closer will raise it.Never allow yourself to become careless about the positioning of these elements of your basic position. A tiny adjustment can do wonders for the precision with whitch you structure your position. Good Shooting Bill Horton

[robf]

I assume you are building the position from the feet up, and not dramatically shifting them when charging the gun?

Also NPA can be inhibited by a gun that isn't a good fit.

[Misny]

Yes, I am not moving my feet when I cock the rifle. If I do, I start all over again. I don't think that the rifle is a bad fit for me. I have adjusted the cheekpiece and stock. Being new at this, this is the only air rifle I have any experience with, so I can't tell you if another gun might fit me better.