TargetTalk

in the prone position and at the top targets should you use your cheek to move the back of the gun down or should you move your hand closer to the trigger gaurd?

For each target, you want your natural point of aim to be right on the bullseye without having to push the rifle around at all with any muscle. For me, when I'm shooting smallbore, that usually means changing my position slightly, mostly just by shifting my elbow or my hand under the forend ever so slightly as I work my way around the paper.

Your hand should never leave it's position jammed against the handstop. Likewise your cheek should always go in the same spot & attitude on the cheekpiece because that is how you get your eye aligned consistently behind the rear sight. Try very small scooting motions with your body pivoting forward & back off your forward (left, if right eyed) elbow to make elevation changes. Right to left is done by swinging your entire body around the front elbow, like a gun turret or statue would do. That means with every up & down column of bullseyes, you'll have to change your natural point of aim to shoot the next column.

Another hint - if you have more RIFLE specific questions, post in the Smallbore/Air Rifle forum, so more rifle shooters can spot them.

The elbow that supports the rifle, in the prone postion, should be used as the pivot point and by moving your legs left or right should bring your eye to a natural POA. I usually coach the shooter too close their "aiming" eye and note where the target is in refernce to the sights and then pivot in that direction until further testing shows the natural POA for that target position.