How do you adjust NPA between prone targets?

[TargetTerror]

In my small bore league, we shoot the NRA 10 bull target, one shot per bull. That means we must adjust our natural point of aim 10 times throughout the course of the prone fire.

I can adjust the left/right movement well enough, but am having difficulty with the up/down movement. I have and have read "The Ways of the Rifle," and it has a number of different methods. But, these seem to be more permanent adjustments to the position; the targets they shoot appear to be single bull, so the issue is just getting the NPA set and the refining it as the match progresses. My situation seems different in that I am constantly adjusting the NPA necessarily after each shot.

One of the coaches on my team recommends using breathing to raise and lower the sights. You basically inhale fully, and then exhale until the sights are aligned, hold, and realease the shot. I have had moderate success with this technique, but I don't really like it. it seems to be far too imprecise. I have to guess as I exhale where the sights will fall when i stop exhaling, and it is more of an art than a science (granted there is a bit of art to all of the position adjustments, but not quite to this extent)

Does anyone else have this same problem? How do you deal with adjusting your vertical POM between prone targets?

[JohnD]

First of all, it's good that you see the need to adjust NPA on each shot. That really is one of the challenges on the 10-bull target. I keep the left elbow in place and slide my belly back and forth to make vertical changes to put NPA on each bull. The necessary movements are pretty small. I can't keep my right elbow on the mat during loading anyway, so it just finds its own spot. The belly sliding takes care of most of the elevation change, and the amount of breath held in the lungs fine tunes it.

We can use scopes in the old geezer league I shoot in, so I can see very clearly what is going on. I adjust the position to put the NPA at about 7 o'clock in the 8-ring, and breathing moves the scope dot to 1 o'clock in the 8-ring. Half the breath is a ten. The 7 - 1 movement is just me. You may move differently, say from 6 to 12 or 5 to 11.

[B.T.Carstensen]

When I went to the NRA smallbore camp this summer I asked that vary same question. They told me if I want to move my NPA down to move my hips forward and if I want it to go up then I move my hips back. IT WORKED!
<>Brian<>

[TargetTerror]

Thanks for the responses! How much do you need to move your hips? Inches? Centimeters? and do you find it pulls you away from your spotting scope too much?

BT, at the camp you went to, what did they tell you about breathing? That you be breathing the exact same way for each shot, or use your breathing to fine tune your aim, as my coach and John have indicated?

[m1carbine]

Push or pull with your toes, pushing will lower your npa and pulling will rase it.

Ray

[B.T.Carstensen]

Thanks for the responses! How much do you need to move your hips? Inches? Centimeters? and do you find it pulls you away from your spotting scope too much?

BT, at the camp you went to, what did they tell you about breathing? That you be breathing the exact same way for each shot, or use your breathing to fine tune your aim, as my coach and John have indicated?

It depends on the distance you are shooting for 50m you wont ave to move that much but for air (10m) you may have to move more. The max I move is a few inches either way. I don't move my elbows (just the hips) you should be fine on your scope.

For the most part you should breathe the way each time, you can use it to fine tune your NPA to some extent. But that is just my 2 cents.

<>Brian<>

[peepsight]

This is why the Germans and many other European and Scandinavian countries only shoot single bull targets for both air rifle and small bore.

Your position can be fine tuned for single bull targets.

[TargetTerror]

Peepsight, do they shoot several shots per bull, or is it switched for every shot?

[WaltherWill]

Well, on electronic scoring, you shoot as many as you want at the single bull, but in air rifle when you shoot one bull and it's not electronic, you will probably only shoot one shot per record bull.

[TargetTerror]

Ah yes, I forgot about electronic scoring. It certainly simplifies certain things. We're still in the Paper Age in my club.

[WaltherWill]

My club is the same way. We only have one thing that can do any electronic scoring and that is a slightly outdated RIKA system that seems VERY sensitive to cant irregularities. We also have one little machine that will run single bull targets down range and back automatically. We use this for air rifle training in preparation for the JO's. Other than that we just hang two AR-5/10 targets side by side.

[peepsight]

Hi Target Terror

In our club we have 5 bull targets for air rifle, this does alter your position for each shot. We also use 5 bull strip targets where you pull the strip through a slot in the backing card so the bull appears in an appeture and is all on its own and always in the same place. If you don't have an electronic system the 5 bull strip targets are the next best thing.

In higher level competitions such as our regional matches we shoot on a single bull target, one shot per bull. That means you have 60 cards to shoot plus a few sighting cards. Expensive way of doing it.

Its all geared to keep your position from changing shot to shot.

Peepsight

[WaltherWill]

When moving the strip, do you have an automated way of moving it? I assume so because going downrange to move it defeats the non-moving aspect.

[Ray Odle]

The original question was concerning smallbore.

When I started out shooting outdoor smallbore prone I was advised not to use a butt hook which would make elevation adjustments much more difficult (especially range to range). I am currently shooting in doors at 50 feet on the ten bull targets.

Any thoughts on the use of a butt hook?

Ray

[TargetTerror]

My understanding is that the butt of the gun should be in the EXACT same position on your shoulder every time you mount it. The butt hook helps you be consistent, and should help support some of the weight of the gun, particularly if it is muzzle heavy (I think).

Elevation changes are made through other adjustments, such as raising or lowering the buttplate. But the contact point between the plate and shoulder is always constant.

For offhand, you can also control elevation by repositioning your feet. The father apart they are, the higher the NPA. For prone, move your hips back to raise the muzzle.

[peepsight]

Hi

No, we have a target transport system (Rica World Champion), so when the shot target is returned to the shooting table you put down the gun on its rest still holding it and with the other hand pull the strip target through so the next bull comes into view in the backing cards aperture. Press button and send it down the range again for the next shot.
I have not moved my feet once during this whole process.

Peepsight