I was humbled by the sacrifices and courage of the Founders, of course, but also by my attempt to qualify with irons, and centerfire + irons.
I was cocky coming into it. I've qualified with scoped rifles before. I practised a lot at the range with irons and could generally get a decent score. But shooting prone is not allowed at my range, and I've just learned that elbows on a bench aren't really that much like prone. I have a really hard time with the small targets with irons, but on the bench I can just settle in and shoot at about where I know the targets to be. Getting into prone adds another layer on top, giving my poor brain too much to think about.
My plan now is to break it down: separate my difficulties with irons from my difficulties with prone. I'll drop back to a scoped, bolt-action .22 to refine prone via dry fire and occasional visits to a somewhat dank indoor range that is subject to flooding. I'll also shoot tech sights with elbows on a bench to really hammer in the sight picture when I can't really see that 400 yard target. No more "walking it in" over successive attempts. The scope will really drive home what it looks like when I'm locked in because I'll be able to really see how still the POA is. Then I will tie them together. Then I'll put on my big boy pants and move up to centerfire. By that time I should be able to afford the ammo...
Oh, then I'll need to move it out to a KD shoot. It truly doesn't end with the patch.
My trigger squeeze/roll/push needs work, too. Oh, and shooting with both eyes open. Too bad I'm mostly cross dominant.
Feedback welcome.
Cross eye dominance + iron sights is a very difficult proposition for most shooters. Unless you learn to shoot with your 'weak' hand.
Seriously.
Instead of dry firing the same old way, start getting into position with your 'weak' hand as your trigger hand. You'll be learning the positions all over again, but your iron sighted scores will thank you for it.
OR
Wear a pirate patch over your dominant eye while shooting. This will allow you to keep both eyes open, achieve a proper sight picture, use your strong hand, and authorize you to say "argh!" for no apparent reason.
QuoteIt truly doesn't end with the patch.
No - that is just part of the wonderful beginning... O0
Looking back on my practice sessions, I'm pretty sure I concluded I was 'on' when really I just lucked out. Instead of shooting at Stage 4s with irons, I'm going to shoot at X's or crosses of about the same size for a while. I think a more distinct shape will help me pinpoint where POA is, then I can compare with POI, and then I can start getting somewhere. "When sights are HERE, bullet smacks the target HERE"
On the plus side, going back to my scoped CZ-455 made me realize how much I like that rifle!