Shiloh Rifle Forums

That 800 yard target Bryan asked about. That white spot is not that large and I'm not sure exactly how large those targets are, I'm guessing maybe 3-4 MOA?? but when that hit is just outside of the white I will not make a sight change because I might have broke that shot there. I have chased my hits at the Q adjusting the sights and got off the irons. If the second shot hits close at the 4 O-Clock again I will raise and give it some left.

Yep, agree with you there Kurt. Never adjust on a poor shot or after just one, unless you are real sure of your rifle, your load, yourself and the conditions. But if you lob consecutive shots off-centre, adjust to centre.
I've been guilty of getting lost with adjusting and winding myself off target as I'm sure everyone has at some time.

You also need to take into account your load and rifle inherent accuracy. If you chase every prior shot, you can increase the "cone of fire". This is where sighters can help, when they are allowed. When you see a trend, bring it to center.

Aviator wrote: ↑Sat May 08, 2021 9:48 am . If you chase every prior shot, you can increase the "cone of fire".

This is kinda where i was going with this.
If you have a wind that's fairly consistent in direction from say the right are you happy with a pattern that's just outside the white at 3:00 to just outside the white at 9:00, if you don't have to tweak on the knobs, or do you prefer to play the one minute game and add just a touch to narrow it up a little on each velicity change, or do you try to chase every shot to get in the center?

I prefer to try my best to hit as near center as possible whether I'm the shooter or the spotter. Life is hard enough, trusting the winds only makes it worse.

When shooting gong matches I want my spotter to focus on two things, where the hit was on the target and where misses of near by shooters are.
As has been stated seeing actual hits can be pretty tough sometimes. How the target reacts (swings) and dust from the lead splatter, right, left or center can give some indication as to location of the hit.
If several other shooters on your target or nearby targets are all of a sudden missing off one side or another there has been a condition change that they didn't catch or was greater than they estimated.
The dust kicked up by those misses will help verify this.
I will concentrate on last minute felt wind changes and breaking the shot center.
Todd

This is where having all your rifles with the same sighting equipment is essential ! I have cranked the wrong direction a time or two and have seen my shooters do the same although few will admit it. It is usually quite evident through the spotting scope as opposed to a poor break. It usually happens with wind gauge front sights. I always like a 3x5 card on my score clip board with bold script giving me crank direction for when the brains turn to oat meal in the heat of a match.
Oppps, I see I post 200 meters for .22 Silhouette for rams, make that 100 meters. My bad,

It's 200m for .22bpcr rams.

This was the NRA 1/5 scale. I remember because we have to pull out the mobile target stands which are mounted on skids. Our clang and bang rams are at 200 meters which is full size and is an all offhand match. These rails are rail road rails and of course stationary.
I remember the mirage was running L to R. stopped in a boil and started the other direction. I just happen to catch the change told my shooter and he shaded for it taking the next three as I remember it and the rest of the line mostly missed their rams not noticing the reversal. I guess it makes sense on such little targets but I just didn't think it could have that big an effect at such short yardage.

Yep, I know the sizes, shot at those in small-bore and the full size in high-power silhouette as well as the lever-action matches for many years before seeing the light and moving into BPCR.
If you are sighted for centre in a 2 min left to right mirage and it reverses by the same amount, you will miss them without a sight correction.