Shooting fundamentals

Here they are in order. A stable stance. A firm, consistent grip. Sight alignment, then sight picture. Settle your breathing. A smooth trigger press. And follow-through: staying still and on target as the shot goes. Most misses come from just one of these going wrong, usually the trigger. Your trainer will coach each one with you on the range.

The unit standard says the rifle must be fired unsupported. That means no dead rest: you can't lay the rifle on a bench, bag or post. Two hands are allowed. So your stance has to do the work. Feet about shoulder-width apart, weight slightly forward into the rifle, the butt firmly in the pocket of your shoulder, and your elbows comfortable rather than locked. Your trainer will show you the positions used for the assessment.

Your firing hand holds the grip firmly, with your trigger finger straight along the side until you're ready. Your support hand steadies the fore-end. Rest your cheek on the stock in the same place every time; that's your cheek weld, and it puts your eye in the same spot behind the sights for every shot.

Sight alignment is getting the sights lined up with your eye. With open or aperture sights, the front sight sits centred in the rear notch or aperture, and you focus on the front sight. With a telescopic sight, you need a full, round view with no dark shadow at the edge, and you focus on the reticle. The sight picture is those aligned sights held on your aiming point. With a scope, keep the eye relief your scope needs, so it can't hit you on recoil.

The trigger press is where most misses come from. Squeeze smoothly straight back, with steady pressure, and let the shot happen almost as a surprise. If you anticipate the shot and jerk, the muzzle moves just as the bullet leaves. Then follow through: keep your eye on the sights and your position still for a moment after the shot. With a self-loading rifle, the next round is already chambered, so your finger comes back off the trigger if you're not firing again.

The unit standard asks that the ammunition you use is appropriate to the rifle. The calibre is stamped on the rifle, and the cartridge's calibre is stamped on its base, the headstamp. They must match. Some wrong cartridges will still chamber, and firing them can damage the rifle or injure you. If you're ever unsure, don't fire it: ask your trainer or a gunsmith.

This is in the unit standard too: before firing, identify the target, what is behind it, and where the bullet will come to rest. A rifle bullet that misses, or passes through, can travel a very long way. On a range the backstop does that job for you. Anywhere else, you must be certain there's a safe backstop before you fire. Accountability for every shot means exactly that: you answer for where each one goes.

During practice, Thandi's shots keep landing low and slightly left. Anel watches her for a few shots and sees her trigger finger snatching as the shot goes. For a right-handed shooter, a jerked trigger often pulls shots low and left. Anel has her practise a slow, smooth press, letting the shot surprise her, and her group tightens. The fix was one fundamental, not a new rifle.

Match each coaching point to the fundamental it fixes, then answer four questions. If you have a rifle, find the calibre stamped on it and write it down. Next lesson: what to do when something goes wrong.