Most users, when describing how to shoot a BA rifle, would simply outline proper trigger pull and hand position, but effectively shooting in the field requires preparation days in advance of the shot. Here is a guide on how to accomplish efficient and deadly shooting force with a BA or accurate DM rifle such as an m14 (Bat would be proud)

In this guide I will cover:
1. Finding the correct hop up position
2. Shooting technique
3. Sighting in your rifle



So please sit back and enjoy this educational publication by Chris!


1. Finding the correct hop up position for your gun

This sounds like it should be very simple, but some people struggle when finding a hop up setting that will ensure accurate and efficient shooting.
Just a couple things to keep in mind: The more hop you apply to your gun, the less velocity and accuracy you get. The accuracy part is minimal, but hop up severely affects velocity. I mean, it is and actual obstruction the BB has to get by so... don't over do it. If you are finding that you are setting your hop up on maximum hop to get a straight trajectory, you may want to consider getting a new bucking, and switching down to a lighter BB.

A. Okay, so first off, your going to want to find a nice flat place to shoot, around 500-700 ft. of unobstructed field is good, but if you have the opportunity to shoot indoors, seize it.

B. Set up your rifle so that the barrel is parallel with the ground, or "level". It doesn't really matter how you do it, but of course, locking your gun in a vise and leveling it that way will prove for more accurate results :)

C. Next, just shoot.. you don't need a scope on your gun right now, and you don't need to be all sniper boi one shot kill right now. Just try to find a setting that gives you a straight trajectory. You've over hopped if at the end of the BB's flight it shoots up mildly then drops back down.. your just right when the BB flies straight for about 200* ft then starts a gentle decent towards the ground.

*this number is relative to the power of your rifle.

After you've found the sweet spot, find a way that you can easily get back to it next time you shoot. On the Tokyo Mauri VSR 10, the hop up clicks, and there are 21 clicks on the hop up (lets just call it 20), and my sweet spot is 13 clicks of hop. If you hop up does not click, then get creative to find a way to get to the sweet spot every time you shoot.

Congratulations! You have completed step one.


2. Shooting techniques

I chose to cover this before step 3, because you will need proper shooting techniques to sight in you rifle.

The key to this is consistency. Every time you shoot, you need to do everything exactly the same.

Assuming you are shooting from a bipod, and are prone, gently grasp the grip.
Do so that the MEAT of the LAST digit of your index finger rests without any muscle support on the LOWER 3/4 of the trigger.

Place your other hand on the REAR of the STOCK, (the paddle), and gently hold it there. No need to push, any muscular exertion will cause spasms that will make it very difficult to shoot.

Place your cheek on the stock so your eye is looking straight down the sight, and the vision of the scope is at its maximum capacity. This is usually about two inches from the rear most lens (ocular lens) but it differs from scope to scope.

This is the standard long range shot posture (less the trigger bit, that applies to all postures)

Now we look at breathing and the actual pull of the trigger. First, make sure your calm and still. Assuming you're playing the traditional sniper role, you've been in the same spot for a while now, and, ideally, there's less blood flow to your legs and arms and more to your abdomen, because your body thinks you're trying to sleep. But if you aren't calm, take a breather, get you heart rate down, so you can barely (or not at all) feel it inside your chest. Once you see your target, and you know that you're going to shoot him, start imagining the kill. Only think of success. Train your aim on him. Start to calculate where you should place your crosshairs based on your conditions. Now pull your bolt. Get yourself into the long range posture and breath slowly. Once the target is close enough, take three deep, but not exaggerated breaths. Now exhale to where you feel no need to exhale more. Once you've let out that last breath, you have about a two second window where your body is as still as it can be. This is when you want to take the shot. Ideally, you start to squeezed the trigger on the exhale, and have the piston (or valve or gears whatever) release in that two second window.
If you've been observant, you would have noticed RPC's sig about attitude: It takes only three muscle for a proper trigger pull. Which is entirely true. The trigger pull should be more of a gentle, slow squeeze, straight back. Never veering any way from side to side. Just straight back
If you were successful, your BB has gone exactly where you wanted it to go, and the enemy has been hit. This whole process is like riding a bike. It's Darn hard at first, but easier when you have experience. Keep at it and if you can, practice every other day or something.


3. Sighting in your rifle

After you have mastered (or at least know) proper shooting technique, you may now sight in your rifle.

Before you do, I would recommend that you meticulously clean your rifle, and make sure the hop up is aligned correctly.

Attach your scope, and fire 10 rounds downrange, at about 100 ft., or your projected most frequent engagement distance; aiming at the EXACT same spot every time. If you are shooting at a bull's eye, aim at the bull's eye. The rounds will not hit the middle, but what we are trying to do is get a grouping. Once you have a grouping, Identify the center, and plot how far up and to the side you want the groupings to "go" on the paper.
For example: If my groupings are two inches low, and three inches to the left of the bull's eye, I would want to move the groupings up two inches and to the right three inches.
Now, If you look at your scope (with the knob covers off) it should say something like:
1CLICK O 1/4"100YD -------> up

Now this is in a circular formation so imagine it so the "up" is right behind the "1"

This means that for every one click, it moves the reticule 1/4 of an inch at 100 yards. So I would turn the top knob (elevation knob) to the left 20 times, and the side knob (wind age knob) to the right 30 clicks

MATH

Two inches at 100 ft = 6 inches at 100 yards
1/4 in X 4 = 1in
1in x 6 = 6 in
6in X 4= 24 clicks

If you can't understand the math, just keep clicking until you get it right....I guess.


So, Have fun shooting everyone!!


The Chris

This post has been edited by bat21win: Jan 21 2008, 10:58 PM

Very Nice, I especially appreciate the calculations for adjustment calculations on the scope. I usually just click and pray for the right setting to zero in the scope, now I know the proper procedures.

This guide is good except I do have a problem with how you describe the hop up as it is individual for each shooter for example I prefer my rifle to shoot straight to about 270 ft and then over hop just a little bit to get a little extra range.

the hop up on the warrior one is a real [female breeding dog]!!

you have to use a 2.5mm hex key about 3 inches into the stock from the bottom, then hope that you actually hit the screw (no force feedback nor is it visible), then turn. (the only advantage is that is hard to mess up on the field...)

I hate you for your clicky...

Well, it is a personall preferance, and I'm very sorry that I upset you, but this guide is more for newer players and not everything I write should be viewed as holy... so...

And Bgugi, loolz to you!

I'm not meaning to critisize but I find your math to be incorrect.

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't it be 24 clicks at 100 feet. Since 100 feet is 1/3 of 100 yd you would multiply by three. and 2 inches= 8 one fourth inches. so wouldn't it be 8x3=24 clicks?

Thats just what I came to. Please help me if I am wrong. Again this is not meant to be offensive or critical of your work. the other parts of the guide I found very usefull.

Yeah, I realized the math was wrong right after I coulnd't edit. But I don't know where you got 8x3...

6x4=24

I was having sexlexia (lol, futurama, sry) that day... If a mod could edit that, that would be great.

And wow, when was this pinned?? I didn't even know it was pinned! I though no on cared...

Anywho

Peace, Chris

It was pinned earlier this afternoon. I could always take it down if you want.

I got three because you can divide two eight times. so with this it can also work to mutiply the inches by four. The three is because any adjustments at 100 hundred feet would be three times that at 300 feet. So the formula can be described as such.



2 inches=8x1/4inch
300feet =100 feet x 3
8x3=24
24clicks.


In other words divide the number of times the inches can be divided by 1/4 by (300 feet divided by the range of the shot.)

So five inches down at 150 feet would be (5x4)x(300divided by 100 hundred)= 20x3=60clicks.That is how I sight in my scope.

nice post. it took me a while to figure all this out on my own and by asking veteren players. this is a great way for all the new snipers to site everything in with no trouble.

I feel really dumm. My math is wrong and I critisized someone elses math!! Forgive me. It would be (5x4)x(300feet divided by 150feet)=20x2=40. please forgive me for being arrogant. So it is 40 clicks.

I don't have "clicks" on my hop up so I painted camo around the lever. Now if my hop up isn't in my sweet spot I can see a black unpainted piece on the barrel. This allows me to correct at any time I want.

http://swampbrigade.org/tux/?page_id=53

There's a mini tutorial there on how to fix your click.

Very nice guide Chris, You should post this over on ASSB. It Would be great there.

You can post it over there if you want, I don't want to really sign up for too many more forums...

Chris

For me the most effective thing to do when pulling the trigger is to have the attitude of "not giving a d**n" Totally relax, and don't think about whether or not your shot is going to hit(just for those few milliseconds)...and just pull. Just my 2 cents :).

Nice guide chris , helped me