How to CORRECTLY Shoot a Rifle

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Who is Ron Spomer
For 44 years, I’ve had the good fortune to photograph and write about my passion - the outdoor life. Wild creatures and wild places have always stirred me - from the first flushing pheasant that frightened me out of my socks in grandpa’s cornfield to the last whitetail that dismissed me with a wag of its tail. In my attempts to connect with this natural wonder, become an integral part of our ecosystem, and capture a bit of its mystery, I’ve photographed, hiked, hunted, birded, and fished across much of this planet. I've seen the beauty that everyone should see and survived adventures that everyone should experience. I may not have climbed the highest mountains, canoed the wildest rivers, caught the largest fish, or shot the biggest bucks, but I’ve tried. Perhaps you have, too. And that’s the essential thing. Being out there, an active participant in our outdoor world.
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[@FantomWireBrian]

Dad was an extreme marksman and I never saw him miss anything. He hunted squirrels only with a revolver. Rifle , handgun, shot gun and even within 6 months he picked up recurve bow and stacked arrows tighter than anyone . He had clearance at police ranges and out shot anyone at any range. Most of his experience was in WW2 . He landed on Normandy and fought through the Hedge row country and all the way to Bastogne. Peep sights only on a rifle but nothing on his bow. You would think I know everything about shooting ❓, but I didn't. It was too natural for him, but not me . Thanks Ron I just learned something about the pull of the trigger, but also do you hold your breath with the pull or let it out ❓ Seriously 😜❗

[@charlesludwig9173]

You do not want to hold breath or even think about it because it will distract you from concentration on sight alignment and trigger control. Not thinking about breathing at all you will shoot unconsciously during your natural respiratory pause and thus your firing position will be more muscularly relaxed as it needs to be to maintain aim. Your dad seems to have had great marksmanship training since the principals, elements, and factors to good shooting are all learned, not coming natural enough for anyone to get a best result. In fact most shooters having no formal marksmanship training perceive the rifle should be made steady via application of muscle when the reality is muscular relaxation, natural point of aim adjustment, and bone/artificial support are the factors which inspire steadiness. At any rate, while Ron gets most everything right about shooting sports topics, his thoughts on this topic are at odds with today’s Champion Marksmen.

[@twentydixoncider7443]

it's different for other people but I usually just stop my breathing during my exhale until maybe half of my lung capacity is gone and hold, I only do this as I'm ready to shoot cause not breathing will cause your heart rate to start to climb and you'll lose steadiness. best way is just practice

[@charlesludwig9173]

@@twentydixoncider7443 just force all concentration on sight alignment and trigger control because any thought about breathing strategy for marksmanship will thwart marksmanship since it prevents natural respiratory pause.

[@walterwjr947]

I see some good stuff here so I can leave just add this. Check you own body out as to what happens as you breath in and out, your body movements and of course your slight variations in heart rate, everyone is different. I will also add, to hold your breath puts your body in a "strain", your heart rate will go up, unless you hyperventilate. If you want to use the hyperventilating trick, practice, practice, some other things can happen, also.

[@FantomWireBrian]

@@charlesludwig9173 Interesting, but I disagree about someone who might be a natural. Dad did shoot before the war, but didn't have the funds to shoot a lot. Obviously your position is correct that he gained in his ability due to experience, but dad was rejected by all services for poor eyesight and if it hadn't been for a recruiting officer cheating on his form he wouldn't have gotten in . I saw a shot he made on a grouse that I know he didn't even see. A friend was with and a grouse got up at his feet and flew straight up and behind him. He pulled and didn't turn and it flew up and straight behind him and without his eyes on it he pulled the trigger. I asked " Dad did you think you hit it" He just said " I might have gotten a piece of it maybe go look in the other side of the bank " I still doubted it and a friend said " There is no way he hit that " . We walked over the bank and there it was . Both of us just stared at each other . I still can't believe it . I was getting into trap shooting and shotguns to dad were not anything he said you'd aim with. He just would say point and pull. He showed how to shoot with a broom . It was strange one time because we were just talking about it when I got into sporting clays. He just blurted out " You know I don't know why they don't instruct shooting a shotgun from your hip. You lose a lot of time bringing it to your shoulder and again you're not aiming you're pointing. Dad was very picky about sighting in any firearm. I rarely shot his 22 revolver, but brought it up to the range one time with a friend. I bragged about how accurate it was . We couldn't hit at 50 feet with it. I happened to have a gun vice and after checking the sights ,they were off radically. He never missed a squirrel or left the center bull with that at any range. The recurve didn't have sights and I think he matched some revolver targets with his bow . Could be experience, but there was definitely something else . 😎

[@TheLPN05Fan]

I never thought of that. That's actually great information! Like it almost always is on this channel, thanks!

[@squatchwatch5237]

Same it true with pistols, especially for guys who shoot low and left. Most of the time they just hooking the trigger instead of using the pad of their finger. Great advise!

[@jeffpraterJSF]

I found the opposite on pistols. Sinking more finger on the trigger stops you from pulling the gun because it helps you isolate your finger better with a more natural hand position

[@twentydixoncider7443]

my finger placement on rifles never really mattered but when I started shooting pistols it sure did lol I'm like damn dude I thought I was good at shooting until now lol, I've gotten much better since though.

[@dennisklaus671]

Thank you. Finally someone says it right!!!

[@Snookynibbles]

This sounds compelling, but it’s unrealistic; there are others debunking this approach to trigger finger placement. For one thing, hands/fingers come in differing sizes as does the distance from a trigger face to the backstrap of the grip of differing guns, meaning the suggested method will actually cause lateral gun movement for many. The trigger finger should contact the trigger wherever your finger anatomy can pull straight back.

[@jasonohler9884]

It isn't that hard to put the first pad of the finger on the trigger. Even for those with bigger hands, you just don't put your finger all the way through. Those "experts" need to sit down and shut up. This that you just spewed and the whole idea that you're supposed to tuck your elbow against your body need to die

[@charlesludwig9173]

Exactly

[@charlesludwig9173]

@@jasonohler9884 the trigger finger should be allowed to fall upon the trigger where it naturally wants to fall. This is proven to support SMOOTH trigger control. That’s not my notion, it’s United States Army Marksmanship Unit Doctrine.

[@richardsabo7917]

Idk about this, there are plenty of USPSA competition and also 3-gun guys that have varying trigger finger positions and place in Nationals every year.

[@tdeb5504]

Some of the best advice ever: use that "first pad" of your booger hook!

[@SilverbackSasquatch19xx]

Practice is the real king

[@Steelcityreece]

So you use the second pad on your finger ?

[@mfallen6894]

I really think it depends on the trigger. A 3lb match trigger on a rifle with no travel or a really good 2-stage, sure. Shooting a double-action revolver (in double action) or worse still, a gritty factory striker-fire pistol with a lot of crunchy take-up is easier for me to shoot accurately using the crook of the finger. Hell even using really good aftermarket triggers in striker-fires causes me to use the crook of the finger. Using the pad on these types of triggers causes a lot more "shake" once it breaks, and I tend to pull shots to the right. But yeah, on a rifle with a good trigger, especially longer shots with a magnified optic, I'm more accurate using the pad of the finger

[@FantomWireBrian]

You never shoot a revolver in double action , unless your life depends on it . Dad squirrel hunted with a revolver and never pulled through even on running squirrels. He never missed . He wasn't that fast on the draw , but it was a very smooth motion. I did notice he squeezed his wrist after cocking and during his shot . Two hands most always. 😎

[@Watchdog_McCoy_5.7x28]

My hands are too big. I have to put my finger in further to pull the trigger. I had to practice a lot though to get good at doing it.

[@charlesludwig9173]

No, Ron you are not correct on this one. After establishing a high handshake like grip on pistol grip then the trigger finger should be allowed to fall upon the trigger where ever it naturally wants to fall. This permits a straight back and leveraged pull that supports SMOOTH trigger control, which will not disturb aim. Pull an AR-15 trigger in the manner you suggested and you’ll get very poor trigger control, sure to disturb aim. I am speaking from experience shooting in High Master Class of NRA Long-Range Competition and as a military rifle instructor assisting the USAMU deliver the Squad Designated Marksman Course.

[@FantomWireBrian]

Any time you discount the basics of shooting you're not qualified to be an instructor . My dad was a marksman next to extremely few . He was a natural shot and I'm sure he had natural abilities that couldn't be taught, although because of his abilities he wasn't the best instructor. Maybe he thought I was his son and naturally I would inherit it . I didn't. He did tell me about everything about how to shoot from his training but didn't routinely instruct me . He came up against many that walked away from ranges in disbelief and amazement of his placement with any weapon. You mentioned one weapon only . You can't comment on shooting or pulling the trigger on a firearm many don't shoot. Trigger pull is different on all firearms and the position of your finger or pull differs , even the American sniper preferred the standard pull on his rifle and not a " Hair trigger" . Dads training started in basic training and of all comments he did make came from that,but his shooting skills were from being engaged in some of the heaviest action anyone has ever seen. His natural ability was above his physical ability. Dad had very poor eyesight and if not for a recruiting officer he wouldn't have served so all other abilities were critical and that means trigger pull and position. Ron is right . Dad in basic held the range. He landed in Normandy and fought through the Hedge row country and made it all the way to Bastogne. He was one of Patton's battle weary and his skills of shooting and survival were noted directly by Patton and his officers and he was promoted in the streets to a Sargent and was put in charge of a special gun squad. He refused the Thompson, but did carry a 1911 with his M1. His squad took out two SS squads carrying your AR type. No advantage did he consider the rate of rounds. His skills exceeded a sniper and even took one of them out with his M1 at night. He hated as he said the so-called elite. He would comment " So they thought they" Were" Hitler's best " ❓ Trigger pull on a revolver is different and he never pulled straight through and always cocked even squirrel hunting . He never missed even running squirrels. Shoulder distance from the stock and a shotgun was also critical to him to the position of the finger . But he also didn't understand why trapp instructors didn't teach shooting from the hip. He thought it was a waste of time bringing the shotgun to your shoulder. That probably came from comments he made about crossing streets in town warfare. Those abilities of a natural and something he didn't understand about himself. When he came back the Army wanted him for sniper training and the police wanted him for SWAT/ sniper training. He passed on both. I don't know why , but I really don't think he would've been a good instructor just because he wasn't common and didn't always probably shoot by the book but he did believe in it and Ron does and I've learned more about shooting ,cartridges and firearms than I ever did from a "Specialist" .

[@charlesludwig9173]

@@FantomWireBrian Discount the basics? The principles of marksmanship are trigger control and sight alignment. Everything else supports those two principles thus marksmanship training is mostly about how to support SMOOTH trigger control and consistent sight alignment from a position built factoring muscular relaxation, bone/artificial support, and adjustment of natural point of aim. Highly qualified instructors/coaches also hasten learning with shooter/target analysis.

[@NigaliciousLynx]

Left handed people cocking back an M4💀

[@charlesludwig9173]

Interestingly enough the M4 might be more accommodating to a shooter firing from the left shoulder rather than right: open/closed bolt is observable and the charged open bolt can closed upon tap of left hand palm on open bolt latch.

[@poopoo7705]

Fuddlore, shoot what works for you everybody

[@artemboiko932]

Himmler, is that you?

[@larsmurdochkalsta8808]

Eh I don't like super prescriptive shooting technique recommendations like this. When I shot target air rifle yeah this makes sense. But the longer your trigger pull the more biomechanically advantageous it will be for the triggers position on your finger to shift throughout the pull. Because otherwise the bones further back in your hand have to compensate for you keeping your finger on the same point as the point moves.

[@thatweirdkid4254]

Question: is it possible to combine a suppresor and a flash hider

[@T34theAmericanheavy]

A suppressor should already hide the flash shouldn’t it?

[@walterwjr947]

I guess I am lucky, when I started shooting, that was all I could get on the trigger and hold the rifle and that stuck. Thanks for the reminder, I am teaching my grandkids. I need to say it to them, out loud. There is a lot you do, you don't even think about. 🎄🙏 🖖 🙏 😔 🙏 🙏 🙏 🎄

[@robertunderdunkterwilliger2290]

Incorrect, you can use the distal joint or the pad. I have read experts recommended both. And it makes no difference as far as I have noticed.

[@789syrus789]

That’s also how you please her too. 😏

[@jerryallman]

🤔🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@uralbob1]

Man, back when I started target shooting, it was difficult to discipline myself to do that. Forty years later, it’s automatic now.

[@luisrosas3012]

Please explain it better, how to avoid, sharing the gun when pulling the trigger??