Surprised myself

[BCBabe]

When we 'target' shoot, we use a .22 Remington: the ammo is cheaper, the gun is light, and it's about maintaining "instinct" as much as it is practice. We use distances of 75 - 100 feet for this.

Well, I'm horrified that my marksmanship is affected by whether or not I'm shooting "longs" or "shorts": my accuracy is better if I'm shooting "longs", by about 10%.

Given the distance, I wouldn't have thought there was a difference? Or maybe it's just all in my head?

 

[dhoyle]

One of the reasons for the accuracy difference is the distance the bullet for the short has to travel before engaging the rifling (free bore) where as the long and long rifle ammo does not have this issue.

 

[dinosaur]

You're probably right about that but there is also a big difference in muzzle velocity and bullet drop at range. However, since the maximum distance from target is less than thirty yards, I wouldn't think it would matter much. I always use fifty yards for target practice with a .22. And , to be truthful, I'm not really practicing. I'm just plinking.

I never practice. I suppose that's because I hunt twelve months a year.

 

[Aria]

Sounds right. Longs are high velocity, shorts low velocity. I would back up to 50 yards for target or bring it in to 10 yards and set up some empty .22 shells and see if you can hit those. That will sharpen your aim a bit too.

 

[BTBoop]

If she hits the empty .22 then she can almost call herself a sharpshooter. I had never shot a shotgun or pistol when I went to the firing range and certified the first time I ever shot either. I would think if you are far sighted or near sighted or maybe even how well you balance your body helps.

 

[Grandpa]

Right on BT. My brother and I cannot shoot the same rifle. If I sight it in, he misses by a good foot at 25 yards, same with me if he sights it in. We've never figured out why.

 

[BCBabe]

If she hits the empty .22 then she can almost call herself a sharpshooter.

I'm killin' myself laughing at that comment; my partner might be capable of that, but I sure the Hell ain't.

It scares me to know that my accuracy is actually BETTER than the average RCMP officer's is, but I'm not allowed to carry without going through a sh*tload of hassles.