Shooting slump

[dburkhead]

After slow but steady progress in my shooting accuracy, I find that in the last couple of times I've been to the range, i can't seem to hit the broad side of a barn (okay, exaggeration, but my groups are about twice as big as they have been and often "offset" from the point of aim considerably). Is having a "slump" like that normal or should I be looking at a specific problem such as a mechanical issue with the rifle, a bad batch of ammo, or maybe having picked up a bad habit. I don't think I'm doing anything different shooting, but I suppose having picked up some kind of bad habit is possible.

[obijohn]

without watching, it is difficult to assess what problems you are having. has anything mechanical changed? ammo? sight/scope? stance? vision?

if you haven't access to a competent coach, try video taping your range session and see if you can see what's going on.

[Fenway]

I would find a coach. Have you had any training before?

[bwframe]

What are you shooting? Details please.

[dburkhead]

Originally Posted by bwframe

What are you shooting? Details please.

The rifle is a Ruger 10/22, bought new about 3 months ago. I've probably run something like 2-4 thousand rounds through it since then. Since buying the rifle, I've made the following changes:
- Power Custom Hammer and Sear kit
- Power Custom titanium extractor
- "Tech Sights" iron sights (rear peep, front post in a holder with "wings" to produce a sight picture very like that of the M-16 I shot in the AF).
- Leather sling added (Note: a while back I experimented with using the sling while shooting but it just threw my aim off)
- Barrel band removed.
It's been in this configuration that all of the shooting where I've been keeping track of my progress has been done.

I've been shooting Aguila Match Rifle ammo for about a month. Before that I had been using Federal Champion.

The Slump has covered three trips to the range. The first was shot with the Aquila. That was the last of the Aguila that I had on hand so I returned to the Federal. Results were about the same.

On today's range trip, I checked that the sights were tight (they were) but discovered that the takedown screw was a little loose. I tightened it up and the results were a bit better but the groups were still nearly twice as large as what I'd been shooting.

[hawkhavn]

dburkhead,

When this happens to me, or I plateau, I always return to the basics. Practive taking every shot by the 6 steps, get someone to run ball and dummy with me and dry fire 3x / week.

Reconsider the sling. Put a canvas/nylon USGI 1.25" web sling on her and practice with the loop sling.

6 step review:
1) Sight Alignment
2) Sight picture
3) Breath Control
4a) Focus your eye
4b) Focus your mind
5) Squeeze the trigger
6) Follow through

Any questions, holler. Consider going to an Appleseed shoot if you haven't yet. Plenty more coming up in IN this year

hawkhavn
RWVA instructor

[Soundslikejosh]

Hawk is right, you should consider an Appleseed. Actually, scratch that- you need to go to an Appleseed. For $70 it cannot be beat, and if you bring someone under 21 they get in free! You said that you tried the sling and didn't get benefit- that alone is enough justification to go to an Appleseed. The sling does take some work and help from the instructors, but it really makes things solid. And the gun you have is set up very well for an Appleseed. Get a GI web sling if you can, and absolutely get a ground cloth and elbow pads. Thats it, you are ready to go.

[bwframe]

Originally Posted by dburkhead

- Leather sling added (Note: a while back I experimented with using the sling while shooting but it just threw my aim off)
- Barrel band removed.
- ...discovered that the takedown screw was a little loose. I tightened it up and the results were a bit better but the groups were still nearly twice as large as what I'd been shooting.

These are likely your issues. In the stock configuration, that action was not designed to hold up the barrel. Loose takedown screw an indication that the whole assembly is moving around.

First test is to put the barrel band back on, with the tightened takedown screw. If you don't care for that, or after it works, put some sort of a pressure pad at the front of the stock to hold up the barrel. If that works, you can get much more sophisticated with a barrel tuner.

Bottom line is you cannot free float a 1022 barrel without installing much better support for the action. It may not happen quick, as you've seen, but it will rock.

[blackenedman]

+1 for the appleseed. I learned a lot, had a great time, and you will too.

I also agree with the loose take-down screw comment. Check it. Just another thing I learned @ my appleseed shoot. My take-down screw worked itself loose, and my shot groups were opening up when nothing else had changed.