Good news, bad news

Mountainman

Mountainman

Hammer Time Executive member
So a friend of a friend calls me and wants me to mount a scope on his new rifle, zero it and work up a load for him. Now there's few things I enjoy more than load work up and getting paid to shoot. Rifle is a Browning A bolt 3 Hunter and is a quite attractive rifle with a walnut stock. It's chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, okay I can live with that and have loaded for them before, in fact I have a couple great loads with 110 and 124 grain Hammers. He has no rings, no ammo, no brass and he hands me a scope in box I've never heard of. Firefox or ..... hell I forget, fire something, 4-16 power and looks like something I wouldn't put on a 22. I just handed the box back to him and said no. Turns out the guy hasn't done much (according to him, I'm guessing none) shooting. Wants to go hunting with his cousin and will be shooting out of a blind. How far? I don't know. Call your cousin. Turns out max distance is 75 yards. So the fun begins, you don't need a 16x scope, you don't need handloads to shoot 75 yards. I have a decent scope I will sell you. I will mount it and zero it with quality factory ammunition that you can buy anywhere.

So not so much fun as I thought, but since I'm home alone I'll get to go shooting on July 4th :)

The guy also wants to go shoot with me one day so this should prove interesting. At least I can make sure he knows the basics so his cousin will survive the hunt.

It's not a job, it's an adventure

Regards
 
Mountainman said:
Hopefully it all works out. I'd rather he knows nothing at all than just enough to annoy the hell outa me. It's always an adventure but I really don't mind doing it. I told him I would be going every morning this week so we'll see I guess.

Regards
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Absolutely! Just enough and think they know it all can be quite annoying.
 
Well this is going to be an adventure indeed. Zeroed his rifle yesterday and he met me at the range this morning. OMG, I don't believe I've ever had someone with all the bad habits rolled into one. Bless his heart he is completely clueless, the only thing he has going for him is he's pretty good at keeping the muzzle downrange. Other than that he yanking the trigger, he's closing his eyes and he jerks his head up as soon as the rifle fires. He's incredibly awkward behind the rifle and is obviously scared to death of it. I stapled two clean 12 x 18 reactive targets to the backstop at 100 yards, stuck a bullseye in the middle so he's shooting at the centre of a 18 x 24 target. His first shot missed completely, 2nd shot 10" low right and 3 shot missed again. He was annoyed at first when I told him he was flinching and yanking the trigger and went to the usual defense of "this scope is off". I just said "okay, let me try". Picked on of the other bulls and put 3 shots in the bull inside 1" (this little a-bolt shoots fine). Then I got him back at the bench, filled up the magazine again and handed it back to him. I said there's one in the chamber and the safety is on, them I got a real good video of him flinching/yanking/closing eyes on an empty chamber. He started to get mad when I showed him the video but I just said you have a problem and you are far from being alone and we can fix this. Meet me back here in the morning and we'll work through this starting with a 22. In the meantime go home and practice dry firing this rifle, squeezing the trigger until the hammer falls and staying behind the scope keeping your target in sight.
After a little more conversation it turns out he had shot a friends 300 (Winchester or Weatherby, he wasn't sure which) 5 or 6 years previously and scoped himself when he did it. Gonna be a job for sure but he doesn't start work until 09:00 so we can practice most mornings and it's a long time till deer season.
Any suggestions y'all can give me to help this guy out will certainly be appreciated.
 
You did good 👍
I've always tried to start those that are new with cb's in 22 to eliminate noise. First like you did have them dry fire 3 or 4 times, letting them know that when the trigger go off it should surprise them show slow gradual pressure. Start about 20' away with the target so they can see bullet holes to build up confidence. Then jump to std velocity bullets and stretch it out 25-50yrds.
Then 223@ 100yrds for 10 or so shots for confidence and then his rifle.
Takes time but confidence is everything to a new shooter.
Good luck.
 
As someone who also battles trigger flinch, I’d say you’re doing it right. Riceman’s comments are also worthy of two thumbs ups.

Perhaps next level stuff, but a two-stage trigger (or the Savage accutrigger style) helps me sequence the shot. Purely mental, I know, and I readily accept all ribbing from the single stage mafia. 😀

I’m sure you told him but didn’t mention it here: breath control. Again, speaking only about my personal experience/habits, breath control is both physical and mental. Both are required for accurate shooting.

Hope he doesn’t get discouraged. In addition to constantly battling it myself, I am working through this with my son as well. Maybe it is genetic. 🤷🏽‍♂️ That said, doing it right is extremely rewarding and worth the effort, as I am sure everyone here knows.
 
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Also…and I have shared this previously:
My brother got a manbun rifle and topped it with a BDC reticle designed for a .308…because the scope would go out to 600 yards (or some such number). 🙄😂
He thought I was being a royal jerk when I laughed out loud.
All that is to say, as long as the scope doesn’t have a 308 bdc reticle, there is hope!
 
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Thanks guys for the input, I just want to keep him interested till he gets some confidence. He's young, I don't know, looks 12 so he's probably 25. Got a wife and a kid and no money. He's on the "pay me when you can" new scope plan. My wife laughs at me and gives me a hard time when I do this. "Grouchy crusty exterior with a soft caramel and marshmallow filling". I just want the kid to wad up a deer with one shot this fall.

Regards
 
Mountainman said:
Thanks guys for the input, I just want to keep him interested till he gets some confidence. He's young, I don't know, looks 12 so he's probably 25. Got a wife and a kid and no money. He's on the "pay me when you can" new scope plan. My wife laughs at me and gives me a hard time when I do this. "Grouchy crusty exterior with a soft caramel and marshmallow filling". I just want the kid to wad up a deer with one shot this fall.

Regards
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Exactly! Hook’em and get them on OUR side!
 
Mountainman said:
Well this is going to be an adventure indeed. Zeroed his rifle yesterday and he met me at the range this morning. OMG, I don't believe I've ever had someone with all the bad habits rolled into one. Bless his heart he is completely clueless, the only thing he has going for him is he's pretty good at keeping the muzzle downrange. Other than that he yanking the trigger, he's closing his eyes and he jerks his head up as soon as the rifle fires. He's incredibly awkward behind the rifle and is obviously scared to death of it. I stapled two clean 12 x 18 reactive targets to the backstop at 100 yards, stuck a bullseye in the middle so he's shooting at the centre of a 18 x 24 target. His first shot missed completely, 2nd shot 10" low right and 3 shot missed again. He was annoyed at first when I told him he was flinching and yanking the trigger and went to the usual defense of "this scope is off". I just said "okay, let me try". Picked on of the other bulls and put 3 shots in the bull inside 1" (this little a-bolt shoots fine). Then I got him back at the bench, filled up the magazine again and handed it back to him. I said there's one in the chamber and the safety is on, them I got a real good video of him flinching/yanking/closing eyes on an empty chamber. He started to get mad when I showed him the video but I just said you have a problem and you are far from being alone and we can fix this. Meet me back here in the morning and we'll work through this starting with a 22. In the meantime go home and practice dry firing this rifle, squeezing the trigger until the hammer falls and staying behind the scope keeping your target in sight.
After a little more conversation it turns out he had shot a friends 300 (Winchester or Weatherby, he wasn't sure which) 5 or 6 years previously and scoped himself when he did it. Gonna be a job for sure but he doesn't start work until 09:00 so we can practice most mornings and it's a long time till deer season.
Any suggestions y'all can give me to help this guy out will certainly be appreciated.
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Get him a cheap bbgun, bottle caps (or black walnuts, or Pennie’s or whatever he’s got that’s small so his focus is on trigger pull and being still through the shot.) and safety glasses. Send him to his backyard with those. Start close and work back til he cannot hit em consistently anymore. Then practice that distance til he can.
When he can pop them 4 out of 5 times I’d say he’s ready to try again. 🤷🏼‍♂️
 
Mountainman said:
Any suggestions y'all can give me to help this guy out will certainly be appreciated.
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First a 12oz glass with ice and bourbon should help....then the .22 should help immensely. Bench posture is huge problem for newbies on how to get behind a rifle to minimize felt recoil. Most want to shoot off bench like they are prone instead of getting squared up to rifle. I would get rifle as high as I could that keeps his head and shoulders elevated off bench as start. Stop the leaning into rifle will reduce his fear as well knowing the scope can't bite him if head is more erect to shoulders. Having him fire without knowing if round is chambered is great means to help quiet his anticipation down.

Did I mention bourbon will help you a lot...thank you for taking the time to get someone started the right way to enjoy our passion!
 
Ah, bourbon at 07:30. Last time I did anything like that was a very long day (as much as I can remember anyway). Not nearly as long as the next day though. :rolleyes:

I use an adjustable stool to shoot from so I'll try and get him straight up behind it. Thanks for your input, I never thought of that. He's a bit taller than I am so he might be leaning into it too far with my setting. I've used the empty chamber as a tool to train before and that will certainly be a part of it. Using a 22 at close range in the morning. I told him we will do 15 - 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week for a while. Then we will cut that back and eventually he will drive out there, get set up, fire one shot and leave. He looked at me like I'd lost my mind. I just reminded him he's only going to get one shot at that deer. We'll see how it goes.

Regards
 
In the military we'd pair off newbies who've never touched a rifle (actually everyone did this) and have them practice cheek to stock welds, breathing, sight picture and Trigger squeeze with a dime balanced on the end of the barrel while dry firing. Do this on the carpet in the prone unsupported position, you get the most out of that one. When they've done that a thousand times (hopefully not) . The dime will finally stay there. you know what I mean. It's a great tool. Girls are always scared when they touched their first GUNS. But after practicing this a few evenings before BRM.(basic rifle marksmanship) They seem to do well. The ones that close their eyes when they pull the trigger are the harder ones to get to qualify.

Good luck👍

Joe
 
joe16 said:
In the military we'd pair off newbies who've never touched a rifle (actually everyone did this) and have them practice cheek to stock welds, breathing, sight picture and Trigger squeeze with a dime balanced on the end of the barrel while dry firing. Do this on the carpet in the prone unsupported position, you get the most out of that one. When they've done that a thousand times (hopefully not) . The dime will finally stay there. you know what I mean. It's a great tool. Girls are always scared when they touched their first GUNS. But after practicing this a few evenings before BRM.(basic rifle marksmanship) They seem to do well. The ones that close their eyes when they pull the trigger are the harder ones to get to qualify.

Good luck👍

Joe
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Dime drills are why I don't carry change anymore :p:p

They made us balance them on a cleaning rod stuck in the muzzle..
 
Mtman,
You are an amazing "friend of a friend", and I applaud you.
The kid is very lucky he ran into a mentor that cares enough to teach him right and I am hoping he will remember your generosity and some day pass it on. I'm just happy he is willing to give hunting a try. Certainly the probability of him continuing with shooting/hunting has jumped exponentially because of your interaction.
Well done.
 
littlebighorn said:
Mtman,
You are an amazing "friend of a friend", and I applaud you.
The kid is very lucky he ran into a mentor that cares enough to teach him right and I am hoping he will remember your generosity and some day pass it on. I'm just happy he is willing to give hunting a try. Certainly the probability of him continuing with shooting/hunting has jumped exponentially because of your interaction.
Well done.
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Ditto!
 
Thank you guys for your encouragement. I'm not going to bore you with the day to day shooting. We did shoot the 22 this morning and it was.....interesting :rolleyes:. Add into the mix his occasional pissy attitude and it will be something if I get through this. He hit the paper anyway and could see his hits on the reactive target at 20 yards. He seemed anxious to go again so we'll see.
 
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