15 Laws of shooting with an assault rifle

Before choosing a weapon caliber, you need to answer several questions:

A. what kind of game we want to hunt (that is, what is available in the fishery);

B. what type of hunting we will prefer (ambush, drive-by, shoot);

C. what is our individual resistance to the recoil of the weapon and the bang of the shot;

Contrary to appearances, choosing a caliber is not a simple matter at all. Often several options must be reconciled. The best solution would be to purchase a minimum of two rifles, one in a small caliber (222 or 223 Rem. for fox, roe deer and loons) and another, for example, in 308 Win. for wild boar and deer. Unfortunately, for various reasons this is not always possible. If we have mainly roe deer in the fishery and they will be the most frequent target of our expeditions, it is a mistake to acquire one weapon in strong calibers, such as 308 Win; 30 - 06 or 8 x 57 JS. Occasional hunting of wild boar (with a focus rather on deer) favors calibers 243 Win; 6.5 x 55 SE; 6.5 x 57, with kinetic energy E100 = 2000 - 2600 J. Under the assumption that we hunt mainly in harvesting, we should prefer calibers 8 x 57 JS (JRS); 9.3 x 62; 9.3 x 74R; slow stoppers 45 - 70 Gov.; 444 Marlin etc.

"The big three" of almost perfect calibers (note: only in our hunting conditions) are 7 x 64; 308 Win. and 30 - 06. However, they are by no means universal, because no one has yet developed such a caliber. Rather, their versatility is directed in the direction of high efficiency in shooting wild boar and deer, and relatively moderate destruction (note: only with proper selection of ammunition) of delicate deer carcasses.

Avoid very rare calibers that are receding into the shadows of history. Not everyone has the time or inclination to elaborate ammunition on their own. Tooling is not cheap either. If the ammunition is already produced by only one company (e.g. cal. 6.5 x 54 Mannlicher - Schonauer), there is always a risk that this company will end its production as well.

Before buying a weapon in a particular caliber, it is necessary to check individual, personal characteristics, i.e. resistance to recoil and bang of the shot. It is then useful to have a friend who will allow you to fire a few shots with his weapon. The population is getting weaker and weaker, and it often happens that the average hunter will have serious problems with the recoil of a 7 x 64; 308 Win. or 30 - 06 caliber weapon. Such a problem practically does not happen with 6.5 x 55 or 7 x 57 calibers. Despite the fact that a single shot is usually fired at big game, and the average man is able to withstand without harming his health the recoil of 40 J (that is, a typical weapon of caliber up to and including 9.3 x 74R), I have repeatedly dealt with a situation when a hunter was unable to shoot accurately even with an assault rifle with a recoil of 22 - 25 J. "Fear of shooting" or simple fear of recoil evidently worsen the result, so it is worth not exaggerating the caliber. "Magnummania" as a disease of adolescence fortunately passes quickly, and the infatuation with strong, flat-barreled calibers (of the kind, for example, 300 Winchester Magnum) is curable.

When choosing a caliber, one should also take into account the economic factor, i.e. the cost of purchasing a single cartridge as well as the average durability / lifespan / of the barrels.

This doesn't just apply to such a simple thing as checking in the store whether the stock meets the individual requirements of the shooter. Of course, the bed is the basis, because, as we know, it is the barrel that shoots, but the buttstock hits, but contrary to appearances it is not difficult to choose it properly. Pay attention to the length of the butt - both too short and too long can prevent accurate shooting. Selecting the weight of the weapon to the physical capabilities of the hunter is simple - we take the rifle by the neck of the butt, with the barrel up, trying to almost straighten the arm. We hold the weapon like this for a minute. If we can stand and still fold out of it, everything is OK. This applies to an approach rifle, not a "stationary" varmint. We can limit the endurance test with a varmint to about 20 seconds.

The weapon must correspond to the hunter's experience and habits. For example, you can't start your career with a self-repeating rifle, unless you have only shot with a similar weapon during military service and it is the one that "suits" you best. The best type of bullet weapon for the first years of a hunting adventure is a modest, breakable single barrel in a moderate caliber. If a hunter has hunted for twenty years only with a shotgun superbucket / sidearm/, the most appropriate for him will be a crossbow or a break-action rifle (single ball, express). The process of switching to another type of weapon requires a lot of training, changing muscle habits, etc. Sometimes we will lose a season before mastering a new weapon. I know many who are never able to switch to it. As a result, they have only "closet" weapons.

When choosing a repeater, it is worth checking in detail the weapons with both two-barrel and four-barrel locks. It happens that the shooter, after much thought, will choose for himself a rarer system with reloading of the weapon, for example, by means of a movable shuttle ("slide action") or a swinging lever ("lever action"). It is not good to rely only on the advice of unsympathetic colleagues, especially since many are interested in getting rid of an old Mosin or Mauser. We will never make the right choice unless we check many reloading systems and look at hundreds of weapons. Time spent selecting the right weapon will never be wasted. In stores we will very rarely hear wise advice, after all, the salesman only wants to sell his product. So, staying in stores should be treated only as a good way to learn about the numerous types of weapons, and inquiries should only be about simpler technical issues. Better advice will be given by independent gunsmiths, e.g. on lock disassembly, bedding, etc. When choosing an assault rifle, there is a feeling of love at first sight. If we fall in love with a particular type of weapon and this love does not let us sleep, we simply have to acquire it. Love is most often blind. Interestingly, shooters who succumb to it, as a rule, achieve very good results with such weapons, because they simply enjoy spending time with them. A hunter who falls in love with a lever action rifle native to the Wild West will quickly switch from hunting from a sit-down to an uphill and forest hunt. Weapons of the "lever action" system of 30 - 30 caliber are much better suited for such purposes. Another, on the other hand, will see a precision varmint in action and from now on will hunt only with it, although often physical conditions and age do not allow him /theoretically/ to carry such a heavy weapon. Leaving aside individual cases, however, for a drive-by it is worth looking for a fairly light and short weapon (up to a maximum of about 1050 mm in length and 3.2 kg without optics). A short, compact weapon is foldable and handy, and its accuracy to 150 meters will be sufficient.

Please note that even those who have a dozen hunting ball guns, as a rule, take the same models on hunting trips. Thus, so to speak, they intuitively indicate the preferred type of lock, barrel length, type of housing, etc. Personally, I owned numerous weapons for many years, which I shot very rarely, despite the fact that these very guns were the object of admiration of other hunters. I went out to the woods most often with an old, heavy Lee - Enfield cal. 303 British, whose weight with optics exceeded 5.1 kg. No rational considerations argued for taking just such a weapon, but I was sure that it would perform better than the expensive and delicate Blaser.

Tuning means adjusting the weapon to the needs and requirements of the shooter. It can mean, for example, only the insertion of a fixed or detachable cheek pad, but also an adjustable high-end trigger mechanism, a new foot - shock absorber, spacers, a synthetic braided barrel (which reduces the overall weight of the weapon with the parameters of a heavy varmint barrel), an exhaust brake, a new Kevlar stock, e.g. with an aluminum carcass, or "bedding" consisting of embedding the breech chamber in epoxy resins, etc. The extent of tuning must be deeply thought out and consulted with a professional.

When deciding to buy sighting optics, you need to accurately answer the basic questions, namely:

- what kind of game will we mainly hunt ?

- what caliber and type of weapon we have at our disposal ?

- what type of hunting will be preferred / individual hunting from a sit or drive, group hunting, daytime hunting or hunting in conditions of limited visibility, etc.?

- what are our own psychophysical predispositions or preferences;

- what is the amount of money at our disposal for purchase and installation?

- can we afford to buy a couple /some/ scopes or will we acquire one out of necessity ?

In recent decades, a revolution has taken place in the sphere of scopes. Gone are the popular "fourscopes", and a hunter using a sixx fixed magnification is now treated almost like a dinosaur.

The search for heavy optics with high magnifications is, in my opinion, just an ill-advised fad that will pass away, like all those before it. Lower magnifications are conducive to terrain observation, because the field of view is wide enough. The lowest possible lower magnification range also allows guiding and shooting at moving targets. It should be clearly realized that when hunting big game up to a distance of 200 meters, high magnifications are not absolutely necessary. Most shooters get their best results anyway with a 6 x magnification, but they have either forgotten or don't realize it. Of course, the old "fours" will never return to favor, but the trend of dynamic growth of magnifications should stop somewhere around 7 - 8 x. The use of high magnifications /12 x and more/ has a rational justification for target shooting, conducted on accuracy or focus, and hunting in the mountains or for foxes. With unsteady shooting positions, high magnifications are conducive to misses, as even a pulse makes it difficult for us to precisely locate the crosshairs near the target. Professionals usually stop at a magnification of 10 - 12 x, also when shooting conducted at medium distances. It seems that a completely sufficient combination is a 3 - 9 x sight or eventually 2.5 - 10 x. Another fashion is to avoid optical sights with fixed magnification. However, it is believed that such sights - in addition to being much cheaper give a sharper and more contrasting image. The scope "does not rule the shooter", he does not waste time changing magnification, does not "combine" and does not unnecessarily play with optics. It is not wrong to ask - how many hunters have lost a unique opportunity to take a shot due to unnecessary adjustment of the scope's magnification ?

Mounting sights on weapons requires the use of high-end mounts. You can't save on this issue, with fixed mounts not at all inferior to tilt mounts, and usually cost much cheaper. High mounting of optics /that is, increasing the distance between the optical axis of the scope and the barrel channel/ worsens ballistics.

An important issue is the selection of a target reticle appropriate to the type of hunting. For a very long time, because for seventy years the standard was the popular "one" /three arrowheads/, now the crosshair No. 4 comes out to the leading position. It is more universal and precise, also when shooting at smaller targets. Grid No. 4 consists of a crosshair formed by threads, thickened additionally by horizontal and lower vertical beams. It is suitable for shooting from dusk to dawn, as the beams are clearly visible in bad lighting. It will also work well for shooting at moving targets, as the crosshair thread does not obscure the field of view from above. When hunting mainly wild boar, the popular "single" will suffice. When hunting strong game, the horizontal threads should be thick enough to be recognized against the dark fur. Also, the lower bar of the aiming mark should be relatively wide. This is important especially when shooting in conditions of limited visibility, but only if you do not have illumination of the mark. The target marker should be able to widely adjust the brightness of the illumination. The color of the illumination is not indifferent to the eye, it is believed that the best is green. Each hunter should choose a reticle individually for himself. Hunters with a military or sports background are often in favor of "military" nets. Choose nets that will give you the ability to judge the distance to the object /e.g. No. 1 , 4, 8, Mil - dot or parabolic Dragunov/.

A central sighting reticle should be absolutely preferred. An off-center crosshair causes the shooter a sense of discomfort. Adjustment of the position of the aiming crosshair must be precise. One "click" should correspond to a change in the position of the STP by no more than 1 cm per 100 meters. For fox hunting, even greater accuracy is desirable.

An optical sight should be checked for parallax error. Although theoretically all typical hunting sights have the error removed for a distance of 100 meters, it is best to rigidly fix it and look at a point target located at this distance. If with head tilt /and eye movement/ there is an apparent movement of the object relative to the center of the scope's exit pupil at this distance, then it should be advertised. It is possible to shoot accurately with such a scope, but only and only under the assumption that the targeting eye of the hunter will exactly coincide with the center of the scope's exit pupil.

The performance and dimensions of a spotting scope must always match the weapon on which it is mounted. If you have acquired a very lightweight "ultra-light" type of rifle for the approach, it does not make logical sense to mount on it a spotting scope with the performance of 3 - 12 x 56. Such weapons require lightweight sights such as 1.5 - 6 x 42 or 3 - 9 x 42. On the other hand, varmint will be unused with a spotting scope with a fixed magnification of 7x.

It is worth paying attention to collimators /also called "red dot"/.

These lightweight sighting instruments have a significant advantage over typical optical sights. When deviating the eye from the center of the sight, the glowing dot stands on the target, and the focus and quality of vision of the target do not change. The same happens when moving the eye closer and further away from the sight. Even when raising the gun to the eye, we can see through the collimator the differences between the aiming line and the position of the target and can make corrections. After firing the first shot, when recoil interferes with aiming, the second shot can be fired much faster with a collimator than with a traditional optical sight or mechanical instruments. A hunter with a collimator tracks the target with both eyes and sees both the surroundings and the target in one scale. He doesn't lose sight of the target when shooting, he can see the animal's reaction to the bullets or where the bullet hit when it misses. The disadvantage is the large size of the luminous dot, which limits their use only for hunting at shorter distances. The target image is usually not magnified.

Hunting results now depend more on the class of optics than the quality of the rifle. About this truth many do not want to remember.

Please note that everyone who practices a sport and wants to be good at it trains regularly. However, our hunters mostly believe that shooting skills are in their genes. Having brave ancestors does not, unfortunately, give any patent on skill. Others claim that they can't afford to train, because ammunition is expensive, guns wear out, time is scarce, etc. Methods to justify one's laziness are many. Please note that for basic training a simple air rifle (note: not Chinese!) is enough. Of course, a 22 LR caliber sporting carbine would be much better, but our lawmakers have not yet matured to such "revolutionary" changes. Even a quarter of an hour of training a day is enough to maintain an average level of shooting skills until old age. No less important than fire training is dry training, which must be carried out with a practice cartridge so as not to damage the firing pin. On the far wall of the living room we hang a reduced game target, set the sight to the smallest magnification and we can already perfect the art of aiming and properly "dialing" the trigger. I repeat - a quarter of an hour a day is the minimum. We will save the animal suffering, and ourselves the need to look for shots or the embarrassment of boxes.

Often a hunter after buying a weapon acquires for it two types of shells from the same company, goes to the shooting range .... and is already dogging it that it "does not hold a bullet". Currently in our country we have the opportunity to check (for example, in 308 Win. caliber) at least dozens of types of bullets. No one can tell in advance how a particular barrel will behave with a particular bullet. This data must be obtained by the gun owner himself. An expensive cartridge is not necessarily more accurate than a cheap one. So, let's look for the most accurate bullet, checking the focus of a series of 3 shots. The second criterion should be the performance in the carcass. With two almost identical bullets in terms of focus, one should choose a more modern design, such as one with controlled deformation and a jacket-welded core.

So, you should spare some pennies and buy 3 cartridges each from as many manufacturers as possible. If the store does not agree to such an option, you should make the purchase with a couple of colleagues, with whom you will then share the ammunition, or get a couple of cartridges each from those who have weapons in this caliber. It may so happen that the rifle sows RWS -mi, and will shoot perfectly with the cheapest Russian Barnaul ammunition. Such cases happen even with precision varmints.

Under no circumstances should the weapon be sharpened only once a year. The minimum is another re-firing at the change of season or a sharp change in temperature. The best way out is to check the weapon check every month (with one - two bullets) and after any suspected disruption of the optics or change in weather conditions. If the stock is made of homogeneous walnut or beech, any solid rain or snow will change the position of the average hit point. So it is worth thinking about a laminated or, even better, Kevlar bed. Frequent firing of the weapon is also a form of training and enhances the sense of unity with the weapon.

Knowing the trajectory is not only about lowering or exceeding the trajectory over the aiming line at distances up to 150 or 200 meters. A hunter should know the trajectory perfectly at distances up to 300 meters (minimum !), even if he does not shoot at this distance. Ballistic tables alone are not enough, as they refer to ballistic barrels or are mathematically calculated and do not refer to a specific rifle. They should be regarded merely as an "introduction to learning the specifics of the bullet trajectory" of one's own rifle. The weapon should be shot at the optimal distance (MRD, GEE), e.g. 180 meters for the 223 Rem caliber. We then set the targets at distances of 50; 100, 150; 200; 250 and 300 meters and fire a series of 3 shots at each. Only then will we practically know what the trajectory looks like at different distances, i.e. what the overshoot is at 50; 100 and 150 meters, and what lowering of the trajectory occurs at 200; 250 and 300 meters. In practice, we will also learn the parameters of focus at these distances and find out, for example, whether we can shoot at all at such a small target as a fox at 200 meters or whether we must limit ourselves to a slightly shorter distance.

Note: the focus and average hit point change when changing the stance from which we shoot. The best option is to fire the weapon from the same position from which we will be hunting.

Shooting in strong crosswinds, in the mountains, at an angle, in low or high temperatures, in falling rain or snow is subject to peculiar ironclad rules. In order to effectively hunt in any conditions, one must first learn theoretically the laws and techniques governing such shooting. This is a kind of "higher school of shooting", but the knowledge gained will always translate directly into the result of hunting. Without the ability to calculate corrections for target movement, crosswinds or climatic conditions, we are unable to hunt effectively, especially at distances exceeding 100 meters. A detailed citation of the rules governing such shooting requires a separate, wide-ranging lecture, but since I have done this in the pages of B£ quite often, I will limit myself to a brief summary.

When shooting a moving animal, one must take into account a lateral correction for the movement of the target. Such a correction is referred to as an advance. The advance is taken into account in the direction of movement of the target. The correction begins to be important already when shooting conducted at distances greater than 50 meters, even with modern high-speed shotgun shells.

The amount of advance depends on the speed and direction of movement of the animal and the shooting distance. As the speed of target movement, the shooting distance and the angle between the plane (direction) of shooting and the direction of movement of the animal increase, the size of the advance increases relatively.

The wind blowing on the shooter or vice versa does not significantly affect the trajectory of the projectile. With the wind blowing from the shooter to the target, the bullet will fly slightly farther and hit higher, with the opposite wind the bullet will settle minimally lower. If there is a crosswind when shooting at stationary targets, corrections should be made according to the speed and direction of the crosswind and the distance to the target. The greater the speed of the crosswind and the more the angle at which the wind blows is close to 90 degrees (relative to the plane of the shot) and the greater the distance to the target, the greater the deviation of the projectile laterally from the direction of shooting. The correction should be made in that direction from which the wind is blowing, namely: when the wind is blowing from the left, the average hit point (that is, the barrel of the rifle or rifle) should be moved to the left, and when it is blowing from the right - to the right.

Temperature affects the changes in air density and the combustion process of the powder charge in the barrel. As you know, as the temperature increases, the rate of powder combustion increases. At low ambient temperatures, combustion occurs more slowly, resulting in a decrease in the initial velocity of the projectile. It has been calculated that a change of 1 degree C in air temperature changes the initial velocity of a bullet by about 1 m/s. Significant temperature differences between summer and winter lead to changes in the initial velocity of bullets by up to 55 m/s. This leads to a lowering of the MPC (mean point of impact) in winter and a raising of it during the hot summer. At a distance of 200 meters, the ŚPT can drop by as much as 80 mm in very cold winter weather, depending on the caliber of the bullet.

Shooting when it rains or snows lowers the ŚPT and worsens the focusing parameters. From my experience, the focusing parameters already at a distance of 100 meters can deteriorate by an average of about 60%. The Remington 700 VLS cal. 223 Rem. with IMI ammunition showed an average focus of a series of 5 shots in the range of 18 -19 mm at 100 meters. During tests conducted in fairly heavy rain conditions, the spread increased to 35 mm or almost double !

At small target angles (less than 10 degrees, i.e. a hunter shoots, for example, from a typical pulpit), the aiming point should not be moved either up or down, because the differences in the place where the bullet hits are minimal. The bullet hits only slightly higher, but with the size of the chamber of a deer or even a fox this is of marginal importance. We shoot as if we measured the distance to the target on the ground, that is, in a horizontal line. However, when shooting at a sharp angle (whether up or down), the trajectory of the bullet's trajectory begins to straighten out, and the lowering of the trajectory decreases.

When hunting in hilly terrain, we are dealing with target angles > 20 degrees and above. Depending on the size of the acute angle, we move the aiming point more or less down the target.

With different than assumed heights of scope mounting, different barrel lengths, specifics of its seating in the breech chamber, etc., the shooting parameters are slightly different from the theoretical ones given in the tables. There is no other way than to practically test a specific weapon when shooting from a high pulpit, in a crosswind and further in rain and snow or low temperatures. The results will be close to the tabulated ones, but unfortunately always different.

The hunter in the vast majority of cases should use a support (such as a classic pastoral) when shooting. Free-hand shooting is, of course, sometimes necessary, such as during a group hunt or spotting a shot. By support we should also understand our own elbows or knees. In the field, it is relatively easy to find opportunities for makeshift support of the weapon, such as against fence posts, an old trunk or a mound of earth. Don't underestimate adjustable bipods or tripods, or even a small backpack. Never rest your weapon directly against a tree.

Shots fired in a hurry usually end in injury and a long search for the animal. There is usually more time to aim than needed. Many hunters are accompanied by panic when aiming, their hands tremble and sweat pours down their foreheads. This is influenced, among other things, by a lack of training and familiarity with the weapon. In the woods, at the sight of an animal the adrenaline surge is a natural phenomenon, but it must not prevent or hinder you from firing an accurate shot. Let's train at the shooting range first to still, then set in motion photorealistic targets (pictures of game !). Some shooters are good at the shooting range, but "burn out" in the woods. This happens mainly to occasional hunters, very rarely hunting. In individual cases, you may need the help of a psychologist. The best shooters are people with a winner's mentality, those who love challenges.

Shooting at a silhouette is similar to the nervous reaction of a shooter who shoots at a rising flock of ducks with a shotgun, instead of choosing one, the farthest one, and only after hitting it, shoot at the closer ones. When looking at the silhouette of a boar or deer, we focus on the internal organ we intend to hit. Anatomical targets are helpful, showing where the heart or lungs are located. Imagine that these organs are like a ball or balloon, located inside the chest. Our task is to hit the very center of the balloon....

Some will ask - but this is how we shoot an animal standing perfectly, sideways to the hunter, and if the angle is different? The landmark can be the front, farther away from us coil. Since each animal has a different anatomical structure and different resistance to bullets, it is useful to know these differences. This becomes of paramount importance when hunting a dangerous animal. The best school is the autopsy performed on the spot, after hunting a particular specimen, or accompanying an experienced hunter during the hunt.

I will quote a small passage from my book on snipers:

"There are many rifles in the world. Better and worse, modern and obsolete. Those that shoot with great precision and those that can only be used for close-range combat. But in front of you lies your rifle. It is the best of all the ones you know. It is the best because it is yours. You chose it yourself. It is your best friend and perhaps the only one that will always remain loyal to you. Never forget that. Take care of him as if he were your best mate. Take care of him more than you take care of yourself. The gun must always be cleaned and lightly preserved. However, remove the lubricant from the barrel just before shooting. Never forget this. Your rifle must always be technically sound and ready to shoot. Have it on hand at all times. Your gun is a testament to you, it is your life and death. It is the link between the worlds of the living and the dead.

You have chosen the difficult profession of a sniper. You have hundreds of hours of arduous study ahead of you, but even so, you will only gain real knowledge in the field. You are a lone hunter, perhaps the last true warrior. You will never know fanfare or great glory. You have only enemies on that side and a silent tolerance among your own. You will pay for your mistake with your own life. But you are the one they will fear, you will make fear paralyze everyone. You will be impenetrable as darkness and menacing as a snake. You will be patient and effective. Each of your shots will be like a sentence, like a lightning strike from nowhere. For this to happen, you must achieve unity with your rifle. One body, one blood. That's what your rifle is - the rifle of a sharpshooter.

If you are a hunter and not a sniper, don't think that there are many differences between you. Both the hunter and the sharpshooter must have the same professional attitude to weapons, especially ball guns. A modern mid-range rifle allows you to hit any target, even point-blank, from a distance of up to 300 meters. Thus, a typical rifle is no less precise than a military choice weapon from World War II or the Korean conflict. A sniper shoots farther and his opponent is more dangerous because he can return fire. However, even a novice hunter must have a lot of patience, the ability to stealthily approach game and considerable knowledge of ballistics. An experienced hunter with a professional approach to hunting should constantly improve his knowledge of weapons, ammunition and optics. This is required by respect for the game, which should be hunted in a way that does not bring unnecessary suffering to it."

So much for the quote. To sum up, achieving unity with a gun consists in perfect, even perfect knowledge of it, care and great respect for it. A rifle can accompany us during many daily activities, including watching TV, while it should not rest on the couch but always in the hands of the owner. We enter all activities concerning the handling of a rifle or an assault rifle into muscle memory. One knows a professional by his attitude to weapons.

I always urge you to keep a "rifle book" as a professional sniper does. In a small notebook / notebook/ we note every shot fired with the result achieved, the type of ammunition and its effectiveness, changes in focus parameters in different weather conditions, seasons, etc. This will help us gain more experience, and after all, human memory is unreliable. The benefit of knowing the number of shots fired will be, among other things, information about the end of the barrel's life span.

Whole volumes have been written about long gun shooting. It is worth reading them, if only to save your own time and ammunition. It is also worthwhile - if possible - to take advantage of shooting schools or courses. We can, of course, gain the necessary knowledge and experience on our own, but the cost of such learning will be many times higher.