Why is shape and function so important for accuracy? Here, properly explained in a simplified format.
How do you get accuracy when shooting?
Accuracy - the condition or quality of being true, correct, or exact - in shooting is... excellent. You hit the perfect mark, you can consider yourself accurate. But if on top of that accuracy, you manage to be consistent - that is, you manage to be accurate as many times as you shoot - that is... nirvana.
Obtaining consistency of accuracy that will provide you with tight groups needs work, experience, knowledge. For it to happen, your rifle, ammunition, stock and body need to be in synch, so as to be able to repeat the exact same procedures, positioning, aims, and shots again and again and again. And yet again.
How do you achieve consistency in your accuracy?
Consistency is the final result of a complex process:
- Your eye needs to revisit the same exact spot on your sight, so that the image you see is as much the same as in the previous shot as possible.
- Your breathing pattern has to remain uniform, so that your level of oxygenation - which will affect your capacity for concentration - will not change.
- You need to relax your muscles in a consistent way, so that your aim is based on natural positioning, and not forced via muscle tension.
- If you are shooting with bipods, the loading should be consistently done in the same way, so as to ease the recovery to the previous shooting position.
- Your finger needs to be re-positioned the same way on the trigger, and the build-up of pressure on the trigger should follow the same consistent pattern. The follow through to the actual shot should be repeated exactly in the same manner every time.
- The gunpowder needs consistent pressure build up, the bullet needs to be released with the same force from the brass neck and with the exact same space to the landing grooves in the barrel.
- During the shot, the transfer of the recoil forces need to follow the exact same pattern when absorbed by your body, so that the recovery to the previous shooting position is eased.
As you see from the list above, there are a lot of things you can control, and there are some things you cannot. GRS Riflestocks' fundamental charter lies on creating the best tools to provide you the control you require for accuracy and then, consistency.
What will a GRS Riflestock allow you to do?
- The angle on the grip: try the following exercise - look up, close your eyes, lift your hand and point at some imaginary object right in front of you. Now open your eyes. The probability of finding that your hand is lying at an angle is almost 100%. That rotational angle that our hands naturally follows from the physiology of our musculature is the angle we have put in the grip of our GRS stocks. This will increase your relaxation at a fundamental point of your shooting: your hand.
- The cheek-piece rests: in accuracy, the relative placement of your eye is fundamental and the best way to achieve it is by having a physical anchor where you consistently hold your face. Our stocks include an adjustable cheek-piece that will allow you to find the exact placement of your face to achieve the consistency of eye placement required for consistent shooting. Once the cheek-piece is adjusted to your anatomy, you will automatically adopt a natural and relaxed position with less muscular tension and more capacity to focus on the decisive moment of pulling the trigger.
- Adjustment of the length of pull (LOP): a stock that is too long or too short requires an postural adjustment of the head that will increase your neck tension and affect your accuracy and the re-positioning needed for consistency. Our stocks allow for the adjustment of the length of pull to your anatomy and positioning, with optimal ergonomics and transfer of recoil forces. When you adjust, through our sliders, the LOP on the stock (which should be changed according to shooting positions and clothing) the transfer of recoil is more even throughout your body and recovery for next shot is faster and easier. Follow these general rules for adjusting your stock : a) A standing shooting position requires a short LOP stock adjustment; b) A sitting shooting position requires a medium LOP stock adjustment; c) A prone shooting position will need your LOP adjustment to be long. If you adjust your stock according to the needs of your positioning you will get the correct eye relief.
- Trigger finger placement is important, in most cases the finger is placed fairly close to ideal. When i put my finger on the trigger with the front pillow of my finger i get some space between the stock and finger. This is ideal because when i build trigger pressure i will not move the stock witht he rest of the finger. I fucus on pulling straight back.
- The recoil pad: GRS Riflestocks have height adjustable recoil pads, which make a massive difference whenever you are shooting standing with your stock flush high against your shoulder - you can thence lower the adjustable pad to increase the area of absorption of the recoil forces into your body. The same goes for shooting from a prone position - when the stock leans low into your shoulder, you will need to adjust the height of the pad to increase the surface area that will absorb the recoil forces. In both these cases, adjusting the recoil pad height will allow you to increase accuracy.
- There are many shooting accessories you can add to the stocks, Arca Rails, Spigots for Bipod & bag riders. These will all help you steady your rifle and shot. You can see all accessories we have HERE.
- You can also see all our stocks HERE.
Shooting accurately builds up your shooting confidence, increasing your aptitude to take advantage of the shooting opportunities you may get. That may mean, literally, more meat on the table - the perfect way to share your experience with family, friends and loved ones.
Shoot straight :)
All the best.
Oscar Haugen
CEO GRS Riflestocks AS