Thanks to my time as an Infantryman in the US Army, I've been blessed with some knowledge about shooting. Yeah, that's right kiddo, you know Call of Duty? That's pretty much me... just kidding. Back on topic, I'm gonna break down basic shooting concepts as only a novelist knows how, in writing. I will be instructing you how to shoot as if you were laying prone (flat on the ground) with an AR-15 or other similar rifle shouldered, grip in hand, and trigger finger resting outside the trigger guard. Your finger should never touch the trigger until you are ready to fire/are preparing to fire. A lot of these concepts such as breathing, trigger squeeze, and sight picture can be applied to other firearms such as handguns.
First, let's go over your prone position. Your crotch should be pressed into the dirt, legs should be spread apart, and your toes should be pointed outwards -- toes basically pointing to the sides, but keep it comfortable. You want to have your legs mostly straightened out in this position to properly dispose the recoil from the rifle. Your torso shouldn't be canted, or twisted to either side too much. The key is to keep it comfortable while still maintaining position discipline.
If not using some sort of rifle rest, your left arm -- or right arm for those who are wrong handed -- should be gripping outwards towards the end of the hand guard to maximize the stability of the end of your barrel. If that is too uncomfortable, then feel free to move it in. If you are using some sort of rest, then put your free hand over the top of the hand guard, or grip from underneath, or any other comfortable position. Now to position your head.
Put your cheek to the stock, and press your nose against the charging handle, this is called the cheek weld -- nose to charging handle is if you are using an AR style firearm. The point of pressing your nose to the charging handle, is to ensure that you always have the same eye-to-sight (scope, red dot, etc.) picture. This means that if you were in a combat situation or whatever it is, you can readily find that same sight picture in order to ensure that what you're aiming at is what you will hit. For example, if you practice shooting with your nose to charging handle, or whatever cheek weld you use, then be sure to always use that, or you wont hit jack shit because your sight picture will be different.
Now your firing hand. Grip the rifle comfortably and high up on the grip, between the web of your pointer finger and thumb. There is no need to "white knuckle" the grip. Just keep it firm, but not so much that you shake the weapon by the pressure applied. Again, your finger should never touch the trigger until you are ready to fire/are preparing to fire. Before we actually get to shooting, an important part of the process is how you breath. When you shoot, it should be at the bottom of your exhale. For example, breath in (inhale), then breath out (exhale) all the way and fire at the bottom of your breath. Now, it's time for the trigger squeeze.
I emphasize squeeze because it is a squeeze. You should not be pulling, or jerking, or slapping, or hitting the trigger. Now, do this next part slowly. Rest the pad of your pointer finger on the trigger, and squeeze until the trigger "breaks," releasing the hammer, and firing the round. The point of the squeeze is so that the trigger break will surprise you. That way, you don't jerk the rifle. After the trigger has broke, keep your finger held in that squeezed position then slowly release until the trigger resets; but do not lift your finger from the trigger! If you do, you will be slapping your finger back down, and wasting precious time.
Next, squeeze that trigger during your exhale, firing it off at the bottom of that exhale. Again, the trigger break SHOULD surprise you. If you anticipate the trigger break, you will jerk the rifle. As you get used to it, that "surprise" is less surprising, and you then become a straight shooter.
Too easy. Remember, breathing, trigger squeeze, and sight picture can be applied to other firearms.
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