How to aim with precision with your pellet rifle?

Shooting is a distraction, but the act of "shooting well" is an art that requires a lot of patience, tenacity and coordination of gestures.

The fencer's state of mind

To shoot well with a pellet gun, you must first of all be physically and mentally prepared. You must be prepared to support the rifle for long minutes, be thorough and be willing to repeat the same operation many times. The two main qualities of the shooter are therefore to control himself and his actions. It is advisable to approach a shooting session rested, calm and relaxed. When you are in a shooting club, it is also recommended not to disturb your neighbours and to avoid talking.

Knowledge of the rifle

The pellet rifle is made up of two elements that allow you to aim well. The rise is located at the back of the barrel. It is equipped with an eyelet and a board adjustable in direction and height.

The handlebars are located at the front. It can be circular, with a hole or housed in a tunnel.

Maintaining the lead rifle

The air rifle should be well secured in the hollow of the shoulder or if possible between the shoulder and biceps. The right-handed people hold the weapon firmly in their right hand and support it with their left hand. On the other hand, left-handed people hold the weapon firmly in their left hand and support it with their right hand. The elbow of the hand that supports the rifle must be lowered towards the rib cage and sometimes even towards the hip. This prevents the muscles of this arm from working. The shooter leans back slightly to balance the weight of the rifle. The objective is to make the bones endure this weight: the spine, the leg and hip bones. The body position must be comfortable and stable. Essential for a good cardboard, it adjusts by moving the feet and not the trunk or arms. Some people who are afraid of not finding the right position the next time do not hesitate to have their neighbour mark the location of their feet on the ground with chalk.

The guiding eye

The dominant eye is called the guiding eye. There are two methods to determine it.

• First, drill a hole in a cardboard box. Look at the target through this hole while keeping both eyes open. Then close one eye successively and then the other. The guiding eye is the one that allows you to continue to observe the target through the hole in the cardboard.

• Otherwise, point a finger at a target while keeping both eyes open. Then close one eye successively and then the other. The guiding eye is the one that leaves your finger pointed at the target.

It is possible that a left-handed person has a right guiding eye and vice versa. Generally, a left-handed person will aim with the left eye and a right-handed person with the right eye.

It is advisable to shoot with both eyes open or to have a translucent cover in front of the non-sighted eye. In this way, the eyes remain open without tiring and receive almost the same amount of light.

To aim well, it is best to see the sharp handlebars and the blurry target. The important thing is to convince yourself that it is possible to reach a target with blurred outlines when observing aligned and sharp sighting instruments.

The white margin and drop it

It is advisable to get a weapon with a handlebar that shows a wide white margin around the target. A good white margin is essential for good aiming.

Release is defined as the action of the finger on the trigger tail causing the projectile to leave. This is a crucial step in the firing sequence. A good release helps to stabilize the weapon when the shot starts and to shoot well. It must always be voluntary, graduated and controlled. The shooter must maintain his position two to five seconds after the start of the shot.

Reminder of the important points not to be neglected when shooting with a rifle

1 : In search of the natural position that points the weapon in the right direction
To aim properly, you must align the guiding eye, handlebar and target. The target's visual may appear blurry. It is preferable to leave a small margin of white at the base of the target. The elements are clearer on a white background.

2 : lthe adjustment of the handlebar
To get used to the handlebar, it is necessary to control your breathing and sometimes even block it during the sighting. It is recommended to inhale (which causes the weapon to rise slightly above the visual) then exhale halfway (which causes the weapon to descend) and finally block its breathing during aiming..

3 : the blockage of breathing
At the decisive moment, it is the first phalanx of the index finger that presses the trigger. This action must be carried out under ideal conditions. You don't want to shoot at all costs. The best thing is to rest the rifle, relax and then try again.

4 : the first shot
The test card is used to adjust the shot. It is not necessary to pull 10 pellets in a row.

To learn more about the rifle and its use, click on our different pages: