It’s a long road from being a beginner using firearms to consistently hitting a bullseye with every shot you take. Practice makes perfect, and you’ll need a lot of it to see big results. But if you want to focus on a few key gun techniques that make you even better at hitting your shots, we’ve got a few for you to try.
3 Gun Techniques to Try
1. Zero Your Weapon Before Using It
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The first technique is preparatory.
You should always make sure to zero your rifle or otherwise set up your sites correctly when using any kind of firearm.
This goes for pistols too, especially if you just bought a new handgun and are using it “out-of-the-box.”
Even high-quality handguns may need some tinkering in terms of their optics or iron sights.
We already have a guide on how to zero a rifle or any weapon with a scope.
But the overall benefit of zeroing your weapon is huge.
By zeroing your rifle or optimizing your pistol’s sights, you ensure that those optical enhancers provide good information when you take a shot.
Otherwise, your target will look like it is lined up in your crosshair. But when you pull the trigger, your shot will go wild.
Nothing is more frustrating or more preventable.
2. Trigger Pull Discipline
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Your next big technique to master is trigger pull discipline.
This is distinct from regular trigger safety discipline, which just involves keeping your trigger finger away from a firearm's trigger until you're about to take a shot.
Trigger pull discipline, instead, focuses on how you pull the trigger.
When you squeeze off a round, you have to pull a certain amount of weight on the trigger to get it to depress properly/fully.
If you aren’t careful, you can accidentally jerk your weapon’s barrel downward, offsetting your shot and ruining your accuracy.
Trigger pull discipline, when practiced and learned correctly, will show you how to pull your trigger smoothly without that barrel jerking motion described above.
By pulling the trigger in a smooth but steady motion, you avoid accidentally giving your hands something else to fight against in the instant before a bullet leaves the barrel of your weapon.
Master trigger pull discipline and you’ll see significant improvements in your accuracy across the board.
In particular, you should notice fewer shots slightly below your target’s bullseye.
3. Maintain an Accurate Stance
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Lastly, stance technique is just as important as the other two.
That’s because stance can impact your overall accuracy and your recoil control.
In a nutshell, a good stance (almost regardless of the firearm you are using) should include your arms extended but not locked out.
Your feet and legs should also be somewhat spread apart so you don't make yourself easy to tip over when recoil ripples through your body.
Your shoulders should be relaxed instead of hunched up near your ears, and your shoulders should be forward.
In fact, you should somewhat be leaning toward your weapon to offset recoil.
When done properly, an excellent stance will allow you to recover from any recoil much more rapidly.
This also lets you take follow-up but accurate shots in rapid succession.
This is part of the reason why police and military personnel train their stance so heavily since they often have to fire multiple shots in a real-life firefight.
Success Doesn't Happen Overnight
Ultimately, gun shooting techniques are meant to be mastered over time, and even outwardly minor techniques, like trigger pull discipline, can have a big impact on your overall accuracy.
Try to focus on these over the next few weeks and months, and we'll bet you'll see phenomenal results sooner rather than later.
Which of these gun techniques do you practice? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section!
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