Help with sons shooting

[cerec_cat]

I have been taking my 14 year old son to the range for the last month. We are trying to get him ready for some upcoming big game hunts. He shoots a 7mm08, the rifle is spot on at 200 yds when I shoot it. When he shoots it he is extremely inconsistant, I mean all over the place. We have a good rest, he doesn;t appear to be moving, not recoil shy etc. Where would you guys recommend I start to get this figured out? Maybe I need to try a different rest.

 

[Tod osier]

I'd start with a .22 at 25 yards.

I'd also say, don't underestimate the effect of recoil with a 7mm-08 - I have one and it shockingly sharp and annoying (poor recoil pad, poor stock design?).

 

[Bailer]

Close the bolt on an empty chamber when he thinks it's live, let him see the flinch when it doesn't go off. Then, dry fire a lot. Have him focus on follow through and keeping the sight on the target as the firing pin clicks. Randomly slip live rounds in when he's expecting a dry fire.

 

[cerec_cat]

Well the week before he was hitting fine at 100, maybe I do need to break out the .22

 

[Titan_Bow]

How are his groups at 100? 50? 200 yards is a long way for a kid. I would suggest moving up to 50 yards and work on getting consistent groups. Then move back to 100. You risk zapping his confidence otherwise. Move closer, focus on range time, proper technique, and let him build up his confidence. Depending in what you are hunting and where, tailor your hunting tactics to optimize your sons maximum COMFORTABLE range.


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[black dawg]

I watched a 12 year old boy shoot a 7-08 at the range last fall...looked like too much recoil for someone learning to shoot to me. With my kids they shot hunting rifles from the bench just enough to be comfortable with the trigger, and to make sure it was zeroed for them...then lots of 22 practice. They had shot 22s since they were about 6, so they had a fairly good lead in to rifles, and still had problems jerking the trigger on the hunting rifles.

 

[Titan_Bow]

Another thing that worked well with my son; we made some life size cardboard deer targets. Don't put the focus on how tight his groups are but rather, is each shot in the lungs ? Again, he might not be shooting 1-2" groups, but he may still be consistently keeping them in the kill zone


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[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

I would agree that you might want to work on his mechanics with an easier and cheaper gun at a closer range. It certainly sounds like a flinch issue.

It's fun to shoot when you're good at it, not so much if you feel like you're not.

 

[bigdesert10]

Lot's of good advice. I would second the recommendations for dry fire practice, and stepping down in distance and firepower to work on mechanics. Outside of getting a scope dialed in, rests are about worthless unless you plan on packing it with you when you hunt, in my opinion. Get him shooting some prone, kneeling and standing.

One trick that comes to mind is a military method where you look at where your reticle ends up after the shot, and keep track of where you're flinching to in a notebook. If you find a consistent pattern, it can help narrow down how you are flinching.

Past all that, just repetition - lots of repetition.

 

[cerec_cat]

Good advice on the .22, will get his confidence back up. What was strange was he was dialed in at 100 the week before.

 

[Tod osier]

Good advice on the .22, will get his confidence back up. What was strange was he was dialed in at 100 the week before.

If you aren't a hand loader - you could have him shoot some Hornady Custom Lite to get him back in the saddle (or to hunt with for the next couple years). The recoil is significantly reduced in 308 (assume that the 7mm-08 would be equally significant).

If it is recoil, make sure he has an excellent recoil pad on there.

 

[rayporter]

i like all the above ideas-especially the one where you slip a dud cartridge in to see the flinch.

i would also make sure you do the test for eye dominance. and make sure the scope is focused for him-not you.
ray

 

[ElkNut1]

He's punching the trigger instead of squeeeeezing it or maybe breathing as he's squeezing the trigger? You say recoil isn't the issue so it should be a simple fix!

I assume he's wearing ear protection? If not it could help!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[Monitercreek]

I agree with everything above. Go back to basics. Finger placement on trigger, breathing, and dry firing. But at the end of the day don't be afraid to admit that the recoil may be to much. Everyone is different when it comes to recoil and range time doing the right things will be his best friend.

 

[Rich M]

How much experience does he have with guns? Do you shoot a lot or is it just that you are getting ready for a hunt or two?

I was raised shooting all the time. 40 years ago when I was 8, I started shooting a 30-06 - we were deer hunting in VT. My uncle tried to talk my dad into a smaller caliber, but nope, a 30-06. I had a bad flinch for many years - just getting over it in the past couple 3 or 4 years. I shoot good but it takes so much energy to shoot good. My dad didn't do me any favors.

My favorite deer rifle is a 357 magnum Ruger M77-357. Not much noise, no recoil...peace. It is a deer killer inside of 100-125 yards. Not eager to shoot further with it.

So, be careful with him. It doesn't sound like you guys have a history of shooting a lot. 200 yards is a fair poke, especially if he doesn't have the basic foundations down: breathing, tight cheek weld, squeeze, etc.

Does the gun fit (scope height?)- a cheek pad might help too.

A pellet rifle is a good practice cause you can shoot those about anywhere, Make it fun - shoot for change (if you hit it it is yours), funky targets.
22 is great for lots of shooting - shoot for groups, small targets, etc. You can shoot a 22 at 100-150-200 yards too.
I remember a guy shooting gum balls at 100 yards with a 22 at a local range - he was having fun.

Have you asked him about the noise? My step-son has super sensitive ears and wears ear plugs and muffs...

Sorry if this is all repetitive. I paid a price for my dad making me shoot too much gun to soon. Missed plenty of deer that I should have killed due to the flinching.

 

[LostInSpace278]

Here is what I learned fromm in my own 12 year old. From now until 16 or 18, they are inconsistent. Whether it is hormones, sleep, or angry teen syndrome. From week to week you do not know what you are going to get.
My son shoots muzzle loaders in 4-h, he took 10th in the state the 1st year he shot. This year, every practice he had, was quite different from the 1 before. We did nothing to the rifle the whole year. He shot poorly until it came time for our county shoot and he pullef it all together and took 1st place.

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[Neverenoughhntn]

Close the bolt on an empty chamber when he thinks it's live, let him see the flinch when it doesn't go off. Then, dry fire a lot. Have him focus on follow through and keeping the sight on the target as the firing pin clicks. Randomly slip live rounds in when he's expecting a dry fire.

^^^ THIS!!!! .... 22's and the like are always great practice, but for a lot of people their subconscious mind wreaks havoc with them when they get behind a centerfire again.... the best solution in my opinion is to pick up some snap caps. That way when randomly alternating between live and dummy rounds, the sound of a shell being chambered is still there. Otherwise, they might learn to listen and anticipate whether they're about to dry fire or shoot live ammo.


.... the ONLY other thing that comes to mind is if he's shooting off a bipod @ 200 yds..... for lack of better words: if he's pulling the gun back into his shoulder while on the bipod, he can get some weird muzzle hop and will cause poor groups.... better to apply slight forward pressure. If you need more detail on that, read up on "loading bipod" from reputable sites.

 

[Neverenoughhntn]

....also, how heavy is the trigger pull? Heck, I can't shoot worth a darn with a trigger over 3 lbs... I'm not advocating for super light triggers for youth, but one that is just light enough that breaks when they actually squeeze the trigger and don't feel like they have to jerk on it.

 

[blackdog]

I would start with checking the trigger out on this gun. Is it crisp and fairly light - say 3lbs or so? And have him practice by dry firing a TON!!! And from different positions he might encounter in the field hunting. He literally can't practice this too much. Another trick to work on smooth trigger pull is to balance a quarter on the end of the barrel and squeeze the trigger so the quarter doesn't fall of (dry firing of course).

Then also, I would jump back in after this practice work with a smaller caliber if possible. .22LR wouldn't hurt but something closer like a .223 would be great if that's an option.

And as mentioned before, I'd look at the recoil pad that the gun has on it. Is it optimum? Also, do it allow the length of pull to fit your son? He's bound to not be the same size as you so just because it fits you, doesn't mean it fits him.

Good luck!!

 

[LASTINLINE]

find out if hes left or right eye dominant. im right handed but left eye dominant. it can scramble things up a bit scope wise if you dont close one eye while shooting.have him point his finger at an object in a room. blink one eye at a time. the pointed finger will move off the object only with one of your eyes. for instance if your pointer finger doesnt move when you blink the right eye that means your left eye dominant and vice versa.youll figure it out.