Rifle techniques

What distance? I'll make a guess of 25 yards from the standing. Prone groups should be ~1inch at 25 yards, sandbag groups should be much less, and standing's usually much worse. So it's your standing that sounds about normal and your prone/bag that needs work. If I'm guessing wrong and you did this at 100 yards, nice work.

Depending on how you shoot, a bag zero is always going to be different from your position zero. The bag takes a lot of "you" out of the equation and standing is the position that puts the most of you back in.

That said, a big change of zero for different position usually means you're looking down the sights differently. Check consistent cheek weld. If that's not it, another likely problem that would cause a vertical oval is not pausing breath in the same place for each shot. If that's not it, depending how long you stood there holding the rifle in the air, muscles get tired and start to droop. Relax and let the rifle down after every 2-3 shots. Finally, some people have a tendency to "buck" and push their shoulder into the rifle that would cause this, but I doubt it for the .22. You can find out by doing some ball and dummy and observing what you do on the round that goes "click" instead of "bang."

There are a lot of ways to shoot standing but for your first time try a neutral stance, holding the rifle across your body, with your trigger elbow up high, your support elbow directly under the rifle, and bring the rifle up to your head instead of your head down to the rifle. Look up how to use a sling for support.

If you want more of this kind of stuff for prone, sitting, and standing, check out Appleseed.

Your suggestion about looking through the scope is intriguing.

When I'm sitting down and using a sand bag i am very relaxed and not concerned about my form.
Its not till I stand when I am more concerned about form. Maybe my form is causing my eyes to look
through my sites at a different angle. I'll have to focus on that next time.

For the record distance is about 55 yards and I'm still new to rifles.

I understand how my groupings are larger while standing, I'm ok with that. Just the fact the
movement of the entire group got me worried.

Originally Posted by Derek33

...the movement of the entire group got me worried.

What type of knock-off is it? Most of the cheap ones that I've seen have significant changes in zero depending on how you look through them.

Its a bushnell tactical elite.

http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Tacti...=pd_ys_iyr_img

I went back and forth between sand bags and standing so I'm pretty sure the scope still has its zero.

Originally Posted by Derek33

Its a bushnell tactical elite.

http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Tacti...=pd_ys_iyr_img

I went back and forth between sand bags and standing so I'm pretty sure the scope still has its zero.

it wouldn't really matter with a red-dot anyway. is this any scope different?

nice scope btw. i'm sold on getting one for M&P 15-22...

edit: i agree with what you said.. are you sure that you aren't flinching or pulling? i think crak nailed it.

i practice A LOT from the bench for fundamentals. but then it is fun to see how tight i can group off hand, prone unsupported / supported as well. but for the best grouping, i'd say it's whatever supported position is more comfortable for you... IMO

Originally Posted by wolf223

nice scope btw. i'm sold on getting one for M&P 15-22...

Thank you. I ended up needing a small riser to get the scope a little higher off the rifle's rail. When
I had it on the rifle without the riser I had to cock my neck and tilt my head way too much.

Originally Posted by Derek33

Its a bushnell tactical elite.

http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Tacti...=pd_ys_iyr_img

I went back and forth between sand bags and standing so I'm pretty sure the scope still has its zero.

Right, but is your eye in the same exact place behind the scope when you're standing that it was when you shot from the sandbag?

I had a cheap red dot (briefly) that had a significant difference in POA depending on whether I looked through it from directly behind or slightly higher and further back.


ETA: Not familiar with this type of scope, it doesn't seem that bad.

Originally Posted by lupis42

Right, but is your eye in the same exact place behind the scope when you're standing that it was when you shot from the sandbag?

I can't confirm that. I didn't really focus on this while I was shooting so there is a possibility my point of focus has changed between stances.

Next time I go shooting I'll focus on keeping my head in the same position.

I picked my rifle up and aimed it at a certain point on my wall. I got the cross hairs to move a little bit just by turning my head. That small movement on a wall roughly ten feet away may be my 2-3" at 50-60 yards or so.