Pistol Vs. Rifle Shooting Tips? *Update 6/21*

[BushmasterFanBoy]

I think I may be one of those rare, rare types of people that feel perfectly fine with their pistol skills, but lacking in the rifle/carbine department.

I feel pretty much in my box when I'm shooting a pistol. All the way from the FAST drill to 50 yard slow-fire at life sized silhouettes, and steel shooting in between, I feel like I'm a pretty competent handgun shooter. To put some objective numbers behind this, my best FAST time so far is 6.53 from the surrender position with a M9/6004/FB mag pouches, with all hits, and most everything else being less than or around 7 secs.

Yet, with rifles, I feel completely outclassed. I can't reliably hit a 8x10 piece of steel at 200 yards, rested with 2 MOA AimPoint M4s, 14.5in stock BM barrel, and Privi m193, and my personal best rested group at 50 yards is barely covered with a quarter. At 100 yards, also rested, its about 5" . And close in, I fare no better, with a 2.5 sec avg. for the Viking Tactics 2x2x2 drill and a 4-6" spread between my hammers.

What are some drills that I can do to get better with my rifle? I feel like my distance shooting is pathetic, but I pay attention to trigger control, breathing, natural stance, and follow through. And in close, I feel like I'm gripping the gun to brace a mule, and keep my trigger in check, but my groups still widen if I attempt to get any speed advantage in. I plan to slow down and work my speed up with the rifle in close, after all, it took me about 5 years of shooting to get where I am with my pistol, most of that being 5 round mags and slowfire on a paper plate 50 feet away. But I'm at a loss for how to improve my distance shooting.

Any drills for those of us who shoot ok with a pistol, but come up short with a rifle? What are some of the aspects of handgun shooting that can help me get ahead with my rifle skills?

See PG. 2 for progress reports.

[ZDL]

Someone smarter than me will be along with specific drills but, breathing and trigger control. Lot's of dry fire. QUALITY training, not just pounding rounds off. Just some thoughts on my first pass.

[Shadow1198]

Don't worry, you're not alone. I'm horrible with rifles but decent enough with pistols (although I could still use plenty of improvement in that area as well).

[ToddG]

I'm more accurate at 100yd with a pistol than a rifle. That is pathetic ...

[John_Wayne777]

I'm more accurate at 100yd with a pistol than a rifle. That is pathetic ...

Personally I don't see how that's possible...but if I had to pick one, I'd rather have your problem than the other way around. A pistol is, after all, the weapon most of us are going to be using if things go sideways on us in real life.

[YVK]

I think I may be one of those rare, rare types of people that feel perfectly fine with their pistol skills, but lacking in the rifle/carbine department.

I can't fully relate as I certainly don't feel perfectly fine with my pistol skills and with rifle I am generally decent at 100-150 yards (with Aimpoint), but at shorter distances I find that my rifle groups are worse than they should be. I have been attributing it to recoil/barrel flip management issues. If you look at the videos of pros shooting, barrel movement is barely perceptible. My dot moves off the target to what I feel is excessive extent. This is generally considered a stance/body weight balance issue, but I've not been able to figure it out so far.

I'm more accurate at 100yd with a pistol than a rifle. That is pathetic ...

Just curious: have you ever shot an AK74 (or clone) with iron sights, Todd?

[RogerinTPA]

I think more practice and patience, will improve your accuracy at 100 and 200 yards. I've been shooting that distance and farther (1000 Meters) back in the day, and way more comfortable with that, than those VTAC drills. I've been practicing the 1-5 and 2x2x2 drills just for shits and giggles for the upcoming VTAC 1.5 course this coming weekend. Every time I shoot, I concentrate on a tight shooting position (stock on right Pec to better control recoil), trigger and breathing control. It's helped me quite a bit. If I can get the majority of hits inside a 5 inch circle, I'm good with it. IMHO, your shots are more than acceptable, being this is a tactical shooting course and not a Camp Perry type "slow fire" rifle match. On the down side, you expend a hell of a lot of ammo.

[LittleRedToyota]

just to make you feel even less alone, i also am much better with a pistol than a rifle.

for me, it does definitely have something to do with pacticing with my pistols much more than with my rifles.

and there is the fact that i can barely even *see* an 8x10 target at 200 yards... (that's supposed to be a blind smilie. )

[ZDL]

I can't fully relate as I certainly don't feel perfectly fine with my pistol skills and with rifle I am generally decent at 100-150 yards (with Aimpoint), but at shorter distances I find that my rifle groups are worse than they should be. I have been attributing it to recoil/barrel flip management issues. If you look at the videos of pros shooting, barrel movement is barely perceptible. My dot moves off the target to what I feel is excessive extent. This is generally considered a stance/body weight balance issue, but I've not been able to figure it out so far.



Just curious: have you ever shot an AK74 (or clone) with iron sights, Todd?

A compensator can help but, first maybe check how you are shouldering the weapon. Are you giving it a firm surface or is there "play" in your stance/shoulders. Something I'm working on currently as well.

[ToddG]

Just curious: have you ever shot an AK74 (or clone) with iron sights, Todd?

Unless you count the SIG 551/552 as an AK clone (and some do ), nope.