Shooting Moving Targets with a Rifle
with Darrell Udelhoven
Shooting
Moving Targets with a Rifle -
is about practicing Leading Moving
Targets with a Rifle
at different speeds, distances, and angles when
using a high velocity Center fire Rifle Cartridges
Time of Bullet Flight Ballistics - Accurate Placement of the Bullet's "Point Of Impact (POI)"
For the ballistics go to: Shooting Ballistics Running Coyotes with a Rifle- Frames
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One of the most
practical needs for our
rifle shooting ranges is for the manufacturers of rifles, ammunition,
and hunting equipment is to design low cost moving target mechanisms
that simulate running coyotes and whitetail deer. At this time, I don't
see anything for sale that we could use for this critically important
skill development sport. I am talking
about realistic hunting ranges with the target traveling at various
speeds
from 10 to 40 mph and at various angles. Coyotes can reach speeds of 40
mph
when they pour on the after burners.
Most of us need the practice mounting our rifles when following a running target, if the scope does not center with ease and align properly, then adjustments are in order. I put Weaver high profile rings on both of my rifles and made the proper eye relief distance adjustments. The higher rings caused too much off centering of the reticle (resulting in parallax) so I went back the the low profile rings. The reticle is centered in new scopes. Loosen the ring mount screws so you can rotate the scope -- if the reticle moves on the target in a circle you will probably have parallax problems when sighting. Use the lowest mounts you can and have a gunsmith shim and reshape the mounts. No one can get consistent small groups using a scope with much parallax. Most of us need to practice the 'quick on target mount' and fast safety release and trigger squeeze so we can drop them in their tracks before they dash into heavy cover. How many of us have let game get away because we couldn't get on target and get the shot off soon enough? I could have dropped a whitetail this last season had I been a little more proficient, I need more practice. The fellowship and genuine recreational value of this skill development sport would be a boon to our rifle shooting sport. If your coyote hunting is like mine here in southwestern Wisconsin you won't get enough practice shooting at running coyotes. You'll bag a lot more deer if you are real consistent on 'close-in' running shots. It is much better to over lead than under lead; I don't have to tell you why! What we need is to form shooting clubs everywhere and to set up fast moving variable speed coyote and/or deer targets which would be run at various ranges from 50 to 200 yards. The clubs could call them running coyote and/or deer turkey shoots, and charge each two dollars to shoot against five other shooters with the winner getting a frozen turkey or turkey beast. We used a running deer target back in the 1960's and everyone loved this skill developing shooting sport with rifles. The idea is to use your bullet's time of flight ballistics to quickly project the lead on moving targets to your memory. After while it will become automatic like shooting a shotgun. I know it sounds like too much lead, but you can't refute the math laws of ballistics. If a coyote is running @ 44 feet in one second @ a 90 degree right angle and your bullet gets there in 1/4th or one quarter of a second [range - coyote @ 250 yds.] -- the coyote will move 11 feet in that one quarter of a second. And that is a mathematical and ballistics reality that can't be changed. I started reloading centerfire rifle ammo back in the mid 1960's for a 243 and a 243/06 Wildcat rifle that I had made for shooting fox at long range. I resize 30 caliber 30/06 cases down to 24 caliber or 243 neck size. This is the ultimate cartridge for long range coyote shooting, especially under the windy conditions we have in Wisconsin. Come on Gun and Ammo manufacturer's give us some help with some low priced realistic moving target mechanisms! |
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| 30mph/44fps |
hrt/luings |
2' |
4' |
6' |
8.3' |
10.6' |
13.2' |
15.8' |
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| Drift@10mph |
45º |
.14" |
.49" |
1.2" |
2.2" |
3.5" |
5.2" |
7.2" |
9.6" |
12.6" |
16" |
20" |
24.3" |
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Never close your shooting eye during the shot and follow through after the shot. You should be able to call your shots on targets, moving or still. The MV should be 3400!
The first link below gives you the ballistics figures to calculate your leads.
Shooting Ballistics Running Coyotes with a Rifle- Frames
COYOTES BOBCATS and RED FOXES in North America
Posted:
12/22/99; Updated 04/10/06
Darrell Udelhoven © 1999-2006
Empowerment Communications