An unfortunate reality we have to accept is that the crime rate is higher in more affordable neighborhoods vis-à-vis the affluent ones these days. Also, people living in households at or below the poverty line can experience twice the amount of violence that the high-income ones.

In an ideal scenario, if you face it, you would want to pack up and move to a safer place. But it is easier said than done. So there are various survival techniques that you can learn. Mastering the art of firing can be beneficial during such difficult times and improve your chances of survival.

This article lays down five fundamental steps of rifle firing which can come in handy. However, one of the most crucial elements that can help your survival is what lies between your ears – your brain.

The Importance

Opting to use appropriate firing techniques will help you keep your firearm steady. That, in turn, can help you have the most accuracy while shooting.

Handguns are common in most households as they are convenient to keep and easy to use. However, people often face issues with its accuracy. A micro-conversion kit or MCK can be handy in such a scenario. It converts the handgun into a medium rifle and facilitates an ergonomic groove for a stable grip, thus enabling you to increase your accuracy.

Mastering the fundamental step of rifle firing can happen through practice. As you dedicate more time, you will understand various accuracy-affecting factors, such as heat, wind, and parallax.

The five fundamental steps of rifle firing are:

• Aiming to take the perfect shot
• Control your breathing pattern
• Controlling your body movement
• Having a hold over the trigger
• The follow-through process

All these steps work together in unison and need practice in specific ways. You will find a detailed note on each of these steps in the next section. This article tries to give you some theoretical knowledge based on practical experience that you can apply in the real world. You can also enroll yourself in a course if you prefer to learn under the guidance of experienced personnel.

Aiming

The first step towards mastering the art of rifle firing for your survival is one of the most crucial ones and requires your undivided attention on the subject you are about to shoot. If you wish to accomplish the desired results in this step, you should try to keep everything else out of your mind.

There are a few basic steps that you can follow to improve your aiming skills. The following are some of the guidelines which can come in handy for the same:

• You should align your site with the target as you aim.
• To reduce the eye strain, keep both open, and it also eases focusing.
• The time taken to aim should be as brief as possible. It is particularly crucial as it becomes difficult to maintain the firing fundamentals effectively for a prolonged period.

Breathing

Many are unaware of this critical step that can be a game-changer during a survival scenario or a hunting expedition. You may not know it, but your breathing can move you enough to throw you off the target.

To achieve better breathing techniques while firing a gun rifle, you can follow these steps, which will help to improve your breathing technique:

• When you are ready to shoot, inhale deeply and exhale about half of it.
• Hold onto your breath as you put pressure on the trigger.
• A critical aspect you should note at this juncture is that you should not hold your breath for longer. Your heart starts beating faster with a long-held breath, leading to an increased pulse. The resultant action leads to the movement of your firearm. If you sense this, you should take another breath and start over.
• Excitement also increases the difficulty in breathing control. So you have to try to keep yourself calm and follow the appropriate procedure.

Hold On

Once you have mastered the art of aiming and controlling your breathing, you need to step up for the next challenge. This step is a challenge because it takes time to learn how to hold the firearm steady.

You should avoid attempting to eliminate the movements and concentrate on the following steps instead:

• You can start by focussing on any unwanted movement of the target.
• After that, you should work to minimize the area of that movement.

Trigger Control

Any jerk in the trigger or abruptly clenching it can lead to a gun movement. It leads to missing the target. You can follow these steps to avoid such motions:

• You should hold the wrist of the stock firmly.
• You can position your fingertips on the trigger, between the fingertip and the first joint.
• You can put a slow and steady pressure on the trigger till the gun fires. Never pull the trigger with your finger, always squeeze it. 

Follow Through

Once the bullet is out, you should ensure to continue the squeeze to avoid any unwanted jerks. The follow-through will help keep the gun stable, as the bullet is out of the barrel, and help you deal with the recoil.

Therefore, as you can see, choosing to pursue these steps can help you master the rifle firing techniques during a need. However, it is crucial not to panic and be alert to achieve the best results.