How to Sight In Your New Handgun for Hunting.
Sighting your handgun for hunting may seem like a simple task, but many people don’t know where to start. You purchased your gun, but have no idea what to do when you take it out of the box. I hope this article will shed some light on where you may want to begin your new journey. The last thing you should go out to the back 40 and poke holes in milk jugs, but that is exactly what a lot of people do. There are a few different sighting methods, but I think the follow paragraphs will give you a simple and therefore best way to sight in your handgun for hunting.
How are you going to rest your gun while handgun hunting?
I am the designer of the Trifecta Handgun Rest so of course, I think our rest is the best resting method for handgun hunting. Whether you plan to use our rest or some other method, a proper rest while shooting a large handgun is critical and must be in front of your mind. Don’t fire a shot until you resolve how you will hold still while out in the wild.
Sight in and Practice with the same ammo you are going to use to hunt.
When you bought your gun you probably walked out with a few boxes of ammo. We are not to the shooting step yet, but take a look at what you bought, and figure out whether it’s the same stuff you are going to hunt with. There is nothing wrong with buying some cheap ammo to get used to your new handgun. You can even rough sight your gun using some full metal jacket bullets. Start gathering what you plan to hunt with now, especially if you are not a hand loader. Purchase a few different brands and bullet weights. Your gun might prefer one over the other.
Dry Fire Practice is key to sighting your gun.
I wish I could somehow tattoo “dry fire practice” onto every handgun hunter’s brain. In archery, this is called shooting blank bale (no target). In basketball, it’s shooting free throws when you are rested and there is no crowd, or scoreboard adding pressure. Dry fire practice is critical to work on form. It is impossible to get consistent groups without doing everything the same way every time. You can also work on your trigger press. If the gun jumps off target when you pull the trigger, you might not be pulling the trigger straight back. Try to pretend like there is a live round in the chamber after you get your form down. Knowing the gun is loaded adds anxiety to the brain and can drastically change your form. Watch my YouTube video on overcoming target panic. I like to dry fire practice with every new gun before I actually shoot it. I’m guessing that less than 1% of people perform this step prior to shooting, but I think it’s important.
Time to Shoot Live Rounds
Shooting live rounds is ultimately the only way to sight your gun. I start by shooting one time at 25 yards and adjust my sight till I’m where I need to be. Take your time and do the math before you adjust your scope. Write everything down when making clicks. Assuming my ammo and gun play nicely together, I am usually pretty close to the bullseye after taking only 3 shots. I will then shoot a five-shot group. I have proven to myself that I can get lucky three times, but never five. Obviously, you are going to tweak your sight after shooting groups. When you get comfortable, move to 50, or perhaps whatever your max distance will be. Make sure you pay attention to how much your groups drop at extended ranges. Choosing a distance to zero your gun is a personal choice. I like zero at my max distance, or an inch high at 1oo yards, depending on the caliber I’m shooting. I only hunt at short to medium distances. If you plan to take 400 yard shots, a different approach will be necessary.
Now is when the Fun Begins.
Once you get your handgun sighted in, you may have fun tinkering with different loads, grip styles, shooting positions etc. I like to practice all summer long and hopefully be ready for anything once the season kicks off. Don’t be surprised if you have to move your sight after the first hundred rounds or so. That’s just part of the break-in period or your gun, or slight changes in your form. Sighting in your handgun is just the beginning to this great handgun hunting adventure. Please visit the Trifecta Handgun YouTube channel to join me on the ride as we cover this topic and many more