SIGHTING YOUR WEAPON
If you�re like me, you�ll be able to cover three shots with a dime

Christmas, birthdays, Valentine�s Day, whatever the reason for receiving (or buying) your new gun may be, a firearm isn�t really part of the family until you�ve had a chance to break it in. And by breaking it in, I don�t mean killing a few dozen pigeons out the bathroom window or rubbing He-Man stickers onto the muzzle. No, your new gun needs some special tinkering. It needs direction. 

We�ve all had the experience of patiently lining up the little cross with the little crescent and still taking an embarrassing chunk of meat out of the cactus a foot to the right of the target. Whether you are buying a brand new gun or inheriting one from Uncle Billy�s arsenal, chances are the front sight blade and rear sight aperture have been jostled enough to interfere with your aim. Therefore, it�s important to gauge your weapon and make sure its ready for your eye. 

In order for your new gun to become the killing machine that you want it to be (or the anti-killing machine, depending on your political slant), it needs to be sighted in order for it to do the job. Sighting a weapon is actually a little more slap dash than many would think, and more than precision; it requires patience and practice. To sight a weapon properly, you�ll need to set up a target at an appropriate range. I like to sight my rifles at 100 yards, but I know plenty of people who sight at 200 or even 100 feet. 

Now you need to fire a shot group. A shot group consists of three shots on a target, and the placement of the grouping is used to help you determine how precisely your weapon is currently firing. Stabilize your weapon with some sort of rest. Anything from a tripod to the hood of your car can work, depending on your preference. Just make sure you�re steady because human error can easily skew your shot group. In addition, I recommend using a paper target that you�ve purchased rather than an object you feel like blowing up because it�s easier to determine accuracy on a flat and marked surface. Fire three shots aiming at the same point, all the while standing as still as a sniper. 

You can tell a lot about your shooting and your weapon from your shot group. If you are a decent shot and have managed to stabilize your weapon properly, you should be able to cover the bullet holes with a half-dollar. If you�re like me, you�ll be able to cover the shot group with a dime (or at least lie about it convincingly). Three shots scattered across the target means your weapon wasn�t steady, you weren�t steady, or you need a pair of glasses. A tight shot group that is shifted from the bullseye to the left, for example, indicates you need to adjust your rear sight (never the front sight) to the right. Some weapons have a wheel while others require a special tool to adjust sights. Start with a small rotation then test it again. Fiddle. Fire. Repeat. 

Over time, you�ll probably need to adjust the sights again, but there�s nothing wrong with a little compensation on your part. I know when I fire my .22 rifle, I need to aim up and to the left � I just can't keep the damn thing centered. And again, unless you�re shooting for a ribbon, most people count a hit anywhere on the target as a hit. Keep trajectory in mind and alter your aim for varying distances. If the object is too close, you can still aim at the bull. If it�s further then you planned, aim high. But like my dad always says, �Aim below the head and above the balls.� That way most guns won�t do you wrong.