Also the targets within the target sheet are smaller than anything I've ever shot at.
That is a huge part of it right there.
The other part is it does take time and there is definitely a learning curve to putting it all together at one time in order to shoot the wings off a fly with 40gr pea. If it was too easy it would be boring after the first few hundred thousand rounds.
What I would recommend you do is set up for the absolute best, most rock solid bench rest at home and dry fire at something as small as possible like a single red pen dot on a piece of paper and at a short distance like 30'. The smallest dot you can see that is barely larger than the cross hairs so you can see that your cross hairs are on the dot. Now when you dry fire what you want to accomplish is to not have your cross hair move off the dot after the trigger is pulled. If it does move any at all you need to figure out why and make it stop.
Quite a few things can cause movement. However, if it is a mechanical problem with the scope, scope mounting, or loose barreled action in the stock that you can fix but first you must isolate the problem.
If it's the way you are holding it on target you can fix your rest and hold. If it moves when you pull the trigger then practice dry firing until it doesn't move any more. Simple things like where your thumb is and how you grip the stock can make a huge difference.
The factory trigger pull weight on the 1022 is very heavy for accurate target shooting. You can get a very nice trigger job from Brimstone for under $50 shipped both ways. However, don't be too quick to do that. Get as good as you can with the factory trigger. When you pull the trigger in dry fire pull the trigger fully to the rear of it's travel and hold it back for at least a full second while you analyze the results. Take a LONG time and ONLY enough pressure to release the hammer and no more. What you want to attempt to do is to make the trigger creep. If you can get it to move slightly once the slack is taken up before it breaks that means you are fine tuning your trigger pull. It's easier said than done. If you are in the habit of yanking the trigger back then going to a light trigger pull will be hard to get used to for a while. If you are in the habit of a very slow and very controlled pull it will be easy to adjust to provided the lighter trigger doesn't have any creep.
MOA= minutes of angle. You probably already know that. However, you should analyze your dry fire. For example. At 30" 1moa is equal to 0.1" ..... Therefore if your cross hairs move off the dot by only .2" at 30' that is going to be off by at LEAST 2" at 100yards. As you pointed out, that doesn't matter shooting at a man size silhouette with a M16 but it is huge when you want to dot the i and cross the T.
If your cross hairs absolutely don't move even the tiniest bit in dry fire than odds are the only thing you have to do next to be shooting quite well is have good ammo and dial the scope in.
http://rugerforum.net/optics/94462-1022-optics-options-sights-scopes-dots-rings-rails-more.html?
People seriously underestimate the value of the dialed in cheek rest. For ever I hated scopes but didn't realize why. Everything changes when the scope is at the right height and the right eye relief with your cheek bone pressed down on the spine of the stock butt. We grew up with iron sights extremely low to the bore and no problems focusing on the the target and the sights at the same time. Now that is impossible. With a typical rifle, including the standard 1022 carbine and sporter models, if your head is low enough to get your eye level with the super low sights your cheek bone is down hard onto the stock and your head cannot go any lower. Once you add a scope that is 1" or so higher you have to lift your head up. Which is more comfortable for old folks of course. However, it also changes that rock solid hold on the gun. Firm shouldering and the proper grip with the head braced DOWN on the stock makes a huge difference in being able to keep the muzzle from moving off target prior to the pea exiting the barrel. You will hear people with factory hunter style stocks with scopes jacked way up in the air talk about how they get a good "cheek weld". Well, what they mean is they have the side of their jaw bone pressed against the side of their stock. It's not the same and no where near as good. You want your cheek bone to not be able to go any lower when your eye is dead on level with the scope center. It is also a huge benefit to have the scope set in the perfect position fore/aft for the correct eye relief. I you are having to hold the rifle a certain way or your head in a certain position that is less the ideal it is not properly mounted. The scope fore/aft position should be set to perfection after your head is locked down in it's natural position with the stock planted firmly in the shoulder and can no longer move up/down or fore/aft. All you have left to control is left right which is much easier if the other two are locked in at the perfect spot already.
Ryan Cleckner demonstrates how to go about getting a cheek rest that actually works the same way the factory sets the rifle stock up to work with iron sights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COoXVpGfXQE
It also helps to know your trajectory. The velocity of the ammo, the quality of the ammo, the height of the sight/scope (I call it eye level).
You can use the ballistics calculator with the advanced features to see what the effect of ammo type, velocity, scope zero distance, and sight height have on trajectory flatness.
If all one ever does is sit at a bench shooting paper at fixed distances it makes little difference. However, that isn't the real world. In the real world you have to know your trajectory and optimize your zero distance for any given scope height and ammo.
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