Set your target. Get behind the EMPTY/UNLOADED (check it again) gun and set/adjust parallax. Verify you are parallax free (do a quick search on here as to how to check properly). Put your come up on the scope (about 5 moa give or take). Now, snap in/dry fire a bit. It's a "free" warm up and focus on your fundamentals. Make your wind call and decide if you are going to hold or dial wind (I would hold). Load up/go hot and follow your fundamentals. Press the trigger. Follow through and observe impact. Run the bolt. Rebuild your postion and repeat. Make a simple checklist in your head or even jot it down and follow it.
Something simple like:
Range
Parallax
Elevation
Wind
This is just basic stuff, but it's what I go through in my head before sending a round on it's way downrange. Have fun and be SAFE.
This for a start. Then consider that thinking about 'releasing' the shot, rather than 'pressing the trigger', may have some value.
I can clearly remember when 300yd was all the distance I could find for many years, then suddenly finding myself in a competition at 1000yd. Apprehensive at first, I pretty much immediately realized this was gonna be the ultimate hoot.
That experience impressed me about the wind for the rest of my life. Really, the only effective way to learn how to shoot the wind is to do it and keep doing it. There are intangibles that only start to make sense after a lot of repetition and practice. Rather that resenting the wind, try finding some enthusiasm for seeking it out and getting a solid handle on it.
Don't shoot for groups; shoot for having the absolutely same sight picture every time the shot releases. You maintain a steady, proper sight picture while sorta sneaking up an the sear break point. If you get 'off your game', stop the trigger sequence, get your breath settled, rebuild the sight picture, and start the trigger cycle over again. The groups will follow.
Having a proper position is crucial to consistency which is the core principle within good marksmanship. Shooting with a bipod has several key points to it; look for Lowlight's posts on the subject, and consider signing up for his videos. Proper rear support and stock manipulation will steady your sight picture and avail you of better control over your aim. Until you can shoot to a consistent point of impact, knowing how to adjust for center will have very limited value.
FGMM is the Gold Standard for factory match ammo, IMHO. But you can do better by learning handloading and doing load development to find the precise load your rifle prefers best. That load may end up duplicating the FGMM exactly, but I think it's better to have that kind of control over what you feed your rifle. Equally important is the wisdom to resist allowing handloading to become the be all, end all of your accuracy regimen. Better to view it as a necessary chore, keeping what you do as simple as possible, and doing that minimum with care and diligence.
Ultimate accuracy and perfect ammunition is not my goal. Adequate accuracy and repeatably consistent ammunition is. Sub-MOA accuracy is good but not especially crucial when 2MOA accuracy will reliably deliver you a 10.
Importantly, understand that shooting is a physical sport where strength and flexibility form the basis for better marksmanship. Combining this with good position and support can minimize or even eliminate fatigue from the overall picture, where it ain't ever your friend.
I used to be a better shooter, but I was never the best shooter in sight. Understand that accuracy is in the heart of the shooter, and not in the eye of the beholder. What another shooter accomplishes is their matter, what you and I should be doing is working on making our own performance better. In essence we ourselves are our only true competition.
Greg
