How to Aim a BB Gun

Preparing to Aim a BB Gun

Familiarize yourself with the parts of your BB gun. Understanding the name and function of each part is essential in maintaining control over your gun at all times.

Determine your dominant eye. This helps you aim with precision and tells you which side to hold the gun on (if applicable). Extend both arms in front of you. Make a small circle with the index fingers and thumbs of both hands. Looking through the circle, focus on a distant object. Draw the circle back towards you, still focusing on the object. The eye in line with the circle is the dominant eye. If you are shooting an air rifle, the gun should rest on the same side as your dominant eye.

Learn the proper breathing technique. Breathing - or, rather, not breathing - is an important element in aiming your gun. The movement of the body as it breathes makes it difficult to get a good sight picture, much less shoot straight. Breath and relax the body before aiming. Take a deep breath and exhale halfway. Hold your breath halfway exhaled as you aim and squeeze the trigger, then exhale. You can practice this technique without your gun to get used to it.

Getting into a Firing Position

Start with the free-arm standing position. Stand with your knees straight, feet shoulder-width apart, and your body and head erect. Your left arm supports the rifle by resting against your rib cage. The rifle butt rests against your right shoulder. Your left hand supports the weight of the rifle from under the fore-end and the right holds the grip. To adjust your aim left or right from this position, move your feet. To correct aim up or down, raise or lower the gun.

Get down low into the prone position. Lie on the ground facing your target, angling your body a bit to the left. Your right knee bends slightly, drawing the right leg up but keeping it parallel with your back and your foot on the ground. Extend your left arm forward, supporting the fore-end of the gun from underneath with your left hand. The rifle butt should rest against your right shoulder as your right-hand holds the grip. To adjust aim left or right, pivot your body on the left elbow; to correct aim up or down, move your left hand backward or forward, respectively.

Learn the kneeling position. Kneel on your right knee with your foot centered under your buttocks. Your weight is on the bottom of your right heel, with your toes flat on the ground. Your left leg is drawn up in front of you, knee bent, foot flat on the ground. Position the flat part of your left elbow onto the flat part of the left kneecap. The fore-end of the rifle rests in the palm of your left hand. Aim by pivoting your body on your right foot and adjusting your left foot for balance.

Try out the sitting position. Sit cross-legged and rest your elbows on your legs just behind the knees. Hold the rifle fore-end in your left hand and put your right hand on the grip. Aim left or right by pivoting the body from the waist, and up and down by adjusting your left elbow's position.

Sighting Your BB Gun

Ensure that you have a proper backstop. The backstop is the background to your target. Avoid hard surfaces, water, tin cans, or other hard objects that might result in a ricochet.

Make sure that the surrounding area is clear. There should be no one and nothing in the immediate vicinity of your target.

Get into your firing position. Always remember to aim the gun in a safe direction so that if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage. Keep your index finger off the trigger (resting along the side) and hold the gun with both hands. Bring the gun to eye level.

Locate the rear sight. This is either a horizontal bar with a notch in it (open rear sight) or a hole (aperture). Do not keep your eye too close to the backside of the aim as it may damage your eye.

Align the rear sight with the front sight. Front sights are either a small post or another aperture. When the front and rear sights are aligned, the front is centered in relation to the rear.

Align your body's position with your target for the sight picture. Now you should have all three things aligned, with the front sight and target centered in relation to the rear sight.

Identify your target. Be absolutely certain that you know what your target is, and what's beyond it.

Practice your breathing. Relax your body, take a deep breath, exhale halfway, and hold.

Ensure once again that the target, backstop and surrounding area are clear. Always think before you shoot.

Squeeze the trigger. Do not jerk or pull it.

Follow through. After you fire, you should not move until you have hit your target. It takes just a split second for the pellet to leave the gun, but even in this short amount of time, any movement will interrupt your aim. Exhale fully only after your target is hit.