Get close. When you think you are close enuff; get closer.
Avoid like the plauge long sustained streams of fire. The guns ain't a firehose. Use short bursts.. one thing that almost always works is the 'tap'.
Example: You are following a target outside of certain letahlity range. He's not giving you much to shoot at, so give him a short burst with your secondaries. If he reacts with a break; (spits; niki's and macchi's always do) lead turn him and pound his planform with a close deflection shot.
On a slightly diffrent topic: When someone else on yer team sez DANISH BREAK RIGHT.. do it fer chrissakes, THAT INSTANT. He's tellin you he has no shot on the guy on yer six and needs you to pull him into a turn so he can kill him
If yah don't, and remain fixated on the guy you are chasin, the guy tryin ta save yer bellybutton may wind up dead himself. (humph, just as I did) And that makes a guy think twice about tryin ta save yer butt the next time.

Salute!
Hang