I consistently group 1/2 MOA when shooting off sandbags, but I'm lucky to hit a sheet of plywood when shooting offhand. Vince Lombardi told us that "Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect." I'd like to hear about techniques or tips for shooting offhand so my practice time is more effective (not so much trial and error). I'd like to get my offhand groups down to a minute of whitetail. Thank you for your support.
offhand shooting
- Thread starter dongun
- Start date
Dongun;
You may want to pick up Cooper's "The Art of the Rifle". He discusses the basics in the book. Also remember, the sling is an intragrated part of the rifle and its proper use can inprove you off hand skills.
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Schmit
GySgt, USMC(Ret)
NRA Life, Lodge 1201-UOSSS
"Si vis Pacem Para Bellum"
You may want to pick up Cooper's "The Art of the Rifle". He discusses the basics in the book. Also remember, the sling is an intragrated part of the rifle and its proper use can inprove you off hand skills.
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Schmit
GySgt, USMC(Ret)
NRA Life, Lodge 1201-UOSSS
"Si vis Pacem Para Bellum"
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Harry Pope was called "The Human Bench Rest". That was him. Fergit about it!
You can't hold a rifle absolutely still while you seek the perfect sight picture and then pull the trigger. You have to "shoot on the run".
The idea is to coordinate the wobble of the rifle and the pressure on the trigger. As the sights line up or the crosshairs move onto the target, you increase the pressure to make the dang gun go bang.
This means you may have to tell your trigger finger, "Shoot!" an instant before the sights are exactly on target.
Proper use of a sling REDUCES the amount of wobble; it does not eliminate wobble.
All this is helped by a crisp trigger, with not too stiff a pull.
It's all very much like a basketball player shooting while running, or a quarterback throwing a pass to where a receiver will be.
My opinion is that a single-shot or bolt-action .22 rifle is the best training aid. The time between shots, increased by not using a semi-auto, will help you think about what you did and what you need to do in order to improve. But you want a gun with a decent trigger, and you get what you pay for. Ideally, it will be similar to the weight and feel of your primary hunting rifle--gun or trigger-pull.
Regards, Art
You can't hold a rifle absolutely still while you seek the perfect sight picture and then pull the trigger. You have to "shoot on the run".
The idea is to coordinate the wobble of the rifle and the pressure on the trigger. As the sights line up or the crosshairs move onto the target, you increase the pressure to make the dang gun go bang.
This means you may have to tell your trigger finger, "Shoot!" an instant before the sights are exactly on target.
Proper use of a sling REDUCES the amount of wobble; it does not eliminate wobble.
All this is helped by a crisp trigger, with not too stiff a pull.
It's all very much like a basketball player shooting while running, or a quarterback throwing a pass to where a receiver will be.
My opinion is that a single-shot or bolt-action .22 rifle is the best training aid. The time between shots, increased by not using a semi-auto, will help you think about what you did and what you need to do in order to improve. But you want a gun with a decent trigger, and you get what you pay for. Ideally, it will be similar to the weight and feel of your primary hunting rifle--gun or trigger-pull.
Regards, Art
Clint Tickler
New member
So Art just echoed what a Marine Vet was talking to me about tonite. He had some kind of shooting training job. He had told me previously about timing your trigger squeeze as you are coming on target. Like Art says you'll never hold perfectly steady. Another interesting tip he gave me was wearing supportive boots or shoes that help limit ankle movement therefore helping you be a little steadier. I'm going to make sure I strap on some boots next time out.
Unkel Gilbey
New member
The key to accuracy, and having the ability to knock the stuffing out of the X-ring is "repeat-ability" I'm assuming that you are refering to competitive shooting, or at least you are leading up to it.
Repeat-ability. This means that you try to do every shot exactly the same. Natural point of aim, Body Alignment, Sight alignment and sight picture, the slow - steady squeeze of the trigger, doping the wind. All these actions and more come into play when you are shooting offhand.
I try not to move my feet once I've established my natural point of aim and body alignment - especially when shooting my slowfire string. That's 22 rounds in 20 minutes or less. After I fire a shot, I rest the butt of the weapon on the stool and scope the target while standing. Shuffling your feet destroys your original natural point of aim.
I try to grip the weapon in the same exact place. I 'look' the butt into the same exact place in my shoulder, and my 'off' hand contacts the forearm in the same place.
There is little bone support to be had in the offhand position, this is why it's such a difficult position to master. It isn't easy - but once mastered it's probably one of the least fatiguing of the shooting positions.
So as long as you heed Mr. Lombardi's advice, and get some personal pointers from a High-power shooter, you should get the hang of it in no time at all.
There is a saying in High-power shooting that dovetails with this nicely... You can win the match on the 200 Offhand - and then loose it at the 600! Keep them in the X-ring!
Repeat-ability. This means that you try to do every shot exactly the same. Natural point of aim, Body Alignment, Sight alignment and sight picture, the slow - steady squeeze of the trigger, doping the wind. All these actions and more come into play when you are shooting offhand.
I try not to move my feet once I've established my natural point of aim and body alignment - especially when shooting my slowfire string. That's 22 rounds in 20 minutes or less. After I fire a shot, I rest the butt of the weapon on the stool and scope the target while standing. Shuffling your feet destroys your original natural point of aim.
I try to grip the weapon in the same exact place. I 'look' the butt into the same exact place in my shoulder, and my 'off' hand contacts the forearm in the same place.
There is little bone support to be had in the offhand position, this is why it's such a difficult position to master. It isn't easy - but once mastered it's probably one of the least fatiguing of the shooting positions.
So as long as you heed Mr. Lombardi's advice, and get some personal pointers from a High-power shooter, you should get the hang of it in no time at all.
There is a saying in High-power shooting that dovetails with this nicely... You can win the match on the 200 Offhand - and then loose it at the 600! Keep them in the X-ring!
hehe..
I have not shot "offhand" in a match type enviroment in over 2 years. Sunday however I shot in a NRA National Match Course. I managed to get a 94-1x in the 200 yard offhand section using a stock HBAR. Not bad huh? In 200yard rapid fire sitting I managed to get a 98-2x (I shoot sitting better than prone for some odd reason, and have trophies to prove it). I have been doing ALOT Of non-typical offhand (for matches) shooting recently though at the range. You just have to keep practicing is all I can say.... And dont "try" to hard, just have fun! If you make a bad shot oh well whatever you know.
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Dead [Black Ops]
I have not shot "offhand" in a match type enviroment in over 2 years. Sunday however I shot in a NRA National Match Course. I managed to get a 94-1x in the 200 yard offhand section using a stock HBAR. Not bad huh? In 200yard rapid fire sitting I managed to get a 98-2x (I shoot sitting better than prone for some odd reason, and have trophies to prove it). I have been doing ALOT Of non-typical offhand (for matches) shooting recently though at the range. You just have to keep practicing is all I can say.... And dont "try" to hard, just have fun! If you make a bad shot oh well whatever you know.
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Dead [Black Ops]
dongun, This is a link to the first four chapters of my Rosetta Stone of Dogmatic Shooting Improvement: http://www.jarheadtop.com/improve.htm
Read the first four chapters as offered for free on the net.
Read them,
learn them,
live them!
Then buy the book, "Sight alingment, trigger control and the BIG LIE", and read the rest of the chapters!
As the good Sargent points out, "You MUST accept your wobble area!" This book teaches how to reduce that wobble to something acceptable.
anodes.
Read the first four chapters as offered for free on the net.
Read them,
learn them,
live them!
Then buy the book, "Sight alingment, trigger control and the BIG LIE", and read the rest of the chapters!
As the good Sargent points out, "You MUST accept your wobble area!" This book teaches how to reduce that wobble to something acceptable.
anodes.
Steve M and Art says it all.
Start at short distances and as you can hit smaller targets, move them further out.
Blackpowder gun writer Ned Roberts ("The Muzzle Loading Cap Lock Rifle") was trained by his Uncle Alvaro that way. Don't be discouraged if your initial attempts fail. We all have to start somewhere.
BTW, I used a .22 bolt action and shoot clay pigeons which are propped up against a dirt berm at about 27 yards. It keeps me in practice for Running Deer (over 100 yards).
Start at short distances and as you can hit smaller targets, move them further out.
Blackpowder gun writer Ned Roberts ("The Muzzle Loading Cap Lock Rifle") was trained by his Uncle Alvaro that way. Don't be discouraged if your initial attempts fail. We all have to start somewhere.
BTW, I used a .22 bolt action and shoot clay pigeons which are propped up against a dirt berm at about 27 yards. It keeps me in practice for Running Deer (over 100 yards).