Shooting Offhand at 100 Yards
- Thread starter ckpj99
- Start date
, supplying enough targets would be problematical for me.boondocker385
New member
Practice is key.... my own experience is if I shoot monthly or more often 4" is the norm. If I don't I am lucky to hit the berm!
4EVERM-14 Thats not even close to how I read that . To me . It says if your lazy in your training and or practice . Don't expect to get it right when it counts . Kinda like the guys that say I had a tight group with one flyer 
your only as good as your worst shot . What if the shot you need to count is that flyer . 
your only as good as your worst shot . What if the shot you need to count is that flyer . I have not shot a perfect 100 yet, but this target shot in a 100 yard reduced Highpower match was good enough that I took a picture. I did this offhand with my M1a. This is a 99-2X.
A bud of mine shot this 99-7X offhand with his AR15. He is a HM, Pres 100 patch, etc. He has always been an exceptionally good offhand shot, and this group shows his ability.
A bud of mine shot this 99-7X offhand with his AR15. He is a HM, Pres 100 patch, etc. He has always been an exceptionally good offhand shot, and this group shows his ability.
Not bragging. 1959 USMC qualified with a 245 out of 250 w/ M-1. The off bulls (at the prone position), were do to being 1 click off at 500 yards before the butts called my attention to it. The rest of the positions were all on target.
The reason I shot this well was due to a skinny captain giving a lecture while holding his M-1 at his shoulder with one hand. Didn't seem like a big deal b/c he's skinny, until I tried it and couldn't hold it for more than 2 or 3 seconds. After that I practiced every chance I could until I could hold it at shoulder level for at least 20 to 30 seconds.
When I put my arm thru the sling sitting , kneeling and off-hand I was rock solid. Of course you must also snap-in your weapon until you and it become one.
The reason I shot this well was due to a skinny captain giving a lecture while holding his M-1 at his shoulder with one hand. Didn't seem like a big deal b/c he's skinny, until I tried it and couldn't hold it for more than 2 or 3 seconds. After that I practiced every chance I could until I could hold it at shoulder level for at least 20 to 30 seconds.
When I put my arm thru the sling sitting , kneeling and off-hand I was rock solid. Of course you must also snap-in your weapon until you and it become one.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
I think we aught to be talking about two different things. When I say "off hand" I'm not thinking about being in a sling unless it's competitive. Certainly two different accuracy standards.
My favorite kind of 'off hand' shooting is a natural point-n-shoot while standing. I like to shoulder my rifle and shoot a few reactive targets @ 100+ yards, lower the rifle and repeat the process over & over again. I don't use a sling for this kind of shooting.
I know you can contort your body and utilize a sling for precision off hand shooting, but I have no interest in that.
I know you can contort your body and utilize a sling for precision off hand shooting, but I have no interest in that.
nate_g_2003
New member
Out of curiosity, which hand? Opposite hand, or trigger hand? It's a great idea!
Right side. You would hold the rifle with your hand only and finger on the trigger and pressed against your shoulder When you're able to hold it for 25 to 30 seconds,(try to go to one minute), then the next phase would be holding the site to a target for 5 to 10 seconds.
The M-1 was 9.5 pounds w/o ammo and around 43" in length. it was a bitch.
Rifles are much lighter today so you could hang a weight around the front sight area.
After the military I would hunt at deer season but never practiced it since then.
The M-1 was 9.5 pounds w/o ammo and around 43" in length. it was a bitch.
Rifles are much lighter today so you could hang a weight around the front sight area.
After the military I would hunt at deer season but never practiced it since then.
I'd say that's a pretty darn good group. I'm lucky if I can hit my 12" plate at 100 yards with my mosin standing up, prone I can hit it all day long so it's not the rifle it's me. I think it's a mix between my inability to keep the heavy rifle steady, along with the sights that I don't really like. I'll be going to Ft. Benning for infantry OSUT in February though, so hopefully they can teach me how to actually hit something 
.
.nate_g_2003
New member
Thanks! I have a Mosin I may try it with, until my Garand gets here.
This is where I find just How much Practice I really need.... but I practice this with my deer rifle ( Savage 110, .270 winchester, Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40 BDC, Wolfe "speed spring", Timney trigger set at 2.5 lbs, handloaded ammo) almost every trip to range, and so far my best is about 3.5 moa at 100 yds off hand, that squeezing trigger upon bull acquisition and quickly reloading. sometimes Range Master gets on to me to slow my fire...
as a mosin user and one uses it to get new shooters into the fun, i have to say a mosin is very forgiving with what you stick in it, just keeping her clean will help with accuracy.
if your a traditionalist and like shooting the rifle as is i have a few points to make.
the mosin nagant is a good rifle, very dependable, but it can get heavy, and as they were intended as troop rifles, having it lay on sand bags or shooting while sitting is not out of the question. people were sitting in trees using these, and laying in dirt/snow ( thats how i typically shoot is lay down or sitting). standing i can be accurate, but my mosin is rather heavy due to its front bipod (look at my sig if your curious)
mainly the focus you need to worry about is getting consistent groups. try holding your breath and releasing it right before you pull the trigger, and dont be scared of the recoil as my dad would say. lean into it while standing or sitting , give good leg brace points, and fire. the more stable you are when shooting the better the groups
@slamfire, your shots are rather wide spread, i can only ever get good groups with TAP hornady rounds, anything else it spits out into wide groups. but with that on a soccom m1a im shooting 300 through the same hole . just a suggestion to try that bullet, or the seirra matchking. you also may want to swap the piston, and spring guide rod, that really improved my groups.
if your a traditionalist and like shooting the rifle as is i have a few points to make.
the mosin nagant is a good rifle, very dependable, but it can get heavy, and as they were intended as troop rifles, having it lay on sand bags or shooting while sitting is not out of the question. people were sitting in trees using these, and laying in dirt/snow ( thats how i typically shoot is lay down or sitting). standing i can be accurate, but my mosin is rather heavy due to its front bipod (look at my sig if your curious)
mainly the focus you need to worry about is getting consistent groups. try holding your breath and releasing it right before you pull the trigger, and dont be scared of the recoil as my dad would say. lean into it while standing or sitting , give good leg brace points, and fire. the more stable you are when shooting the better the groups
@slamfire, your shots are rather wide spread, i can only ever get good groups with TAP hornady rounds, anything else it spits out into wide groups. but with that on a soccom m1a im shooting 300 through the same hole . just a suggestion to try that bullet, or the seirra matchking. you also may want to swap the piston, and spring guide rod, that really improved my groups.
Ideaman, enjoy your pictures brings back lot of memories. I enlisted 1960 and I made started team Hawaii 4th Marines later part 1963 I shot a qualified 247 and I lost those points on rapid fire. We shot off-hand,kneeling,sitting and prone with a sling varies yardage 50rd @ 5point max total 250.
I missed being in line outfit so didn't put the effort shooting so got back my Co and I made the landing with 4th at Chu-Lai 1965, I extend my enlist 1yr so spent 5yrs before getting out.
I missed being in line outfit so didn't put the effort shooting so got back my Co and I made the landing with 4th at Chu-Lai 1965, I extend my enlist 1yr so spent 5yrs before getting out.