Steadying your rifle?

Mostly I shoot off hand because the distances are pretty close and I have one of those scope things. I have knelt and used my knee, I've used a fence as a rest and I've leaned against a tree.
My two longest shots were about 250yds, both were standing just like we practice at the range.

For target practice at long range, which is 600yds at my rifle range, I shoot sitting or prone.
 
Depends on what I am shooting. My varmint rig has an extendable Harris bipod. Most shots with that gun are >50 yards, I have plenty of time and the terrain is open and flat. For deer hunting I use a Rem 11-87 with a Bushnell Banner 3-9. Most shots are <50 yards and so are off-hand or using my knees if I happen to be sitting on the ground.

A good bi-pod is plenty steady enough for shots to AT LEAST 450 yards on woodchuck sized animals. If any given shooter isn't steady enough prone with a good bi-pod then what is needed is more practice or better technique not better equipment. For standing shots on larger targets at long range a good extendable shooting stick is as good as it gets.
 
A wise man once said something to the effect of "if you can get closer to your target, get closer. If you can get lower to the ground, get lower". In essence, the hunter will usually benefit from a closer, more stable shooting position. There are times when using a rest such as a bipod or shooting sticks would be a very wise choice so, by all means, develop those skills.

As a rifleman and hunter please do yourself a huge favor and make sure you have developed the basic skills as well. There are numerous great books and lots of people who can help you with from, slings, etc. The more work you can put into those, the more success you will have.
 
When bone touches bone it wobbles and isn't steady. Put the fleshy part near the elbow on the kneecap. Or put the actual elbow bone on the fleshy part near the kneecap.
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That makes perfect sense, but I'd never heard it expressed exactly that way. Basically you ARE trying to get as much of a bone-to-bone interface as possible that reaches from the gun to the ground but without getting bones directly on bones such that there's only "wobbly" skin between them.
 
You have asked a great question.

Actually,the old NRA youth small bore that JFK supported so well is a great approach to prone,sitting,kneeling and standing.The position shooting is where to learn marksmanship.

As far as how to steady the rifle,might be backwards.It will hold still if you let it.
There was a tread a while back on shooting offhand.If you acheive a natural stance where your rifle wants to be pointed at the target (natural point of aim)and your bones are lined up to support your weight,and you have your head erect,so you do not tilt the gyros in your inner ears,you can get pretty steady.Then,you learn to only press on the trigger when the sights are getting closer....

In the field,about 3 handfuls of rice in a plastic bag,put inside a GI green cushionsole sock and knotted up to make a small "ricebag" is light,handy,and you can eat it.Put it on a rock,log,fencepost.etc
Learn to use your gear.I have a ruck I can place in my lap and rest on sitting.If I swing my 2 qt canteen over my thigh sitting,my elbow rests well on it.Prone over the pack,etc.Use what you have.
Often,getting above vegetation is a trick,prone does not always work.

At the final moment,the crosshairs are holding steady enough on target,you KNOW the shot will hit.No poke and hope.Get steadier or get closer,and likely you will have no regrets.
 
if it's within 100 yards, it's toast, even offhand...past that, not so much
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I think that we should all strive to meet this 100 yard standard. If both you and your rifle can cut the mustard at 100 yds., 90 percent of your shots will be easy.(without a rest)

I think that if you can't take your given rifle and hit a pie plate off hand at 100 yds., you probably won't be able to take a rest and hit one at 200 yds..

Beyond 100 yds., or whatever your pie plate range is, a rest becomes pretty important. A rest can also be hard to find depending on where you're hunting. We hunt a lot in the sagebrush, and if you go prone or even sitting, you often lose your view.

I've been messing around with shooting sticks for a few years now, and have learned that there is a skill to be developed just to use them effectively. I've got a collapsible mono-pod that is just barely better than off-hand for me. Bi-pods are much better, and having someone to pack it for ya would be the best.;) jd
 
Remember that bone never touches bone--such as elbow on knee cap.
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That's a new one on me. I've always heard/seen/read/been taught/experienced exactly the reverse...
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Same here...never heard that before.

I was always taught that flesh-to-flesh or flesh-to-bone will always pulse and/or quiver and/or wobble.

Bone-to-bone support is always what a marksman strives for...because because bone is solid and therefore inherently stable and steady.
 
Thank you again!!!

I have learned alot from this post and will continue to digest all of your information...

Thank you all!!!

:)
 
That makes perfect sense, but I'd never heard it expressed exactly that way. Basically you ARE trying to get as much of a bone-to-bone interface as possible that reaches from the gun to the ground but without getting bones directly on bones such that there's only "wobbly" skin between them.
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I'd say that's accurate.

I've killed one deer from the standing position. Not much choice, he was only 15 yds. First deer AND biggest deer I ever killed--but that's another story.


Others were killed with a rest. Usually just dropping to sitting position and using hasty sling. This position is quick to get into, and much steadier than offhand.

I live in Nevada, where cross canyon shots, uphill, downhill, and open country are the rule, but thick stuff not out of the question.

It's easy to see how some conditions offer little choice but close range, offhand.
 
On the bone to bone thing, I was taught that one strives for bone support and muscle relaxation. This does not address the actual contact patch. In the four basic positions taught in the USMC, there really isn't an opportunity for a bone on bone mating surface if you're in the position as it was intended to be used.
I have never used a bipod or shooting sticks in the field. I consider them unnecessary encumbrances, though I realize many swear by them. I prefer to use whatever presents itself in the field at the time.
 
I was taught that one strives for bone support and muscle relaxation
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No matter how relaxed your muscles are, there will always be a certain amount of "pulse" in muscle.
As for the four basic shooting positions, they ALL rely upon contact with either the elbow, knee and sometimes the hip.

The elbow has very little muscle around it as does the inner and top part of the knee. In the standing position, many competition shooters will tuck their elbow in the hip area which also close to the skin surface.

prone_position.gif
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No matter how relaxed your muscles are, there will always be a certain amount of "pulse" in muscle.
As for the four basic shooting positions, they ALL rely upon contact with either the elbow, knee and sometimes the hip.

The elbow has very little muscle around it as does the inner and top part of the knee. In the standing position, many competition shooters will tuck their elbow in the hip area which also close to the skin surface.
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Hmmm, OK. No matter how textbook perfect one's position, there will always be a heart beating within your chest trying to kick you off the black at the 500 meter line. You have to try to reduce the effects of accuracy robbing variables, like gravity...
The idea is that the bone is rigid, and one should attempt to create a structure with the body's bones that utilizes that rigidity, like stacking a scaffold of bones up from the ground to the weapon. This is what you referred to earlier. This concept can be seen in all 4 of the positions, when correctly executed. Those illustrations of the hunter actually are horrible representations of each position's form. When the muscles are relaxed, this reduces tension. When they are contracted, or flexed, they create stresses that cause the muzzle to waver.
 
Shooting dear,

I've killed several dear that were under 60-75 yards with offhand shots. Further than that and the dear are most likely feeding or walking you should be able to look around and find a solid rest. In my experience, usually the longer the range, the more time you have, look around, find a good rest and take your time. check your breathing and squeeeeeze the trigger. Bam, venison in the freezer!
 
Interesting. I am active duty Navy and I compete in the Fleet Forces and All Navy Matches. The Marine Det that shoots with my team would be the first to tell you: when it comes to shooting and how to set up a shot, the first thing is always to settle on bone to bone support when "building" your firing position. They tell me that this is taught at basic.
 
Well, I'm a relatively new hunter, Only within the past year... so I am wondering how everyone steady's their rifle for shots in the field??

Do you all just hold them? Brace against something? Bipod? Carry a stick?

Any ideas for steadying your rifle on longer shots would be appreciated?

Thank you in advance.
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All of the above, and then some.

It all depends on where I'm hunting, and for what.

At closer ranges, I'll just lift the rifle and shoot, many times. Sitting, and resting my elbows on my knees while holding the rifle, or just resting the rifle across a knee has given my pretty good results, too. In fact, this is the position I do most shooting from.

In open country, while hunting antelope or other such critters, I'll oft-times put a bi-pod on my rifle. It allows for near bench-rest accuracy in open areas where you can lay down or sit where you otherwise wouldn't find much to use for a rest.

In mountain country, I'll leave the bi-pod at home. I might carry shooting sticks, but not likely. Instead I'll stop and glass where there's a rock, stump, log, or other thing(s) I can use for a rest. A stetson laid over such an object works pretty well to steady a rifle for a long shot.

Daryl
 
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