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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,200 Likes: 23
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,200 Likes: 23 |
Dry firing does replicate the actual thing really well imo.It costs nothing, has little effect on the rifle and will help any type of shooting.Also..I have never really understood how a longer, more balanced rifle helps much in awkward shooting positions. I do better with a carbine sized rifle everytime, a longer, heavier rifle is harder for me to stabilize and hold for a longer period of time.The effect of gravity is more of an issue as the weight is further from my body...Just me and I suppose shotgunners would say differently.Just putting it out there, folks. I agree. I've shot a lot of shotgun and still agree with you. I like a rifle to feel well balanced in the hands, not front end heavy. Back in my trap shooting days, I had a terrible habit of dropping the barrel right before I called for the bird when using a heavy barreled trap gun. Thus, the reason I gave them up and went back to my old faithful left hand Remington 870 with a 28" barrel. I think it really depends on a persons shooting style, how much they've actually hunted, what rifles and shotguns they've used in the field and what they have become proficient with. The best "hunting" rifle I had for shooting offhand was a factory sporterized m1917 made by BSA in 1951. It was fairly heavy (9.5 pounds scoped), but balanced right. Best offhand group shot with that one (with the aide of a sling) was 1.057" for 5 shots. When I buy a rifle, that's one of the first things I do, is test it in the offhand position to see how it's going to handle in hunting situations. Here's a target fired with my left hand Remington 760. Not the best, but acceptable for a quick handling deer and elk rifle:
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,930
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,930 |
My best 3 shot group off hand @ just over 100yds, Leupold 2.5x Marlin 1895G. I was aiming at the top point of the steel. RP Brass WLR Primers 300gr Laser Cast 25grs IMR-sr4759 - scooped with Lee dipper, did not weigh I had 4 rounds left so I shot them making a 7 shot group. The round low right was round #5.
When I die I hope I don't start voting democrat.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,200 Likes: 23
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,200 Likes: 23 |
Heath, that's about the perfect size steel plate to practice offhand shooting at 100 yards. Looks like you are doing just fine..
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 11,517 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 11,517 Likes: 2 |
Best three shot group?
I have seen a guy shoot 20 consecutive shots into a 6" 10 ring at 200 yards. Not me.
The best I ever did involved 16 out of 20 shots into a 12" 5-ring at 200 with an M1 Garand when I was young. That was enough to take 6th Master in the Navy cup at Camp Perry years ago.
Don't blame me. I voted for Trump.
Democrats would burn this country to the ground, if they could rule over the ashes.
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,930
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,930 |
Heath, that's about the perfect size steel plate to practice offhand shooting at 100 yards. Looks like you are doing just fine.. Thanks I was pretty pleased as I've honestly not really done much off hand shooting at 100yds or farther. I need to do more of it.
When I die I hope I don't start voting democrat.
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,813
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,813 |
Pick a spot on the wall, snap the rifle up again and again until the sights are aligned and on the spot when the gun comes up. Look at the spot, close your eyes, bring the gun up, open your eyes. On target? Do it all enough and just looking at something will seal its fate. Grab a rifle and dry fire quickly on yard Deer, rabbits, spot on a tree trunk, leaf, center of a car wheel, etc. Come real time you should be fine. Gangster style. Should we pick out any particular car passing by if we start dry firing on car wheels? I'll bet the mexicano's around here would [bleep] them selves... . I like your idea though.. If you are going to try it, best advice I can give is to stand way back away from the window😀
Last edited by battue; 06/11/16.
laissez les bons temps rouler
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 29,786
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 29,786 |
The most fun I can manage with a firearm is wandering about the sand-hills and shooting rabbits from my hind legs with a cannon and open sights...22's don't really do it for me, but 270 and up works just fine on the fun-o-meter.
It just amuses the heck out of me and has the advantage of not having to pick anything up.
These are my opinions, feel free to disagree.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 31,635 Likes: 5
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 31,635 Likes: 5 |
"from my hind legs"
LOL! We used to all get a laugh from my dear ol' mom who was pretty much crippled, when she would say "that one hind leg of mine ain't working right today!"
Founder Ancient Order of the 1895 Winchester
"Come, shall we go and kill us venison? And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools, Being native burghers of this desert city, Should in their own confines with forked heads Have their round haunches gored."
WS
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 152,105 Likes: 33
Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 152,105 Likes: 33 |
It helps to have a light trigger when shooting offhand.
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,419
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,419 |
Here's a decent bull I killed in Colorado in 2004 with a muzzleloader off hand at 96 yards. old bull with lots of mass but short tines! http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/picture.php?albumid=51&pictureid=351
A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand but touches your heart !!!
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 152,105 Likes: 33
Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 152,105 Likes: 33 |
Rabbits are great offhand practise
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,955 Likes: 10
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,955 Likes: 10 |
Living in the extensive west, I can't remember that last time I took an offhand shot at anything. Sitting, kneeling, standing with a rest, or prone. I near always have a bipod, pack frame, or walking stick that I'll use for support.
1Minute
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,200 Likes: 23
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,200 Likes: 23 |
Living in the extensive west, I can't remember that last time I took an offhand shot at anything. Sitting, kneeling, standing with a rest, or prone. I near always have a bipod, pack frame, or walking stick that I'll use for support. I don't really think it matters where you live. However, when I lived due south from you which might also be considered "extensive west" as well, I shot a lot in the offhand position because I didn't like laying down in the sticker bushes and if I did, couldn't see over the sagebrush anyways...
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 10,776
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 10,776 |
I shoot lots of Jack rabbits offhand each winter. Has helped on several quick Mule deer off hand shots.
A true sportsman counts his achievements in proportion to the effort involved and fairness of the sport. - S. Pope
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 14,740 Likes: 4
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 14,740 Likes: 4 |
If you want to learn how to shoot offhand.....join the NRA and shoot NRA HP!!
Don't shoot the 'rat gun' however! Choose the NRA Match Rifle category!!
Even birds know not to land downwind!
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,168
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,168 |
I have a moose hunt here in a month so I have been shooting off hand, and standing, kneeling and sitting with sticks all summer.
I typically shoot at 8" gongs at 100 (for unsuported) and 200 and 300 yds with the sticks.
The sticks make a big difference in what I can hit
I probably should do some more prone too, but I have been working up an F-class rifle so I have had my fill of laying on my belly.
The collection of taxes which are not absolutely required, which do not beyond reasonable doubt contribute to public welfare, is only a species of legalized larceny. Under this Republic the rewards of industry belong to those who earn them. Coolidge
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,494
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,494 |
If you want to learn how to shoot offhand.....join the NRA and shoot NRA HP!!
Don't shoot the 'rat gun' however! Choose the NRA Match Rifle category!! LOL. Hard to change our opinions as we age. All of us. Regardless, NRA HP or Silhouette, both make you better shots for sure. Even if you don't have the sweatshirt, shooting coat, shooting glasses etc... out in the field that you do on the range. Always felt that cross training silhouette did a lto more for my HP offhand than anything so these days if I wanted to play and practice for offhand only I'd shoot silhouette rather than HP.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 297
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 297 |
This may sound odd to some. I did a trigger job and scoped a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun just to practice off-hand shooting and trigger squeeze. I shoot inside my garage at about 25 feet, five shoots every day. I was amazed how bad an off-hand shot I was a couple of years ago when I started. And how much my groups have shrunk now. While hunting in Texas I took a really nice Whitetail buck from the off-hand position. It was a rather quick shot in some thick brush. I'm convinced that had I not had that garage practice I would not have been successful. I had gotten away from shooting off-hand and used everything in the book for a rest. I think this little BB gun practice has really helped.
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 5,050 Likes: 7
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 5,050 Likes: 7 |
My offhand practice is squirrel hunting with a 22 and trying to get head shots.
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