Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Who practises offhand with their double rifle?

Does anyone shoot cast bullets for their double?
Do you avoid destroying them, keep from shooting many rounds and practise with other rifles instead?

All the time for practice. Both offhand and on the sticks. Occasionally at the bench just to check zero.
Rick

Not double rifles but I like to shoot! Anytime that I went to the rifle range with my big game rifles I would shoot from the bench for groups but I ALWAYS shot 20 rds, off hand to keep me sharp. Many times with cast lead bullets-----Cheaper and easier on the barrel!

Hip

I owned a couple of doubles, I shot quite a bit offhand. I had a range set up in a hollow on my farm. My favorite targets were pumpkins. We had a auction nearby where we bought and sold quantity lots of produce. I would buy a bin of cull small pumpkins. I'd tie them to tree branches with bale rope and set them to swinging different ways, back off and burn powder. A 9.3x74 will make pumpkin pie filling fly. Surprisingly sometimes, the bullet would zip through with almost no effect.

I miss being able to walk out back and shoot.
Bfly

Off hand. The 500NE is too unpleasant fired from a sitting bench-rest position, prone or even rested on the side of a post. I shoot off a standing rest if testing for accuracy/regulation of loads.

I brought my 450NE to the indoor range a couple of weeks ago and shot a couple of rounds offhand at 35yds just for the experience and to get familiar with the 'real thing" feeling.I plan on doing so again and again in the future just to become more used to it.As far as bolt rifles go I load 50 reduced Lott cast loads and lately been shooting them every week at 50 yds offhand.Even these cast loads wear down the barrel and rifle.

It must be nice to open up the front door at your work place and pick off targets.Gets some fresh air too! The sound of gunfire will keep everyone awake and in shape.

As well as practice shooting in the positions I'll use in the field, I practice quickly reloading. This can be done "dry" with made-up dummy rounds, or done live. Dumping the empties (my double is non-ejector) and dropping in two more rounds should be a matter of muscle memory. It has come in handy.

The thing with doubles is that they need to be accurate enough for both barrels to shoot within 3 t0 4 inches max at 50yds.If you shoot them a lot and groups open up more than that, it is not as easy and very expensive to rebarrel.

While all of your offhand shooting is not required with your double…..it is designed for rapid use, up close and personal shooting. The shooter should practice a lot to be very efficient for fast target acquisition with his/her firearm.

Perhaps an inexpensive double shotgun, modified with added weight to somewhat replicate the handling characteristics of your double could be of help! Just a thought. memtb

After I've found a good regulating load and sight in at 50 yards, I use gallon jugs at 50, 25, 15 and ten yards. two shots at 50 and 25 each then one at 15 and one at ten as fast as I can aim and shoot. Off hand of course

2" at 50yards is what we consider good regulation down here. My 500NE is not far off 2" even at 100yards.

Beautiful shot with your Double

Lately my routine is 22lr,308win cast,458 Lott cast, sporting clay target shotgun and once in a while a few (very few) hunting loads with my doubles.Rifle shooting is done at 50yds offhand.