CZ2506

OK. I've picked the style and caliber gun most suited for the animal and terrain I'm hunting. I've got my scope mounted and sighted in for the optimum range for my gun / caliber / conditions. I've worked up the most accurate load using a bullet that will give me the terminal performance that I want. I've shot off the bench until I'm comfortable with the recoil, trigger, sights, etc.
Now I need to practice for field conditions. I try to use a shooting stick whenever possible, but it's not always an option. Any one have any suggestions for practicing offhand shooting techniques?

Mike01

If you don't already have one, go ahead an get a sling, it will really improve your groups, as you can use it to pull your gun against your shoulder to steady it. Other then that, Get a dry fire snap cap (I just got one yesterday to practice dry firing) and simply practice. Put in like 30 minutes a day or so just dry firing in off hand position until you can get fairly steady, its the only way you'll improve over time.

rost495

One proven method is get a similar 22 and just shoot. 5000 rounds a year is nothing and costs about nothing.

Another is the mentioned dry firing. But one way to train the mind and eye and finger(don't laugh this really works no matter how stupid it sounds) is to get the rifle to the range on sand bags. Pull the trigger as soon as you are on target. Do it thousands of times. 10-20 minutes a day helps. You don't see the wobble because you are on bags basically. And you are training the eye to move the finger immediately as soon as its right. This is a super training tool for the offhand stages in matches I shoot. One reason offhand is hard is because you see all the movement. ITs hard to train around it. Best to basically make it a reflex that as it approaches the shot goes instantly. In offhand if you wait till you see it (the "perfect shot") and then try to do something you are way too late. Learning to either shoot it as it approaches or let your reflexes do it is best.

That being said if you were in the situation-- pin up pictures of deer around the yard or house and dry fire at them. With a centerfire you don't really need a snap cap either. Make them tiny too.

Practice live fire further than you would shoot. It makes the real shots seem easy. I practice my bow at 60 yards. The 20 yard shots are easy. I practice pistol at 50, shots closer are chip shots. I practice rifle out to 1000. 100 yards seems like a cake walk. So does 300 or 400.

Jeff

driftrider

The best thing you can do is put a sling on the rifle and learn how to make a "hasty sling." Go down to your local guns shop or club and as somebody to show you. If you know any Marines or soldiers, they could show you too. I'd try to explain it, but I'd probably confuse you. I've also seen the occational writeup with pictures on sling use in at least one recent gun magazine. It'll help a lot to steady your shots.

Other than that, shooting offhand is where all of the fundamental marksmanship skills play their most critical role. If your stance, aiming, breathing or trigger control, or combination thereof, aren't very good it'll show downrange shooting offhand. Practice is also very important, but all the practice in the world with crappy technique is an exercise in frustration in most cases. It is unfortunate that there aren't more affordable courses and instructors across the country to teach civilians basic rifle marksmanship technique. I can say that spending $250 on an NRA Rifle Course would be money well spent if you can find an instructor. I've often said that my dad taught me how to shoot a gun, the Marine Corps taught me good marksmanship and made me a rifleman. I was amazed when I realized just how bad a shot I was before I received formal training (though I wouldn't admit it!). Some people have a natural talent, but most of us benefit tremendously from training.

And lastly, don't get discouraged when you're not able to shoot as well as you'd like at first. Shooting offhand precisely is tough, especially when then range gets out to 100 yards and beyond. You'll hear stories, and read a few here from time to time, about someone who can put a bullet in a deer's ear canal at 300 yards from the offhand every time, how "easy" it is, and how anyone who can't has no business in the woods. Don't believe it, as almost all of these people are full of s***. If they weren't, they'd be untouchable world champion NRA High Power shooters. Realistically, if you can hit a 6" circle at 100 yards every time, you're doing a lot better than most, and if you can hit an 8" paper plate and whatever range all the time, you're good-to-go for all shots at deer or bigger at that range. Practical marksmanship is not about shooting tiny groups, it's about hitting what you're aiming at well enough to achieve the desired result.

Practice hard, shoot straight and good luck.

Mike

Doe Dumper

CZ I dont know ir its still on here but I made a post a couple of months back asking the same question and got like 2 or 3 pages of advice...some very good stuff in it. I can hit a 6 inch circle at 75 now almost every shot...lol..not great but getting better. That 7-08 is nice for that as it doesnt kick much.


I went back and found it...check out this thread...very good info!

http://forum.hunting.net/asppg/tm.as...1&key=&#928198

HighDesertWolf

just get your buddy to let you use his shoulder as a rest , lol he'd better cover his ears

CZ2506

Thanks for the link DD. Lots of good info. Pretty much confirms what I suspected; There is no substitute for practice. I'm pretty fortunate to have a farm with 1100 acres to work with. I have an enclosed bench and a 500 yd range with silhouette's, steel backstops with spot targets, wind indicators, yardage markers, clanger / spinner targets, sand trap for cans and plastic bottles etc. I also have a 1.25 mile woods trail for archery and I think I'll start putting up plinker targets for .22.

Rost, sounds like you hit on a little Zen thing, training the eye to see the target and crosshairs and block out the movement. I use a similar technique to swing a golf club. I going to start putting it to work on the range. Gotta learn to "be the bullet".

I just picked up a Marlin 39A .22 it's a little closer to weight of my A-Bolt than my 10-22.

Looking Fwd. to a fun summer of practice!

Thanks guys