prone rifle technique

[fernie kazam]

When I fire from a surported prone position I usally have the tip of the stock on the rest and my front hand just behind the rest holding the stock downwards.

I was told this was wrong and i should have my front hand in a fist under the rear sling swivel. So I gave it a go with my Weatherby and found I could hold the rifle much steadier but when I pulled the trigger the rifle kicked high off the rest into the air and i missed.

Is there something I'm missing? Should i also be holding onto the sling or something like that? I like this new way because I can hold the rifle steadier but why does it kick up so much?

 

[stubbicatt]

The advice you received is what I usually do. I guess though that it didn't work in your case.

This is an example that shows that you have to use techniques that work for YOU.

 

[Billy_H]

I recently read about a technique that I'm going to have to try at my next range trip. In the discussion I read it was related to shooting from a bipod but it would work here as well I'd imagine.

Basically it was to have the sling tightened enough that it didn't contact the ground, but did hang slack between the sling mounts. Before firing you pass your hand between the sling and rifle stock, reaching back towards your shoulder/butt of the rifle. Your elbow/arm should be resting on the sling, hovering above the ground. This should allow the sling to support the weight of much of your upper body and keep the muzzle down as you shoot of the rest.

Like I said, I've not tried this yet myself but a lot of people had very good things to say about it. They did say it felt a bit strange at first but they quickly got used to it.

 

[daniel (australia)]

The technique of using the weak hand as a rear support, making a fist around the rear swivel, works with a heavy rifle that doesn't recoil much - a 12+lb 7.62 for example. As you've found it works rather less well for a light sporter, especially one which also has a bit of recoil, as the unrestrained recoil jump means the point of impact is significantly different from that experienced with the lying unsupported position.

The better technique I've found is in fact neither of the methods you've described. Instead try adopting a comfortable lying position behind your rest. Place the back of your weak-hand wrist on the rest (in fact the more of your forearm and hand in contact with the rest the better), then place the rifle forearm in your hand just as you would in the lying unsupported position, holding it lightly between thumb and forefinger. You should find with ths method that you have a good steady position, and, imortantly, point of impact is the same as from lying unsupported (and, at least in my case, sitting too).

HTH