"Jack knife" shooting position

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.38 Special

.38 Special

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I first came across the term in an Elmer Keith book, and from his description I took it to mean this variation on a sitting position. I used it quite a bit in the field and it became perhaps my favorite "all around" position. It occurred to me this morning that I had always assumed that this is what Elmer meant but didn't really know for sure, and when I searched for "jack knife shooting position" (side note: searching for "jack knife position" gets you pictures of colorectal surgery) essentially nothing came up.

So, is anyone else familiar with the term? Is the above pictured position an example of it, or something else?
 
never heard it called that before. but i've shot like that many times, and also found if possible, it's best to rest the forearm on your kneecap without your arm in between. and depending, you can get a lot more stable with both knees for front and rear support. however, that position and beer bellies are mutually exclusive
 
Never heard the term but like taliv, I’ve used it because it just feels natural. I try to avoid bone to bone contact because it is less stable and instead try to put my forearm just in front of my knee while holding my other arm.

Love that picture of Hathcock too! Makes me want a heavy barreled Winchester in 30-06. I always come back to a rifle like that with a modern optic.
 
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I use almost the same stance in the field and when practicing for the hunt. My stance modifies that one in the picture because I sit more at about a 35-40 degree angle to the target, and I wedge my left support arm against the right side of my right leg for stability.
 
I’ve used the stance hunting when I had nothing to brace against and the terrain was unfavorable to prone.

Never heard it called jackknife, but I can see that being a good description.
 
LoonWulf said:
I've also use that basic position quite a bit for field shooting, But never knew if it actually had a name.
Click to expand...

Hell, it might not. Elmer may just have called it whatever he liked, or I may have misread Elmer. Some anonymous internet guy calls it the "sniper's cradle" which probably was made up on the spot. Cooper would probably have called it one of the "jackass positions", not really derogatorily.

If no one really knows, I guess Elmer might as well have the honor of naming it.
 
Except Elmer may have been talking about a different position. Some that I think more closely resemble a jackknife is the semi prone position most people wind up in when trying to shoot off a steep slope like a hill or rooftop, where their body is laying head up and feet down on the slope but they’re shooting downhill
 
.38 Special said:
View attachment 1012565

I first came across the term in an Elmer Keith book, and from his description I took it to mean this variation on a sitting position. I used it quite a bit in the field and it became perhaps my favorite "all around" position. It occurred to me this morning that I had always assumed that this is what Elmer meant but didn't really know for sure, and when I searched for "jack knife shooting position" (side note: searching for "jack knife position" gets you pictures of colorectal surgery) essentially nothing came up.

So, is anyone else familiar with the term? Is the above pictured position an example of it, or something else?
Click to expand...

Thats a cool picture of a Great man! I never heard of the "Jack Knife Position" but like most of you, I have used similar positions.
 
Great photo great guy.
Look a little closer, here's that right arm just hanging out there, theirs that right leg just laying there, bringing the leg up and placing it where the elbow can utilize it as an additional support is a far more supportive position, additionally taking the support elbow off the knee cap and either allowing it to come between the arc of the support arm, or positioning it in front of the knee will also assist in forming a more stable shooting platform.
 
In my units, we always referred to that as a "cradled" shooting position. Namely, because you are cradling the rifle in the crook of your arm and legs. Probably not an official or technical name. But in exercises when someone said "shoot cradle" this is what we did.
 
Well there are a few more things odd about that pic...fluted barrel without a front sight. Don't know who been editing that but somebody did.
 
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