Shooting Position

[AnthonyC.]

I was thinking a while back to when I was shooting my friend's .30-06 and .222, He could shoot both of them all day but when I shot the .222 for the first time I remember that the recoil suprised me. The .30-06 was just the same except about 5x harder...anyway I was thinking that I may have been holding the rifle recoil-pad in the wrong spot on my shoulder. I was holding it right in the fleshy part of my shoulder with the top of the recoil pad touching my bone. I am not sure if that is the proper way to shoot because I have never had to deal with recoil until now. I want to buy a Mosin Nagant, but I am afraid that the recoil will make me put it down with in the first 10-20 shots.....Could sombody tell me if I have a mistake in my shooting position or if I am just being a whimpy-girly-man????


Thanks,

Anthony

 

[elmerfudd]

You should be pulling it in snugly against your shoulder. If you are holding it correctly, and you don't have any injuries, there shouldn't be any pain when you shoot, at least not with a 30-06 or a Mosin Nagant. The rifle should be centered on your shoulder, and not braced against bone or the muscles of your arm.

 

[jpwilly]

a) Grip of the left hand - The grip on the rifle should be relaxed but at the same time exerting a slight rearward pressure. The left elbow should be placed directly under the rifle such that bones, and not the muscles of the arm support the rifle.
b) Rifle butt in the pocket of the shoulder - The firer must place the rifle butt into the pocket of the flesh which is formed in his right shoulder. The proper placement of the rifle butt lessens the effect of the recoil, helps steady the rifle and prevents the rifle butt from slipping.
c) Grip of the right hand - The firers right hand should grip the small of the stock firmly but not rigidly. a firm rearward pressure must also be exerted by the right hand to keep the rifle butt I the proper position in the pocket of the shoulder and to keep it secured enough against the shoulder.
d) Right elbow - This provides balance to the firer's position. When correctly positioned, the right elbow form a pocket flesh in the shoulder where it is rested.
e) Spot weld - It is the point of firm contact between the firer's cheek and thumb on the small of the stock. The firm contact between the head, hand, and rifle enables the head and weapon to recoil as one unit, thereby facilitating rapid recovery to proper firing position after every round is fired.
f) Breathing - If the firer continues his breathing while aiming, the movement of his chest will cause corresponding movement on his weapon. Initially, you should take a normal breath. You should not hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. Otherwise your vision will blur and the strain in your lungs will cause muscular tension.
g) Relaxation - You should be able to relax properly in each firing position. Undue muscular strain or tension causes a movement on the rifle.
h) Trigger control - The trigger finger should control the trigger at some point between the tip and second joint of the finger. The finger must not touch the side of the stock, as this will cause unnecessary pressure to be applied at a slight angle rather than the straight of the rear.

 

[NG VI]

Gonna subscribe to this thread...

for no particular reason, just so I can check 'er out later...

 

[AnthonyC.]

Well thanks for the info, I guess I was holding it to high......I am still going to get a mosin one of these days, I don't think the recoil will scare me off but if I want to tame it a little I could always get a slip on recoil pad for it.

 

[elmerfudd]

Every now and then I'll shoulder a rifle incorrectly and if it's a full power rifle with a steel butt plate it makes you instantly aware of your mistake. Most of the time I find it's a matter of catching my collarbone while shooting from the prone. Occasionally it's a matter of catching my arm, rather than my shoulder. I have a bad rotator cuff, so I tend to instantly notice that mistake as well.

Anyway, if you just get out and shoot a couple hundred rounds of full power cartridges over a period of three or four visits to the range, you'll develop a good sense of where the butt of the rifle should go and how to hold it so as to avoid pain and discomfort.

Buy the Mosin Nagant, and by the time you finish going through a sardine can of surplus ammo you shouldn't have anymore problems.