Shooting Sporters: Shooting in the field

[RugerOldArmy]

A humbling experience today. I could use tips on practice shooting in the field.

I went to the range today with:

- 1/2-1/3 MOA .270 Win. Sporter with a great trigger (1 lb.) and a 6x24 Mil-Dot scope. This rifle shoots three shot groups you could cover with a dime, from the bench. Maybe 7.5 lbs total. I brought some lights-out shooting 160 Gr. Nosler partition loads.

- a 2 MOA .54 Hawken replica muzzleloader with a 1 1/4" 36" heavy barrel, that is nose heavy. Double set triggers, maybe 8 Oz.. Maybe 10-11lbs total weight, nose heavy. I was shooting 110 Gr. Swiss fffg and a .535 roundball with a pillow-ticking cut patch. Iron sights, buckhorns.

- A nearly 12 lbs, heavy barrel .308 Mauser, that shoots really, really well with 44.5 Gr RL-15 and 175 Gr SMK. Single set trigger, maybe 1 lb. Nikon Tactical scope 4x15x50mm Mil Dot.

I used the same form and fundamentals shooting.

Offhand, I shot:

- 2.5 inch groups @100 with the muzzleloader.
- 2 inch groups with the .308 Win
- 10" groups with the .270 Win

I was very surprised to learn, I can't shoot a lightweight sporter offhand. I needed a nose-heavy barrel to steady my aim.

The problem: Elk hunt, and I want to shoot the .270 Win.

What is the issue with my form? How do you shoot lightweight rifles offhand? From a rest or a bipod this rifle has hit flies on the target at 100 yards!

I really want to use the .270! I've got this load nailed down to 400 yards, but I just can't seem to shoot this rifle offhand, which will likely be called for.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

BTW: I put the .270 on a rest. The same loads shot lights-out!

 

[gbran]

Try a sling and use it to steady your shots. Works for me.

 

[gbran]

Good site for sling use

http://landry-family.com/rifleman/sling.html

 

[daniel (australia)]

From what I've seen most people can't shoot hunting rifles very well off hand. Half the battle is realising that you can't, and then acting upon it. First of all there's practice of course, but the other thing is to avoid taking shots from the standing unsupported position if you can, unless a) the animal is close enough for the shot from that position to be a sure one and b) you have no other choice.

In my humble experience hunting here in Oz you almost always have more time than you think and every opportunity of using a better position or improvised rest, even if it is just braced against a handy tree. I'd be surprised if the same wasn't true in most places.

 

[eliphalet]

I will always find a rest of some kind if at all possible in the field. Anything you can find handy, from a tree, or limb, fence post, large rock, sit and rest your elbows on your knees, to prone, or just with your sling. Anything you can use to steady yourself use it. Standing shooting off hand can be hard and even harder if you have been exerting yourself a bit which is easy to do hunting elk or any animal for that matter unless your in a stand of some kind or still hunting.

 

[Rembrandt]

You're only good at what you practice......that's why so many people are terrible offhand, they spend too much time hunched over a bench. Buy some silhouette swinger targets, set them up at different yardages and practice with about 5000 rounds of .22 rimfire. Then shoot some smallbore silhouette matches and see the improvement. If possible try .22's at moving targets, you'll be amazed at what you can hit

 

[Skoghund]

For hunting i use a stalking stick. Its just a strait bit of hazel. Takes a bit of practice but it aids shooting off hand. Its true what Rembrandt says about shooting at moving targets. I practice a lot with the .308 on the running moose range.Great practice. We shoot a lot of game here on the move

 

[Art Eatman]

And that, kiddies, is why the lowly .22 rimfire is one of the most important rifles one can own. It should be as reasonably close to the same size, weight and trigger pull as your mostly-used hunting rifle.

One trick: You can't be a human benchrest, offhand. You have to learn to anticipate where the sights will be when your trigger finger actually presses the trigger. The problem is that there is the time lag between the time your brain says, "Do it!" and your finger actually moves. 0.2 seconds for the average homo sapiens.

Learning how to do that means a lot of shooting, and there's nothing less expensive than that lowly .22.

Art

 

[RugerOldArmy]

The issue is less: Having practiced to shoot offhand.

It seems more: Shooting offhand with a lightweight rifle.

With either of the nose-heavy, heavy barreled rifles, shooting offhand is _MUCH_ easier.

Sure, I'll take the best rest I can find, and will likely bring sticks or a bipod. But if need be, I'd like to be able to shoot the offhand shot better with the sporter.

I do have a sling, but it's not a shooting sling. I'll have to investigate that.

Thanks...

 

[eliphalet]

I do have a sling, but it's not a shooting sling. I'll have to investigate that

. A sling that is about right to carry the rifle over your shoulder as you hike can be used quite effectively as is. Get some one to show you how to wrap your arm around it and hold that gun a bunch steadier

What Art said about timing when your gun fires is very good advice. Get out with your 22 and shoot things off hand far enough to where you can't hold the sight on that target steady. Practice firing as the sight is on or just a hair before the target as you waver around. Soon you will be hitting what your shooting at at a much larger percentage than you thought you could. Then step up and work that with your 270.