Thumb over or thumb under?

[Roadkill]

I took out four Milsurp 30-06 guns yesterday (1917 03, 1918 P17, 1943 03A3, 1944 Garand) and fired about 150 rounds. I haven't shot them in a while so I took only those so I wouldn't be tempted/distracted by my flashier toys. About the fifth time the recoil jammed my thumb in my nose I figured out that I must be doing domething wrong. Sgt York couldn't have done it this way. So what is correct? How were the soldiers of the time taught? Does your thumb go over the stock and you hold on tight or under/to the side? Course this doesn't apply to the Garand, its recoil system handles it.

rk

 

[Waffen]

Mine will sometimes slap my cheek a little. When it does do that, I am usually stretching my head around the rilfe, and not in propper form.

 

[P95Carry]

IIRC in most cases, thumb over. I do use scopes on pretty much everything tho and this seems to keep face and thumb a tad further apart!

I seem to remember on my Turk Mauser - in original form - I did place thumb to side. Now it is on a fugly ATI stock with scope - no probs.

So - I think is thumb over - except ..... where the furniture shape necessitates different. usuallt discovered after nose gets first whack!!

 

[sm]

I guess for me it depends.

Brought to my attention not long ago as a matter of fact. When I am "piddling and plinking" I may shoot thumbs over.

When I am shooting a rifle for speed, I use thumb along side. Yeah I know what am I doing shooting a Rifle...

I guess Gunny ( pick one) instilled something in me back when the earth was flat. Yeah I was doing the kneeling,sitting and prone, with a sling, shooting iron sighted rifles under timed fire. I was shooting single shot "method" . ( load one / shoot one).

When I am "running the bolt" thumbs on the side.

 

[P95Carry]

When I am "running the bolt" thumbs on the side.

Good point Steve - on reflection I realize that my fast shooting with Enfields was like this - had to imagine the sequence.

 

[sm]

Chris,
Exactly my point. Muscle memory kicked in. Training

I didn't even try shuck the darn guns, I even hit stationary targets.

Now even with the Fieldmaster later, "shucking and shooting" My thumb was on the side. I hit both the stationary and moving targets with that one. Of course they didn't tell me they were going to make the targets move...sneaky ,sneaky sneaky ...

 

[Soap]

I keep my thumb on the right side. I can work actions faster, have better trigger control, and I've never smacked my thumb into my nose.

 

[Art Eatman]

Getting a thumb in the nose generally means a lack of a good weld, and the shoulder is giving but the head is remaining stationary. And, "stock-crawling", getting the head too far forward.

If you're all "locked up" in your upper body, recoil is absorbed by a rocking back of the lower back and hips. And your nose doesn't get bonked.

No bloused eyebrow from a scope, either.

, Art

 

[30Cal]

For slowfire, I put the thumb over the stock--especially if it's got a straight grip like the M1903 where there's not much to hang onto. I usually end up with a mild shiner by the end of the day.

For speedy bolt manipulation, I put the thumb along the side of the stock. It's harder for me to get a consistant head position (same from shot to shot), but it helps make the rapid fire time limits.

Shooting with a tight sling will help as the forward hand will take almost half of the recoil.

Ty

 

[Roadkill]

Thanks, good information, based on comments provided I realized I shoot way too much with scopes, that's what my head (and nose) are too far forward for iron sights. Also 90% of the riles I shoot are a scoped DSA FAL, scoped Colt AR15, a scoped Anshutz .22, and a scoped Marlin 336. So my shooting skill is based on getting cross hairs on target and keeping them there. The Marlin is 30-30, no real recoil, the AR has minimal, the .22 none, and the FAL's scope is set so its not a problem plus its got a good recoil system. Put the same hold on an as issued 1903 with a full 30-06 load and off go the glasses, thumb in the nose, and concentration for the next round is not on the target.

rk

 

[win71]

I was taught by an old guy who learned in the Marines during the depression, was trained again after being drafted into the Army during ww ll, and again when his reserve unit was called up in Korea. Thumb on the right for bolts. He didn't say much about semi autos. The old guy did let me learn the hard way the first time though. Hard nosed drill sergeant type fathers are like that sometimes.

 

[mustanger98]

Now, I shoot left handed whether the rifle is or not. That said, I shoot several types of rifles. I usually have my left thumb laid along the left top of the grip. It just works for me.

Win. '94 .30-30: This rifle has a Lyman #2 tang sight so thumb-across don't even work.

M1: habit.

K98k: habit.

etc. etc. etc.

 

[rust collector]

I think I remember reading Jack O'Connor rant about people learning to shoot with the wrong grip because the 03 stock was too short. It and the props for Planet of the Apes don't seem to be set up for opposable thumbs. Try to grip the grip section of the stock and you run out of room.

Thumb alongside when it's too crowded, on the left otherwise for a secure hold. Safeties are on the right because it's easier to put them there, I suspect.

 

[usem]

To hell with what they suffered thru. I extend my stocks

enough that I can leave my thumb where it belongs.