Double rifle training with dress rehearsal

[Backyardsniper]

I took the double rifle out today to do a dress rehearsal for the hunt. I like to test all my gear the same way I will be using it in the field. A wise friend of mine once said "anything you fail to prepare for will present itself at the most inopportune time" so I like to try to catch as many issues as I can before hand.
Today's training was as follows
Life size buffalo target at 50 yards off sticks 2 shots well aimed with about 1.5-2 seconds in between followed by a reload and two offhand followup shots as fast as I could fire them.
Sporting clays placed at roughly elephant height, or as high as I could get them anyway, on trees to represent a target the size of an elephants brain. These were shot at 25 yards offhand only. It was 2 targets approx 10 feet apart. This was to represent a frontal brain shot and then in the event of a miss, transitioning to the target beside it for a side brain as the elephant turns to depart.
This was done after a 2 mile walk around the farm in all the same hunting gear I would wear on the hunt and I also added in a little fun at the end by firing a fast off hand pair at the buffalo from 40 yards then reloading and sprinting in to a 25yard marks from the "elephant" targets and engaging them.

 

[Backyardsniper]

Here is the first pair off the sticks and a way too rushed set of follow ups. The follow ups were still in the kill zone but not awesome. Here is the second pair off the sticks with the first follow up being just above the two pair and the second barrel was just to the left slight behind the lungs.

 

[Backyardsniper]

Here is the view from the vitals. All of the shots off the sticks were at the top of the heart. The two shots up higher in the lungs that are parallel to each other was the fast offhand pair from 40 yards

Here also is my set up for the "elephant brain" targets

 

[norfolk shooter]

@Backyardsniper that sounds like sound training program to me. Might be an idea to increase the walk before hand.
I tend to mow the lawn with my rifle on a sling before a trip. (I don't have a ride on but have a good sized lawn (I kinda like the walk)). Always funny when the postman comes to the gate to be greeted by me and a rifle strapped to my back.
Funny because in the UK not many people mow their lawn carrying a rifle

 

[Backyardsniper]

@Backyardsniper that sounds like sound training program to me. Might be an idea to increase the walk before hand.
I tend to mow the lawn with my rifle on a sling before a trip. (I don't have a ride on but have a good sized lawn (I kinda like the walk)). Always funny when the postman comes to the gate to be greeted by me and a rifle strapped to my back.
Funny because in the UK not many people mow their lawn carrying a rifle

Yep I'm gonna up the volume on the walking. Carrying that double around with no sling is something to get used to. I'm about to hit the road with the doggies here in a minute and get a few miles in. Time for this hunt is closing in. I'm glad I have the loads figured out for that double. My Blaser barrel arrives Tuesday so I will have to start working up a load for it. I will moat likely go back to the farm.and run through the same scenarios with it once I get it up and running.

 

[rinehart0050]

Nice training regimen! I bet your safari can't get here soon enough!

 

[Backyardsniper]

Nice training regimen! I bet your safari can't get here soon enough!

I can't wait. I have almost collected all the gear I need. I still have to purchase a nicer camera and I need to buy that pelican 1700 and the pelican 1200 for the ammo. I'm glad I waited on the gun case though. I would have bought a 1750 but who knew I would end up with 2 rifles that break down. I think that is going to make the traveling much more pleasant. Dalton talked me into taking the charter flight instead of going by road. I think that will be fun as well. We are still going to come out of the field a day early and overnight at AmanzI before we fly home.

 

[gillettehunter]

I like it. Being properly prepared is half of the battle. You PH will be glad to have you. Well done.
Bruce

 

[AZDAVE]

@norfolk shooter You will just have to tell the postman that you have some tough rabbits in the Mrs's garden to deal with