Exercises for shooting heavy guns off hand

[Vashper]

Matt

Basically i shoot competition trap with a fairly heavy gun (12lbs). And to be good you need to be consistent on every gun mount with a smooth follow through and trigger pull.

To develop Proper Mounting of your gun and holding it in place for about 5 sec looking through your sights at a fixed point, making a smooth move to a second fixed point and squeezing the trigger on your target with a dummy round in the chamber (snap cap).

If you did not mount the gun correctly, you need to take the set up down and do it over. Now do this 25 times before setting the gun down, now take 5 min break and do the process again for 25 time, do this for a total of 125 mounts. This is one set.

Start out with one set and progress up to 3 full sets (300 to 375 mounts).

What you will do is:
1. you develop proper mounting style.
2. you develop a smooth trigger pull.
3. you develop a smooth unloading and loading technique.
4. you develop arm and back muscles.
5. you develop good breathing technique.
6. you develop good follow through.
7. you will develop a smooth natural gun mount to look through your scope or down you sight with out having to move your head around.
8. you will learn to stay in the gun after you pull the trigger by doing this.

Great stuff!
I remember a long time ago, in military school, I didn't have a very good result with a pistol. Since the arms were stored in the shooting gallery, we trained in the barracks with an iron. It was still metal irons, with a wooden handle, but it helped.

 

[Rare Breed]

as I immerse my self more and more into the world of large bore DG rifles I find my self with a personal dilemma. shooting a light rifle accurately off is not an easy task and if you've mastered it then you have my respect (I have not by a long shot). but shooting a heavy DG off hand adds a whole new level of challenge. many DG rifles can easily weight 9.5 to 12 pounds which for someone who is not in the greatest physical shape (me) can be a bear to hold steady on target unsupported for any decent length of time.

so to combat this issue ive come up with a very simple exercise which appears to be helping.

1. grab the heaviest gun you own. for best results use a gun heavier then what you hunt with, add weight if needed.
2. set a timer for 1 minute and shoulder the rifle taking aim at a small eye level object about 10 feet away. maintain sight picture on the target without shifting the gun for the duration of the minute.
3. after the timer sounds set the gun down for 15-30 seconds.
4. repeat steps 2 and 3 two more times.

if your left arm does not feel like its on fire half way threw the third round of this exercise then either your gun isn't heavy enough or you need to add another minute. I use a black powder musket that weighs 11.5 pounds and is rather muzzle heavy. the whole exercise takes me about 5 minutes and my left arm is thoroughly exhausted by the end. I do this exercise every day after dinner and while progress has been slow, it has been getting easier to hold the musket up.

so, am I the only out of shape hunter here or do you guys have similar tricks for building up muscle needed for a proper hunt?

-matt

Love the idea and while I am in great shape I still am very poor off hand shooting. Thanks

 

[Rare Breed]

One other thing to consider when one has to shoot off-hand is to use the sling to provide extra support.

Agree. I bought the type sling your elbow slides inside of and is a huge help versus the regular sling type goer my 450-400 DR

 

[SaintPanzer]

Agree. I bought the type sling your elbow slides inside of and is a huge help versus the regular sling type goer my 450-400 DR

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[rdog]

Gee i thought getting lighter rifles was the answer but seriously at 75 i have had both shoulders repaired & have a fused left wrist its getting harder to hold up a rifle i need to get serious about an exercise program.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

The secret in training is consistency, and that is hard to do if it is just donkey work. So adding a weight to your normal routine activity or something that is easy to just do sub consciously is useful.
Don't forget stamina too, walk a lot. My last hunt I was unfit and weak, it was really tough going.

 

[Nevada Mike]

I have a heavy 10-1/2 lb. Remington .22 513T target rifle that I shoot off hand for 15 or so shots everyday. Target is a pistol target at about 35 yards. Helps everything a lot.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

My doc came up with one that strengthens the back, the arms and the wrists all at the same time. Get a piece of broomstick about a foot long. Tie a piece of rope to the middle and tie a bag of sand weighing what you can tolerate, maybe about a kg or so, to the other end. With your arms out straight wind the bag up and down with your hands.