Off-hand shooting

[Pheroze]

I spent time at the range today, proving to myself that I need to spend a great deal more. I am working on off-hand shots at 100 yards. Using my 308 Norma my routine is:

1. One round round is loaded. It is chambered and rifle on safe;
2. Off safe with the act of bringing the rifle to the shoulder;
3. Aim
4. Shoot
5. Keep finger on the trigger and pressed back until sight picture returns. This takes a moment with the recoil.
6. Keep at the shoulder to rack the bolt; and
7. Return to safe when rifle leaves the shoulder

I noticed the movement of the cross-hairs is a circle larger than the 8.5x11 paper target at 100 yards. So, I am trying to figure out how to reduce the basic movement of the rifle so that its pattern falls only on the target. I found moving my resting hand forward on the stock tended to help. But, is this just a matter of gaining strength and familiarity with the rifle?

The shots that struck the paper tended to be on the periphery. The last shot hit true to the one inch red square in the middle and I called it a day at that point. Shot about 25 rounds.

I restricted the routine to single shots to just find a technique that would work.

Any training tips would be appreciated. Thanks fellas.

 

[Timbo]

How about using a sling to firm up your set up? In my article on a truly amazing 404J I saw in Zim, it's owner (an old retired PH) gave my son some impromptu shooting lessons. One I'll never forget was to test your set up. Start by shouldering and setting yourself up, and then have someone beside the rifle slowly but firmly push downwards on the barrel about 6" from the end. When they try this and the rifle is difficult to move in your stance, you're at about as optimal in your set up as can be. It worked for my son, and his marksmanship improved.

 

[Jeffrey]

For off hand, try to get the elbow of your off side arm as close to directly beneath the receiver as possible. This will allow your skeleton to help your muscles the best.

 

[Fred Gunner]

How about using a sling to firm up your set up

My thoughts exactly
Either the Hasty Sling method:

Or My wife and I both have the Galco Ching sling on our rifles they work great:

We also spend three or four days each week dry firing standing unsupported. We place a quarter on the barrel just behind the front sight. The goal is to break the shot without disturbing the coin.

 

[BeeMaa]

Another point that most tend to overlook is stock fit and scope location.
If it comes up naturally, points naturally and your head and neck fall where they belong....

Proper shooting geometry is a must for the most unstable of shooting positions.
This isn't possible if the LOP is too long or short, the comb is wrong...etc.
Make sure your rifle is properly fitted.

For checking eye relief...
Put a little piece of painters tape on the stock and shoulder the rifle several times.
Each time have your wife make a small mark on the tape to indicate where your shooting eye is landing.
Once that has been determined, you need to find the eye relief on your scope.
Place a flashlight shining in through the out door and see where it focuses on a piece of paper on the eye end.
Measure that distance and match it up with the spot you marked earlier on the stock.
Mount the scope at the correct distance and now you will have proper eye relief.
You can never be too comfortable.

 

[BobT]

I had a similar routine when I was getting ready for my safari. Using my .375 I would shoot at an 8" gong offhand at 100 yards three shots as fast as I could work the bolt and get back on target. It took several sessions before I could keep them all on the target but then it started coming together and I got to where I could hit all three pretty quickly. By the time I left for Africa I was able to get all three on target in less than 30 seconds with full power hunting loads, on good days I could keep them all within 3-4 inches, on the off days they were usually in the 5 or 6 inch range. Other that the practice sessions the thing that helped me most was a very good trigger. I can do pretty well with a trigger as heavy as 3.5 pounds for off hand shooting and my .375 is at that weight, most of my other rifles are set at 2 pounds. I tried to shoot at least once every week for the last few months before I left, I would shoot 9 rounds off the sticks, remove my scope and shoot 3 open sight shots at close range and finally re-mount the scope and shoot my 3 offhand shots to finish up.

Had I not practiced offhand as much as I did I don't think I would have killed either of my two baboons, both were killed with quick offhand shots at around 60 and 80 yards if memory serves.

 

[Opposite Pole]

Another point that most tend to overlook is stock fit and scope location.
If it comes up naturally, points naturally and your head and neck fall where they belong....

Proper shooting geometry is a must for the most unstable of shooting positions.
This isn't possible if the LOP is too long or short, the comb is wrong...etc.
Make sure your rifle is properly fitted.

For checking eye relief...
Put a little piece of painters tape on the stock and shoulder the rifle several times.
Each time have your wife make a small mark on the tape to indicate where your shooting eye is landing.
Once that has been determined, you need to find the eye relief on your scope.
Place a flashlight shining in through the out door and see where it focuses on a piece of paper on the eye end.
Measure that distance and match it up with the spot you marked earlier on the stock.
Mount the scope at the correct distance and now you will have proper eye relief.
You can never be too comfortable.

That is a great tip!

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

I spend quite bit of time shooting my 30-06 and 308 off hand as fast as I can at targets from 50-100 yards. I mostly practice this way because a lot of the wild boar hunting I do requires quick off hand shots without much warning and I also do a lot of culling here in Australia which often requires emptying the magazine on large mobs of pigs very quickly.

Now this might seem silly to some but I actually found I could improve my technique, shooting speed and accuracy by filming myself when practicing this type of shooting and then watching the video back to see what I was doing wrong and reviewing it to see where and how I could improve. Doing this you will pick up on things in the video you are doing wrong that you didn't even realise you were doing wrong. This method may not be for everyone but it has definitely worked for me and I recommend giving it a go if you really want to improve on your shooting skills. It is also very humbling when you first start out and realise you are not as good as you think you are haha

 

[samu]

Now this might go against intuition in some parts but I think it's worth looking into

 

[Jeffrey]

I personally am neutral on the importance of a sling from offhand. From sitting or prone that’s a different story.

My favorite sling is the Andy’s Leather Rhodesian sling. You can set your loop size and away you go. Highly recommended.

 

[BeeMaa]

Now this might seem silly to some but I actually found I could improve my technique, shooting speed and accuracy by filming myself when practicing this type of shooting and then watching the video back to see what I was doing wrong and reviewing it to see where and how I could improve. Doing this you will pick up on things in the video you are doing wrong that you didn't even realise you were doing wrong.

Add to that the fact that you KNOW you are being filmed...
It will add pressure to you, a good kind of pressure.
Pressure to do all the little things right all the time, so when you are actually hunting...it will be easier.

I may not like it, but it sound like an effective training tool.
Wife is gonna hate this...

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Add to that the fact that you KNOW you are being filmed...
It will add pressure to you, a good kind of pressure.
Pressure to do all the little things right all the time, so when you are actually hunting...it will be easier.

I may not like it, but it sound like an effective training tool.
Wife is gonna hate this...

Yep like I said it can be very humbling but it has definitely made me a much better shooter and hunter.
Once I workout how to upload a video at some point, I might embarrass myself and add a couple of videos to my media gallery haha

 

[Tra3]

I find if I do not pull the rifle in tightly to my shoulder, I am less accurate off hand. I think of my upper body as one block with aim originating from the core, not arms.

You mention follow through on the trigger pull, that is also crucial, if I think abut the second shot I am more likely to miss the first.

I like to slow things down at first and be methodical in the motions. A video really helps to slow things down, we regularly use phones to video shooting. Rushing a shot can be apparent in the video.

Having a small caliber rifle to practice with is crucial. I never go to range with just one rifle, usually I bring 3-5. That also helps to keep barrels cool.

It takes a smart man to recognize the need for practice and ask for help!

 

[mikecatt13]

I would suggest starting at 50 yards with a goal keeping the rounds under about 4". When that's consistent, move to 75, then 100.

Refine your technique at closer range so you can see where every hit is, what went right and what went wrong, and what makes an accurate shot and learn how to repeat it

I have quite extensive experience shooting and training offhand rifle, it is a large skill that sets people apart in the sport of 3 gun and believe it's a large contributor to my national titles...point is there is a MASSIVE difference in difficulty of offhand rifle at 50 and 100 yards, even 50 and 75. You have to perfect what works at closer range first

 

[jduckhunter]

I can't hold a gun steady while shooting offhand to save my butt, the crosshairs are always moving. So what I decided to do years ago was to try and control the movement. To accomplish that I get the gun and crosshairs moving in an up and down motion, that seems to make it easier to maintain my left and right hold. Then all I need to do is get my timing right when to pull the trigger, I usually take the shot when the crosshairs are moving up and over the bullseye for the 2nd or 3rd time.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

I can't hold a gun steady while shooting offhand to save my butt, the crosshairs are always moving. So what I decided to do years ago was to try and control the movement. To accomplish that I get the gun and crosshairs moving in an up and down motion, that seems to make it easier to maintain my left and right hold. Then all I need to do is get my timing right when to pull the trigger, I usually take the shot when the crosshairs are moving up and over the bullseye for the 2nd or 3rd time.

I often do this on pigs that are standing still at a bit of a distance, I will put the cross-hairs on the bottom of the leg and start moving upward and squeeze the trigger as I am moving my sight up the shoulder. Much much easier to take steady shot this way than just trying to hold the cross-hairs in one spot on the shoulder especially when you are breathing heavy and the adrenaline is flowing.

 

[Pheroze]

Holy cow, a ton of amazing information here, that's fantastic! This will give me a lot to work with. Thanks very much.

 

[K-man]

I spent time at the range today, proving to myself that I need to spend a great deal more. I am working on off-hand shots at 100 yards. Using my 308 Norma my routine is:

1. One round round is loaded. It is chambered and rifle on safe;
2. Off safe with the act of bringing the rifle to the shoulder;
3. Aim
4. Shoot
5. Keep finger on the trigger and pressed back until sight picture returns. This takes a moment with the recoil.
6. Keep at the shoulder to rack the bolt; and
7. Return to safe when rifle leaves the shoulder

I noticed the movement of the cross-hairs is a circle larger than the 8.5x11 paper target at 100 yards. So, I am trying to figure out how to reduce the basic movement of the rifle so that its pattern falls only on the target. I found moving my resting hand forward on the stock tended to help. But, is this just a matter of gaining strength and familiarity with the rifle?

The shots that struck the paper tended to be on the periphery. The last shot hit true to the one inch red square in the middle and I called it a day at that point. Shot about 25 rounds.

I restricted the routine to single shots to just find a technique that would work.

Any training tips would be appreciated. Thanks fellas.

I may have posted this a while back, but it can be told again. I trained myself and my then-young son to shoot offhand by tying a flip-flop or small shoe by its shoelace to the end of the rifle. It trains you to stabilize the movement of the swinging end of the gun and makes it more difficult to control. After you learn that, go to a bit heavier shoe like a sneaker. It also makes you bring the gun to shooting form smoother as it takes less to control if the shoe isn't swinging wildly. After shooting this a bit when you take the shoe off you will be amazed how steady you will be.

 

[crs]

Aussie Hunter said "I often do this on pigs that are standing still at a bit of a distance, I will put the cross-hairs on the bottom of the leg and start moving upward and squeeze the trigger as I am moving my sight up the shoulder. Much much easier to take steady shot this way than just trying to hold the cross-hairs in one spot on the shoulder especially when you are breathing heavy and the adrenaline is flowing."

BINGO!
A professional hunter friend taught me this technique and it has worked well for me for several years - right and left handed, on various game and in America and Africa.
I suspect that one reason is that the mind is focused on trigger squeeze at a particular area as opposed to a particular spot. No stress. It is also very fast. More like shooting a shotgun. Works well on moving game too.

 

[Bushpig4Ever]

This helps a lot.