Equipment versus practice posts and Rifle practice/shooting

[ddowning]

First attempt.
11/20 if you’re being generous.
10/20 if you don’t count the one on the edge with the question mark. What is the consensus? Does breaking the outer edge of the line count?
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I realized I just needed reps. I wanted to dry fire practice at home. So I went to this site and calculated that at 11 feet 1 moa is about 1 mm.

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I then used my calipers and a pen to make the appropriate sized circles on a sticky note.

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I put the sticky note on a whiteboard, and have been going through the full set of strings (dry fire) at 11 feet away.

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I’ve run the dry fire drill multiple times in my basement wearing my full hunting setup. The reticle is a bit blurry this close, but it’s precise enough to tell if I’m on target when the trigger breaks and the dry fire happens. I’m getting more and more comfortable and consistent. I have encountered a few malfunctions in my system that I now know how to prevent and handle in the event that they occur in the field. Planning on doing this drill daily.

Will report the results of my next live fire drill next week sometime.

You need a dfat if you don't have one. They have a very shallow depth of field, but the image is pretty good when you get everything in the right place. Dryfire is huge for positional shooting.

 

[Nevwild]

You need a dfat if you don't have one. They have a very shallow depth of field, but the image is pretty good when you get everything in the right place. Dryfire is huge for positional shooting.

Forgive my ignorance, what’s a dfat?

 

[ddowning]

Forgive my ignorance, what’s a dfat?

DFAT's

DST Precision DFAT's for sale from DST Precision.

www.dstprecision.us

 

[huntnful]

It’s funny how they randomly present themselves, and in situations you might not expect.

When I’m hunting mountain whitetail I expect it. But one year I shot a buck offhand at at 80-90 yards and had absolutely all day to shoot. I just couldn’t do anything positionally because of vegetation. Another year I shot a buck, prone, and had about five seconds to make it happen.

Most of my elk shots have been pretty low key time wise, but last years bull was another situation where I had a matter of seconds to build a position and get the shot off.

Seated and shooting over a pack is one of my favorite field positions for the steep country I hunt. It’s good to 400+ for me.

Absolutely! It’s very hunt style dependent I would say, as well as animal dependent and the terrain you’re pursuing them in. There is nothing negative that could come from this drill, only positives. And the efficiency and accuracy you can complete this drill in, would certainly contribute to more animals down at some point in time. No doubt about it.

I jump/stumble into quite a few coyotes on my many range trips and this drill very much pertains to that A LOT lol.

 

[2-Stix]

I mostly hunt blacktail. Its always a rushed shot and often off hard with the heavy timber.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Good to see the work being put in. Awesome job and awesome thread! There’s hope for us back country hunters yet haha.

 

[Jimbee]

My son and I shot a NRL Hunter match with nothing but our packs and hiking sticks. I'm really not missing having a bipod and don't currently use one on my annual Colorado elk hunt.

 

[Macintosh]

Knocked off work an hour early today and went to the range, since the wife is traveling for work. Shot the hunting rifle drill completely cold, timed, pack on, the full meal deal standing offhand, sitting, sitting off pack, and prone off pack. First time I shot the drill a couple weeks ago I scored 12 out of 20, and was frustrated because I knew I could do better. This evening shot a 15 out of 20, felt much more comfortable in every position except standing offhand, I don’t know what’s going on but that’s clearly what I need to practice.

Who’s got some good standing offhand drills?

 

[huntnful]

Knocked off work an hour early today and went to the range, since the wife is traveling for work. Shot the hunting rifle drill completely cold, timed, pack on, the full meal deal standing offhand, sitting, sitting off pack, and prone off pack. First time I shot the drill a couple weeks ago I scored 12 out of 20, and was frustrated because I knew I could do better. This evening shot a 15 out of 20, felt much more comfortable in every position except standing offhand, I don’t know what’s going on but that’s clearly what I need to practice.

Who’s got some good standing offhand drills?


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That’s epic work!!! That seated unsupported group though

I can’t hit my ass with both hands standing up either. That one is crazy difficult lol

 

[Macintosh]

Prone was off a pack! Definitely cant group as well without resting the gun on something.

 

[huntnful]

Prone was off a pack! Definitely cant group as well without resting the gun on something.

Oh sorry, I meant seated unsupported! The upper right group

 

[Rippey715]

I’m a match shooter with a very heavy rifle so I hate standing off hand. We’ve done it in a few matches and it sucks. Can’t hit a full size IPSC at 120yds sucks. But, for the off hand hunting shots, I would maybe try to practice deploying a tripod quickly over trying to achieve pie plate off hand accuracy. Tripod with a table and small sand bag already attached and shrunk to kneeling height. Going from all gear stowed to making a shot on a deer size target at sub 200yds (offhand limit I hope ) should be doable and stable in under 20 seconds. 30 seconds if you’re staying very quiet during setup. Could be wrong. Just a thought.

 

[Formidilosus]

I’m a match shooter with a very heavy rifle so I hate standing off hand. We’ve done it in a few matches and it sucks. Can’t hit a full size IPSC at 120yds sucks. But, for the off hand hunting shots, I would maybe try to practice deploying a tripod quickly over trying to achieve pie plate off hand accuracy. Tripod with a table and small sand bag already attached and shrunk to kneeling height. Going from all gear stowed to making a shot on a deer size target at sub 200yds (offhand limit I hope ) should be doable and stable in under 20 seconds. 30 seconds if you’re staying very quiet during setup. Could be wrong. Just a thought.

You are not pulling out and setting up a tripod in 20sec.

 

[yeti12]

I’m a match shooter with a very heavy rifle so I hate standing off hand. We’ve done it in a few matches and it sucks. Can’t hit a full size IPSC at 120yds sucks. But, for the off hand hunting shots, I would maybe try to practice deploying a tripod quickly over trying to achieve pie plate off hand accuracy. Tripod with a table and small sand bag already attached and shrunk to kneeling height. Going from all gear stowed to making a shot on a deer size target at sub 200yds (offhand limit I hope ) should be doable and stable in under 20 seconds. 30 seconds if you’re staying very quiet during setup. Could be wrong. Just a thought.

Just practice man. I was just shooting the hunting rifle drill with a 16lb rifle a couple weeks ago for fun. A full size ipsc is a massive target at 120yds. Go shoot 200rds one afternoon and practice offhand shooting, it will get significantly better fast.

 

[Macintosh]

I’m a match shooter with a very heavy rifle so I hate standing off hand. We’ve done it in a few matches and it sucks. Can’t hit a full size IPSC at 120yds sucks. But, for the off hand hunting shots, I would maybe try to practice deploying a tripod quickly over trying to achieve pie plate off hand accuracy. Tripod with a table and small sand bag already attached and shrunk to kneeling height. Going from all gear stowed to making a shot on a deer size target at sub 200yds (offhand limit I hope ) should be doable and stable in under 20 seconds. 30 seconds if you’re staying very quiet during setup. Could be wrong. Just a thought.

I live in the east and still-hunt and track a lot, so tripod is really a no-go for that. For this drill Im shooting it with a 8lb all-up hunting rifle. For prs-ish stuff I do practice tripod stuff, and many times I can brace against a tree trunk (which I have practiced and make a habit of) but I really do need to practice offhand shooting. My above result was terrible and Ive never been a “good” offhand shooter, but in the past I have been a better offhand shooter than I am now. Not really sure how though. If anyone has specific offhand shooting drills or a methodology for improvement I am all ears—Im not really sure how to make sure Im not grooving-in bad habits.

 

[Rippey715]

You are not pulling out and setting up a tripod in 20sec.

Agreed. Tripod is already out and set up at your intended height, somewhere between low and high kneeling. Use an Obi Link set up on your pack so its QD and outside your pack. Not clipping in. Using a table and flat bag that are already attached to the tripod. So deploying tripod is literally putting your pack down, pressing a button, opening legs. Done. Practice to make sure you like your heights and feel steady. Somewhat area and terrain dependent as to height. But this is a possible scenario for practicing steadier shots.

 

[Anschutz]

I’m a match shooter with a very heavy rifle so I hate standing off hand. We’ve done it in a few matches and it sucks. Can’t hit a full size IPSC at 120yds sucks. But, for the off hand hunting shots, I would maybe try to practice deploying a tripod quickly over trying to achieve pie plate off hand accuracy. Tripod with a table and small sand bag already attached and shrunk to kneeling height. Going from all gear stowed to making a shot on a deer size target at sub 200yds (offhand limit I hope ) should be doable and stable in under 20 seconds. 30 seconds if you’re staying very quiet during setup. Could be wrong. Just a thought.

Shoot unsupported more. You should be able to walk on the range and bang a full-size IPSC at 120.

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[Marbles]

Agreed. Tripod is already out and set up at your intended height, somewhere between low and high kneeling. Use an Obi Link set up on your pack so its QD and outside your pack. Not clipping in. Using a table and flat bag that are already attached to the tripod. So deploying tripod is literally putting your pack down, pressing a button, opening legs. Done. Practice to make sure you like your heights and feel steady. Somewhat area and terrain dependent as to height. But this is a possible scenario for practicing steadier shots.

I would consider low to high kneeling to be closer to seated than off hand. For that height, while supported, trekking poles work well and are more flexible in bad terrain.

I’m a match shooter with a very heavy rifle so I hate standing off hand. We’ve done it in a few matches and it sucks. Can’t hit a full size IPSC at 120yds sucks. But, for the off hand hunting shots, I would maybe try to practice deploying a tripod quickly over trying to achieve pie plate off hand accuracy. Tripod with a table and small sand bag already attached and shrunk to kneeling height. Going from all gear stowed to making a shot on a deer size target at sub 200yds (offhand limit I hope ) should be doable and stable in under 20 seconds. 30 seconds if you’re staying very quiet during setup. Could be wrong. Just a thought.

Fatigue certainly plays into off hand, and a heavy rifle makes that worse. I would change out my equipment personally. I don't shoot competitively, but I would not use my hunting set up for matches if I did (unless the match was designed around that), so why use a match set up for hunting.

I'm not consistent yet, but being able to ring a 8 inch steel gong at 200 yards offhand is very rewarding. Considering that I have passed on ranged 208 yard prone shots and 70 yard off hand shots hunting in the past (because my shooting ability was that poor), even my 40-50ish percent hit rate at 200 yards off hand feels a touch like magic.

My advise is accept that the initial learning curve sucks and will not feel good. If we can swallow our pride, the results are worth it.

 

[Formidilosus]

Agreed. Tripod is already out and set up at your intended height, somewhere between low and high kneeling. Use an Obi Link set up on your pack so its QD and outside your pack. Not clipping in. Using a table and flat bag that are already attached to the tripod. So deploying tripod is literally putting your pack down, pressing a button, opening legs. Done. Practice to make sure you like your heights and feel steady. Somewhat area and terrain dependent as to height. But this is a possible scenario for practicing steadier shots.

How is the tripod out and set up at a standing height when you are hiking in, still hunting, or in a stalk? Except in contrived situations, tripods are too slow and cumbersome for most hunting.

I believe you are missing the point of standing unsupported shooting, and the drill entirely.

 

[ddowning]

Most offhand shots at game are because of time constraints. With no time constraints, I would not shoot offhand. Offhand shots at game are usually a 10 second or less opportunity. A person that carries a pistol for self-defense should be able to ring a full size ipsc at 100 yards 75-80% of the time. (I have done it with friends. I am aware most people can't do it. One guy took 47 shots to get one hit. A good pistol shot will be much better than 90%)

To hit a full size ipsc at 100 yards with a heavy match rifle, start above the target and relax down into it. Touch your 6 Oz trigger when the cross hair is on the neck. I am a match shooter too. Shooting prs matches and hunting shots are rarely comparable until you are shooting past 300 yards. The techniques and equipment are vastly different.