Help with shots from kneeling position

[Jake T]

I find that I ‘wobble’ pretty bad and I wonder if anyone has any tips for a more steady hold?

I feel my base is solid and my support elbow is such that the elbow itself is not directly on top of my front knee but on the close side of it.

Even with a fairly stable and comfortable base, my crosshairs are all over the target. I’m only trying to shoot at 50 yards right now.

Anybody have any advice for trying to hold more steady while kneeling? Videos to watch or books/articles I could read?

 

[TaperPin]

I‘ve had the same experience with kneeling. At least for me the problem was muscle memory - kneeling is such an unnatural position the muscles are just not used to it. To solve that, the more time spent practicing the better. I bet groups after the first 50 rounds were twice as good as the first.

The same was true of quick snap shooting a rifle at close range targets - the 50th round was easily two or three times as accurate as he first.

 

[snowymtnwolf]

Find how to properly tuck heel of foot under butt check for support - gotta figure out how to contort foot to give you that proper platform

That’s the key for me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bruceleroy]

A lot of folks get too narrow. it is perfectly fine to get wide if the other aspects of your position are stable. Getting narrow will make you feel top heavy and you will move to compensate.

 

[Dust Rider]

I need my sling wrapped around elbow to help steady with knee shots.
It seems more and more of my shots are in tall grass along side of ag fields where you can’t stand up or go prone. And there is almost never time to deploy a tripod.

 

[Jake T]

Thanks guys. I’ll work on incorporating these tips.

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

My kneeling unsupported is no better than my offhand, so I'll try these suggestions. I have found that even a very simple set of shooting sticks helps considerably. The same could probably be accomplished with a backpack.

 

[49ereric]

I raise or lower the rifle slow and steadily standing usually and shoot when I’m on target.
holding still takes more training than I ever had.

 

[Forestryguy]

Weight and balance of rifle will also be a factor. Using a sling to tighten everything into your shoulder made a big difference when I was learning to shoot.

 

[JCMCUBIC]

I try to use trekking poles when kneeling if possible. Over the last few years I've taken several deer with this method when still hunting. A few using two poles and one using a single pole. These have all been ~100-150 yard shots on wooded mountain sides...the distance hasn't been that far, but threading the open windows in cover are the challenge.

 

[EdP]

Your legs need to be at a 90 degree angle from each other for maximum stability. Having the ankle flexibility to allow you to sit your butt down on your foot is a big help. Using a 2 legged shooting stick in front and a backpack in the rear will add a lot of stability, especially the backpack in the rear to brace the buttstock.

The biggest problems with kneeling are side to side wobble of the front leg and vertical control of the buttstock. The shooting stick helps solve the side to side wobble and a rear support solves the vertical.

 

[Jake T]

Using a trekking pole is an idea I hadn’t thought about. I’ll give that a try.

 

[hereinaz]

Adding front support is the way to “cheat” into better shooting. Otherwise, it is a fairly complex skill to learn and then to master, contrary to lots of belief. Look at what the competition requires.

 

[JCMCUBIC]

Adding front support is the way to “cheat” into better shooting. Otherwise, it is a fairly complex skill to learn and then to master, contrary to lots of belief. Look at what the competition requires.

When hunting, I only "cheat" in situations where the target is past the end of the barrel. Sometimes I can't but I always try to.

 

[mtnrunner260]

Also zoom down scope if not already doing that.

 

[jcmupar]

Try putting a rear bag in between your hamstring and calf on the side you are kneeling on.

 

[ropeup79]

Try putting the flatish spot behind your elbow directly on top of your knee, not off to the side. Try to keep shooting knee and forearm straight under rifle. https://www.everydaymarksman.co/marksmanship/kneeling-position/

 

[NSI]

Most instability in positional shooting comes from muscles in tension when the desired aiming point and the body's natural point of aim are in conflict.

Try continually re-setting the position taking care not to introduce torque to your body, such that the target sits at your natural point of aim. If you don't know where that is, simply relax until your rifle stops shaking from your current kneeling position. Take note of your body mechanics relative to the natural point of aim, and simply adjust for your desired aiming point.

-J