How far can you shoot off a backpack?

4th_point

WKR
Joined
Jun 14, 2022
Messages
720
Back in 2015 - 2016, I was obsessed with shooting light-ish rifles off of my pack. Tikka SL 300 WM, then a Kimber 84M 7mm-08.
I think I got tired of using my pack and that led to me shooting off of my elbows. Basically flop on the ground and shoot with no rear rest.

I did fair out to ~300. At ~400, I might get one out of three shots on steel. Not great but a lot of fun.!

Now I just snap the Spartan bipod on, and use my chest purse for a rear rest :)

008a.jpg

024a.jpg
022.JPG
 

SouthPaw

WKR
Joined
Apr 10, 2014
Messages
852
Location
Northern CA
I haven't used the bipod at all for the past few months, just shot off the pack and various other field positions. I'm fairly confident I'm going to leave the bipod home this season.

I've practiced in mountain terrain a lot thus far off the pack, and it is not the limiting factor (wind).


mdt poly mag.jpg
 

lak2004

WKR
Joined
Mar 17, 2014
Messages
1,841
Location
SW CO
I shot the cold bore from my pack prone at 600. Hit outside of the 10 ring 1st shot, and nailed 2nd shot. Going to practice more but I don't even own a bipod....
 

Tmac

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2020
Messages
921
To about 600 off a pack, similar field rest, or short bi-pod. But when in the high desert, it’s usually off a bi-pod or sticks while sitting, then it’s 425 and change so far. About 1/2 my hunts are not prone shooting friendly.

The joker in the deck is the older I get the lighter I travel and the less likely I’ll have a pack. The dang mountains are just so much taller and steeper than they were years ago.
 

TaperPin

WKR
Joined
Jul 12, 2023
Messages
3,528
There are many good and not so good ways to shoot off a pack - not to mention what’s in the pack and how it’s stuffed together. A springy light weight roundish or lumpy pack is the worst - it moves with the slightest movement and you’d be better off resting your gun on an empty one gallon milk jug.

1/2 MOA prone is doable. Shooting from sitting position, the pack upright is much better than walking sticks or a tall tripod, at least for me, and I normally cant do better than 1-1/2 MOA consistently. Once upon a time I tried a tall tripod while antelope hunting - the time to set up and jack around with getting the gun reasonably level was so ridiculous I never used one again after that.

At least with mountain hunting, 15 or even 5 seconds can be the difference between getting a shot off or not. Out to 500 yards if you can’t hit it quickly resting on a pack, the extra time to mess with the bipod, checking your ballistic calculator and dialing the scope will eventually cost you an opportunity.
 

Rooggvc

WKR
Joined
Aug 8, 2022
Messages
611
@Formidilosus challenged me to ditch my bipod a few years ago and really see how far I could shoot from a backpack. Two years later I have a pretty good idea of what I am capable of. How about you?

I will post up later on what I have learned and my limits.

View attachment 583287
So here is my question.....When do you guys open up a "Rokslide" Shooting School? I would pay pretty money, and gladly work the OT to get it, to get hands on learning from these guys you have access to learn from.
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
313
Location
NZ
There are many good and not so good ways to shoot off a pack - not to mention what’s in the pack and how it’s stuffed together. A springy light weight roundish or lumpy pack is the worst - it moves with the slightest movement and you’d be better off resting your gun on an empty one gallon milk jug.

1/2 MOA prone is doable. Shooting from sitting position, the pack upright is much better than walking sticks or a tall tripod, at least for me, and I normally cant do better than 1-1/2 MOA consistently. Once upon a time I tried a tall tripod while antelope hunting - the time to set up and jack around with getting the gun reasonably level was so ridiculous I never used one again after that.

At least with mountain hunting, 15 or even 5 seconds can be the difference between getting a shot off or not. Out to 500 yards if you can’t hit it quickly resting on a pack, the extra time to mess with the bipod, checking your ballistic calculator and dialing the scope will eventually cost you an opportunity.
I practice off a pack and that is what I use hunting. I have a lightweight spartan carbon bipod, but often using it in grass, etc. it's not high enough and too slow to setup on deer moving off quickly.

Like you, shooting off a pack is much faster. Sitting I do the same keeping the pack vertical. Much faster than sticks and just as accurate. I practice out to 800m but furthest off a pack I've shot is maybe 500m on a deer.

Nathan Foster uses a shooting position where your non shooting hand is "overhand scope" hold. Basically, place your non trigger hand on top of the scope with slight down pressure to control recoil. Make sure barrel is free of touching the pack. This can make good groups vs. free recoil off a pack.
 
Joined
May 28, 2021
Messages
21
For me shooting off a backpack is my most accurate method, but I limit my shooting to about 500m due to wind in my area. I like the backpack because I'm usually shooting in the mountains in uneven terrain. Interestingly I see lots of photos of people holding the buttstock with the left hand, when I shoot off the backpack I always control the forend with my left hand and pull the rifle firmly into the backpack. My rifles are usually 16-18" and lightweight with no muzzle brake only suppressor. Saw a video recently from MDT with the guy shooting a Ruger American holding the buttstock and letting the forend free recoil jumping around off the bipod, he was complaining about not being able to control the recoil. Flat range mentality. He would have been better off firing off backpack and controlling the forend. Pic attached how I shoot off backpack on a rock, right elbow supported on my knee, left hand holding forend firm. As steady as I can get in rough terrain. Cheers
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2023-08-04 at 12.21.14 am.png
    Screen Shot 2023-08-04 at 12.21.14 am.png
    1.8 MB · Views: 201
Last edited:

TaperPin

WKR
Joined
Jul 12, 2023
Messages
3,528
For me shooting off a backpack is my most accurate method, but I limit my shooting to about 500m due to wind in my area. I like the backpack because I'm usually shooting in the mountains in uneven terrain. Interestingly I see lots of photos of people holding the buttstock with the left hand, when I shoot off the backpack I always control the forend with my left hand and pull the rifle firmly into the backpack. My rifles are usually 16-18" and lightweight with no muzzle brake only suppressor. Saw a video recently from MDT with the guy shooting a Ruger American holding the buttstock and letting the forend free recoil jumping around off the bipod, he was complaining about not being able to control the recoil. Flat range mentality. He would have been better off firing off backpack and controlling the forend. Pic attached how I shoot off backpack on a rock, right elbow supported on my knee, left hand holding forend firm. As steady as I can get in rough terrain. Cheers
That’s a great point - unlike bipod shooting, the pack is not only a gun support, but helps steady and support the off arm for better control.
 

TaperPin

WKR
Joined
Jul 12, 2023
Messages
3,528
I practice off a pack and that is what I use hunting. I have a lightweight spartan carbon bipod, but often using it in grass, etc. it's not high enough and too slow to setup on deer moving off quickly.

Like you, shooting off a pack is much faster. Sitting I do the same keeping the pack vertical. Much faster than sticks and just as accurate. I practice out to 800m but furthest off a pack I've shot is maybe 500m on a deer.

Nathan Foster uses a shooting position where your non shooting hand is "overhand scope" hold. Basically, place your non trigger hand on top of the scope with slight down pressure to control recoil. Make sure barrel is free of touching the pack. This can make good groups vs. free recoil off a pack.
Honestly I’ve never even tried holding down on the scope - it probably Is something worth experimenting with. I’ve had a shot resting the rifle in a narrow gap and there wasn’t a great way to hold the forend. A scope would have to be pretty stiff or the point of aim would definitely move.
 
Top