How far can you shoot off a backpack?

[4th_point]

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

 

[SouthPaw]

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).

 

[Gorp2007]

We are working on it, more details soon. But it won’t start till January.

More importantly, when are you going to start a thread to document Jake's 300 RUM cold bore zero experiment? I can't wait to subscribe and see Jake attempt to prove his theory that all 10 shots will impact the exact same POI.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

I can shoot pretty far from a backpack. Accurately is a different story. Lol

 

[lak2004]

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....

 

[mtnwrunner]

The old guy needed a pad……

Whatever...........

Randy

 

[Formidilosus]

@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?

You mean with a 6UM, or other cartridges?

grin

 

[Yotekiller]

Ive practiced to 1200 and harvested animals to 900 off a pack.

 

[Newtosavage]

Possibly the best group I ever shot was off my backpack, at a range in Colorado. 400 yards and 3 shots that totaled 2.3" - Tikka 7mm-08 shooting 162 ELD-X over 8208 powder.

 

[Tmac]

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]

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.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Who is the dude who decided to push through the shooting line and put himself in an awesome position to get all of that braked rifle next to him?

 

[Rooggvc]

@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.

 

[Southern Lights]

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.

 

[Jralmgren]

Really depends on the circumstances. If I have time 6-650. If I’m huffing and puffing 3-350.

 

[HighlandsHunter]

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

 

[mt terry d]

Who is the dude who decided to push through the shooting line and put himself in an awesome position to get all of that braked rifle next to him?

Huh? What? Did someone say something?

 

[5MilesBack]

Wait a minute.....you guys aren't shooting freehand? Where's the challenge in that?

 

[TaperPin]

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]

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.