Re: For the new guys
Below are some notes from Rick Boucher (posted on an open forum). Those who know Rick, know that he knows what he is talking about.
Pay particular attention when he writes below about the benefits of using a shooting glove and holding the sling/swivel at the rear instead of using a bag. I use this method with a short stub of sling and it has helped me. With that, here goes:
First off, a too tight of a sling is actually worse then a loose sling in many ways. NOT ALL! Damn there is that all one way or the other.
Next, we do not use bags as we have shown student after student that he will get a tighter group with a shooters mitt than a bag. Now that is not a bare hand. The shooter's mitt rests on the ground just as the bag does and the hand squeeze will rise and lower the muzzle enough to get on target. The sling swivel resting between the thumb and the fore finger gives an anchor area for the non-shooting hand. This is a firm controlling hand NOT a slack milk toast thing that does not control the weapon. BUT again it is not a muscle trembling monster grip that makes the teeth hurt. HINT: If the teeth hurt the grip is too tight.
Shooting hand grips with the ring and middle finger only. I rest my thumb along side fo the stock as that is where my coach in 58, YES, 58, taught me to lay it to keep from chicken choking the stock. Again, if the teeth hurt you have definitely chicken chocked that sucker. The grip is firm enough to control the weapon going into your sholder AND the recoil. I have watched guys on the range let a weapon recoil freely due to a weak grip. I have also watched guys man handle the weapon and "force" their shot right off the target.
The stock in your shoulder should be placed in the pocket firmly or you may eat the scope one day. The butt of the weapon slippng around on the shoulder during recoil is a tip, in the police business they call it a clue, that the weapon was not held firmly enough back into the shoulder.
Body should be directly behind the weapon if you are doing follow on shots or more than one shot at a time. While the neat 45 degree thingy is comfortable, the recoil pushes you off the natural point of aim each shot with it becoming progessively worse with each shot. An added bonus is that when you have multiple targets, you know the dream target rich environment, you have less of a problem being kicked off the NPA since you are directly behind the weapon. The one shot thing means if you plan on standing up and walking away. A slow fire should also be done directly behind your weapon as you will not be knocked off you NPA as bad.
Legs should be set in a comfortable position with the folowing guide lines. Non shoting leg straight behind the hip making a line from weapon, shoulder, back, hip, knee, foot. The foot should be turned in not out. This will force the shooter to come off his stomach and make breathing easier as his weight is no longer compressing his diaphram. To relax in this position the shooting side knee is bent and the leg is draw slightly up towards the shooting side elbow. How much is a matter of preference. I use a lot of bent knee as my gut is getting bigger and I need the relief! Ever notice that the older you get, everything thins out BUT your gut? OH well.
Do not get me wrong on my Hold Hard. As B ill Rogers and others have stated, holding too tight is a bad thing as muscle tremor will kill you. BUT holding wimpy will kill you just as fast. You need to find that firm hold that allow you to rest on target with minimal movement and quiver.
Last thing, I did not mean that you will have you rreticle come back to the same aim point. BUT it will come back on target. You can see the metal spash on the iron maidens, or the dirt buffalo when you blow your wind call or your range estimation.
Hold Hard guys!
Rick
Below are some notes from Rick Boucher (posted on an open forum). Those who know Rick, know that he knows what he is talking about.
Pay particular attention when he writes below about the benefits of using a shooting glove and holding the sling/swivel at the rear instead of using a bag. I use this method with a short stub of sling and it has helped me. With that, here goes:
First off, a too tight of a sling is actually worse then a loose sling in many ways. NOT ALL! Damn there is that all one way or the other.
Next, we do not use bags as we have shown student after student that he will get a tighter group with a shooters mitt than a bag. Now that is not a bare hand. The shooter's mitt rests on the ground just as the bag does and the hand squeeze will rise and lower the muzzle enough to get on target. The sling swivel resting between the thumb and the fore finger gives an anchor area for the non-shooting hand. This is a firm controlling hand NOT a slack milk toast thing that does not control the weapon. BUT again it is not a muscle trembling monster grip that makes the teeth hurt. HINT: If the teeth hurt the grip is too tight.
Shooting hand grips with the ring and middle finger only. I rest my thumb along side fo the stock as that is where my coach in 58, YES, 58, taught me to lay it to keep from chicken choking the stock. Again, if the teeth hurt you have definitely chicken chocked that sucker. The grip is firm enough to control the weapon going into your sholder AND the recoil. I have watched guys on the range let a weapon recoil freely due to a weak grip. I have also watched guys man handle the weapon and "force" their shot right off the target.
The stock in your shoulder should be placed in the pocket firmly or you may eat the scope one day. The butt of the weapon slippng around on the shoulder during recoil is a tip, in the police business they call it a clue, that the weapon was not held firmly enough back into the shoulder.
Body should be directly behind the weapon if you are doing follow on shots or more than one shot at a time. While the neat 45 degree thingy is comfortable, the recoil pushes you off the natural point of aim each shot with it becoming progessively worse with each shot. An added bonus is that when you have multiple targets, you know the dream target rich environment, you have less of a problem being kicked off the NPA since you are directly behind the weapon. The one shot thing means if you plan on standing up and walking away. A slow fire should also be done directly behind your weapon as you will not be knocked off you NPA as bad.
Legs should be set in a comfortable position with the folowing guide lines. Non shoting leg straight behind the hip making a line from weapon, shoulder, back, hip, knee, foot. The foot should be turned in not out. This will force the shooter to come off his stomach and make breathing easier as his weight is no longer compressing his diaphram. To relax in this position the shooting side knee is bent and the leg is draw slightly up towards the shooting side elbow. How much is a matter of preference. I use a lot of bent knee as my gut is getting bigger and I need the relief! Ever notice that the older you get, everything thins out BUT your gut? OH well.
Do not get me wrong on my Hold Hard. As B ill Rogers and others have stated, holding too tight is a bad thing as muscle tremor will kill you. BUT holding wimpy will kill you just as fast. You need to find that firm hold that allow you to rest on target with minimal movement and quiver.
Last thing, I did not mean that you will have you rreticle come back to the same aim point. BUT it will come back on target. You can see the metal spash on the iron maidens, or the dirt buffalo when you blow your wind call or your range estimation.
Hold Hard guys!
Rick
