Tips on shooting from a bus window.
- Thread starter Mhosking
- Start date
I will pinch the rifle stock up against the seat to get rear support if you can. I have also used a rear bag on the seat in some buses depending on window height
If you're allowed to use other than bags, you can take your tripod and lay it across the seat to your left and right. This gives you something to rest a rear bag on that doesn't require being adjusted to the proper height or having the tripod sitting on the ground like normal.
If not, and you can use multiple bags, you can use something like a pump pillow on the seat on your firing hand under your elbow.
If only allowed one bag and you can't get any type of rear support under the rifle or your elbow/hand......depending on how much the bus "bounces", you'll need to use a varying amount of "free recoil." Not just letting the rifle recoil without any input......just backing off your pressure with your shoulder and increasing the downward pressure on the optic rings/mount until your wobble shrinks.
If not, and you can use multiple bags, you can use something like a pump pillow on the seat on your firing hand under your elbow.
If only allowed one bag and you can't get any type of rear support under the rifle or your elbow/hand......depending on how much the bus "bounces", you'll need to use a varying amount of "free recoil." Not just letting the rifle recoil without any input......just backing off your pressure with your shoulder and increasing the downward pressure on the optic rings/mount until your wobble shrinks.
You can also treat it similar to a rope/chain. Put the front/forward part of the forearm on the bag on the widow, and support the rear of the rifle however you can (your shoulder/hand, rear bag, seat/bag, etc). Then let your breathing and natural point of aim take care of the rest.
Anytime the prop/support is so thin that your rifle "teeters" too much, you can default to the rope/chain position of not just trying to balance the rifle in the center. You have to become part of the support position now. It's becoming a forgotten skill as you don't see too many wobbly props anymore.....but it's still a really good position to know how to build when you run into a thin prop.
Anytime the prop/support is so thin that your rifle "teeters" too much, you can default to the rope/chain position of not just trying to balance the rifle in the center. You have to become part of the support position now. It's becoming a forgotten skill as you don't see too many wobbly props anymore.....but it's still a really good position to know how to build when you run into a thin prop.
I like the idea of laying a tripod across the seats for a rear support, I will definitely try that.
I’ve never seen it, and don’t know why??.. but take the tripod, same orientation, but push it all the way to the window, it’d give you a bigger area then just the edge of the window, and run the bag tits down so it drapes over the window and tripod.……….. just for a plan B when you realize you have to much rear height with your tripod rear support.
Twas a student at a recent class of ours. It poured on the first day. Wasn’t very fun. lol
Don’t really want to talk about my school days..Please share more regarding the short bus experience.
I'm not a PRS stud like some on here, but I like keeping things simple.
I use a barricade bag (I use a mini wiebad fortune cookie), sitting on the frame and butted up against one side of the window (left or right, depends on situation). From this position you can stabilize the rifle with two points of contact - from below and to one side.
You may not always have the opportunity to utilize two points of contact out of a window, but when you can, it helps. This technique also works for me out of any port/window.
Adding more gear into the equation (like tripods) can certainly work, but can backfire if it's a technique you don't have a lot of practice with. One of the most common stage mistakes I see is people trying to use too much gear on a stage, with clearly no practice with the specific technique and gear they are trying to employ.
I use a barricade bag (I use a mini wiebad fortune cookie), sitting on the frame and butted up against one side of the window (left or right, depends on situation). From this position you can stabilize the rifle with two points of contact - from below and to one side.
You may not always have the opportunity to utilize two points of contact out of a window, but when you can, it helps. This technique also works for me out of any port/window.
Adding more gear into the equation (like tripods) can certainly work, but can backfire if it's a technique you don't have a lot of practice with. One of the most common stage mistakes I see is people trying to use too much gear on a stage, with clearly no practice with the specific technique and gear they are trying to employ.
Took some quick pics using a ladder to (poorly) simulate a bus window:
Tucking the rifle all the way to the side allows you to put another point of contact on the rifle, whether it's your stock/chassis or scope. This relatively simple technique adds a decent amount of stability in my experience.
ETA:
Here's some arrows drawn in to show where the rifle is supported in this pic. Two points of contacts in two different planes/axis':
Tucking the rifle all the way to the side allows you to put another point of contact on the rifle, whether it's your stock/chassis or scope. This relatively simple technique adds a decent amount of stability in my experience.
ETA:
Here's some arrows drawn in to show where the rifle is supported in this pic. Two points of contacts in two different planes/axis':
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In that case tripod in the rear for sure and a flat bag with arca attachment at the front of the stock.
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