Training techniques to improve offhand shooting.

What is the best way to train for offhand shooting? The last few matches, have consistently shot about 75% on paper, about 30/40 on sillhoettes.

Have been practicing on steel targets @ 25 and 50 yards. Cost and availability of caps/lead/powder lead me to put identical sights on a HW-85 spring piston air rifle, and practice on spinner targets at 25 yards. But seem to be at a plateau around 75%.

Just practicing the same old things, doesn't seem to be making much difference. Looking for suggestions/ideas how I might push past this performance plateau, and continue to improve?

Basic principles of marksmanship apply no matter whether shooting black powder, smokeless, or no powder. Past a certain point, there's no magic thing to be purchased to propel a shooter into the winner's circle. Dry firing, if done properly and seriously, is effective and builds up the muscles essential for each position.

Enlisting the help of a knowledgeable, willing coach/instructor helped me more than I thought possible with my practical combat pistol shooting. Mastery of the Basics wins matches.

There are variables in play that we can't know not having watched you shoot. Shooting with, or getting some coaching from accomplished shooters can get you some pointers or identify if you have some specific shortcomings.
Video yourself and see if you are varying stance, shouldering, cheek to stock weld, etc. It might help you see some inconsistent behaviors. It can help but personal coaching is tough to beat.

Began shooting back in the 70's so been doing it for awhile. One thing that helped my scores was when I realized you don't have to pull the trigger every time you shoulder your rifle. Sometimes it just doesn't feel right, maybe your muzzle dropped below your aimpoint, or your sights just didn't quiet line up don't try to force the shot. Take the rifle down, take a few deep breaths to calm down then start over. There are times when I have started over several times before getting the shot off. Even if you are shooting in competition with 30 minute relays you have lots of time to get your shots off.

I’m still doing well, and its always been my practice to bring the foresight onto the target and the instant that the rear aligns let off the shot.
I usually never linger aligning but if I wander off target start over.
Learned this in the Army and was Marksman for 5 of my 6 years regular service.

JDBraddy said:

What is the best way to train for offhand shooting?

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Practice. Then more practice. Live or dry fire, repetition is your friend. Go to competitions, compete and see what others are doing. Pay attention to what the top shooters recommend. Don’t limit yourself to one type of shooting. Folks shooting other disciplines (CMP or small bore rimfire for example) will provide clues about how they become top offhand shooters. Learn from wherever you can.

Above assumes you have an accurate muzzleloader when shooting from a solid rest or bench, your OP was about training for offhand shooting. Learn how to shoot offhand in any discipline, and the skills are transferable.

sheriff john said:

Basic principles of marksmanship apply no matter whether shooting black powder, smokeless, or no powder. Past a certain point, there's no magic thing to be purchased to propel a shooter into the winner's circle. Dry firing, if done properly and seriously, is effective and builds up the muscles essential for each position.

Enlisting the help of a knowledgeable, willing coach/instructor helped me more than I thought possible with my practical combat pistol shooting. Mastery of the Basics wins matches.

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SJ stated it best.

I find that whenever my accuracy is not up to my standards, its most often due to getting away from the basics in some fashion. IMO, one does not have to actually fire the ML to maintain good accuracy. For maintaining a steady hold, I put up a picture of a squirrel on my wall in the living room. I use this to maintain muscle memory and strength, as well as to see how steady I'm holding on target. Some days I shake so badly that I could thread a sewing machine while its running. Other days I'm pretty darn steady.

Considering its the actual trigger pull that can cause issues, dry firing can tell a lot of the story. IMO, if one can use the two procedures I just listed, when it comes time to actually fire the ML, it becomes more of a second nature thing. Of course, I most always talk to myself through the aiming and firing process.

Another issue that I find can and does arise is mental pressure during the shot sequence. I'm not a competition shooter but I would reckon that there is, or can be, a little bit of stress or distraction involved. During a hunting application, say on squirrels, as small of a target as they are, and the fact that they seldom want to sit still for more than a few seconds at a time, the need for a speedy shot can have an influence on accuracy. Also, no two situation is ever the exact same.

JDBraddy said:

What is the best way to train for offhand shooting? ...... Looking for suggestions/ideas how I might push past this performance plateau, and continue to improve?

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One thing that helped me is to not get locked into a certain stance. I like to shoot from different positions, different stances, different bracings, with and without a sling, etc. I'm not sure how that has helped, but I've noticed that when I started doing that is when I started improving.

I am by no means an expert. I took a standing shot at a full sized paper deer target at 50 yards last year with my .50 flintlock... I walked up and promptly circled the hole and wrote "NEVER do this!!!!". I was well low and hit the brisket from a behind the shoulder aim point. With that gun and even the set trigger, I need a LOT more practice time. That shot was totally a result of over-aiming... holding too long. I should have taken a few seconds and reset before firing.

Practice, without question. I think there are three other good points to keep in mind.
1. don't think, get to muscle memory where you align and fire because...
2. time is your enemy. the longer your look and hold the more you will dip and sway and then it's over.
3. old adage of "aim small". If you are "seeing" the entire target or larger background, you are likely to miss by a larger margin than if your eye is drilling a hold where you want the ball/bullet to go. Look STRAIGHT thru the sight, open, peep or even a scope... you have to align your eye directly along the axis to the target. I think a lot of folks would be shocked at how much better they would shoot a center fire with a scope if they did that one simple thing.

Dry fire. With a caplock you'll just be firing the set trigger, not letting the hammer fall from full cock.

Stop practicing on plates. Plates are going to give you positive feedback no matter where you hit them. If your goal is higher scores on paper targets, this is counterproductive.

Exercise. If you do already tailor some exercises to your goal. Hold a kettle bell at eye level for a set period of time for a set number of reps. Take a fairly light (to start) dumbell, let's call it 5 pounds for now but might even need to be 2.5,,,, hold it straight out from the shoulder pointed at the wall,,, "write" the alphabet on the wall with the dumbell. Do these for a while and I'm betting you'll be holding that gun more steady.

What has worked for me is to lock into a stance, arms, cheek, hands. Become comfortable enough to get into this stance even with eyes closed. Then…Move from waist only to target. If you tire, stop lower rifle, take a few slow breaths. Try again. Don’t rush.

If you must shoot off hand then range time is your best friend. Practice until you are sick of it for the day. I was a right eye dominant shooter but am now legally blind in that eye. Learning to use my left eye took a lot of shooting. Using a .22 helped hold costs down.

I do not like off hand and especially not on game. I will use any rest the situation presents with. Also kneeling and prone shooting positions. I'd like to come up with a shooting sling for my long rifles.

Lots of good advice here
When I shot Highpower I practiced nightly in basement with two full bandolier's hanging from the muzzle and focus on a tiny dot on opposite wall
Once at the range with no weight it's was easier for me to hold steady

Off hand rifle shooting by H M Pope. He was famous for a reason. It's a PDF file.

Colonial Boy said:

Learned this in the Army and was Marksman for 5 of my 6 years regular service.

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I did a "Whoa...WTH" on that until I remembered that you are in Oz.

In the US army "Marksman" is the lowest qualifying designation. It's obviously the opposite in your army.

My best shooting is when I relax, breathe and follow through after the shot. Don’t move off target until the smoke clears.

FWIW, gongs with a MZL and/or spinners with the air rifle are NOT giving you fine enough discrimination for WHERE that front sight is at the exact moment the trigger breaks! That is the key to good shooting! To be quite frank, you're only practicing "good enough shooting" IMHO.

Best to break out a bullseye target and using a 6 o'clock 'lillipop' hold, start shooting for the smallest groups to improve your marksmanship. You know the adage, "Aim small - miss small!"

Keep ALL your attention on that front sight and learn to call your shots. Also learn now to establish your Natural Point of Aim or NPA, where the easiest way to learn some of these basic to advanced marksmanship techniques is in this simple book below, available for only $10 as a download or $15 for the book:

Link = https://jarheadtop.com/jarheadtop-com-shopping-page/

JDBraddy said:

What is the best way to train for offhand shooting? The last few matches, have consistently shot about 75% on paper, about 30/40 on sillhoettes.

Have been practicing on steel targets @ 25 and 50 yards. Cost and availability of caps/lead/powder lead me to put identical sights on a HW-85 spring piston air rifle, and practice on spinner targets at 25 yards. But seem to be at a plateau around 75%.

Just practicing the same old things, doesn't seem to be making much difference. Looking for suggestions/ideas how I might push past this performance plateau, and continue to improve?

Click to expand...

Figure out what works best for you and simply practice that consistantly. This whole sport is about consistency. I normally work up the most consistant group that I can possibly get from a bench, then work on my offhand shooting, with the exact same load.
Breathing techniques, stance and consistant point of aim are other things to explore if your trying to get to that next level.

I used to practice in my basement all winter using a pellet rifle. Even amazed me at how much it improved my shooting, so I did it with a pellet pistol and the improvement was even more impressive.
Robin

S.Kenton said:

Figure out what works best for you and simply practice that consistantly. This whole sport is about consistency. ....

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.... and when you get consistent using one method don't stop there, start working on another. Diversity of method leads to improvements in consistency across all methods.