What are some techniques you all use to increase your offhand accuracy that can be done without shooting? My rifle is balanced about 1/3 of the way up the barrel so if I tuck my arm in tight into my chest, it is front heavy and I'm not as accurate as when I hold it on the balance point. I've thought of just practicing holding the rifle on a spot on the wall or even tying a little weight on the center point to make the rifle slightly heavier as a little "workout" to improve muscle strength.
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Offhand Accuracy
- Thread starter awreis
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The butt stocks of many of these rifles are configured so that they're best held with an elbow extended and an across-the-chest sideways shooting stance. I like to hold a little forward of the natural balance point, but YMMV. Weighting down your rifle isn't going to help because that's not how you're going to shoot it. Just try different holds and stances during your practice sessions until you find what feels most natural to get those sights lined up with the target and held through trigger pull.
Some interesting reading from Harry Pope about offhand muzzleloaders.
Learn to stalk closer is my best suggestion, then use a rest.
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Arm and leg health are a big plus. Exercise all four extremities? Dry fire exercise: Place a small target on the wall with good light and aim at that.
Get your shooting routine down to a reflex. We all have a good timing and a bad timing to get a shot off. Practice fluid shooting. (smooth) Ready, aiming, squeezing and then be surprised when the gun goes off. No fliching for either cap or flint .
Flintlocks use a hardwood shaped flint in the cock. Cappers place a plumbing rubber washer on the nipple. Make the lock and triggers go though the whole process.
Larry
Thanks for posting. Printed off and saved for future ref.
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What I do is being I am right handed I put my left arms elbow into my body to steady the rifle. If I am shooting moving targets I don't?
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I glance over the article and he has some important points. He mentioned a rifle must be muzzle heavy1 I have told people this for years but it didn't sink in. He is right I also do not want a light rifle as well!
longcruise
70 Cal.
I find holding drills to be helpful. Pope mentions it but in less detail than it warrants. Like he explains, position is important. It determines your Natural Point of Aim (NPOA). I use a "target" like the picture below and stand at a distance consistently the same and at NPOA, shoulder the rifle and hold the sight picture within a circle for a set period. The period is not the same as the period you would hold for a shot. It's a longer period of say 30 to 45 seconds. The object is to hold the sight picture within the circle for the full time period for all of the repetitions. When you can hold the sight picture through your reps without wandering outside the circle, you graduate to the next smaller circle.
What you are doing is training your coordination of the muscular/nervous system. It's surprising how quickly you can improve if you do this regularly.
This is not dry firing. You can incorporate it at the end of the repetition if you can do so without damaging the lock. Also, I don't consider it an alternative or substitute for dry firing.
What you are doing is training your coordination of the muscular/nervous system. It's surprising how quickly you can improve if you do this regularly.
This is not dry firing. You can incorporate it at the end of the repetition if you can do so without damaging the lock. Also, I don't consider it an alternative or substitute for dry firing.
I try that every now and then but without fail the RO calls me out for a safety violation.
I like this idea. Will be making one to hang on me basement wall for practice.
longcruise
70 Cal.
I can't claim the idea. Got it from the BPCR guys.
I never pass up the opportunity to use a rest. With my long rifle I truly miss shooting with a leather sling like I do with unmentionables. But sling swivels on it would be as ugly as lipstick on a hog. And those slip on fabric slings won't give you the sought after stability.
A black circle the size of a quarter at 15ft away. I use a piece of cardboard for this
The biggest factor for me is confidence in what rifle your shooting
The biggest factor for me is confidence in what rifle your shooting
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Wooden flint in the lock an lots of dry firing an burning lots of powder
My secret to offhand accuracy involve six words that I repeat in my head.....
HOLD, HOLD,HOLD...SQUEEZE, SQUEEZE, SQUEEZE
HOLD, HOLD,HOLD...SQUEEZE, SQUEEZE, SQUEEZE
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I think the problem a lot of people have shooting without a rest is it It is hard to hold the rifle still. With that said one needs to come up with a way to compensate and there lies the problem a lot of people have. I hunted deer for several years and the club used dogs. If you got a shot at a deer it was getting gone fast! What I did was to lead the deer what I thought was needed and then pull the trigger. I took a lot of deer with my 30 06 Winchester. The rifle was moving as was the deer in order to take the deer? I used this method on aireal shots as well. Shooting with the rifle moving came natural to me. You can do the same thing with still targets. I shoulder the rifle and pick up the sights as I bring the rifle up as soon as is starts to get on target I pull the trigger.l never try to hold the sights on the target ? I can't hold a rifle still and I don't believe anyone can or not anyone I have ever seen could do it? Gallon milk jugs full of water at 200 yards was no challange off hand using this method. Try it you may be surprised with your results? Nothing ventured , nothin gained!
Lots of great advice in this thread. Like @LME I find it hard to hold a rifle still with sights on target. So I like his method of incorporating movement into aquiring the sight picture and squeeze as soon as your sight picture matches what you're picturing in your mind. Coming up on the target from directly below and squeezing at six o'clock works best for me because windage is already aligned and being held steady and the rifle recoils up. If I have to hold over the intended POI (as is the usual case with iron sights on milsurps) I might try coming in horizontally from the side while holding the elevation steady. I don't know how this method translates into moving targets because none of the outdoor ranges I can shoot black powder at feature or allow moving targets. I need to figure out some way to get in this training.
I'm following this thread. There are very knowledgeable folks on here sharing. Thank you
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You are doing it the same as I do! As to moving targets come from behind the target catch it and the keep the rifle moving ahead until you reach your desired lead. It will amaze you how accurate it will become. You are not driving nails but you can keep a group that is in the kill zone easy! If you are going to use a scope use low power! Nothing will screw up a shot more than magnification! The hardest part is the part of staying calm and I don't know how evreybody does it but it is a must!
Pretty simple…. Buy a rifle with a high quality swamped barrel. It’s like shooting from a sandbag on a bench.
Problem solved!
Problem solved!
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