Off-hand question

[Bob J]

When shooting offhand, do most of you place support arm under forearm grip with elbow free? Or do you cradle elbow into your side? I was letting a friend shoot my GPR as I was practicing for 25 yard contest. He had never shot a traditional muzzleloader before, and he shot with elbow cradled into side for support. His 3 shots made one ragged hole in 10x! :curse: :curse: ::

 

[jaybeach]

You forgot to mention that he had never shot a rifle before, right? :haha:
When going for accuracy, I try to get my elbow down against my side - close to the hip as possible (women can do it better than men). When hunting, I usually forego that unless I feel I've really got a lot of time and movement isn't going to spook the animal.

 

You forgot to mention that he had never shot a rifle before, right? :haha:
When going for accuracy, I try to get my elbow down against my side - close to the hip as possible (women can do it better than men). When hunting, I usually forego that unless I feel I've really got a lot of time and movement isn't going to spook the animal.

If'n I shot with my "elbow on my hip",.... the ball would hit the ground 3 feet from my foot!! :crackup: :crackup:

YMHS
rollingb

 

[Slowpoke]

It depends.. most time I rest me elbow on my gut. But then when I go to Pa to shoot in matches they don't allow it, they call it bracing, so I have to hold it away from my body. I have a buddy, probably the best shot in the state of Maryland, and he can't shoot unless he has his arm fully extended. I just can't do it.... That's with a rifle.
With my smootbore, I have to have my arm extend so I can hold it tight.
Basically, you have to get yourself in the most stable and comfortable position, it what you prefer.

SP

 

[Big John]

Offhand is the way to go, i try not to touch my benchrest, (belly) otherwise shots go high! :m2c:

 

[roundball]

When shooting offhand..........Or do you cradle elbow into your side?

Elbow tucked down into my side, hand in front of the trigger guard...without question the most accurate way for me, both standing for offhand or sitting in a treestand

 

[TexiKan]

I shoot with my arm braced against my body. Now this came about from necessity. I used to shoot with a .40 cal. rifle and was talked into a .50 cal. It was quite a bit heavier. I soon found myself having to tuck my arm against my side. Many moons ago, this was not considered acceptable. I attended a shoot in another state and once they saw me shooting like that, I was treated like a criminal. The Range Master stopped the relay and a committee gathered around me to chastise me on my form. They claimed it was "illegal." Fortunately for me, about a month earlier, bracing against the body with the elbow was reported acceptable by the NMLRA in "Muzzle Blasts." I pointed this out to the lynch mob and told them it was declared acceptable by the NMLRA. After further evaluation, (and determining my target scores were dismal) they decided to allow me to continue. Needless to say, everyone had to question me regarding the Range Nazis and my transgression!

To this day, I continue to brace against my body and I believe I am a better shot because of it. :results:

TexiKan
--------------

If you continue to do what you've always done you will always get what you've always got.

 

[Ohio Joe]

I had to go shoulder my rifle so I could see how I do it.. :haha:

It appears I tuck my upper left arm against the left side of my chest, (my elbow not resting on anything)... I have a 90 degree hold with my right arm level with the top of my right shoulder and elbow pointed straight out away from the right side of my body... I point my left index finger down the bottom center of the stock towards the target.

Funny how you just get use to doing things then when some asks, I have to look! :haha: :haha:

 

[Hota]

My position sounds the same as Ohio Joe. Back of my left upper arm on my chest, stock resting freely in the palm of my left hand. Works for me.

 

[76monza]

Ohio Joe,

I had to stop and think how I hold my rifle too, couldn't visualize, so I had to go try it. pretty much the way you described the hold. Now I know a guy whos off-hand hold is about the same,but instead of resting the forearm of the rifle in his left palm he rests the gun on the tip of his thumb, index finger and second finger in a sort of fork. I have tried that before, can't really tell if it makes much difference except my fingers tend to be more stiff by the end of shoot.

Smokeydays

 

[IronMan]

Right elbow pointed at the ground at a 45 degree angle. Left hand as far forward as can reach,elbow and arm away from body,stock cradled between thumb and index finger. Have shot this way all my life. :results: Seems to work for me.

IronMan

 

[Gametracker]

Not necesarilly in target shooting, but in hunting situations, where I may be required to hold the gun in place for longer than comfortable, I'll tend to brace off against myself. Doing that allows a shorter radius from hand to shoulder, which doesn't eliminate, but delays just a little, the lactic acid build-up in the deltoids.

 

[2172]

shot cartridge guns arm extended, for some reason, shot bp with elbow rested against body, above hip...about 3 or 4 years ago, realized I had reverted/converted to my cartridge position..arm extended...didn't do it consciously, doesn't seem to make any difference in my shooting...still so-so..Hank

 

[Tahquamenon]

I'm a rightey.

Target or shots where I have more time:
Left hand is "choked up" on the stock with the left arm close to the body.

For hunting I would say that I unconciencely try for that postion, but in reality don't always get that due to postioning and time.

I also try to practice several types of handling positions that I often encounter in the field.

If shooting something with a sling, then I'll often use a sling to stabilize.

 

[Slamfire]

Not necesarilly in target shooting, but in hunting situations, where I may be required to hold the gun in place for longer than comfortable, I'll tend to brace off against myself. Doing that allows a shorter radius from hand to shoulder, which doesn't eliminate, but delays just a little, the lactic acid build-up in the deltoids.

If you have that much time, can't you find a rest? ::

 

[Gametracker]

Not necesarilly in target shooting, but in hunting situations, where I may be required to hold the gun in place for longer than comfortable, I'll tend to brace off against myself. Doing that allows a shorter radius from hand to shoulder, which doesn't eliminate, but delays just a little, the lactic acid build-up in the deltoids.

If you have that much time, can't you find a rest? ::

When a deer approaches you while you are still-hunting from the ground, you don't always have that luxury. A buck that will see you move while not yet presenting a shot usually won't allow you to find a rest.

 

[rabbit03]

Well I shall put in my two cents worth seeing everyone else has too.

After reading all these posts to your question I think you can see, and most will agree, that it is really up to the individual as to what helps him the best. Personally I hold mine off the tucked in position and not fully extended either, somewhere behind the barrel lug key on my Hawkin. But, that is what is best for me!

Don't feel bad about your friend shooting a ragged hole cause I got a friend of mine interested after I showed him how to load shoot and aim mine (he had never shot a muzzle loader before) and he put one right in the middle of my clover leaf at 50yds. Take care buddy and shoot the way it suits you.

 

[biliff]

And don't forget about foot position either. Just went thru the last two months with my offhand shots drifting off to the right in a rather random and disconcerting manner. Finally figured out I was showing too much shoulder to the target. Picked up my right foot and moved it forward so I was facing more squarely into the target and started shooting GROUPS again instead vertical strings. :m2c:

 

[MikeChapin]

I use to shoot cartidge with my elbow braced against my body. When I started shooting muzzleloaders there was a rule that there had to be at least a hand's breadth between the elbow and the body. So I got used to shooting that way. The rule was changed about 10-15 years ago.

I tried going back to tucking the elbow in. Didn't seem to make any difference so I went back shooting with the arm extended. It just felt better.

Bill- you are right about foot placement. I sometimes will pull up on the target and close my eyes for a moment. I check to see if I drift when open them agian. If I drift right or left, I move my rear foot to compensate for the drift. After a while placing your feet properly becomes a habit.

 

[oomcurt]

A rule about where your arm is????!!!! Tell ya what, I love to shoot, but primarily interested in hunting than punching holes in paper. That said, no way in hell would I consider what some damm group said about it being legal or illegal where I held my arm. In fact, I would be outa there faster than a fart in a hurricane. And people talk about the gov't interfereing....sheesh.