Offhand Accuracy

[awreis]

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.

 

[wiscoaster]

.... 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. ....

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.

 

[russellshaffer]

Some interesting reading from Harry Pope about offhand muzzleloaders.

 

[nhmoose]

Learn to stalk closer is my best suggestion, then use a rest.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

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.

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

 

[wiscoaster]

Some interesting reading from Harry Pope about offhand muzzleloaders.

Thanks for posting. Printed off and saved for future ref.

 

[LME]

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.

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?

 

[LME]

Some interesting reading from Harry Pope about offhand muzzleloaders.

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]

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.

Learn to stalk closer is my best suggestion, then use a rest.

I try that every now and then but without fail the RO calls me out for a safety violation.