You could't hit the broad side of a barn!

[X-fan]

I find shooting standing off hand quite difficult. I would be very interested to know what size groups you guys get at 100 yards with your hunting rifles.
I'l tell you now, last time I practiced, 5 fairly quick shots out of my pump were a pathetic 6 inch groups and over. Sometimes a lot over.

I would not shoot at an animal this far without some kind of a rest for this reason.

Tough question to answer accurately.

Most of my off hand range shooting is done at 200 yards. We have a ten inch gong out there that I pretty much never miss. My best range (witnessed) offhand shooting was at a 5 inch steel ball hung at 200yds...Using my ZKK-602 in 375Wby with a 2X Leupold mounted I hit it 8 out of 10 times....That is good shooting (for me).

My best offhand game shots came on wounded game.
The first (my buddies elderly father's took the first shot) was a spine shot mule deer in tall grass 160yds away (if memory serves the laser said 166yds). The deer's head would momentarily pop above the grass as it flailed about so (to stop any further misery) I snapped the rifle to my shoulder and shot it in the head.

The other was to finish off a buffalo. My buddies wife made a great initial shot (scoping herself in the process), but as sometimes the case the bison didn't understand he was dead yet. They handed me the rifle and while they performed first aid asked me to dispatch the animal quickly with a headshot (this was a meat bull). As soon as I got the rifle the bull started to go so I ran in a big semi circle and got 150 yds broadside...Stupid bull saw me and decided to ramp up the escape. I aimed for his eye and missed it (low) by just under an inch...he didn't go down so (assuming I miss-lead and shot too far forward) I aimed for the base of his horns...which I hit perfectly.

Under normal circumstances I would never take such a shot without a solid rest. If possible I will find a rest for a 50 yard shot. In fact I shoot very little game using completely unsupported offhand.

Also, to be honest there are the occasional days that I go to the range where well....Things just don't come together for me...A real windy day pretty much guaranties that effect.

 

[warrenb]

Well Warren it sounds to me like your competent enough to put 5 quick shots into a minute of deer group.

Thanks but it would only work if the deer was getting one of my good groups. Like I said some groups tend to be a lot over (as in shots 4 and 5 going off the A4 paper target ).
To tell the truth first and second shots generally tend to be in the right area.

I'd be much happy if I could make shots like Xfan describes.

 

[12many]

I find shooting standing off hand quite difficult. I would be very interested to know what size groups you guys get at 100 yards with your hunting rifles.
I'l tell you now, last time I practiced, 5 fairly quick shots out of my pump were a pathetic 6 inch groups and over. Sometimes a lot over.

I would not shoot at an animal this far without some kind of a rest for this reason.

i shoot at rest, kneeling ,standing

i use plastics folgers cans full of sand as vitals for deer

i can hit it at 450 yds with a rest, 250 kneeling and 175 standing


fo

 

[Brutus]

Tough question to answer accurately.

Most of my off hand range shooting is done at 200 yards. We have a ten inch gong out there that I pretty much never miss. My best range (witnessed) offhand shooting was at a 5 inch steel ball hung at 200yds...Using my ZKK-602 in 375Wby with a 2X Leupold mounted I hit it 8 out of 10 times....That is good shooting (for me).

Also, to be honest there are the occasional days that I go to the range where well....Things just don't come together for me...A real windy day pretty much guaranties that effect.

There you go, great advice, for myself as well, offhand practice on a metal gong frequently practiced was my road to success too.
One thing few if any, have mentioned is muscle endurance. If you have a farmer friend with the 'regular' old square bails during harvest-time, wow not much beats this for a good physical workout!
(Onto flatbed stacked, into loft, into deeper reaches of barn loft neatly stacked!!!)
Weight lifting, say one arm bent over rowing, or pull-ups certainly help with developing good arm/back muscles, required to pull off a steady shot at any distance, without the shake of strained muscles.
Heavy-bag or speed bag boxing practice is stellar in this regard. Myself, I have a Century brand 70 lb heavy bag & heavy practice gloves, in my garage for this.
And also archery practice help to strengthen arms/torso/back also.
As stated before, practice practice & more......

Cheers Gitrdun!

 

[jimmyjazz]

I try to convince my buddies to practice off hand but they will not.
They tell me they will always find something to rest on.

Truth be told, had them try once and missed the target completely at 100 and would never try again.

I practice all the tine.

 

[johnny64]

I often shoot without a rest. We sure don't use one hunting!! I only use a rest for sighting in a scope.
But now that you mention it, I knew a neighbor of mine(who was a retired RCMP Sgt.), who was always going to competitions. He consistently won many awards for shooting a .308 at 6, 7, and 800 yds.Although I don't know if he used a scope or not. My dad, however, never used a scope on his rifles...and he almost always shot his deer at 400 yds or greater!

 

[rlg]

since my shooting range will not let you shoot offhand.

Really, why is that so heavyBullet. Did they give you a reason? If you stay within the permitted parameter of your stall, and your rifle is always down range, what is the problem with off-hand.

I've been to many ranges in the Montreal area, indoors and out, and know most of the people whom operate them, and I have never been told that I cannot shoot off-hand.

I would not expect you to give any range in this area a black eye by criticizing them on a public MB forum, but I would be very curious to know which range it was that would not permit you to shoot off-hand.

You can always send me a PM with the name of the range and maybe we can have that regulation changed.

Regards
Robert

 

[Wendell]

Brobee had the Online Battlerifle League in 2007.

It was great while it lasted and I hope that we'll see it again.