The Hunter Marksman Challenge - use your hunting rifle!
- Thread starter Brobee
- Start date
They are in the original post.....
The only way I can do sitting unsupported is to use only one of my legs and bend it at an awkward angle so that I can get one elbow on a knee.... with the other leg completely outstretched.....
Here's some to get you going:
20cm bull reference target
Black Bear BB001
Bull Moose BM001
Elk Pair EP001
Mule Deer Buck MD001
Whitetail Buck WT001
Whitetail Doe WT002
Whitetail Pair WT003
I've got lots more I'm working on (sheep, wild boar, grizzly, roe deer, european red deer, caribou, small game, hell, I'm even open to sketching up a series on dinosaurs); hope to have a whole library of targets done up by the time I'm done along with a manual/curriculum you can use to practice positional shooting (both with centerfire and rimfire) and measure your improvement.
Once I get the baseline challenge out of the way and hopefully hook a bunch of folks, I'll start posting practice exercises/perscriptions for everyone to try.
Cheers,
Brobee
Ruger m77 Alaskan
375 Ruger
Leaupold VX3 2.5-8 (set on 4x)
POI is off as these are my practice rounds
300g hornady RN
55g h4985
8 shots inside 8"
1 min 4 seconds
marlin 336 30-30win
Williams peep sights
170g hornady FP
36.5g levereveolution
40 sec (was rushing)
Not happy with the first go around with the 30-30.
I took a little more time.
58sec
10 inside the 8" ring.
375 Ruger
Leaupold VX3 2.5-8 (set on 4x)
POI is off as these are my practice rounds
300g hornady RN
55g h4985
8 shots inside 8"
1 min 4 seconds
marlin 336 30-30win
Williams peep sights
170g hornady FP
36.5g levereveolution
40 sec (was rushing)
Not happy with the first go around with the 30-30.
I took a little more time.
58sec
10 inside the 8" ring.
The loads in the 375 ruger are reduced. Only 55g H4895.
Kicks more like a 30-06
So not such a thumper at the moment
Plus I am 6'3" 300lbs.
I might try it again with some full tilt loads.
But I am sure the prone shots at the end
Are not going to be nice.
Kicks more like a 30-06
So not such a thumper at the moment
Plus I am 6'3" 300lbs.
I might try it again with some full tilt loads.
But I am sure the prone shots at the end
Are not going to be nice.
Data entered, thank you! Pretty awesome scores I think, especially with your m77. Hope you had fun, and hope you try again a couple times. Also, deeply appreciate the pic of your dissatisfying run. I'm hoping folks are comfortable sharing that kind of stuff so I can build a reasonable representation of our general ability, not just what we are capable of when everything comes together the way we'd like to see ourselves.
Many many thanks!
Brobee
I tried the various positions in my basement with the compact...... Great little purpose built rifle but super light..... I put a .5 inch dot sticker on the wall (the kind that come with shoot 'n see targets)..... It's going to be a real challenge keeping it steady during kneeling and sitting unsupported..... I wager it will provide me with some humbling results...... But I really want to put it to the test..... If I can get good standing and prone results, I will be pleased as this is what I bought it for...... Quick shots from standing at short yardage and accuracy from stable, well supported positions....
Ok, I shot it yesterday with my Tikka T3 with aperture sights in 338 WM. I was shooting at a cardboard box with a dot drawn on it and don't have pictures of it (my phone will not upload pictures for some reason) so you will have to take my word for it.
Probably the lowest score to date: 8/10- 214 seconds
I have a thinner front sight blade which I have been meaning to put on and I think it would improve my score. I took my time so I didn't fire the rifle without it being properly shouldered and my hands away from the bolt and sling swivels.
My two misses were probably from prone, I never shoot prone which I know is bad. Both landed on the box but high. Unlike Superbrad, sitting unsupported with a military style sling wrapped secured under my bicep and both elbows on the knees was my best position. I think my most central hits were from this position.
Barrel was hot and recoil was punishing by round 10. I am also no speed re-loader and totally forgot my plan to single load the rifle after emptying the box mag. I think these are all the excuses I can come up with at the present.
Good challenge for those of us who are not range members, and no bench necessary! I would like to try with optical sights but I am not used to using them so it might be the same result.
Edit: put time in minutes, and incorrectly I might add.
Probably the lowest score to date: 8/10- 214 seconds
I have a thinner front sight blade which I have been meaning to put on and I think it would improve my score. I took my time so I didn't fire the rifle without it being properly shouldered and my hands away from the bolt and sling swivels.
My two misses were probably from prone, I never shoot prone which I know is bad. Both landed on the box but high. Unlike Superbrad, sitting unsupported with a military style sling wrapped secured under my bicep and both elbows on the knees was my best position. I think my most central hits were from this position.
Barrel was hot and recoil was punishing by round 10. I am also no speed re-loader and totally forgot my plan to single load the rifle after emptying the box mag. I think these are all the excuses I can come up with at the present.
Good challenge for those of us who are not range members, and no bench necessary! I would like to try with optical sights but I am not used to using them so it might be the same result.
Edit: put time in minutes, and incorrectly I might add.
I think I was going a little fast. Maybe because I was shooting clays on Sunday.
Any way I am going to load up a batch of 30-30 lead cast. Hope to get out next weekend.
Cheeper and lighter on the barrel.
The 375ruger was piping hot by the end.
Any way I am going to load up a batch of 30-30 lead cast. Hope to get out next weekend.
Cheeper and lighter on the barrel.
The 375ruger was piping hot by the end.
8/10 with irons is a hell of a score IMOP....... And a .338 is not easy on the shoulder... I always speak of not being recoil sensitive, but I also don't shoot ten back to back from a big boomer and the biggest boomer I have shot for this test is a .308.......
I really like the feedback I am seeing her for sitting, because it shows how every shooter is different proportions wise and some may feel more comfortable with this than others......
As for prone, I used my pack as a rest, and this is common for me in a hunting situation..... Lots of times when I hunt coyote I actually set up this way as it lowers my visible profile and makes for a comfy wait.... Typically it is either this position or sitting with back up against a tree and rifle ready with shooting sticks or monopod..... So i practice these a lot.....
^should have used a pack or bedroll as a rest. Used a fallen tree for sitting supported and just lay down underneath it. A foam mat might had helped a bit too, but it's not like you can lay one of those out while hunting unless you are shooting at ranges where I would stalk closer.
I always feel compelled to say, a good receiver sight is much more accurate than open barrel mounted irons imo. I believe Whelen suggested that with a black partridge front blade a capable shooter with perfect or corrected vision should be able to achieve sub moa groups from a bench. Not quiet there yet here, I think his point was 'reciever sights are more accurate than most shooters can achieve"
I wear glasses for mild nearsightedness and astigmatism, the clarity of vision looking through the peep sight always amazes me.
Prone is just not a shot I've ever had the opportunity to take in the field. I might be hunting in the flatlands next year if I don't relocate, somewhere flatter for sure, that might change.
8/10 is okay but that is two wounded elks...
I always feel compelled to say, a good receiver sight is much more accurate than open barrel mounted irons imo. I believe Whelen suggested that with a black partridge front blade a capable shooter with perfect or corrected vision should be able to achieve sub moa groups from a bench. Not quiet there yet here, I think his point was 'reciever sights are more accurate than most shooters can achieve"
I wear glasses for mild nearsightedness and astigmatism, the clarity of vision looking through the peep sight always amazes me.
Prone is just not a shot I've ever had the opportunity to take in the field. I might be hunting in the flatlands next year if I don't relocate, somewhere flatter for sure, that might change.
8/10 is okay but that is two wounded elks...
Not sure, you would take ten shots at an elk, and your least comfortable position accounts for the last two of those shots.... I think you did well.....
To me, hunting involves g tying into a good position whether getting as close as possible to an animal and taking a sure shot or getting into a comfy familiar position and taking a sure shot.... All dictated by terrain and situation....
To me, hunting involves g tying into a good position whether getting as close as possible to an animal and taking a sure shot or getting into a comfy familiar position and taking a sure shot.... All dictated by terrain and situation....
Here's what I use for basement dry-fire practice:
15 yard basement practice dots
When set up at 15 yards, the number in each circle corresponds to the equivalent diameter of a disc at 100 yards.
Cheers,
B
Yes...they are all designed to be printed at home on commonly available 8.5x11 letter sized paper, and shot at 25 yards. Some day when I have more time I will edit them to annotate their approximate corresponding real-life distance/range.
I plan on coming up with practice exercises for each target, for use both with your rimfire .22 practice rifle and your centerfires hunting rifle.
Can we get a sitting bear*?
Thanks for putting on the challenge.
I really like how you cannot see the outline of the "kill zone" at 25 meters on the targets but it is still there to check up on.
* and a t-rex, and a charging cape buffalo, and and and....
Thanks for putting on the challenge.
I really like how you cannot see the outline of the "kill zone" at 25 meters on the targets but it is still there to check up on.
* and a t-rex, and a charging cape buffalo, and and and....
