For the
duration of the blog I’ve been harping against the use of shooting benches and
trying to promote practice with the rifle in a manner consistent with realistic
field use. I’ve just discovered that
I’ve developed a crutch that was probably borne of pride for not using a bench.
My crutch,
which I can now see is the equivalent of a shooting bench, is the known
distance shooting line that allows for comfortable, unobstructed shooting from
any position. It wouldn’t have to be on
a manicured patch of turf or anything, just a spot that I could comfortably plop down, set up my gear, have my range to target hand fed to me, and take my time to make a shot, or even be timed in a nicely set up, predetermined position.
Pete thought I was going to say “bipod” :) .
Real life
doesn’t always allow for a comfortable position. Sometimes the distance to target won’t be
displayed in yards in a position adjacent to your shooting location. Targets may not remain stationary, or even
visible, for very long. Yet I’ve been
affording myself these luxuries for most of the time I’ve been shooting.
I’m
thinking that a few pieces of steel or perhaps clay pigeons set out on the berm
would serve as good targets. I might
just go for a walk on the grounds of the range and decide at any moment that
“now is the time to take a shot”. If the
grass in that location is too tall, I’ll have to figure out a way to get a
steady position that affords me the line of sight I need. If there is something in proximity that
allows for support I’d have to figure out how to best utilize it. Recognizing cover and making quick and
effective use of it is also a great idea.
Another
method I’ve used is to number a series of targets, and number a series of
shooting locations. Mark these
respective locations on a series of index cards. Grab a random card form each stack, then run
to that position and shoot that target with as many shots as it takes from any
position that will work from that location.
Time yourself. That’s a humbling
way to spend time at the range.
IMHO the best way to accomplish this is by hunting.
ReplyDeleteA 22 rifle and patch of ground squirrels will teach a shooter many things. The shooter has to locate the squirrel and use whatever position or rest possible to shoot it, all under the time constraint of the squirrel getting back in his hole.
On the other end of the spectrum....
I was guiding a hunter on an $18,000 Brown Bear hunt on the Alaskan Peninsula who wrecked an eighty yard shot at a sleeping 10 foot bear. He was so focused on using his shooting sticks that he rattled the aluminum sticks together, waking the bear. The bear whirled out of his bed, the hunter gut shot it and we never recovered that trophy. I had taken a kneeling position on a snow drift at the edge of the alders and ASSUMED the hunter would do the same! He could have even gone prone on that hard snow, but it turned out he had practiced with the sticks and by golly that was what he was gonna use.
In contrast, I had an experienced Idaho elk hunter kill a huge 11 foot bear with a really hard shot. We were climbing through an alder thicket to intercept the bear as he crossed the slope above us. The bear beat us, he crossed above us nearly 300 yards above while we were still in the 8 foot high alders. I threw my pack frame on top of a broken off alder, told the hunter to use it for a rest and take the shot if he thought he could make it. He leaned into the pack until the alder had enough resistance to steady his aim, got his breath under control and rolled that bear with his first shot! That bear had a Boone and Crockett skull and was the biggest bodied bear I have ever been in on.
I love to hunt and shoot. For me guiding bear hunts in Alaska is the pinnacle of hunting and shooting. When it's my turn to shoot, the situation has gone to hell, the hunter has wounded the bear and it's either fleeing or coming our way. Not much time for getting in position, checking the grass, or a surprise trigger break.
It's a blast
Ah True thing akjaeger the squirrel patch can be a good tool especially if one actually hunts and strives for the best shot and humane kill.A friend of mine who guides in the Yukon quipped once these Clients show up with big guns and optics to shoot at something the size and color of a UPS truck -They would be much better served with caliber they can handle and less glass and some real time doing what the slinger does and a little time in the patch.
ReplyDelete+1 on the hunting. You are in charge of very little out in the field.
ReplyDeleteDitto on the hunting.
ReplyDeleteI once attended one of Col. Cooper's rifle competitions (called "guru's gold") as a spectator in the early 90's some time. He and his helpers set up a bunch of target 'problems', each of which had potentially more than one reasonable solution. Some of the stages had multiple targets at varying distances. It was very instructive to see how each of the shooters decided how to solve these. This experience was very influential in pointing me more toward fieldcraft rather than just target shooting.
There is a big difference between hitting golf balls at a driving range and playing a round of golf.
ReplyDelete