How do you shoot, in the field?

[Dunkield]

There have been a few references to this recently, so I am interested in how other people shoot, and maybe how you practice as well?

 

I never use a bipod I just use sticks for my rimfire shooting and leave them short, so I kneel or sit depending on how much time I have to get the shot off.

But ideally I would like to take anything under say 50 yards off-hand, I would need a bit of practice but would save fannying about with sticks.

 

I/we use bipods to shoot deer on the hills, despite the fact that is another 3/4lb to lug arround all day, it gives that confidence to place the shot - and you tend to have a bit of time to sort yourself out beforehand.

[harv]

i think as with anything else practice is the word.(stick some ballons out on sticks)

it is well worth practising unsupported,how many times have you fiddled about with sticks, bipod or lost

the sight picture going prone.

at under 50 yds i think you are right not only for speed but becoming a better all round shot.

not to mention when charlie pops his head up for a few seconds only.

[Baldrick]

It may sound silly, Stuart, but it depends on the time of year and the land I am shooting over. Over stubble, lawns or freshly-topped set-aside, I just use a 6" bipod, or shoot prone unsupported. In longer grass, I use one of the comically large Harris bipods to allow for a sitting shot (looks silly, feels slow, but is very steady). In woodland I use a pair of sticks, or just brace myself against the nearest trunk. However most of my rifle shooting is done from a Landy or quad bike.

 

I do have to keep in practice with shooting freehand. Under 50 yards is rarely a problem, but what usually hinders those quick shots is leaving a variable scope on max power, giving me a field of view of 1/4" at 50 yards.

Edited July 14, 2008 by Baldrick

[Peter_HMR]

9-13" swivel bipod all the way although i take the odd off hand shot i find myself using the bipod all the time. Sometimes there might be a bank or a ditch or wall or something about the place and ill use that if it suits but genereally bipod it just gives you that rocksteady platform to shot off which gives you confidence in the long shots.

 

Rabbits i find i always have time to get down for providing im carefule crows and other things sometimes i can consistantly hit crows at 40 yards standing but something i find quote hard.

[Zapp]

As far as how I practise (where the air rifle and rimfire are concerned), I use extra strong mints as targets.

 

I put them out at varying ranges and simply keep shooting until they are all gone, sometimes freehand, sometimes using the bonnet of the truck as a support. They are small enough to require a good degree of accuracy at longer ranges and explode in a satisfying (and minty fresh) white cloud when hit.

 

I often do this to keep my eye in and for practising holding over at various distances.

 

ZB

[Mungler]

I hope you have mint on your ticket

 

Names have been taken.

[JohnGalway]

Shoot prone off a bipod and practice the same way Fiddled about with sticks there a while back, will practice more with them, killed the hell out of a paper fox

[casts_by_fly]

bipod for me. I have a set of sticks at home (didn't bring them back over with me) but I like the bipod more. I want a set of the extra long ones for sitting shots. At the moment I found that you can turn over a 5-gal bucket and set the bipod on that for a perfect sitting height.

 

Thanks

Rick

[njc110381]

I either shoot of a bipod or miss freehand (usually).

[drut]

I either shoot of a bipod or miss freehand (usually).

 

Me too! Owing to age & an ankle repaired with s/steel I now find a 13"-27" bipod the best solution,not as rigid as the shorter bipods but I can drop to one knee or sit & use it quite quickly.If ambushing I use a camera tripod with adaptor & a chair.Also on my shoots I always look for points where I can use fences etc as rests.Freehand I never attempt over 30yds.

[MM]

freehand, or bended knee

[Harnser]

I would never take my .308 out without a bipod on the end . I dont always use it as i do a lot of stalking in quite dense woodland , and then tend to lean against a tree or wrap my arm around a branch in a hedge row to take the shot . But the bipod is such a handy tool if you can get down prone and offers the steadyest support of them all . I have placed the bipod on the top of fence posts ( drooped it over the post and pulled the rifle back taking the strain and steadying the shot .) Placed the bipod on fallen trees and even placed the bipod over wire sheep fences . One of the biggest mistakes some stalkers make and that is to have to much power on the scope ,there for over exagerating natural shake . I really use more than 3 x magnification , but then i do like to stalk in close when ever possible . The thrill is in the stalk ,not in the kill . Harnser .

[staglioni]

Same as Hanser

[deadeye ive]

Bi-pod or sticks for me generally .

My air rifle has the best trigger out of all my rifles which is why it's probably the only one I shoot with out any aids .

[Devon Fox]

I never really got on with pods, could never seem to get myself into the right position?

 

I use a tri-sticks, or when pick up shooting i use a sandbag off the cab or bonnet.

 

I practice shooting off the pick up as thats where the majority of my shooting is done, i have a field which has targets set up at various ranges, the furthest being 250yrds, again thats the max distance i take shots, i mostly use the rifle at night, and most of my ground doesnt allow for any more yardage than that!, most shots are taken at 150yrds or less.

[Dunkield]

Quite varied responses then which is sort of what I expected, I don't use a bipod if I am (rarely) woodland stalking, but I do on the hill - so I guess it depends at what distance you hope to take the shot - I can't see the point if you are shooting close up but at longer ranges it makes more sense.

 

I don't intend to change anything I do, other than maybe do more offhand stuff.

 

I have swapped from a harris to a stoney point bipod for the hill just to save weight, and it also means it doesn't have to be attached to the rifle all the time which can hit you in the back of the head if you use a rucksack sling.

 

Zapp, if you shoot mints, do you eat exploding chalk targets?

[Wookie]

Bipod for me here too. I use a 6"-9" (I think) one for shooting off the car or over short grass, then tree trunks or whatever for standing. It does annoy me sometimes as shooting freehand is a little off-putting. I might end up getting a set of sticks for the summer months!

[Dunkield]

I should have asked how the short bipod shooters manage over long grass?

Where I currently shoot the grass is kept to a few inches maximum.

[JohnGalway]

6-9" Harris here too. Where I live, in most shooting situations there is usually some type of bump in the ground that rises above any grass. It doesn't work out 100% of the time but enough that I can stay as I am

 

I've tried a couple of shooting sticks, namely the Stoney Point Steady Stixâ„¢ II Shooting Sticks - Camo from Cabelas and the BushWear Three Pole Shooting Stick from Bushwear (or a similar one to it, but Bushwear own brand either way). The Steady Stix are by far and away the best for what I do, they're thinner which makes them easier to carry and easier to hold when shooting. They have rubber ends which grip the rifle extremely well. They're much easier to adjust height wise compared to the Bushwear stick as the Steady Stix will open out wide giving you a low shooting position should you need it. The Bushwear model however is governed by the strap that the rifle rests on so it will only open to a point then you need to mess either with the positioning of the legs or the individual heights of them. The strap doesnt grip the rifle at all, it will slip and slide, the poles are a lot thicker which you might think a good thing but I found it very akward to grip. They're an awful lot bulkier than the Steady Stix and you really would need a second person to lug them around. They're also quite noisier than the Steady Stix. Steady Stix will fold up nicely and have a rubber band around the end to keep them together. I can't really fault them, save for the camo pattern being more for desert conditions but that doesn't matter really.

[deadeye ive]

My **** use to clench when going for those long head shots using the .22lr on a low bi-pod ...........definately a calibre to be used with a high firing point depending on the lie of the land

 

 

This is my second post concerning the LR .......I might even have it reinstated back on my ticket at this rate