Offhand Shooting

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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by bigpete » 27 May 2018, 11:46 am

Just practice
How else do you work out what makes for a good shot ?
By putting bullets down range,that's how.
Get your 22 out,and shoot cans and s**t. Or an air rifle coz its cheaper. Don't try to shoot groups as such,you'll only get disappointed.
I once read,shooting off a rest is a test of the rifle,shooting offhand is a test of the man.
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by PaddyT » 27 May 2018, 12:48 pm

Cheers fellas, ill just keep shooting rounds- thanks for the tips
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by Bent Arrow » 27 May 2018, 12:50 pm

bigpete wrote:Just practice
How else do you work out what makes for a good shot ?
By putting bullets down range,that's how.
Get your 22 out,and shoot cans and s**t. Or an air rifle coz its cheaper. Don't try to shoot groups as such,you'll only get disappointed.
I once read,shooting off a rest is a test of the rifle,shooting offhand is a test of the man.


This....... Shooting cans and reactive targets is much better for confidence than shooting groups on paper. Heaps more fun too.
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by PaddyT » 27 May 2018, 1:48 pm

Get that but my access to property is sporadic and I can get to St MArys range each week- i guess any practice is better than none
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by sungazer » 27 May 2018, 3:41 pm

Absolutely Bigpetes note is true to a point. However you can still lean a lot shooting on a bench or on the ground. Learn your follow through, learn your trigger pull. A lot of the old guys used to dry fire every night 500 at least placing a coin on the top end of the barrel and firing without it falling off. Then free standing is all about practice too and a lot of the advice given here is gold re position and shooting quickly once the target is acquired.
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by Elliott G » 09 Jun 2018, 7:35 pm

Go to a silhouette shoot if you want to learn offhand, learn stance from the best shooters there, should be left hip on left elbow, but relaxed as possible. When you're aiming look at the target, not the crosshair. If you look at the crosshair you'll instinctively try to hit the crosshair.
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by in2anity » 10 Jun 2018, 5:58 pm

Elliott G wrote:Go to a silhouette shoot if you want to learn offhand, learn stance from the best shooters there, should be left hip on left elbow, but relaxed as possible. When you're aiming look at the target, not the crosshair. If you look at the crosshair you'll instinctively try to hit the crosshair.


Yup, as I said in my post on the first page. This is the foundation of silhouette shooting and literally what they teach in the marines (for standing unsupported). But apparently proper technique is poo-pooed around these parts...
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by Wm.Traynor » 11 Jun 2018, 9:52 am

"When you're aiming look at the target"
That's interesting. I don't shoot like any of you but I'm gunna try that :)
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by Bigjobss » 11 Jun 2018, 11:30 am

Like most questions in life this one can be answered by searching Youtube - plenty of instructional videos by competent professionals.
Then its just a matter of practicing thousands of times. As a teenager I shot hundreds of cans every other weekend and my old man wouldn't let me use a rest, or even a scope until I was around 15.
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by sungazer » 11 Jun 2018, 12:04 pm

in2ainty I certainly wouldnt poo poo good technique quite the opposite. For my frame and I am not talking fat there is no way I could get my elbow to touch my hip if I was to do that the gun would be pointed towards the ground. You have my intrest peaked however and will do some research to see if I can improve my hold.
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by in2anity » 11 Jun 2018, 12:30 pm

This guys sums it up pretty nice https://youtu.be/aAmOqNe3QAA practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by marksman » 11 Jun 2018, 12:38 pm

good vid thanks for sharing :drinks:
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by Gwion » 11 Jun 2018, 1:28 pm

in2anity wrote:This guys sums it up pretty nice https://youtu.be/aAmOqNe3QAA practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent


Perfect practice makes perfect...
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by Wm.Traynor » 11 Jun 2018, 1:44 pm

in2anity wrote:This guys sums it up pretty nice https://youtu.be/aAmOqNe3QAA practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent


Gunna give that a go too, thanks in2anity :D but I think it would dig the toe of the butt into your shoulder, with a kicker-rifle. Another reason why I bought a Pasr Recoil Shield :D
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by in2anity » 11 Jun 2018, 3:27 pm

Wm.Traynor wrote:
in2anity wrote:This guys sums it up pretty nice https://youtu.be/aAmOqNe3QAA practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent


Gunna give that a go too, thanks in2anity :D but I think it would dig the toe of the butt into your shoulder, with a kicker-rifle. Another reason why I bought a Pasr Recoil Shield :D


WM I do it with a moderately weighted 308, it sits high in the pocket, and I’m by no means a big bloke. But you’re quite upright, a lot of the force sort of makes you bend backwards (instead of the shock just ending straight into your shoulder). Admittedly it does get a little tiring after 80+ rounds, that’s why calibers like the 6.5C and 7mm-08 have gained a lot of popularity for silhouette. Fatigue screws up your consistency.
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by SCJ429 » 11 Jun 2018, 3:39 pm

For the bigger man who cannot get their elbow resting on their hip, you can wear your webbing and rest the elbow on the webbing belt. I do this when I have to make an unsupported shot out in the paddock. The guy in the video link does this as well. I don't usually have my webbing on when practicing at the range but you could get a belt only and wear this to be a little more discrete.
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by Stix » 12 Jun 2018, 12:42 pm

Hi in2...
I wasnt poo-pooing your tips mate...
I used to shoot smallbore state & national comps so did the very style of shooting you mention, & i have a box of trophies to prove it.

My post was based on (as i stated) field shooting, as fom memory the OP was a newbee or getting back into shooting & mentioned field shooting.

I just believe a newbee should learn some basics first--like develop their own feel for the firearm & trigger, before trying to take on too much technical stuff.
And i believe the best way to do that is as i described-mostly get the shot off in rapid time & learn to hold tension on a trigger without it going off, all which doesnt allow for a full body position technique.

ALMOST EVERY time i go to a range & see a self confessed "dead set expert" tutoring a newbee, be it rifle in any position, or shotgun, the person is pummeled with too much info & end up concentrating on everything other than just shooting.

I admire the skills you probably have, & no doubt you can shoot that style way better than me now, but the fox i came within 12 yds of yesterday, & the one i came face to face with last time out wernt waiting for anyone to get their positional technique into full swing.

I dont think any of us are wrong & i rekon the OP has got some pretty useful info from all of us. :drinks: :friends:
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by sungazer » 12 Jun 2018, 12:51 pm

I have been trying to get into this position and have found that my body is just not shaped right. I just find that my lats get in the way. I think I have pretty wide square shoulders and if it were not for a fair bit of middle age spread now into old age spread I would have a a triangle shaped shoulders to waist. Even now there is no way I can get a elbow to hip contact no matter how much I try and stick out a hip. Best I can do is pull my elbow in tight to my body. Interested in how others manage getting into this position?
SCJ429 I dont quite get your comment about webbing I went back and watched the vid again as you said this guy had webbing but I couldnt see what you were referring to?
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by PaddyT » 12 Jun 2018, 12:54 pm

The video is pretty interesting so ive watched that, put 200 rounds offhand at the range last Friday- first 50 a bit messy (was using the bunny target printed off this site) but got the stance comfy after that-final 100 at 35M - reckon I killed the bunny 77/100 shots so am seeing improvement- and am feeling more comfortable with the process.
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by in2anity » 12 Jun 2018, 1:20 pm

Stix wrote:Hi in2...
I wasnt poo-pooing your tips mate...
I used to shoot smallbore state & national comps so did the very style of shooting you mention, & i have a box of trophies to prove it.

My post was based on (as i stated) field shooting, as fom memory the OP was a newbee or getting back into shooting & mentioned field shooting.

I just believe a newbee should learn some basics first--like develop their own feel for the firearm & trigger, before trying to take on too much technical stuff.
And i believe the best way to do that is as i described-mostly get the shot off in rapid time & learn to hold tension on a trigger without it going off, all which doesnt allow for a full body position technique.

ALMOST EVERY time i go to a range & see a self confessed "dead set expert" tutoring a newbee, be it rifle in any position, or shotgun, the person is pummeled with too much info & end up concentrating on everything other than just shooting.

I admire the skills you probably have, & no doubt you can shoot that style way better than me now, but the fox i came within 12 yds of yesterday, & the one i came face to face with last time out wernt waiting for anyone to get their positional technique into full swing.

I dont think any of us are wrong & i rekon the OP has got some pretty useful info from all of us. :drinks: :friends:


All good mate I figured you were taking the whole "lets not overwhelm him" tact. I wasn't offended nor was i trying to offend, I just think it's important to get the fundementals right off the bat; old habits die hard. Anyways i think he's got the gist of it now.
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by PaddyT » 12 Jun 2018, 2:58 pm

Im not going to get offended- too old and offensive myself! Would rather be stripped back to bare bones and rebuilt than learn a bunch of crap habits and use them to my own detrement- its all been good advice- ive got to stew it make it digestible for myself!
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by Stix » 12 Jun 2018, 4:44 pm

And in2, just in that fundamentals point.
In the field i was a great shot as a youngin with lightning fast reflex & incredible accuracy-in either off-hand rifle or shotgun.
Once id mastered the fundamentals you are talking about in comps, i couldnt hit jack sh1t in the field for taking too long...the wrong set of fundamentals had crept into me for fast paced off hand field shooting/hunting.

I still see it now--take any range expert out on skitchy rabbits or foxes who will only give you a second or 2 at the most to get set & a shot off, & they never get to release a shot...because they are too caught up in the long slow technical process.

I believe they are different forms of shooting, & thus require some different skills, & its up to the individual to be aware of them. :)
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
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Re: Offhand Shooting

Post by in2anity » 12 Jun 2018, 7:28 pm

Stix wrote:And in2, just in that fundamentals point.
In the field i was a great shot as a youngin with lightning fast reflex & incredible accuracy-in either off-hand rifle or shotgun.
Once id mastered the fundamentals you are talking about in comps, i couldnt hit jack sh1t in the field for taking too long...the wrong set of fundamentals had crept into me for fast paced off hand field shooting/hunting.

I still see it now--take any range expert out on skitchy rabbits or foxes who will only give you a second or 2 at the most to get set & a shot off, & they never get to release a shot...because they are too caught up in the long slow technical process.

I believe they are different forms of shooting, & thus require some different skills, & its up to the individual to be aware of them. :)


The only difference between the silhouette pose and what you do is basically that you don’t drop your elbow onto your hip or pop your hip out. I do it without even thinking and I’ve taken countless game using this technique - you can still acquire damn fast (in conjunction with a safari sling). Much to the amusement of my buddies I even do it out of habit when shotgunning - sure it’s pretty useless then, but it hardly slows you down. Anyways each to there own - whatever works for you I guess - I’m not a massive hunter, so i can’t argue too strongly here
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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