Practising with a hunting rifle

[catnthehat]

This has been discussed before I am sure, but after it was mentioned on another forum and consequently having a conversation with a couple of very well known gunsmiths and hunters who agreed with me I figured I would bring it up here instead of the thread about stopping heartbeat.

Basically speaking , after I get get a hunting load worked up and the rifle zeroed that I intend as a hunting rifle, I quit shooting it off the bench - in fact I don’t shoot groups with it at all as there is no need to!

What I do whenever I go to the range is take my hunting rifle to the range with rifles I intend to shoot targets with but before I do that I take my hunting rifle out and shoot only one or two shots with it at 1,2, and 300 yards at the steel gongs and put it down until I am about to leave .
I then pack up my gear and before I leave I take another few shots with it .
NONE of these shots are from the bench however.
They are either kneeling or prone or shot using my walking stick.

The philosophy behind this is that continual groups at targets off a bench rest or short bipod does nothing as far as shooting from more realistic field positions .
Taking a short run is laughed at by many as well, but many times that is the exact scenario that happens in a hunt !

Many people disagree with this system but there are more than a few very accomplished hunters that use this very style of practise as well .
Cat

[obsessed1]

100% agree

[Deer Hunter]

Dryfiring rifles can be done more often than shooting and doesn't consume ammo. It really helps with your form as you can visually see what happens to your hold while the trigger breaks.
Having a rimfire rifle setup similar to your hunting setup is helpful as well. Our gun club has a rimfire silhouette range which is good for practicing offhand. Or in field positions.

[Dick284]

The bench breeds bragging.
Field positions, bring bagging..... of game!


The bench is for evaluating and perfecting a load or loading.

Getting into and shooting from field positions, with a cold bore single shot is what fills the larder.

Of course there’s exceptions like shooting from blinds, or other extremes, but let’s face it, doing it off your “hind legs” is far more challenging(and not recommended).

Realizing ones weaknesses and limitations in ones abilities is the culmination of a true hunter. Living within these constraints is the truest measure of that hunter.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

Dryfiring rifles can be done more often than shooting and doesn't consume ammo. It really helps with your form as you can visually see what happens to your hold while the trigger breaks.
Having a rimfire rifle setup similar to your hunting setup is helpful as well. Our gun club has a rimfire silhouette range which is good for practicing offhand. Or in field positions.

This is a beginning, BUT.
It only takes it about 45% towards reality.

Getting a .222 or .223 in a 700 Bdl/CDL or Ruger 77 or what ever, is a better tool.

The balance and weight is closer to that of an actual hunting rifle, as I’ve yet to see a rimfire rifle with similar weight and balance to any hunting rifle I’ve ever owned.

Getting out with your actual hunting rifle is still the best, albeit far too many hunters are so over matched in their choice of rifle/cartridge that anything beyond a couple 3 shot groups leaves them considering concussion protocols.

[tony d]

I agree

[Deer Hunter]

Originally Posted by Dick284

as I’ve yet to see a rimfire rifle with similar weight and balance to any hunting rifle I’ve ever owned.
.

Ever shoot a Kimber 82?

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

Ever shoot a Kimber 82?

Does it come left handed?

What big game rifles does this Kimber mimic?

I’d love a .22 that fits like a Left Hand Rem 700, or a Ruger No1........

[dave99]

Excellent advice Cat.


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[Deer Hunter]

No lefties that I’m familiar with.
There are plenty of rimfires that are balanced like a hunting rifle, have a good trigger, proper length of pull etc. But they generally are a bit more money.
Like Model 52’s, Coopers, etc.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

No lefties that I’m familiar with.
There are plenty of rimfires that are balanced like a hunting rifle, have a good trigger, proper length of pull etc. But they generally are a bit more money.
Like Model 52’s, Coopers, etc.

At $2.7k USD MSRP, you’ve got some serious misunderstandings.


I’m only into my best semi custom hunting rifle build for less the $2k CDN.

I can buy a Sporter .223 in a left hand configuration for south of $1k CDN, and get a walk around varminter too boot.

My CZ 452 left hand does well at rimfire silhouette, but it no where feels anything close to a centerfire rig.

Sooner or later you gotta get that hunting rifle off the bench, and throwing ridiculous amounts of funds at an over priced rimfire factory rifle isn’t even getting close to the realities of the situation.

Throwing lead out paces throwing wads of cash.......

[Deer Hunter]

You will put more bullets through a premium rimfire than any other rifle you own. They also hold their value very well. And last nearly forever. And cost 3$/box to operate.

It doesn’t replace shooting your hunting rifle but supplements it.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

You will put more bullets through a premium rimfire than any other rifle you own. They also hold their value very well. And last nearly forever. And cost 3$/box to operate.

It doesn’t replace shooting your hunting rifle but supplements it.

Enjoy the day.....

[6.5 shooter]

Always amazes me that people will spend a couple grand on a rifle then a couple more on a scope...hundred if not thousands on camo gear..tires for their new pick up truck, hunting tags and plane tickets to some exotic local....yet scream like there testes are on fire when they have to drop 50 bucks on a box of ammo......

[32-40win]

About the only time my hunting rifles get shot, is when I'm developing a load for it, or at the beginning of the season to double check it hasn't had anything strange occur to it. I can find other guns to use for the rest of the year. Bench is for load testing and the original sight in setup, I spend quite a bit of time shooting off hand with other guns to get my krap together on that, as that seems to be what I do the most when hunting. Nice if a gun shoots well off the bench, but, I don't worry too much about it unless I want to go to a match of some sort. All I want to do when hunting is hit something in a spot that will kill it, and that is a fairly large area.

[Brobee]

Hi there!

Once I've zeroed my gun, I prefer to practice a TONNE from a variety of field positions, practically abandoning the bench. I do this primarily with a rimfire rifle I've set up to mimic my hunting rig, and I supplement this with 3 or 4 rounds from my centerfire gun at the end of the day from field positions at gongs ranging from 100 to 400 yards.

This years been especially memorable, as one of my goals was to teach my soon-to-be-big-game-hunting-youngest-daughter about shot placement, and with that goal in mind we've been making and shooting a variety of game inspired rimfire targets. We use them in a game we've invented that's kinda like a cross between golf, metallic silhouettes, and sporting clay shooting.

We're now well down that road and have been out a bunch of times as a family focus group, which almost all revolve around a series of 5 to 10 shooting lanes we've set up in our woods, each with two targets set at varying distance and of varying difficulty. For the most part we've been working through the following shooting positions:

• Standing unsupported
• Kneeling unsupported (but allowed to brace elbow on knee)
• Sitting unsupported (but allowed to brace elbow on leg)
• Sitting supported (off a log, stump, or shooting sticks)
• Prone

The game we think we like the best is to shoot for minimum score - ie: how many rounds does it take you to knock up the paddle once and knock it back down once? Lowest round count wins.

Here's me running my CZ 457 Varmint on a 50 yard moose from the sitting position...I was lucky enough to be drawn for bull moose this year and I can't wait to get out with my daughter and see if the two of us can find one for the table. Anyway, I digress, so here's me imagining I'm moose hunting:



Here's some of the targets after getting a paint touchup at the end-of-the-day:




And here's some pics of the targets in action:




Moose:




Bull Elk:




Caribou:




Grizzly:




Mule Deer:





Whitetail Buck:




Pics were taken earlier this summer when we only had about half of our course figured out and built, since then we've added a bunch more. Here's a quick look a the whole gambit, the laser guys should be cutting out the last 4 prototypes sometime next week.




So anyway, that's my practice routine for getting ready to hunt. It's been a lot of fun and I'm getting excited for the upcoming season.


Cheers,

Brobee

[dave99]

Brobee, that is awesome. Can I join?


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[Deer Hunter]

Very cool. And left handed too!

[NinjaHunter]

Dry firing is the key to success for hunting. Especially when practicing hunting position.

Unsupported standing shots or hasty sling standing shots are best for your bang when practicing.

Personally, I have a kifaru gun bearing and I practice the transition from removing the gun from the gun bearing to hasty sling stand shot/unsupported standing shot with a quick 3 accurate shots since I know that's what I'll most likely do in my hunting situation.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Dick284

The bench breeds bragging.
Field positions, bring bagging..... of game!


The bench is for evaluating and perfecting a load or loading.

Getting into and shooting from field positions, with a cold bore single shot is what fills the larder.

Of course there’s exceptions like shooting from blinds, or other extremes, but let’s face it, doing it off your “hind legs” is far more challenging(and not recommended).

Realizing ones weaknesses and limitations in ones abilities is the culmination of a true hunter. Living within these constraints is the truest measure of that hunter.

A lot of truth to this. My 1 1/2" group off the bench at 200 yards mysteriously came in at 4 1/2" off my shooting sticks. I know myself well enough to not even try free hand.

[vcmm]

Stalk,,Walk,,Stand/Drop/Lay and shoot. Do it at multiple distances multiple times over. You will have a full freezer.

[Pathfinder76]

I shoot my hunting rifles off the range as much as I can and in as many places as I can.

[Smokinyotes]

Here I thought most of you would practice off the mirror or truck window

[Nyksta]

Originally Posted by chuck

I shoot my hunting rifles off the range as much as I can and in as many places as I can.

Beautiful landscape, interested in hearing about the boots though!

[Pathfinder76]

Boots are for weenies. :-)

Just time for a break.

[cody j]

Nice targets Brobee! Looks like fun for the kids

[Positrac]

Cool thread Cat! Lots of good info coming out.

I shoot a pile but haven’t been to our range in the last 2 years, much preferring to practice in some secluded spot.

I’ve shot probably 500 rounds out of my Ruder American Target 22WMR offhand this summer alone. While not as heavy as my hunting rifles it does have a 3x9 Leupold EFR rimfire scope on it and I’m shooting between 100 & 200 hundred yards with great results. Practice makes perfect.

[Grizzly Adams]

The old CIL pamphlets claimed if you can do 6" at 100 yards, there'll be meat in the freezer. Lot of variables at play when you get away from the bench.

Grizz

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

You will put more bullets through a premium rimfire than any other rifle you own. They also hold their value very well. And last nearly forever. And cost 3$/box to operate.

It doesn’t replace shooting your hunting rifle but supplements it.

Luv the 22lr.....keeps what little skill I have as a rifleman adequate.

Most won't say thier skills are lacking but trust me get a group of average joe's and Sally's to a turkey shoot and see how many can't hit a 8" X 10" sheet of paper at 100 yards rested....

Practice preaches perfection.....

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

The old CIL pamphlets claimed if you can do 6" at 100 yards, there'll be meat in the freezer. Lot of variables at play when you get away from the bench.

Grizz

Ye'ole 303 will fill that bill