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| One of Us |
One of my goals this year is back away from the load development aspect of the shooting sports so much and really focus on becoming a much more accurate field shot with all my weapons. I have lots of good books an so forth on rifle and tactical pistol shooting, but the heavy hunting handguns seem to be in a class of their own as far as technique goes. So lets have it, show me some of your tips and techniques, lots of pictures would be appreciated if you have them. Maybe some tips on grips/hand positioning as well. Thanks in advance guys, I know there is plenty of experience here. | ||
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| one of us |
Practice in the positions that you hunt in.For me that means mostly sitting. From years of metallic silhouette it's obvious that shooting up or down hill changes POI a good bit ! I've gotten my deer with my M29 without problem and two of them shot one handed which I hadn't practiced !  And both were quick shots. You don't need more than 1 shot if you do it right. | |||
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Most of my practice shooting is done offhand out to about 100 yards. Every other position following this is then easy for me. But, that's just me. "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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| One of Us |
Are you shooting standing offhand with no support???? | |||
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| Moderator |
Yup. I will go up in a stand without a rail and practice as well. Mainly though, offhand standing. "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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| One of Us |
It is going to depend on what kind of country you are hunting. If its flat land you can use one of the tripod type rests & do quite well from the sitting position but they don't work very well on a steep side hill. I always have my backpack with me & shoot off of it quite often, I also have my walking stick with a leather sling on top, many times I can run my left wrist through the sling & grip the gun with both hands & be very steady. I carry a Primos Trigger Stick in my pack & it also gets used a lot. Offhand shooting should always be practiced but should be avoided if at all possible when shooting at big game. Sometimes you don't have any choice. Dick | |||
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Dick, I will always use a rest if one is available, but I like to be prepared when one isn't. That said, when you get good and tuned up offhand, the rest is easy. "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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| one of us |
We do not have the luxury of watching and glassing deer. They are there right now and if 20 yards or 100, there is no way to set up a rest, put up the revolver and shoot it or in a step it is gone. The deer can be anywhere, in front or behind. I have had to shoot them on a run through the thick stuff. Many times when walking, a deer pops up so there is only one quick shot. No bench rest, bags, sticks, dropping into prone, etc. True hunting, no BR stuff so practice is needed. Whit and I can hold 6" or under off hand at 100 yards and sometimes less. Every shot can be called and we are known to hit beer cans at 100. At times I am on the ground, sitting and can use my knees. That makes it so easy to drop deer at 100 but in a tree stand, there is nothing for a rest. We might have to lean way over for a shot. Deer never stand still in the open. Some hunt food plots from a building. We are out in the open where deer pass through. Seconds for a shot. Do nothing that a deer can see or hear. | |||
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| One of Us |
I would suggest doing more dry firing. Most of the time dry firing is very essential to becoming a good shot. velocity is like a new car, always losing value. BC is like diamonds, holding value forever. | |||
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| One of Us |
Looks like it's been pretty well covered....but I'm going to "pile on" just for effect. Most important...standing offhand. For me, and this is just a personal choice....my max is 50 yds. NO SCOPE...As I've aged, I've been using red dots. Just a personal thing, but pistol scopes haven't worked for me. Along the way to being ready to hunt,I'll do some sitting, elbows on the inside of the knees,and (when/where possible and safe..),some shooting using a tree or post for "side support" to steady things up as in PPC shooting...not laying the pistol on it. Everyone has their own opinions, and are welcome to them. For me, taking long (100yd. +) shots, using a scoped gun on a tripod isn't "handgun hunting". | |||
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| Moderator |
You are receiving some good information. Just do not fall into the trap of letting others impose THEIR restrictions upon you; whether in the name of ethics or whatever. You will be the one making the shot; so it is vital for you to determine what your own limitations are for hunting. Just because someone else can't do something, doesn't mean you can't. I use my backpack for the single shots and make kills out to 350-500 yards depending on what I am hunting. Using a rest and depending on what revolver I am shooting, I have and will make shots out past 150 yards. I hunt terrain much the same as whitworth and bfrshooter; and sometimes all you have is a few seconds to make the shot so offhand proficiency is vital to putting meat in the freezer. If ignorance is bliss; there are some blissful sonofaguns around here. We know who you are, so no reason to point yourselves out. | |||
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| One of Us |
Whit, I agree on the offhand practice, by far the most difficult positon to master, especially if you are in a hurry. When I'm shooting competition (USPSA) there are lots of moving targets, some only appear for 1 1/2 seconds, then they turn away, not much time to get 2 hits in that lenght of time. Looking back over the last 3 years, 4 out of 6 deer were shot offhand, 2 were running, one of them was quite easy, the other was just blind luck. The remaining 2 were from sitting. Dick | |||
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| One of Us |
On my property on my stand in the swamp 60yds .is a long shot.That I can do offhand ,but prefer any kind of rest.The deer here do not get pressured and so are seldom running unless a Wolf is chasing one.Out West I take shooting sticks and use my backpack for distance shooting. | |||
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| one of us |
Fellas, don't get me wrong. Use whatever you need. It is only our situation that demands more practice. You need to do what you have to do. Distance changes so much. A clean kill is a clean kill and that is what is important no matter what you need. | |||
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| One of Us |
bfr...you can still hit the beer cans after drinking the contents...you guys are good  | |||
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| One of Us |
I know for a fact that a can would be very hard for me to even see at 100 yds, much less hit! Now if I had drank that beer I would probably see 2 of them! Dick | |||
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| Moderator |
But that doubles your chances, Dick!  "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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| One of Us |
Thanks for the input guys. Most of my hunting will be from a treestand at ranges of 75 yards or less, but you just never know what kind of situations you will run into either. What do you guys feel is the most effective grip and stance for the large frame revolvers in off hand shooting? | |||
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| one of us |
Two hand grip, very tight hold and stance when hunting can be anything because you are not on a target line. Be prepared to NOT get prepared and be able to make any shot. What we do is to get in a ladder stand and put little water bottles at all ranges and directions. Not a single shot is the same and some make you twist into funny contortions. Never practice from one position or range and don't look for a backpack, sandbags or sticks. Think of it like rabbit hunting without dogs where you bump one out and have to shoot quick. Some will say they set up sticks or a bench rest for the rabbit, maybe a ransom rest for a grouse that flushes. Just what do you do when walking and a deer jumps out of a bed and stares at you? Do you set up a rest, telling the deer to hold still? Do you get a proper stance? Or do you raise the gun and shoot the deer? Hunting is like driving a spike with a hammer. If you can't use a hammer, you miss the spike, bend it, or smash your thumb. Learn the tool, the gun is a tool. | |||
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| One of Us |
Thats exactly what I do with my bow.Can`t figure out why it never occurred to me to do the same with a handgun!!!!  | |||
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One of Us |
The longest range that I took a blacktail deer at was 75 yards using the off-hand position. I thought the deer was closer to 30-35 yards until I paced it off. And that was with a .357 mag, 4" barrel. If I would have known it was further than 30 yards I would have gone into the sitting position. I need to estimate ranges better.  . | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting Handgun Hunting Field shooting positions for hunting handguns
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