What shooting drills do you use for pratice,and do you use a understudy rifle, reduced loads, or full power? Do you pratice snap shooting and time it and from which carry? Col. Cooper definition of group size is one shot offhand @ 100yds then one sitting @ 100 yds in less than 10 seconds from the buzzer repeat 5 times and measure composite group and that is your field score-Rifle Master John Pepper drills are very much more involved and include moving targets both concur the bench and obession with the latest gadget has caused a severe decline in field marksman ship any thoughts here? - Rawhider

I've always found that shooting varmints - ground squirrels - rabbits - prairie dogs was good pratice - especially with a center fire varmint rifle - We also use to hunt jack rabbits with our big game rifles - do it enough and you can actually become proficient enough to consistently bust them on the run within 100 yrds - you certainly learn the importance of proper lead on a running target. A cop friend of mine use to nail jacks with his 300 win mag and 180 gr Sierra BT- literally vaporized em. One of things that I always liked to do was save up the gallon milk jugs, fill them with water and place them at various positions and distances (out to 300 or so yds) out in the hills or prairie where its safe - then shoot at them from all positions - mostly sitting and prone - learn to use the sling - it really helps steady your aim. Milk jug is smaller than the chest cavity of most big game animals and it reacts explosively when hit - you also learn alot about the trajectory of your rifle and your limitations. The jugs are also easily picked up after you shoot (no trash ) and you can easily see where the bullet entered the jug. But just shooting any gun frequently will help your skills improve. Have fun

I would heartily concur that gadgetry has replaced skill. My old friend John Pepper often groaned aloud that shooting clubs would foster better shooting if they bulldozed their benches.

John's exercises can be quite involved with moving targets, improvised positions, makeshift rests and some physical exertion. Excellent stuff!

I share a range with a contingent of longrange benchresters. I rarely miss the chance to harangue them about being helpless if there's no furniture nearby. All in fun, of course.

Redial

Gentlemen -- I shoot three days a week every week if the weather permits. I shoot all shapes and sizes from .14 up to 50 BMG. In a normal year 2500 rounds is not out of the ordinary. This with precision and chrony. I shoot several hundred rounds at ground hogs or P. Dogs. I practice with grey and fox squirrels with a .22 mag and high powered scopes. A month before Deer and Elk season I practice offhand extensively. Beleave me all that practice from the bench makes me a far better shooter than if I did not do it, and if you don't do some of it you are not as good as you could be. The repeated crosshair on target, time after time, practice is what makes that aiming and shooting instinctive, and if you shoot instinctive you will have not problem, not matter the situation. I have always been able to find a steady rest in the field, except once on a Bull Elk I jumped from his bed. I did manage to shoot him with a killing shot within 80 yards. Don't make fun of the bench boys, until you hunt with them. Good shooting.

[ 08-08-2002, 00:07: Message edited by: phurley ]

Any of you boys get near my Porter Cable 14v. Cordless drill with your guns and there WILL be a problem...

Redial-What a treat to know John Pepper I have corrsponded and talked with him on the phone several times , turned me on the proper method of operating a right hand bolt gun lefthanded so I c I was able to use a pre 64 win 70 which as you know he most heartily endorses and what a wealth of knowledge he has Wish he would write a book a real no B.S.kinda guy definitly knows what works and what don't and isn't afraid of the truth what more can I say. Rawhider

A treat it is to know Mr. Pepper. He and I were RO's at Ft. Meade, MD when I started shooting his exercises in the 80's. We belonged to many local clubs together, knew many of the same people.

He used to like to drive his old green Cadillac up and down the firing lines on Range 1 at Meade with a rifle shooter blazing away out a back window at a silhouette 200 yards off. When Range Control looked out the window and saw what was going on, well, they went INSANE.

Ever seen him shoot a subgun? Amazing.

Thanks for the reminder - I'm due to call him. Ya follow?!

Redial
aka Mark Riedl

Most of my practice is offhand or field positions. I also shoot quite a bit off the bench, but that's tinkering with loads mostly. I think any shooting practice is good. I shoot at least 100 rounds per month, some times as many as 2000 a month.

For what it's worth
I do load dev and sightins from the bench, and then move to 50 and 100 offhand, or improvised rest. I've found an interesting, but not too hard, routine of putting 2 targets up at 50, about 10 feet part. You bear down on one (right or left) with your finger OUT of the trigger, and then swing to the other target, and snap shoot it.
What does this do? I thought of it specifically for the shots when game is being a little spooked, and moving/stopping/moving. Try it some time
Jeffe