For those of us who do not shoot our hunting rifles year round - How do you tune up and get ready for a hunt?

I actually shoot my hunting rifle rather sparingly, mostly to verify that the scope is on target. I usually pactice with a scoped 22Lr at an indoor pistol range. I shoot off hand at a small target with a deer on it. I believe that 100 rounds once a week grooves my shooting well. No flinching, it's cheap, dry, and fun. By the time I shoot my hunting rifle I'm aimimg at an animal and then I don't feel the recoil anyway.

I like to shoot a lot. That's what got me into target shooting. So I go to the range or a match about once a week. Since I got this new M70 and it needed some help I went to the range as often as twice a day to sort it out.

Practice with a .22LR is invaluable for the reasons you pointed out. Another hunter who frequents the club says he starts out with the heaviest kickers and then shoots his fancy 10/22 to "get my trigger finger back".

When I shoot offhand in particular I will put the rifle down if the hold is not going well. Firing bad shots is bad practice.

The very best practice for deer hunting with a rifle for me is squirrel hunting with a .22 in the early fall. It combines shooting at small targets and getting my "woods sense" back.

Jeff

I try to shoot....Looking left and right.... whispering behind my hand.....a 100 rounds of hard cast 350 grain bullets through my Winchester 1886 every two weeks. I know that admiting this in front of God and everybody will condeme me to perdition and and eternal damnation but.....I enjoy it.
Using a tang site takes a bit of getting used to and keeping my edge requires practice.
Jim

Try NRA Highpower Sporting Rifle matches once a month during the off season. It's pretty much the same format of NRA Service Rifle matches, at the same ranges, but with hunting rifles and scopes.

I do shoot year round. But I do run alot of 22 shells through too. That helps with the squeeze and sight picture. You also don't have to worry about the recoil part. Shooting at crackers out side is alot of fun, and good for the birds too. I can tell if a don't practice because my shooting handgun or rifle isn't up to what I expect out of my self. Main thing is shooting is fun!!

Hcliff

I usually get out to the shooting club about twice a month. I try to shoot at least 50 rounds off-hand from my 10/22 each time I go out. I've found it's really improved my shooting.

Well, I have found a direct correlation between my hunting, shooting and competitive scores in High Power and Skeet and Sporting Clays with my level of physical fitness. Sorry guys, I know that's not what most of you want to hear. But its a fact. You hold the gun better, steadier, longer. Your breathing and pulse is slower and more even and that affects your shooting less. Besides the obvious advantage I have of being able to negotiate steep terrain and still hold a rifle steady when I get to the crest of a hill...
My best scores have always appeared when I was in the best shape. So now that I'm 40 I find its easier to stay in shape than to go through peaks and valleys like when I was 25. So I work at it 3 times a week. Lifting and fast walking with weights (I hate running).

Kentucky - No one can refute your claim that physical conditioning helps...any physical activity. You win that point for sure.

For the rest of you guys praising the vigorous use of .22LR to tune up for big game season...well, I'll subscribe to this philosophy up to a point.

In fact, you can do exactly the same thing in your back yard or garage with a good pellet rifle! All this kind of practice is going to hone a lot of valuable skills. VERY valuable skills.

But it isn't the same as shooting your REAL hunting rifle. They are going to have totally different weight, feel, balance, recoil, velocity, trajectory...and one may be scoped and one not...or vastly different scopes.

I am reminded of the life's story of the Marine sniper, Hathcock. He shot .22's until he could do about anything with them...then his folks gave him a shotgun. He said he could never hit a bull in the ass with a SHOTGUN. It was so different from his .22 that he stopped using it all together.

I think this is an extreme and somewhat odd example, but it supports my point, i.e. There is NO substitute for being familiar with the real weapon you are going to use.

Probably most of us don't have the option to do a lot of high power shooting year around. In that case a .22 beats the hell out of nothing.

But never assume there is a 100/100 transferal of skills and abilities between a rim fire and a high powered rifle. This is like saying I can ride a bicycle, so I can drive and Indy race car.
JMHO and Good hunting to all!

I like hunting Rabbits and birds.. Or whatever seems to need shooting, I found some sort of old electronic gadget lying around while out the other day, it too died well!



"The best form of practice is the actual performance of the event." -Bruce Lee