Yup. I'm encouraging everyone to practice shooting. Matters not wether you hunt monster Brown bear with a light rifle or coyote with an elephant rifle.
Practice, practice , practice.
To myself I say , get off your dead ass Glen and go shooting.
I wouldn't say that to anyone else. But , I do encourage everyone to go shooting. Preferably with the rifle or handgun they will be hunting/rambling with.

Practice and buy ammo. This next election could put a pinch on availability like last time...

I put about 100 rounds down range this week and it is not over with yet.

I avg shooting at least once a week for the last 10 years and most of the time more than once.

About as good as any advice can be !! You don't need to shoot premium hunting bullets either, midway has blems in buk bags that work super for this, take some powder out also...standing, sitting, off trees, fenders, the grounds, twisted, gloves on...you name...the more the better !

Yup. When I got my 338 Win mag .. A long time ago. I got a bunch of boxes of Hornady 33 Winchester 200 gr flat nose bullets for $5.00 a box . At 2600 fps they made perfect blasting ammo. In my 458 I shoot lots of 350 gr. Berry's round shouldered flat nose bullets. They are about as inexpensive as I can get. At 2300 fps. They make an easy shooting load.
In the 6.5 Creedmoor I shoot lots of Nosler 140gr HPBT match blems.
For those shooting 30 cal. There are a plethora of inexpensive bullets. In the 308 , light weight bullets and fast powder like Rl 7 .which I got a big jug of at a garage sale for about $3.00 a pound . It makes great blasting ammo. The cheapest 308 shooting we do here at the cabin is with 100 gr 30Carbine bullets pushed by 9grains of Unique. Makes a great problem squirrel load

Good advice. After getting my load worked up, and sighted in, I like to get off of the rest, and shooting from various field positions - including offhand. This makes a difference in the field.

Make sure your rifle has a good trigger pull.

There is nothing that ruins good accuracy shooting off hand as a bad trigger.

I have set my rifle's trigger at 2 pounds - some people think it is too light for a heavy rifle - 375/404.

Those with hunting experience love it, and many hunt with it.

Agree 100% Saeed, though my experience level both shooting and hunting is dwarfed by yours. My 500 Jeffery is set for 2 3/4 lbs our other rifles (270 Win, 375 Weatherby, 416 Remington) are the same. My sons and I have always been trained on a simple mantra even on snap shooting running game (hunting elk in the black timber is one of my favorite things to do)

1. Swing get a steady sight picture

2. Take safety off

3. Remove trigger finger from trigger guard and place it on the trigger

4. Shoot

All of this can be and is accomplished by us in less than a 1 1/2 seconds.

In all honesty on quick shots a heavier trigger pull (4 to 5 lbs) wouldn't be much of a hindrance. Offhand at longer distance shots (100 to 200 yards), a lighter trigger makes all of the difference in the world.

Every rifle I own either has a great two stage trigger or some kind of custom trigger (Jewell).

Two-stage is preferred, as you can drop the weight down to 1+1 pounds.

I like to shoot hard cast bullets with about 5-15 gr of Red Dot for plinking and practice.
Can't get much cheaper than that. Lead I use to cast with comes from the berms at the range for picking up the pellets. Others have already done the metallurgy making the metal hard. I just remelt it into 1lb ingots until I get ready to cast bullets generally in winter. Reloading and casting is my winter time hobbies. While at the range I gather up all the brass I can find so there's lots of it to load when it's too cold to get out much, or I'm laid up and can't do much other than sit on my ass. That's things I can do sitting.

Hard cast at lower velocities don't lead barrels as long as the bores are smooth. These loads are accurate out to about 50yds so it's great practice and good for small game too. OR teaching women and kids how to shoot the big guns without the recoil and blast hurting them and chasing them away from shooting like so many guys seem to enjoy doing with the inexperienced.

A 5lb jug of Red Dot for about $100 at todays prices will load a whole bunch of ammo. Even more for handguns as they use a third the charge. I like 3.5-4gr for .38's, or even in the '06 with cast 115gr RN's for the carbine. These work great in any .30 cal.

Since I'm heavy handed I don't feel safe with less than 3# trigger pull, but, that's where I have everything adjusted to. I sure don't like two stage triggers at all. When I pull the trigger I want it to go off and not reset to pull again. To each his own there.
George

I'm glad someone with more experience than me brought up trigger pull weight. I to prefer a 32oz or lighter trigger. My 6.5 Creedmoor is 28oz and its Perfect!! My 9.3x64 is around 3 lbs and is still very good. My 458's trigger has always been a little too heavy at 4lbs and I need to fix that. The 375 Whelan AI that I got this fall has a 3 lb and it is very nice, being a tuned 98 Mauser military trigger. It is the reason I can shoot that rifle as well as I can.
A good trigger can solve many shooting problems.

If one can shoot off hand, then one can shoot from any position..Practice makes perfect.

You will still have bad days and bad hunts because of your shooting if you hunt enough.

Phillip Price sez Im the best game shot he has seen, got it all on film, Pierre van Tonder said the same thing,

Then one year I didn't shoot all year, and my rep went to hell with Pierre and the gang of 20, I didn't shoot good that year. Some, like Pierre, blamed it on the new gun,it wasn't the gun, it was just bad shooting on my part, plain and simple, I couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle.

If you hunt enough you too will have a bad hunt if you don't practice.

Practice does make a difference.

Yup
True that.
So many guys want beautiful fancy rifles and scopes and all the coolest gear. But then they dont shoot their beauty aueen enough to make it worth while. Good shooting can overcome alot of failings .

So many of today's hunters are enamoured of long range shooting and practice only from a bench. And can not make reliable first round hit offhand on a 10 inch paper plate at 50 yards

Paper plate aside Phil, I had client south of you at Wildman a year or two back. His 416 rigby was so heavy from a kneeling position he couldn't find a 9' plus bear in a field in his scope in time! Need to be handle your gun before you can shoot your gun! He promptly missed a kneeling shot on a different bear at 60 yards several days later. But did end up getting it in the long run.
getting off the bench is the best way to learn how to handle your weapon...I can lay a railroad tie on a sandbag....

So very true Phil. One of my favorite methods of practice is to use either black or brown sheets of construction paper as a target. No orange target dots or any other distinct aiming points. The sheet of paper is a fair representation of the kill zone of most NA big game. Perhaps a touch big for whitetail does and a touch small for moose but close enough.

I shoot offhand, kneeling and sitting at distances out to 300 yards and when I find a yardage at which I cannot keep my shots on that sheet of paper, then I know I have exceeded my maximum range for that position. The distance at which I can keep my shoots on target is my maximum range for that position and if I'm presented with a shot beyond that it's time to assume a batter position, moved closer or pass on the shot altogether.

I, out of habit, dry fire my rifles, as a matter of daily routine, out in my shop, point off hand at birds or what ever and squize off and empty rifle, sometimes a loaded rifle when I see a Rockchuck under my barn or in the yard or a Jack Rabbit in my pasture...

Dry firing tones the muscles you use when shooting off hand, it teaches you how important trigger pull is, what I call a control jerk at a flying bird, a running rabbit or a deer in the pasture, snap shooting is important when you get that window of opertunity at a fleeing whitetail or Mule Deer or a elk in the thick stuff..Practice makes perfect, and dry firing is as good as shooting for the most part IMO...Even more so with a pistol. not to mention a shotgun and this can be done by anyone at almost any time and in most places, a good habit to get into..A lot of good shots do this and don't evern realize how much it helps, they just love to mess with their guns.

I now shoot my 416 Ruger more then any thing with 400 gn cast bullets and a load of 30 gns of H4227 for a vel of 1500 fps...its just so much fun shooting rabbits and all matter of small game...and its so CHEAP !!!!!!!!!

98; that does sound like a very fun load . Which mold do you use ? 30 gr of 4227 . Do you use any filler in the case ? Iirc, a good 45 Colt, 330gr bullet load is 25 gr 4227 ..
A 400 gr bullet @ 1500 fps really would be a dandy load for most N.A. hunting. Wouldn't even be overly loud. Thanks for sharing that load. I have been thinking I should start casting my own .

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Make sure your rifle has a good trigger pull.

There is nothing that ruins good accuracy shooting off hand as a bad trigger.

I have set my rifle's trigger at 2 pounds - some people think it is too light for a heavy rifle - 375/404.

Those with hunting experience love it, and many hunt with it.

I can testify that the trigger on that 375/404 is very light and crisp.

As funny as this is going to sound, a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun with a scope and a trigger job to two pounds has been a big help to me. Shot off-hand only at about 10 yards in my garage. I use it for trigger control practice and proper technique in hold the rifle. After-all it's about pulling the trigger holding a rifle off-hand and hitting the target as sighted. Makes no difference if it's a BB or a 180grain bullet.
This has helped me and enabled me to shoot some game I would not have otherwise gotten. The latest being a very large whitetail moving through some brush about 100 yards away. Anyway take it for what it's worth. Works for me.

Practicing the fundamentals is always good no matter with what.


I tell a lot of my clients that dry firing is cheap can be done most any where and is huge help.

We shoot 22lr at empty shot shell hulls 25-50 yards standing position . 50 is tough , but cheap practice and any shooting rest seems easy after that.Its Fun also

For years I shot 4 inch steel plates off hand at 50 yards with 22rf several thousand a year.

Made a big difference in my shooting ability.

COLD TRIGGER FINGER
i got veral to make me a mold and it works really well,with my 30 gns of H4227 load 5 shots at a touch over an inch, with 65 gns of varget i get 2150 and groups are a touch over an inch
The 1500 fps load works so well, it feels like one is throwing bricks around the place

Daniel

We are fortunate enough to have lots of varmints, Rockchucks galore, lots of coyotes, running Jack Rabbits are my favorite varmint to hunt...I like to catch a coyote running out right across a open hay field and you don't have much time until he is in the safety of the sage brush..Keeps you tuned up for big game..And out in that Sage Ive seen some of the largest bull elk in the world while hunting coyotes..I book a few hunts for the rancher that lives next to where I hunt coyotes, and they shoot a lot of 370 to 380 elk..its low fenced and they winter on Gov. land where I hunt coyotes..One bull was broad side and He lifted his head and the antlers protruded 12 to 18 inches past his butt..I have never seen another such bull and Ive seen hundreds..I would guess him 400 plus, Ive never seen a 400 plus "wild elk" before this one. Coyote huntng turned ino several hours of just looking at him and 11 other big bulls, wish I had a proper camera..

Have been bison hunting in Delta for the past week. With All the challenges involved with many big game hunts . Actually getting a shot at the correct animal . ( anyone that has any tips on how to determine sex on a bunch of adult bison as they walk thru the timber , in a group , at dawn , at 30 below. PLEASE SHARE !!!!! ) .
Anyway, being able to put a bullet where it should go in a short amount of time. Is a variable that the hunter has by and large Total control over . Sometimes the open window for a shot is 2 or 3 seconds. . practice, practice , practice.
My friend, hunting partner is a good , fast off hand game shot. So that is a variable that we have covered very well.
But I see others that will prolly not be able to fill their tag. Simply because they can't put their bullet where it needs to go in a timely manner.
Most of the other bison tag holders are experienced to Very experienced moose hunters . And can shoot their 338 Winchester rifles well enough for the average moose or caribou shot opportunity. But a number of them could use a bit of practice on offhand shooting .

My other pet peeve is guys over scoping their rifles. OR forgetting to turn the power ring down. Saw a couple missed opportunities this week with other hunters because of that.
If they had a good quality 1-4 on their rifles . There would have been more bison leaving Delta horizontally in a truck or on a trailer than there were.
I think that 50 y/m 4" target consistent hits in 3 seconds or less from offhand is a good goal .
Oh, the other thing is people short stroking the bolt. Ohh boy. !!!

Incidentally; the 338 Winchester is over 10 to one used by hunters on this bison hunt. Seems the 225-230 gr bullets are strongly favoured also.

Cold Trigger Finger,
Spot on the damn power ring has lost more game than it has killed I betcha, and 95% of the hunters today are over scoped. Big scopes are not needed IMO, and they are not nearly as tough as a a 4X Leupold.

Guys,
I disagree on being "over-scoped". If you know how to use it, practice and actually use the settings as they are intended, you cannot be over scoped. The Leupold 4x is a dinosaur and I would not use one on anything other than a 100 yard Texas deer shoot from a box blind.

Todays optics are amazing. I use a variable from 2.5 to 15 and see things I never saw before. I shoot better than ever as I can actually see to place the shot in the perfect spot.

The good old days weren't good when it comes to any equipment. There is a not a single piece of hunting equipment other than some double rifles that I would prefer over anything made in the last 5 years.

For you pre-64 Winchester guys - that is especially true of those 55 year old plus rifles. Todays guns and ammo are easily the best every made and more accurate. Same for any optics, boots, tents, rain gear, packs, anything.....

quote:

Todays optics are amazing.

I grew up using fixed powered weavers they were far superior to iron sights. But pale in optic quality compare even to cheaper scopes today.

I now put Leupolds on my rifles the power range is unbelievable.

A properly mounted scope on a rifle that fits you is very fast.

If it is not you need more practice bringing it to your shoulder.

I have no trouble picking up flushing grouse in mine. I do this for practice. I once shot a flushing turkey tom in the head with the rifle barrel of my combo gun when I pulled the wrong trigger.

I clearing remember the cross hairs pulling in front of his peak.

Proper fitting Practice, practice and more practice is the key.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Todays optics are amazing.

I grew up using fixed powered weavers they were far superior to iron sights. But pale in optic quality compare even to cheaper scopes today.

I now put Leupolds on my rifles the power range is unbelievable.

A properly mounted scope on a rifle that fits you is very fast.

If it is not you need more practice bringing it to your shoulder.

I have no trouble picking up flushing grouse in mine. I do this for practice. I once shot a flushing turkey tom in the head with the rifle barrel of my combo gun when I pulled the wrong trigger.

I clearing remember the cross hairs pulling in front of his peak.

Proper fitting Practice, practice and more practice is the key.

I agree on the quality of new scopes. a Leupold 2x7x33 is brighter and clearer than any weaver I ever owned.

Having had a bunch of Leupold scopes , I am not a fan . Wouldn't spend any money on the brand. Now Vortex , SWFA, and some others .
But this isn't about optic brands. Why Ray had to bring up the Oregone brand ?????

I do agree that if a Rifleman sets up his rifle with a good optic , set up so it fits . even higher powers are use able. In one instance this past week there were 2 culprits . 1 a standard lop on a Tika rifle shot by a small statured 11 yr old girl. And 2 a scope set on 10 power . But Ill fitting rifles and scopes left on too high a power are far too common.

Dad's that won't have a kids butt stock shortened for their child to hunt with because the kid will outgrow it. Really chaps me.
Another good reason to get a Ruger M77 Hawkeye Predator or GunSight Scout rifle . especially for a youngster.

When I drew my Henry Mountains (once in a lifetime) Bison cow tag, I had to take a class on sexing Bison. It can be done with certainty if you get a good look at the horns. My hunt wasn't too cold, but when my wife hunted hers it was about five below.

If ya can get them in the open enough and somewhat holding still. We just weren't able to. Then there were times when we were fairly certain on a bull but they would get someone else's wind and off they would go. For the Delta herd. The horn difference sometimes was very slight.