My shooting stances

[Sir Henry]

The range was closed today for LEO training so my range report is delayed a day.

The neighbor was over and took these pictures of me with my Henrys. Benchrest Henrys aren't anything special but I love the way they feel in my hands offhand. For most of the winter and spring I was trying different stances out and have found a few that are really a lot better than others.

The first stance is kneeling. Nothing special about this as millions of us have been trained in the Army to shoot like this. Here I am shooting a Mare's Leg. I get a cheekweld but it doesn't have a buttstock so that front elbow and knee are really needed. Shooting a M's L like this is almost as accurate as shooting a rifle. You can't see it in the picture but I'm also getting a nose/thumb weld.


Your can even shoot a scoped M's L like this.


You can shoot high.


Or you can shoot low.


Standing I have two stances. This one is more for rapid fire and if getting lead downrange fast is important I shoot like this.


This is my other standing stance and I turn my body more and shift my weight to my hip. Both elbows are down and I try to lock the rifle hold to my body and adjust aim with my feet.

[JEBar]

interesting .... I suspect that trying to shoot a Mare's Leg like a regular rifle would be pretty difficult for me ....

[RanchRoper]

Interesting. I'm not sure what I do but will try to pay attention next time.

[Sir Henry]

Interesting. I'm not sure what I do but will try to pay attention next time.

I try to do the exact same thing each time.

[RanchRoper]

The only thing I'm trying to consciously do when actually shooting is keep my elbows in close and relax. I find so far if I do just those 2 things I shoot off hand much better. The big breathe and exhale first helps me quite a bit. Everything seems to slow down after that and focus is clearer.

[JEBar]

Interesting. I'm not sure what I do but will try to pay attention next time.

understood .... I've fired untold numbers of rounds from a kneeling and/or prone position but I don't enjoy doing so .... no longer have any desire to do so .... I still fire from a standing or seated bench position and enjoy them both .... I haven't thought about it but tend to believe with a long gun to shoot from a standing position close to the first picture you posted .... with a pistol, I use a two hand hold standing with my front pretty much squared up toward the target

[PMC]

Thanks for sharing the pictures Sir Henry, I saw on some of your left hand positions you have your thumb on the right side of the forearm. My Dad would do the same thing with 22 rifles. That is something that for what ever reason I have not done but I will next time at the range, it looks comfortable. Thanks for jogging a memory of my Dad shooting.

[RanchRoper]

Good eye. I missed that. Hmmmmm...might have to try that.

[PT7]

Quite interesting. If I can "see" how I stand next time I'm at the range with my Big Boy, I'd like to compare with your stances. Thanks for posting these.

I noticed one comment you made on the first stance -- kneeling: "Nothing special about this as millions of us have been trained in the Army to shoot like this." There must have been some reason for the different rifle basic training I had in the USAF. We only used prone position.

Prone shooting position.jpg

I wonder why the kneeling or sitting positions were not used? Never thought about that before.
Anyway, next time I'm out, I think I'll try your kneeling stance, SH. Looks like there is pretty good control there.

Of all I've seen in your photos you've shared, I really like the instruction to hold the rifle stock in close to the body with your arm. That seems like a good stabilizing position also.

Keep 'em coming, Sir Henry --- you'll have us all trained someday!

The range was closed today for LEO training so my range report is delayed a day.

The neighbor was over and took these pictures of me with my Henrys. Benchrest Henrys aren't anything special but I love the way they feel in my hands offhand. For most of the winter and spring I was trying different stances out and have found a few that are really a lot better than others.

The first stance is kneeling. Nothing special about this as millions of us have been trained in the Army to shoot like this. Here I am shooting a Mare's Leg. I get a cheekweld but it doesn't have a buttstock so that front elbow and knee are really needed. Shooting a M's L like this is almost as accurate as shooting a rifle. You can't see it in the picture but I'm also getting a nose/thumb weld.

[Sir Henry]

I was trained on an M14 and not an M16. Different firearms and different training. Part of the difference is that kneeling you make a smaller target yourself and by the time the M16 came around it was for use in Vietnam where firefights were up close and you needed mobility.