Help shooting my rock lock

[William O.]

The point of this is, the pard does not actually load anything 2 of the 5 rounds. You not being aware of which ones, should have your normal shooting practice. Your pard can watch you for flinching, plus you will notice perhaps if you are as well.

Of course! That is what we used to call the "ball and dummy" drill when introducing new recruits to live fire handgun training at the police acedemy. That goes to show how much of all that has gone out the window after I left law enforcement but I should have remembered all of that. Thanks for reminding me though, and it just so happens that I'm camping out with some buddies from the local muzzle loader club the day before our monthly match this weekend so I can have them watch me shoot and do the 5 shot loaded/not loaded drill as well.

Thanks for all the advice from everyone else too, I'll let you know what happens and hopefully my groups will get as small as when I'm shooting my caplock.

 

[satwel]

Many posters already have mentioned follow through. It's essential for shooting a flintlock consistently. It's simple but it takes some practice to achieve:

Aim; Fire; Aim again

That's all there is to it. Try it and I guarantee your scores will improve. Good luck.

 

[Col. Batguano]

try exhaling slightly through the shot break and follow through. That makes it easier to keep your eyes open, and muscles relaxed. You can NOT hold steady if you are all tensed up.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

This is a bit of a side issue, but there has been some controversy in this discussion about the "right" way to shoot standing up - braced/supported (arm on ribs and/or hip) or unbraced/unsupported. I've come to understand that these are actually two separate but related positions, and they are sometimes taught as such for different uses. They are usually differentiated by calling the supported one "standing" and the unsupported one "offhand". "Standing" is more commonly used in various formal target-shooting disciplines and less often in the field*, and as has been mentioned, some shooters have difficulty using this position. "Offhand" is less steady but more adaptable to fleeting, moving, and/or multiple targets, and thus more often used in the field, and in competitions representing field conditions. Both are amenable to adding bracing from a sling, but "offhand" is more readily adaptable to using an external support - window sill, hiking staff, tree trunk, etc. - similarly to prone, kneeling, and (less often) sitting, and which is again more suitable for field circumstances.

Regards,
Joel
* "field" includes both hunting and combat.

 

[Dphar]

I agree with Loyalist Dave, when I was competing in High Power shooting I had the great fortune to be coached by two men, one was a 2 time National Champion and the other was a 6 time California state champion. Besides watching every video and reading every book I could find on proper shooting technique. What I found out is that there is a right way and a wrong way of doing it. There is, however, adaptation due to physical variations. But none the less, the farther you go away from bone and larger muscle support of the firearm in any position the harder it gets to shoot well consistently.

I have met some fantastically gifted shooters that can shoot well from any position. But when it comes to shooting well when it really counts the properly practiced correct form of shooting will always make the shot.

P.S. okawbow, if any club asked me to shoot my weapon in other way than using the proper technique, I would just walk away.

IIRC NMLRA rules do not allow the arm to touch the chest in offhand, this is not new. So the "proper" way depends on the rules. The Schuetzen stance has been in use for a very long time 18th c or maybe before, but if the rules stipulate not having the arm touch the chest then thats the rules. So long as everyone shoots the same rules its not a big deal.
I normally shoot the schuetzen stance since its more accurate in offhand. But I can and do shoot either way. If the rifle makes a lot of recoil the Schuetzen stance is not the best.
Also in modern matches such as 3 gun its impractical since it hinders movement when moving and shooting is required or changing targets in a "run" where time in a scoring factor. Or if shooting moving targets. Irrelevant to ML shooting for the most part, but it does show that the "proper" way depends on the rules in force and the shooting discipline being practiced.


Dan

 

[Dean2]

I agree with Loyalist Dave, when I was competing in High Power shooting I had the great fortune to be coached by two men, one was a 2 time National Champion and the other was a 6 time California state champion. Besides watching every video and reading every book I could find on proper shooting technique. What I found out is that there is a right way and a wrong way of doing it. There is, however, adaptation due to physical variations. But none the less, the farther you go away from bone and larger muscle support of the firearm in any position the harder it gets to shoot well consistently.

I have met some fantastically gifted shooters that can shoot well from any position. But when it comes to shooting well when it really counts the properly practiced correct form of shooting will always make the shot.

P.S. okawbow, if any club asked me to shoot my weapon in other way than using the proper technique, I would just walk away.

IIRC NMLRA rules do not allow the arm to touch the chest in offhand, this is not new. So the "proper" way depends on the rules. The Schuetzen stance has been in use for a very long time 18th c or maybe before, but if the rules stipulate not having the arm touch the chest then thats the rules. So long as everyone shoots the same rules its not a big deal.
I normally shoot the schuetzen stance since its more accurate in offhand. But I can and do shoot either way. If the rifle makes a lot of recoil the Schuetzen stance is not the best.
Also in modern matches such as 3 gun its impractical since it hinders movement when moving and shooting is required or changing targets in a "run" where time in a scoring factor. Or if shooting moving targets. Irrelevant to ML shooting for the most part, but it does show that the "proper" way depends on the rules in force and the shooting discipline being practiced.


Dan

I absolutely agree. Different methods of shooting work in different situations and rules are independent to the competition you are shooting in. Most benchrest shooters would never participate in a gun competition shot from a prone or kneeling position but this doesn't make the competition any less valuable, fun or interesting.

 

[William O.]

Thank you all for the advice but I will have to wait for a little while before putting your suggestions into practice due to a bad car wreck a few days ago. My arms are black and blue with a badly sprained shoulder, so shooting will have to be included in my rehab exercises. Meantime I hope someone else who is getting to know their new flintlock will benefit from this thread.

 

[bpd303]

Bummer...here is hoping you have a rapid recovery, remember shooting rock locks is good therapy for body and soul. :wink:

 

[Col. Batguano]

Shooting heals the head
Jesus saves the soul
Time heals the body

get well soon