What are your specific offhand shooting exercises if you do any?

[doubleset]

Good shooting is quite simply eliminating 'bad shots'.

It is a common joke among musicians that the role of practice is to "Get all the bad notes out of the horn."

 

[doubleset]

Although I know it's well intentioned, it's somewhat amusing here to see people in their 60s (or less) giving advice on physical conditioning to people in their 70s and 80s.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

For those that don't know -a sock darner is the mushnoom that granny pushed ino the heel of a sock to repair it with a needle and wool as you couldn't afford a new socks. 1000/1946. o.d.

 

[Art Caputo]

With off-hand shooting having been the more predominate shooting position during a lifetime of hunting and competitive shooting, mastering the flintlock muzzleloader, IMO, places a higher demand on on the critical skill components over most other rifle designs. Assuming one has the basic skills***, well outlined in the previous posts of this thread, the flintlocks lock time fall outside most all other firearms. As fast as one thinks their flintlock ignition may be, there is a vast difference in lock time compared to other systems that the mind and body must be conditioned to adapt. While dry firing and/or practice with modern firearms are excellent for mastering many of the required skills to shoot accurately off-hand, it does not re-program the the mind/eyes/sight-picture to adapt to the extended duration from the time you break the trigger until the ball or bullet leaves the barrel. In fact these repetitive practice techniques may very well work in the opposite direction by condition the brain to a shorter cycle. Assuming the basic aspects of shooting form are mastered, I have found with myself, as well as helping others, that the brain can best be reconditioned to the longer lock time of the flintlock by “live-fire”, placing major emphasis on the sight picture/trigger squeeze. The eyes should have complete and total focus on the front sight. A wide-glaring stare! The greater the concentration of the eyes, the longer the brain/body will extend follow-through. The eyes are a primary mechanism to managing this mechanism. The target should be a blur because of the total concentration on the front sight. The trigger should break at the peak of concentration. If you miss your mark, you either broke your concentration, or it wasn’t strong enough. With repetition, the process will become ingrained. This principle is surely not new. It is fundamental to all shooting. The difference is the flintlock’s lock time falls outside of most all windows and the brain needs reprogramming to keep the rifle on target…follow-through.

*** In particular, the illustration of the soldiers shooting stance in post #10 by Wildrangeringeren. This is my most accurate offhand shooting stance when firing most of my flintlocks and heavy modern rifles. .

 

[doubleset]

As fast as one thinks their flintlock ignition may be, there is a vast difference in lock time compared to other systems that the mind and body must be conditioned to adapt.

True also for percussion locks, though perhaps not quite to the same fine degree. It is still a constant struggle for me to remember this and take account of it. If you shoot from a rest and have good accuracy and grouping, but then lose that when shooting offhand, it may well be (at least in part) because you're moving the gun within what I think of as "the lock time window". I know this is often a cause of my inconsistency with a BP rifle.

 

[SPQR70AD]

As it is with most things, opinions vary. I think shooting from the bench is boring. Maybe someday I won't physically be able to shoot offhand and when that day comes I'll shoot from the bench. But as long as I'm able I'd prefer the challenge of shooting offhand.

never said anything about bench rest shooting. I kneel sit go prone and can make hits on steel at 200 yds. trying to do it offhand is silly TO ME. I shot high power at 2-3 600 yds and 200 was offhand. practiced a lot offhand with HB 22 and was better then most but I will not shoot offhand unless forced to

 

[doubleset]

I think shooting from the bench is boring. Maybe someday I won't physically be able to shoot offhand and when that day comes I'll shoot from the bench. But as long as I'm able I'd prefer the challenge of shooting offhand.

I kneel sit go prone and can make hits on steel at 200 yds. trying to do it offhand is silly TO ME. I shot high power at 2-3 600 yds and 200 was offhand. practiced a lot offhand with HB 22 and was better then most but I will not shoot offhand unless forced to

A simple difference between a "practical shooting" and a "precision shooting" perspective. And the different challenges involved. I have to say that I can't think of any kind of shooting that bores me. But my first love is precision rifle. Offhand shooting is likewise challenging -- but in a different way and with a different focus. Different strokes ... I can't shoot prone (cervical fusions) or kneeling (problematic artificial knee) any longer, and miss that. But I can enjoy precision rimfire shooting from the bench. And I do likewise enjoy BP shooting from the standing position.

 

[Josephg]

Most European Off hand rifles have or had a Sockdarner Palm rest. The length to suit the shooter to allow the none trigger elbow to rest on the forward hip.60 degree feet.If your shooting serious comp,chalk your foot position on the floor. Trigger arm elbow shoulder high, butt hook above bicep with barrel across chest. Not trying to teach Granny about Eggs,just following ancestors. Can't send pickies as supid W10 dosn't reckognise my early Kodac 640 digital.Sold my 96/98 PL7 shooter recently as fall damaged 88 y/o shoulder hurts. It will nodowt be seen at MLAIC meetings again in near future. 129 ex130 not bad at 50m. O.D.

First time I ever heard that. Vaguely similar to a sock darner but I think it's just coincidence. Most people just call it a palm rest.
I've tried the chalk idea several times but as the match goes on I tend to change my stance slightly. Don't know anyone that does it. I prefer my trigger arm hanging free and natural as I try to avoid any unnecessary muscle strain while shooting. My wrist is in a more natural straight position. Most European OH target rifles lack a palm rest. The palm rest tended to be an American gadget. The Germans called the Winchester palm rest a manure fork. Even today the Germans do not use a manure fork in traditional OH matches.

 

[SPQR70AD]

A simple difference between a "practical shooting" and a "precision shooting" perspective. And the different challenges involved. I have to say that I can't think of any kind of shooting that bores me. But my first love is precision rifle. Offhand shooting is likewise challenging -- but in a different way and with a different focus. Different strokes ... I can't shoot prone (cervical fusions) or kneeling (problematic artificial knee) any longer, and miss that. But I can enjoy precision rimfire shooting from the bench. And I do likewise enjoy BP shooting from the standing position.

all that matters is you are doing what you like and what you can do

 

[rustyh]

Practice, practice, practice. Get a decent wood stocked (so it has some weight) pellet rifle with open sights and shoot at home when you can't get to a range. Put a target on the wall shoulder your ML rifle acquire the sight picture, let down wait a minute and repeat.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

never said anything about bench rest shooting. I kneel sit go prone and can make hits on steel at 200 yds. trying to do it offhand is silly TO ME. I shot high power at 2-3 600 yds and 200 was offhand. practiced a lot offhand with HB 22 and was better then most but I will not shoot offhand unless forced to

Normal European 19th century Off Hand matches were shot at 60 Rods = 220 yds Standing as are MLAIC 50 mtr comps today. O.D.

 

[Snydly]

I used to shoot indoor archery tournaments and one thing I learned a long time ago. It is not just practice... it is "Quality Practice". Just shooting your flintlock is ok but to get better,.. ask yourself what do I need to do to get better, what is my plan? It is not the number of shots,, it is the quality of your shots that count.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

... one thing I learned a long time ago. It is not just practice... it is "Quality Practice". Just shooting your flintlock is ok but to get better ,.. ask yourself what do I need to do to get better, what is my plan? It is not the number of shots,, it is the quality of your shots that count.

Well said ... 'Practice' with a purpose! 'Shoot' for fun ...

 

[ResearchPress]

I used to shoot indoor archery tournaments and one thing I learned a long time ago. It is not just practice... it is "Quality Practice". Just shooting your flintlock is ok but to get better,.. ask yourself what do I need to do to get better, what is my plan? It is not the number of shots,, it is the quality of your shots that count.

Agree with this. The usual mantra of ‘Practice, Practice, Practice’ fails unless there is purpose to it. Repetition through practice reinforces both good and bad habits. Ideally if you want to train, set a goal or objective for that session(s) - a single goal enables its merits to be evaluated. Change your stance and your load for example - there may be improvement, but what change assisted, would just one change have brought greater improvement?

David

 

[ResearchPress]

Normal European 19th century Off Hand matches were shot at 60 Rods = 220 yds Standing as are MLAIC 50 mtr comps today. O.D.

MLAGB and the NRA(UK) have 200 yard offhand matches for the Enfield rifle. I won the MLAGB event in their 200 yard Championships in April and won the NRA(UK) event at the Trafalgar Meeting (premier U.K. event for classic arms) last October.

David

 

[frankie]

Although I know it's well intentioned, it's somewhat amusing here to see people in their 60s (or less) giving advice on physical conditioning to people in their 70s and 80s.

how true doubleset. great point. ha

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Although I know it's well intentioned, it's somewhat amusing here to see people in their 60s (or less) giving advice on physical conditioning to people in their 70s and 80s.

how true doubleset. great point. ha

how true doubleset. great point. ha

Hope your not refering to O.D. He turned 88 in March..

 

[doubleset]

Hope your not refering to O.D. He turned 88 in March..

Well, hope springs eternal. But by the simplest logic, as you point out, my remark could not be addressed to the OP, who even in his posting remarks on his own loss of arm strength.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Agree with this. The usual mantra of ‘Practice, Practice, Practice’ fails unless there is purpose to it. Repetition through practice reinforces both good and bad habits. Ideally if you want to train, set a goal or objective for that session(s) - a single goal enables its merits to be evaluated. Change your stance and your load for example - there may be improvement, but what change assisted, would just one change have brought greater improvement?

David

Was always taught PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT."Must be the right sort of practice." O.D.

 

[Tom Compton]

World class shooter of many disciplines and good friend Tom Gillman of Hot Springs, AR expressed to me that ‘practice DOES NOT make perfect …. PERFECT PRACTICE makes perfect’.