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mark II
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Well let's start a new topic

Post by mark II » Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:41 am

What about stance. How do you stand, facing the target, 45 deg., 90 deg. How about you feet? How abou your head?

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charlesb
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Post by charlesb » Sun Nov 10, 2013 11:41 am

Pistol:

I'm usually quartering toward the target, with the off hand cupping the bottom of the grip. I don't pay attention to my feet unless I'm shooting a really heavy caliber, or if the footing is uncertain.

I started off as a bullseye shooter, but some years of shooting silhouette later on ruined me. - I don't "brace up" or lean forward now, and in fact will often lean back and hold the weapon at arms length so that I can focus on the sights more easily with my aging eyes.

Sometimes I shoot one-handed, but my first instinct is a modified Weaver hold.

Shooting two-handed, my thumb on the off hand points straight up, and is about 1/4" away from the gun. I find that this helps out in the initial target acquisition, or for shooting "instinctively" without bothering with the sights.

Rifle:

On my hind legs, I almost always have the off hand laying flat and extended as if expecting payment. The rifle's floorplate rests there, and the elbow braces up on my ample belly. - I hardly ever hold a rifle up on the fore-end, where you are supposed to but instead try to find the balance point. The rifle has to be very light and powerful like a Marlin 1895G for me to actually grasp the fore-end.

Shotgun:

I am not very good as a wingshooter, but can make a hit if the bird is flying the right direction.

On the other hand, I appear to have a talent for shooting from the hip with a Mossberg 500 12 ga.. This is how I address fast targets on the ground like a rabbit for example, and I do fairly well on stationary targets from the hip too.

My bedside companion is a Mossberg 500 with a Houge rubberized stock and an extended magazine tube. It's loaded up with alternating #4 buckshot and slugs. When I practice at the range, I go for head or throat shots so that I will be ready to deal with home invaders wearing body armor.

The place I live now is a very safe neighborhood, but my previous residence was especially dangerous - a large, affluent-looking ranch house located across the highway from railroad tracks, in a remote area utilized by many illegal immigrants to go north. In that area, invasions on nice but isolated homes by folks wearing police get-ups made the news regularly, so I developed the habit of being ready for that. At the gun club there, I was warned to carry a weapon if I had the place to myself when checking targets, as druggies would pop out of the brush and shoot you with your own gun while you are posting targets, then steal it for medication money.

The police report where I live now is really ho-hum, just like I like. - But I have developed the habit of being prepared.

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stance

Post by stork » Mon Nov 11, 2013 11:42 am

Normally I use about a 45 degree to the target stance.

I first position the pistol into my hand, establish my grip, and take an approximate 45 degree stance. Then I close my eye's and rotate my shoulder until it settles. I open my eye's & see where my natural point of aim is relative to the x, then adjust my feet until the dot is just above the black centered left & right.

If time allows I will watch the dot carefully and dry fire a one or two times to make sure my trigger finger placement is correct.

I've found that if I adjust my NPA to be centered in the x, I have a tendency to drift low at the end of my sustained fire string. I still drift lower but a small gulp of air halfway through usually elevates the dot back.

Because of a tendency to drop my head, I use a high shoulder position with my jawbone resting on the shoulder.

For Hi Power, I try to set up my feet in the same sequence. After mounting the rifle and getting my head positioned.
"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.” – George Washington

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Post by ruger22 » Mon Nov 11, 2013 12:10 pm

Simulating my stance here in my desk chair, I have my body to the right, due to how my hands match up on the grip. Looks about 30 degrees to me (??). I wrap my left hand around my right hand grip, with both arms straight, standing fully upright.
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Post by mark II » Mon Nov 11, 2013 2:57 pm

Charlesb, sounds like you made a good choice by moving.
The only shooting I do is bullseye so can't comment on other kinds. I stand at 75 deg. from the target. I was fighting with a 45 deg. all last season. I feel solid in a 45 deg. but my eye, dot and target will not line up. My feet are shoulder width apart. With my toes spread slightly outwards. I have thought about trying to rest my chin on my shoulder but I have a long neck so I don't think it would work well. I have tried an eyepal for better head position. I like it but some of the clubs I shoot at have low lighting so it doesn't let enough light in to see well.

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