standing and riflescopes?

[Donna]

Does anyone stand and use a riflescope? And if so, what is your stance like? And how do you hold the handgun/scope so you don’t get popped in the face? With a rifle scope not having a long eye relief.

Donna

[IHMSA80x80]

I use the Taco hold, along with a hi-rise scope mount. This keeps the gun a little lower in your stance, reducing fatigue. With a .22, so recoil isn't a concern.
 
It's a different story with the big bores. Same type of hold, but you do have to worry about getting tapped with the scope. There are two solutions...use a very mild caliber with minimum recoil, or use a muzzle brake. Some shooters combine both methods for further recoil reduction. Calibers can be .30 Carbine, .32-20, .32 H&R Mag, .300 Whisper, .270 Ren. Use light loads through turkeys, and a heavier one for rams. Even then, you may get a light tap on the head, so you might have to tighten up your grip on the gun.
 
With a good muzzle brake, a 7 TCU or 7BR can even be used with no problems, as long as you use milder loads. I would prefer a 6BR or 6PPC with lighter bullets than the 7's.

[B_Koes]

Donna - Don't listen to Dean (aka IHMSA80x80)...he's a freestyle shooter.  He may pretend to stand up and shoot, but I believe he's still in denial.  However, he has given you good advice.

About the only additional information that I would add is that I shoot both a 6.5 TCU & 7 TCU with 24x riflescopes attached.  The 6.5 does not have a muzzle break and the 7 does.  I shoot very similar loads from both of them (120gr bullets traveling between 1800-2000fps).  I probably try to get a little more velocity out of the 7 since I have the reassurance of very little rearward movement.  I've only shot it once though and seems to be a pretty nice setup.  Both barrels are utilizing the 5" high-rise scope mount from Ken Light which helps to mitigate recoil.

[K2]

Donna, if you have a long eye relief scope on the gun for the freestyle shooting just use it for Standing and put your arms out there like normal.  It works ok too.  

If you have a gun with any real recoil don't risk your eyes or face getting hurt.  The Taco hold is best left for experienced shooters as it puts the scope close to the eye and the forearm/hands close to the muzzle.  Safety first always!! :wink:  

Does anyone stand and use a riflescope? And if so, what is your stance like? And how do you hold the handgun/scope so you don’t get popped in the face? With a rifle scope not having a long eye relief.

Donna

[Steve P]

First, let me apologize for my compadre's.  They have good information, but don't realize you don't know what they are talking about.

Ken Light Manufuacturing sells scope bases that raise the scope 3" or 5" above the barrel.  They use standard weaver type rings and are used by a lot of the shooters.  Other shooters use the tall "see thru" rings offered by other companies.  This allows the use of a larger belled rifle scope on the Contender barrel.

When I am shooting my guns with the rifle scopes, my right hand is just below my right jaw line.  I am in a stance similar to shooting a rifle, with my left leg forward and slightly bent.  My right hand is holding the contender grip toward the bottom.  This allows my trigger finger to comfortably contact the bottom of the trigger for the lightest felt squeeze.  My body is slightly canted from the target.  If I was standing in the center of a clock, and the target were at 12, I would be facing between 2 and 3 with my body and my head would be looking toward 12.  My right index finger, if pointed straight, would point direct to my target.  

My left hand is on the rifle scope just in front of the the forward ring.  My head is slightly tilted to the right to look thru the scope.  My left elbow is up and my left forarm is level.  Some people call this the taco hold.  If you were holding a taco in your left hand, you could reach out and take a bite out of it.

This position can be held relatively steady.  I have bumped my shooting glasses with the scope during recoil.  I have never been injured.  

Some folks have a little variance to this stance.  It is based upon personal preference and feel.  Try doing this with a .22 barrel first and work your way up in recoil.  You will know when you are reaching your personal threshold of control.

I am by no stretch of the imagination, the correct instructor to teach you how to stand and shoot.  In fact, I am probably below average when it comes to shooting silhouettes standing.    However, I can write pretty well and hope I have successfully given you a picture of what this stance looks like.  If I have made a mistake or omitted something, everyone, please let us know.  

Have a great day.


Steve  

[Steve P]

Donna,

Check out this photo.   http://www.ihmsa.org/images/stand.jpg  
Gives you a little better idea.

Steve