Offhand shooting groups

[wreckhog]

How well does your Handi shoot from an offhand position? I can do ok from a bench, but am wondering how people do standing.

[gendoc]

depends on how steady you are........

these were done on a bench, and the last shot low to the left was freehand

low to the right was before zero, to check group.
.308 handloads @ 100yrds

[LaOtto222]

I am not the best by a long shot I do OK at 50 yards, hitting just about any thing I want, beyond that it is a hit and miss thing at smaller targets. There are techniques that can help you do off hand shooting. A sling is most valuable. Wrap your arm through it and give is some tension, it really helps steadies your shot. Your stance is important too. And then there is just plain practice. If you plan on shooting off hand, then you need to practice it too. You can not shoot off a bench all the time and then expect to pull up and shoot any thing with any regularity. Practice with a 22 rim fire. It is as cheap as it gets and teaches you good holding techniques. As far as the Handi rifle is concerned, I think it does as well off hand as any other firearm. IMHO the Handi rifle was made for this type of hunting. Good Shooting and Good Luck to you.

[hunt-m-up]

I'm fairly new to the Handis, but do find their weight and balance help from the offhand position. Groups open up a few inches from 1-2" groups shot from the bench, but I don't shoot standing a lot as I find myself automatically going to kneeling.

[myarmor]

If you want to know the best answer to your question, it's how often you practice off hand If your Handi is tuned in on the bench then the main variable to your accuracy off hand is you. The longer barrels will most likely give you more stability than the shorter lighter ones sense they lack the weight out front to slow the wiggles and shakes.
Practice off hand as much as you can and learn the correct form to position your body for stability. There is a lot to learn about it online.




-Aaron

[blind ear]

A cheap pellet gun is good practice. It doesn't have to be fast, just accurate.

[Sourdough]

The gun will shoot the same off hand as it shoots off the bench.  The variable is you, not the gun.  I never shoot off hand unless it is an up close and personal shot. 

I always try and use a rest of some sort.  I use a walking staff when walking through the woods, that makes a good rest.  I always have either shooting sticks on the vehicle, or a bipod on the gun.  The seat of a snowmachine makes a good rest, as does the seat or handlebars of a 4-wheeler.  Putting my hand on the side of a tree, then resting the rifle on it works well also.  For long shots I use a tripod rest.

When shooting at the CMP meets we have to shoot standing.  My son has given me lessons on how to hold the gun, and it helps.  But I would never shoot like that in the field if I had a choice.  And men cannot hold a candle to a woman shooting that way.  A woman can swing her hip out and get elbow to hip contact.  With that bone to bone contact they can be real steady.  Men, we physically can not do that, so we can not compete with them in that class.  They will beat us every time.   That's the position my wife took when the Grizzly charged.  She shot 13 times off hand with a semi auto 30-06.  Range was 120 yards down to 15 yards.  There was 13 holes in that bear hide.

[blind ear]

SOURDOUGH where can I read the rest of that story about your wife's bear hunt?
eddie

[Sourdough]

eddie:  Wrote that story so long ago I believe it was in the NEF forums.  I don't think I brought it over to Graybeard.  I'll have to rewrite it and post it again.  Rog

[ndindy]

Off-hand I can generally go 10/10 on the side of a barn, but I have to be inside the barn.

I just won't shoot off-hand while hunting, not when the average shot is between 2 and 300 yards.  Whatever I'm after deserves better than that.

[petemi]

ndindy......you too, Huh.  I did, just a couple of hours ago, end a woodchucks days with an offhand shot with the .357 Max, but it was a 25 yard chippie shot.  First kill for the Max.

Pete

[LaOtto222]

I am a pretty good shot free hand on a 25 yard shot. I have nailed chipmunks at that range with my 357 Max off hand, using 38 Special wad cutters. This AM I shot a woodchuck at 75 yards with a T/C 221 Fireball at my other property (the Max was at home), but I used the porch railing for a rest. I use a rest when ever I can. If I absolutely do not have one, I will take a shot up to 50 yards off hand, but beyond that I will pass on it. I like sure things, and beyond 50 yards it is not going to be a sure thing - for me anyway. Practice helps; the more you shoot off hand the better you get. It also helps me to have a sling; I wrap my arm through it and give it a little tension. It steadies the shakes a lot. Short of that, I turn my hip toward the target and let my arm rest against my ribs, elbow down. Like sourdough has said, I can not reach my hip with my elbow, so I rest the back of my arm against my ribs.

[mechanic]

With the right gun, (one I'm comfortable with), and with a still target, (milk jugs of water at 100 yds.), I can pretty much hit what I shoot at.  If I have to stand for a moment and try to aim, I can't hit anything.  If I snap shoot, I do ok.  As far as shooting targets for group offhand?  Forget it.  Those were long ago days when I could do that.  If the target is moving?  Just depends on my position and how fast, but probably not.

Just playing at the range the other day I went 10 for 10 on milk jugs with my 357 max. Handi.

[Jimbo47]

For me, the best offhand shooter I own is my .54 Caliber Hawken.

I amaze myself with the accuracy I get just standing and shooting.

it's all about the weight and balance of the gun, and your style that you are accustomed to using while shooting offhand.

[Singleshotsam]

I have a CZ 452 .22lr w/ a 28" bbl.  That gun shoots offhand like a dream   My dad's 16" 30/30 winchester 94 I can shoot well offhand at soda cans at about 50 yards or so.  Beyond that I can usually keep my shots on a paper plate @ 100 yards. 

I agree that weight and balance is the key to a successful offhand gun...