My hat's off to you guys. I think I finally got the rifle and palm rest and all that sorted, and I got the windage adjusted properly, and elevation pretty darned close, shooting from a bench rest. Even from a bench at 100 yards I'm still getting 3 shot 1 ½ inch groups, which isn't bad I don't suppose, but it could always be better. That and I need to be able to shoot at 200 yards.

I still have to get some practice targets from ASSRA.

Now all I really lack is technique! I'm as wobbly as a sailor on liberty on a Friday night in Hong Kong! 

I never was a great offhand shot, but this is going to take a whole lot of practice. Any tips or pointers you wish to share will be welcome.

Harry Pope knew something about off hand rifle shooting.
Here is what he had to say about that.

Using iron sights exclusively. I'll send you a pm in a bit J. Louis.

Experience, Experience, Experience, Quantity, Over and Over.
Other than a few who are just plain naturals you have to just plain do it. And you cannot quit and come back without going through the same process again. You will only have the Benefit of knowing the Loads for your particular Rifle. Still need to establish your Technique again. That's my story and I am sticking to it. Regards, FITZ.

Thanks fellas. Practice, practice.

I like your approach Marlinguy. I hope to embody it in my attempts to construct a position.

Rafter3C: How would Marlinguy's advice differ in firing fixed ammo as opposed to breach seated ammunition? Other than the necessary loading steps, it seems generally directed to establishing a position, which *to me* would be equally applicable to fixed or breach seated ammo. 

You will shoot higher offhand scores with fixed ammo, as long as your gun groups within 1 1/2 MOA.  Extra effort required to get it under 1 MOA Breech seating is going to detract from your offhand focus. Fatigue is a significant factor in a long string and the less you have to manipulate better your score is going to be. Thinking about proper breech seated loads is going to detract from your execute the shot focus.

Offhand is all about position and ability to execute the shot.  Rifle, as long as it's up to the job, has little to do with it.

"Up to the job" is a big one though, poor set up is not going to do well with the best shooter, however if it's shooting like it should the score is the shooters not the guns.

Good example is Jim Luke and his buddy Chuck Bender two of the best offhand Schuetzen shooters. They are both shooting NRA Lever Silhouette now and winning top matches with Lever action Marlin 30/30's that have had very few changes from factory original.

Either could probably show up any ASSRA or ISSA match and win the offhand with the Marlin 30/30's 

Boats

Rafter its a very good target but shot top left in the 20 ring made your score not extra half Moa on the other 9 with a complicated loading routine. 

Reading the condition and being ready to shoot when it's right is a good half the job, why spend time fooling with measures primers seaters and all the gear needed to breech seat when you can load fixed ammo that shoots nearly as close.

In the concentration shooting sports like Trap shooting were perfect performance is required 100 shots top shooters don't allow any distractions at all. Entire focus is on the target nothing else, that's how they go 100 straight. Offhand rifle is exactly the same. Don't think about the gun just the shot.

Harry Pope said its the absence of bad shots that make your offhand score. He's right.

Boats

Quote:


Arrange yourself sideways-on.

Rest your elbow in the top of your pelvis and balance the rifle on two or three fingers.

When you are comfortable, exhale, hold your breath and squeeze one off.

Long time since I did it, but I used to knock rabbits over (headshots) at 100 yards, offhand (·22"LR). On the range we used to pick-off spent ·22" cases, offhand, at 25 yards.

The trick is, breathig (or rather, not breathing...)

--
Aonghas