Author Topic: hand hold when hunting shots,,,, (Read 783 times)

alan in ga · « **on:** October 15, 2003, 02:33:26 AM »

how do you guys shoot a scoped 10" bull barrel Contender pistol when deer huning? Do you grab the forearm with the 'front' hand? Or try to rest the pistol over something if it's there for the purpose?
I think holding the longer Pachmyer forend on my 10" pistol would be best for steady hold and shot.
Advice?
alan in ga.

Dave1 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2003, 06:50:35 AM »

Alan

Shooting offhand is difficult, unsteady, would be my last choice but as we all know sometimes shot opportunities present themselves at odd times and we need to be ready. I hunt mostly from treestands but have tried limited offhand shooting. My offhand results were not great. If I had to depend on my offhand ability to feed myself, I would starve to death.

I am right handed and found the best way for me was to hold my 14" Contender's Pachmeyer forearm with my left hand having left arm outstretched and locked straight. With my right arm slightly bent I held the pistol grip with my right hand and held my right hand and gun against the inside of my left forearm for a little added steadiness. Did that make sense? I didn't think so.

I have one of the Stoney Point Monopods and carry it with me everywhere I go when hunting. I have it ready to use at most times. If I didn't have the monopod stick rest at hand my first action would be to try to get to a tree or bush to brace the gun against. My experience and opinion is a rest of any sort is very helpful and much better than trying to shoot offhand.

Good luck

Dave1

xphunter · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2003, 07:00:37 AM »

I'm not trying to be cute or sarcastic, but I will use any rest I can find (and I try to have one or more with me if possible) and I will hold the gun in any "SAFE" fashion I can so as to be steady for that shot. It will likely be different next time. Practice every concievable way you can with different rests and or hand holds. You might be surprised what works for you and what doesn't.

Ernie

KYODE · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2003, 09:45:11 AM »

anything available, any method possible to get steady. check out the homemade cross stix article at www.handgunhunt.com. fiberglass tent poles, they work pretty good and are light packing. as a matter of fact, i have a leather knife sheath with the bottom end cut off. then i just pack the folded stix on my belt.

longwinters · « **Reply #4 on:** October 15, 2003, 11:33:34 AM »

Yep, always shot off of a rest of some type. The Stoney point bi-pod is the way to go.

long

grizz · « **Reply #5 on:** October 15, 2003, 01:29:54 PM »

I usually will use a rest.. However I found a great steady way to hold these long bbl guns without having to carry anything.. I simply lay on the ground with knees bent and touching each other.. Then I rest the bbl along side my right leg and with my left arm I place it behind my head for support.. I picked this method up from my dad that used it for "silly wet" shooting.. It is very sturdie once you get used to it.. If I have to shoot off hand them I do the same thing as Dave1 does..

grizz

rickyp · « **Reply #6 on:** October 15, 2003, 02:11:32 PM »

I will agree that you should try and find some kind of rest, but that is not always passable or practical.

If you want a good and cheap shooting stick (monopole) you can go in the woods and find a small tree or branch that is straight and has a "Y" coming of the end. just cut the branch to a height that fits you trim the "Y" down and you got a very nice shooting stick that has the best camo you could ever hope for

the position that grizz is talking about is very close to the creedmoore
(Spelling) that is used in silhouette shooting. It is very stable and low.

If i must shoot off hand what i do is spread my legs a part put most of my weight on my right leg. put my left elbow on my left hip and form a cup with my hand. then I take the but of the handgun and rest it in the cup. and kind of lean the top of my body back. this is not the best but it works well for me.

SD Handgunner · « **Reply #7 on:** October 15, 2003, 04:58:28 PM »

Evening Alan

With 10" Contenders I have found that I can shoot reasonablly accurately using a Kneeling Position. Basically I get into a kneeling position like a person would shooting a rifle. My left elbow (I am right handed) goes on top of my left knee and my right shooting hand goes into my left hand. The left forearm is nearly verticle to supply as much support as possible. This is reasonablly steady out to about 100 yards (or slightly more on a good day) when I have practiced on my 10" Metal Gong. Now granted I have used this postition only when there was no other rest available, and only with 10" Barrels.

However I mainly use two different rests (depending on the type of hunting I am doing). For the times I might have to take a shot while I am standing I normally have a walking stick with me. This is nothing more than a Ski Pole with the basket removed. On the top of the handle I have attached a "Y" made out of plastic for a Gun Rest. This is not the greatest in stability, but does indeed help.

Otherwise when I know I am going to be sitting I use a set of home made crossed shooting sticks. Mine are made out of two telescoping sections of alluminum tubing (with a friction nut to adust the length). I have found that from a sitting position, as long as I can get my left elbow on my left knee for added support, quite accurate shooting can be acomplished with these sticks.

Larry

PS I have recently made a couple sets of crossed shooting sticks for some friends out of 5/8" diameter 36" long wooden dowel. I just joined them 4" from the top with a cross bolt, and put 5/8" Black Heater Hose on the tops of the sticks for the Gun to rest in quietly. I also drilled a hole in the bottom portion of each stick and put 36" of small nylon cord through the holes. This keeps the sticks from extending too far apart, and also serves as sort of a sling to carry the sticks upside down when walking. My two buddies tried them out this past week and phoned to tell me how well they liked them.

Bullseye · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2003, 05:11:17 PM »

I usually hunt from a treestand and 50 yards is the max shot. I shoot offhand, with both hands on the grip and my offhand elbow resting on my stomach. Also use a sling which steadies the gun when pulled tight around my neck. If I have not practiced enough throughout the year to be able to shoot offhand at 50 yards, I take the shotgun.

Duffy · « **Reply #9 on:** October 16, 2003, 07:04:55 PM »

Just went through this last Saturday. Made myself some of the fiberglass sticks and purchaced a "Sling It" for my 15" Encore. I had made the sticks so that they were adjustable for sitting, kneeling and laying down. Didn't use the sticks but the sling did just fine although my shot was about 2" lower than planned but was effective. From the bench it hits 2" high at 100, from the sling it's dead on so that has to be taken into account. The sling goes from the grip around your back and neck around your left/right arm and is connected to the forend or bbl. It's adjustable for your length of arm and helps quite a bit when theres nothing else around. We have alot of sage brush and sometimes unless you can stand and shoot at shoulder level you will be shooting through brush.

TIP; If you use the fiberglass tent poles, after you finish them spray them with a couple of coats of truck bed liner spray to keep them quiet. It can be purchaced in spray cans from NAPA or other auto stores.

Ryan

Arkinsaw Huntr · « **Reply #10 on:** October 17, 2003, 01:51:04 AM »

First of all ANY kind of rest is better than no rest. Even if you just touch your arm against a small sapling.

When I do shoot offhand I rest my upper arms against my body and have my elbows bent. My grip is similar to a typical two handed grip except that I put my left index finger at the front of the trigger guard, my next finger is in front of the lever on the guard and my bottom two fingers are resting on the bottom two fingers of my right hand. This allows you to push with your right hand and pull with your left hand. If I put my left hand fingers right on top of my right fingers then the trigger guard really bruises my left middle finger.

The hand under the fore end doesnt work as well for me but is usable and locking my arms straight seems to introduce tremors more tremors than bent arms.

I used to use a shooting stick made from a hickory sapling and it works well. After using it a while it occured to me that if I have to carry this 5 foot stick to be able to use my very portable handgun then I might as well carry a rifle.

My best advice is to get a 10 inch .22 LR barrel and go squirrel hunting. When you get to where you can hit more squirrels than you miss then you will have all of the answers to these kind of questions. Dont get locked into one grip or position. There are plenty of opportunities while hunting squirrels so you can try different things to see what works for you and most of all it will teach patience and discipline to wait for the shot.