Need some advice on firing posture and hold..

[soumya sarkar]

Gents, I went to the range and fired around 6 shots from my 470 ne at 50 yards using shooting sticks and factory ammunition. Was on target (hit bulls eye 2 times and all were within the green circle). However, I did end up with a bruised middle finger and bruise patch on my right arm biceps.

I think it is because I'm not gripping the gun strongly enough against the shoulder and in my hand..What would be your advice?
SS

 

[Tanks]

I think you are fighting the recoil instead of letting it happen. Also, why is your bicep even touching the gun.

While back I had posted a video of rolling with the recoil. Here it is, hope it helps?

 

[soumya sarkar]

Tanks, Thanks for the video, you certainly make it look very easy. My biceps are not touching the gun at firing position but I think due to the recoil and I'm not holding the gun tightly enough it is slipping from my shoulder and hitting my arm...

 

[Kalthoff]

What would be your advice?

• Set up a couple cameras to film yourself from the side and from above, preferably on a high frame rate
• Engage the services of an experienced rifle instructor

 

[uplander01]

My initial thought would be to square up a bit more to the rifle, right foot slightly back to be able to rock with the recoil as seen in the video, bend you knees and move with the gun, not against it.. Also, make sure your weak hand is gripping the gun, not the sticks, that allows too much free recoil, rest your forward hand on the sticks, roughly same pressure with both hands on the gun. I use a leather front bench rest bag on a mount, on a tripod, very comfortable with your off hand. If it's slipping what kind of pad is on there, leather pads slip quite readily, silvers pads slip, NECG or Pachmayer not so much. A video of you shooting a couple rounds and a pic of the gun and there will be no shortage of evaluation on this sight.

 

[Nhoro]

Check your elbow position as you fire. A low elbow doesn't create a proper pocket in the shoulder for the rifle butt and it slides down onto the bicep. A higher elbow is better. Also check that the butt is not mounted too far out on the shoulder- get it between the shoulder muscle and chest muscle. If I mount my rifle too quickly, I sometime mount it on the shoulder and elbow down and have got a bruise. Especially if shooting left ie not squared to the target.

 

[Philip Glass]

Have an experienced shooter watch you and see what may be going wrong. Wearing gloves helps some people. Double's are no joke!

 

[Rare Breed]

Gents, I went to the range and fired around 6 shots from my 470 ne at 50 yards using shooting sticks and factory ammunition. Was on target (hit bulls eye 2 times and all were within the green circle). However, I did end up with a bruised middle finger and bruise patch on my right arm biceps.

I think it is because I'm not gripping the gun strongly enough against the shoulder and in my hand..What would be your advice?
SS

That has happened to me when i first started shooting mine years back. i found squaring up to the target versus somewhat turning sideways and having JJ make sure my LOP was perfect solved my shoulder problem. as for the bruised finger i found insuring i gripped the stock just a hair further back solved that problem as well. Don’t misunderstand me, @Tanks has the absolute best shooting style meaning he “rolls” with the recoil…i have just found i have not been able to master it so my two points above work for me

 

[soumya sarkar]

Great points. Many thanks!

 

[soumya sarkar]

Have an experienced shooter watch you and see what may be going wrong. Wearing gloves helps some people. Double's are no joke!

Practice is key. No pain no gain

 

[Tanks]

Also, putting the practice to work with two shots a few months ago.

 

[Red Leg]

Or, as a client, you can consign that .470 to the gun rack and go do anything you could with it and quite a bit more while using a .375.

 

[soumya sarkar]

Or, as a client, you can consign that .470 to the gun rack and go do anything you could with it and quite a bit more while using a .375.

A few more trips to the range, a nice tripod and I will figure it out quickly.... .375 or 9.3X62 most probably the later will be my next gun in near future.

 

[sureshot375]

Sounds like for whatever reason you aren’t able to control the rifle. You need a firm grip and the rifle needs to be firmly in the pocket of your shoulder. Your body position plays a huge part in managing recoil. I like to put my feet at a 45 to the target a little wider than shoulder distance apart cheating my weight slightly to the front foot. I also lean over the gun so to speak.

It could very well be a gun fit issue. It is going to be hard to control recoil with a gun that fits poorly.

Any shotgun instructors I’m your area? It’s not exactly the same, but there is a lot of crossover in terms of form and gun fit.

 

[soumya sarkar]

Sounds like for whatever reason you aren’t able to control the rifle. You need a firm grip and the rifle needs to be firmly in the pocket of your shoulder. Your body position plays a huge part in managing recoil. I like to put my feet at a 45 to the target a little wider than shoulder distance apart cheating my weight slightly to the front foot. I also lean over the gun so to speak.

Double rifle practice


It could very well be a gun fit issue. It is going to be hard to control recoil with a gun that fits poorly.

Any shotgun instructors I’m your area? It’s not exactly the same, but there is a lot of crossover in terms of form and gun fit.

Agreed, need to open up my stance, put the gun in the pocket of the shoulder with a firm grip and leaning just a tad forward should in all likelihood prevent the gun from sliding from my shoulder and hitting my arm

 

[Philip Glass]

Practice is key. No pain no gain

So true!

 

[WisconsinKen]

Body geometry is SOOOO important. I shot a couple rounds of sporting clays with a buddy’s ultra light SXS 12. I am used to my heavy O/U that soaks up the recoil. Also hadn’t shot clays in a coupe of years and have almost been exclusively doing run and gun with the AR. I was not thinking about proper shoulder mounting and the shotgun kept slipping over to my bicep because of my aggressive AR stance. I got to see all kinds of cool colors in my right bicep as the massive bruising changed shades.
So now I try to remind myself to pay attention to what the heck I am shooting.

 

[Rare Breed]

Also, putting the practice to work with two shots a few months ago.

@Tanks what type and brand of sticks are you using please?

 

[soumya sarkar]

I got to see all kinds of cool colors in my right bicep as the massive bruising changed shades.
So now I try to remind myself to pay attention to what the heck I am shooting.

 

[Rare Breed]

@Tanks what type and brand of sticks are you using please?

i also notice you grip the forend making sure some of it sits on the tripod not the barrel of course yet you are able to grip the remains forend so you can still roll with the shot…no part of your hand touches the tripod