I shoot three guns in the field: Browning A5 Magnum Twelve; 30-06 Springfield 03A3, and 404 Jeffery on 98 Mauser. All have wildly different safety positions: shotgun @ rear trigger guard; Springfield has 2-position wing on left side of shroud; Mauser wears a Model 70 style 3-position safety on right side of bolt shroud. Generally before hunting season I shoot enough rounds through the rifles at the range to zero them and that's it. I built the 404 last year and changed the Springfield safety four years ago to left side so haven't spent a huge amount of time familiarizing myself. Every year I hunt with all three guns and have never had an issue finding the safety. I have determined the LOP is shorter on the Mauser than Springfield and I will be fixing that with a thicker recoil pad.
For me a lot of range practice with the rifles is just not necessary. It's expensive and I have had retina issues in the past. However, a bit more time with the 30-06 this year at a critical juncture might have been helpful. First morning deer hunting I missed a huge muley buck because the trigger on my Springfield was significantly lighter than my shotgun's. I'd been hunting uplands every day for more than a month. The buck was on the run and I hammered the light 06 trigger like I do bird hunting with heavy trigger shotgun and shot over his back. Got him eventually two days later ... and again on the run.
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I think there's a point of diminishing returns practicing with a different gun than what one will be hunting with, as demonstrated above. I didn't have trouble changing to a different safety but shooting a different trigger was partly to blame for missing the shot. If I spent all my time practicing with a light recoil rifle and then went after game with the 404, I would likely get wounded. Have to hang onto that thumper gun or it will hit me. It ain't no 30-06!
I've often wanted to reply to your usual drivel, however what's the point?
In this case though, your post demands a response....
Ontario, when you dispense your wisdom and advice to the forum, you cannot know for certain the experience or skill level of the readers. Therefore, when a novice hunter, or a seasoned hunter with no African exposure, reads your advice it's possible they will read it as established fact.
The reader might not realize that you are indeed "The Finest Most Best-tus Most Accomplished Most Greatest White North Hunter" the forum, indeed the civilized world, has ever witnessed.
To even stand in your shadow is a privilege.
In the past, you've made it clear that practicing from the sticks is a "fools errand", and we've all been in awe of your innate ability to shoot, anything, anywhere, any distance, for any reason.
However....
Mr Ontario, I'm begging you to consider that everyone reading this forum, has not been gifted with your experience, your wisdom, and your desire to teach and share as you have....
Perhaps if we had all been privileged to start our hunting journey with a rifle that "Dad built", we might be better, more tolerant people, just like you.
Perhaps if we had the skills to assemble 'The Legendary 404 Jeff" from the very detritus of the Industrial Revolution, and indeed a World War, we all might be as accomplished as you are.
Perhaps if we all shared an unhealthy fixation, some might say fetish, regarding an old shotgun, we might be as well adjusted as you clearly are.
No question, I will be sorry that I've attempted to impart my meager opinions onto such a "Giant of the African Hunting Community".
Now to the OP..
In my opinion, you should practice from the sticks with a .22 rimfire. Fire a minimum of 500 rounds from the sticks, bench rest is for checking zero and ballistics. You must be training, training to shoot accurately and quickly from a platform that Americans are not often exposed to. After 500 shots, foot placement, height of the sticks, grasping the forend/stick cradle, and most importantly the sight picture while shooting from sticks will become effortless.
This is training, not practice.
Good Luck
Denvir Tire signing off
