Practice Drills

[Lone Star Bluegrass]

How do you practice with your DG rifles? What distances, targets, drills, etc.?

 

[mark-hunter]

Practice with large bores is the last in the chain of training for me. This is because of price of ammo and cumulative effect of recoil.
Next thing is to forget about internet 1 moa hype. Purpose of training is to hit vitals each time.
Only that.

I get the trigger time with smaller calibers.
22lr, standing from stick - as much as ammo is available, 50 meters
308 win, 30-06, standing from stick, up to 200 meters, fmj (cheapest) maybe 20-30 shots per training session.
9.3x62, cheapest available ammo (S&B or PPU), up to 10 shots per session, 100 meters
375 HH, cheapest available ammo (PPU), up to 10 shots per session, 100 meters.
All this standing from stick.

Using roe deer live size target, not having anything better, but I reckon, If I can hit roe deer in vitals, I will be able to hit buffalo as well.
Above describes one training session.

After last training session before safari, rifle for hunting will be checked and zeroed for premium hunting ammunition.

I spend some time at range year round during activities in my shooting club, so I have some trigger time with other firearms, or in other disciplines. So, when safari time comes close, only then I start above training, 2 months in advance maybe, my rifles are zeroed in, my range bag is ready, and I just go to the range with this training program. I dont go every day, it is maybe then once a week, or once in a two week.
After few sessions, I am 100% in vital zone of the animal on target.

Let me add, I never hunted DG, but my next safari I hope to be for buffalo. But I hunted 3 times PG in Africa, of which 2 times I used 375 HH. I never lost an animal, I had two wounding's, and these two animals were recovered with help of tracker.

Each time, I was preparing in similar way.

I am using telescopic stick, jim shokey primos.
And I am training with it, standing.
During several hunting situation at home or in Africa, I had a chance and option to kneel, lowering down the stick on telescope function. Putting my left elbow, on left knee, and keeping the rifle on stick, gave me a feeling of steadiness similar to bench rest. But this all comes from training standing from stick. I take my stick to Africa, because camp sticks are sometimes jammed. giving only the option for standing stance

 

[Deepfork]

Yep, get your own sticks, practice with them and travel with them. Setting the sticks, getting your rifle placed properly and working the action from the sticks needs to become second nature. I speak from experience, and admit I was a little arrogant going onto my first hunt in Africa. I was told to practice shooting from sticks and did not do it. I am a good shot, I have a lot of training and experience with firearms. I was lost when my PH put the sticks in front of me for the first time, and it cost me a great trophy.

 

[calling4life]

Go hunt coyotes and/or if you're in the right part of the US, pigs. Call them to you if you can, e-caller, or hand calls which is my thing, kill them close.

I also practice for defensive shots, same as with my 500 S&W and 9mm EDC guns.

I'm looking to hit a peach with the rifle/500 S&W, but at close distance, quick pull up and fire. 10yds or less mostly. It's draw to first shot drills essentially.

Practicing for more distant shots is straight-forward and easy, until you get out far enough to be long-range, though you noted Dangerous Game so that isn't a thing here.

 

[matt85]

Get used to the recoil, get used to shooting from sticks, and get used to taking more than one shot in somewhat rapid succession! Find a place where you can shoot off sticks and practice on something simple like paper plates at various distances and angles.

I've given up bench shooting all together, it's either from sticks or off hand.

 

[Vintageguy]

I do more dry fire practice from various positions from sticks to offhand than anything. With buffalo you may be on your knees with the sticks closed and propped at an angle against a tree, this has been the case for me before. I also do a lot of reloading drills. Most shooting I do is with a smaller bolt gun from 22 to 30-06. But I make everything muscle memory for the rifle I use on safari. The shooting I will do with that rifle will be a shot off sticks transition to offhand and shoot as fast as possible jugs spaced 40 yards, 25 yards, and 10 yards. I shoot enough at longer distances that I know cold where it hits out to my max range off sticks of 250 yards. This is for PG as I use a 375 H&H for everything.
I don’t waste time with worrying about recoil as I’m not sensitive to it and I use a 375. I’ve seen people develop a recoil flinch from practice meant to get them “used” to it, lol. I never notice the recoil or noise on game.

 

[CarsonG]

Nice drills guys.

 

[PARA45]

This is what I did last year in preparation for my safari.

I had a pair of Rudolph shooting sticks, and my routine was as follow.

1. 22LR 10-15 per session (50 yds)
2. 375 H&H 3-4 shot per session (100-200 yds)
3. 22LR 20-30 final session.

I increased the number of 375 H&H shots to about 10 per sessions or when my body would say enough for today. There were days I would 15-20 shots.

This routine helped me tremendously and shooting from the shooting sticks vs. a bench was the icing. From now on, this is going to be routine in preparation to any hunt.

 

[mark-hunter]

@PARA45
Wisdom and experience speaks from you!

 

[IvW]

Use the rifle and ammo you going to use off sticks...money well spent...using sub calibres wont help much.....unless you are under par to start with.....ammo is cheap....safari ballsup not so..

 

[mark-hunter]

Nobody learned to shoot starting with calibers 9.5mm and above, and disregarding anything less.
The skill starts with 22 and air guns.
The best is when starting with air rifle and 22 at young age, in the field.
But even if starting later, trigger time goes only with smaller calibers.
Those are facts.

Average hunter in my country gets his license usually with age of 35 and 40. I think this is similar in most EU countries.
This is because everything is expensive when you are young and start family, and only by that age average working person can afford the luxury of hunting.
They usually buy then something in the level of all round cal 30. (skipped air gun and 22 phase)
Gunsmith fixes the scope, and zero the rifle
Ammo is expensive. Dont shoot too much on paper
WIth that equation, you get average hunter poor shot.
This is majority.

bottom line, 22 is essential.
In america is different, in many states in rural america kids get their 22 early and learn with backyard pest control. Gun culture is different, and training or plinking for fun is not uncommon

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Yep, get your own sticks, practice with them and travel with them. Setting the sticks, getting your rifle placed properly and working the action from the sticks needs to become second nature. I speak from experience, and admit I was a little arrogant going onto my first hunt in Africa. I was told to practice shooting from sticks and did not do it. I am a good shot, I have a lot of training and experience with firearms. I was lost when my PH put the sticks in front of me for the first time, and it cost me a great trophy.

My experience was exactly the opposite. I did take my own rifle the first time but never in fifty-five years of hunting used sticks or bipod. The first time I put the Springfield on my PH's sticks, I flattened a blesbuck ram @150 yards. About an hour later I dropped an impala ram @280 yards. Another hour later a blue wildebeest bull went to heaven instantly @100 yards. PH says that's good shooting. My response was Helen Kellar could make those shots shooting off sticks.

I admit shooting off quad sticks is a different game altogether. Getting those damn things into position on a moving animal or uneven ground is a whole lot of hassle. I would NEVER advise anyone to use them for buffalo. Shots are typically close range and quad sticks take too long to set up or reposition. Shoot off tripod style or offhand. They are quicker to set up and less movement involved getting them ready or repositioned. Movement = evaporated buffalo.

 

[IvW]

I was under the impression we are talking DG rifles...not beginners.....so starting with 22 or air rifles is 5yrs old or there abouts...excuse my ingnoranace.....

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I dry fire my rifle quite frequently. Ammo or components for the thumper gun are VERY hard to get so I'm not putting any more shots into the dirt than I have to ... i.e. get it zeroed and put it away. Anyway, punching oneself up with a lot of recoil is a great way to develop flinch. Dry fire works just as well as shooting a lot of .22. Actually, better. You're firing the gun you'll use in Africa. Same gun, same sights/scope, same trigger weight. Why familiarize yourself with something entirely different? I can dry fire my 404 Jeffery out the window at a piece of red duct tape on the garage. It works. I'll know if I'm on it or not when the hammer drops.

 

[IvW]

I dry fire my rifle quite frequently. Ammo or components for the thumper gun are VERY hard to get so I'm not putting any more shots into the dirt than I have to ... i.e. get it zeroed and put it away. Anyway, punching oneself up with a lot of recoil is a great way to develop flinch. Dry fire works just as well as shooting a lot of .22. Actually, better. You're firing the gun you'll use in Africa. Same gun, same sights/scope, same trigger weight. Why familiarize yourself with something entirely different? I can dry fire out the window at a piece of red duct tape on the garage. It works. I'll know if I'm on it or not when the hammer drops.

Hard to get will çost you come crunsh time....spend the pennies......

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Hard to get will çost you come crunsh time....spend the pennies......

Hmmm. Here's two buffalo shot with a total of three shots out of my PH's 375 that I'd only fired once before at the range. Cow was one shot on my first trip, through the heart at 110 yards facing us. The bull was shot my second trip with the same rifle, no sticks, on the run at sixty yards. Crossing shot took out both lungs. I did shoot him again off the sticks when he turned to face us but he was already done. Not sure if we took his 375 to the range the second trip but I don't think so. He knows I can shoot. Before going to Africa I had never fired a gun with that kind of recoil before. I'd been shooting only a 30-06 since I was twelve. Point being, I didn't waste a lot of pennies shooting up paper with big bullets to get my buffalo.

 

[IvW]

Hmmm. Here's two buffalo shot with a total of three shots out of my PH's 375 that I'd only fired once before at the range. Cow was one shot on my first trip, through the heart at 110 yards facing us. The bull was shot my second trip with the same rifle, no sticks, on the run at sixty yards. Crossing shot took out both lungs. I did shoot him again off the sticks when he turned to face us but he was already done. Not sure if we took his 375 to the range the second trip but I don't think so. He knows I can shoot. Before going to Africa I had never fired a gun with that kind of recoil before. I'd been shooting only a 30-06 since I was twelve. Point being, I didn't waste a lot of pennies shooting up paper with big bullets to get my buffalo.
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You want to hunt DG with a borrowed rifle you only fired once on the range and then taking running shots on buffalo......your choice....but a foolhardy example to say the least.....especially when you say "he knows I can shoot" well done....
For the rest practice with the rifle you will use may be a better idea.

 

[IvW]

Yip dont waste pennies on paper.....way to go......

 

[IvW]

Hmmm. Here's two buffalo shot with a total of three shots out of my PH's 375 that I'd only fired once before at the range. Cow was one shot on my first trip, through the heart at 110 yards facing us. The bull was shot my second trip with the same rifle, no sticks, on the run at sixty yards. Crossing shot took out both lungs. I did shoot him again off the sticks when he turned to face us but he was already done. Not sure if we took his 375 to the range the second trip but I don't think so. He knows I can shoot. Before going to Africa I had never fired a gun with that kind of recoil before. I'd been shooting only a 30-06 since I was twelve. Point being, I didn't waste a lot of pennies shooting up paper with big bullets to get my buffalo.
View attachment 557414View attachment 557415

All open...

 

[IvW]

Hmmm. Here's two buffalo shot with a total of three shots out of my PH's 375 that I'd only fired once before at the range. Cow was one shot on my first trip, through the heart at 110 yards facing us. The bull was shot my second trip with the same rifle, no sticks, on the run at sixty yards. Crossing shot took out both lungs. I did shoot him again off the sticks when he turned to face us but he was already done. Not sure if we took his 375 to the range the second trip but I don't think so. He knows I can shoot. Before going to Africa I had never fired a gun with that kind of recoil before. I'd been shooting only a 30-06 since I was twelve. Point being, I didn't waste a lot of pennies shooting up paper with big bullets to get my buffalo.
View attachment 557414View attachment 557415

You want to hunt DG with a borrowed rifle you only fired once on the range and then taking running shots on buffalo......your choice....but a foolhardy example to say the least.....especially when you say "he knows I can shoot" well done....
For the rest practice with the rifle you will use may be a better idea.