Free hand practice needed

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James Sparhawk

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I've got to try different stances with my free hand shooting to become more stable. Top four shots are free hand and the center group is 5 shots resting. This was with my Lyman Great Plains, 60 grains Goex 3f, water&dawn .015 wet patch, .498 cast ball. I can shoot continuously without wiping between shots using the "dipped in water & dawn dish soap " method. After last Saturday's match (20 shots) I was able to clean my rifle with a couple strokes of my brush and 4 patches. The 5th patch was white. Yes, I am sold on this method. Today, I even loaded my loading block for the above "rested" group. I suggest all round ball shooters to try this method for themselves. I am glad I am open minded and listen to my elders. I just measured it and its 1 inch center to center. Not bad at all for primitive sights. I love my true shooting rifle.
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At the range I frequent there is a steel plate at 100 yards about the size of a center of mass target. It doesn't matter what I'm shooting I always pop a few rounds at the plate off hand before I leave the range. Could be with a muzzy, center fire rifle, pistol, iron sites or scope. Anymore I tend to hit the plate way more then I miss even shooting mouse fart cast loads out of my lever action 30/30 or old 54 Russian.
The practice paid off this year when I took a 220 yard off hand shot at a bull elk across a small drainage when he stepped out of the oak brush into a small opening. Perfect double lung shot, didn't even hit a rib going in or coming out.
 
At the range I frequent there is a steel plate at 100 yards about the size of a center of mass target. It doesn't matter what I'm shooting I always pop a few rounds at the plate off hand before I leave the range. Could be with a muzzy, center fire rifle, pistol, iron sites or scope. Anymore I tend to hit the plate way more then I miss even shooting mouse fart cast loads out of my lever action 30/30 or old 54 Russian.
The practice paid off this year when I took a 220 yard off hand shot at a bull elk across a small drainage when he stepped out of the oak brush into a small opening. Perfect double lung shot, didn't even hit a rib going in or coming out.
Beautiful !!!
 
I can shoot out to 300 yards on a steel gong but haven't tried it. Maybe this summer. I do shoot at 150 a couple times just about every time I am at the club so I know what I need to do should a shot out that far comes along. These 150 yards pokes are done using a side support post, semi-off-hand just because its about as close to what I'll find in the woods. I do ok at 150 from that sort of "rest". Just not super comfortable. The last fall I had a shot in clear woods, terribly steep downhill at what I figured was 165 yards and had to be taken totally off-hand. Heart and both lungs. When the nephew showed up after the shot his range finder said 167-168 to where the deer stood. I've never pulled a shot like that off in all my years of hunting. Most of my shots are inside of 25 yards, maybe out to 45.
 
I can shoot out to 300 yards on a steel gong but haven't tried it. Maybe this summer. I do shoot at 150 a couple times just about every time I am at the club so I know what I need to do should a shot out that far comes along. These 150 yards pokes are done using a side support post, semi-off-hand just because its about as close to what I'll find in the woods. I do ok at 150 from that sort of "rest". Just not super comfortable. The last fall I had a shot in clear woods, terribly steep downhill at what I figured was 165 yards and had to be taken totally off-hand. Heart and both lungs. When the nephew showed up after the shot his range finder said 167-168 to where the deer stood. I've never pulled a shot like that off in all my years of hunting. Most of my shots are inside of 25 yards, maybe out to 45.
You did good !!!!
 
Can u give specifics on water n dawn method? Interested
Just have you a small container with a drop of dawn and an ounce of water. submerge your ball patch in it just for a half second, remove and shake off the access. load your gun with the wet patch and ball. when you fire it, it takes the fowling with it. I can shoot continuously without wiping between shots, without any loading difficulty, not accuracy effects. I even load my loading block with the wet patches and balls and can shoot all 5 before they dry.
 
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