This SMALLBORE Business
the recoil of the rifle at shot release. For a very long time now, I have always insisted that the recoil pattern is the final indication that the shot fired was correct.
So with that thought in mind, I started to work on the position of the left elbow relative to the barrel line of the rifle. I worked out that there was an optimum position for my techniques judging by the one- hole group in the ten-ring with those ten shots. The recoil with my ‘optimum’ elbow placement was just a very slight movement upwards and returned to an accurate aiming sequence. Those ten shots went into the 6mm group I illustrated in the photograph. (Later on, I discovered that a fired .22 case would not drop through that group hole!)
OK I thought, that is optimum positioning with my current forward geometry and set about finding out what happened with the adjustments to the position of the elbow when I moved it.
The first position change was conducted with the left elbow moved 25mm (about 1”) to the left of the ideal position. For starters I
The recoil factor on that position resulted in a looping motion and the rifle came to rest on the RHS of the aim, so I knew then that position would not work. I wrote those findings in the diary, cut the five-shot group out and pasted it in the book, leaving it preserved for later reference.
I then went the other way and placed the forward elbow 25mm to the right of the optimum position and far more under the rifle than my ‘normal’ setting.
This shows a typical group fired from the kneeling position. The shot holes on the left and right, can be due to either wind effect, or from a hold variation. The other eight shots does give an idea of the requirements to develop for your kneeling position. These days you need to develop a hold and shot release system as good, if not better than your prone shooting.
found that there was more pressure on the forward arm sling position and felt like I was struggling to hold the rifle still. The rifle felt ‘out of whack’ and I had to use more force, rather than getting the rifle to point naturally at the target.
The group came up for those five shots and scored a 49x50, with the nine printing at seven o’clock. I would point out here that many would accept the 49 and not pay the slightest attention as to why it was a 49. (“The wind blew that one out” is quite a common analysis.) 49 points is often accepted but what happens when you shoot 4x49s? That is right, 196 points, and three times 196 is not going to cut it, is it? Would you accept a 588 for 60 shots prone? I realise that some would according to their standard, so there is a ways to go yet!
The effect was astounding, given that I felt a lot more comfortable with the lay of the rifle in the forward geometry. The rifle felt OK but on shot-release, the recoil ‘thrashed’ sideways and refused to settle consistently in the one place, or even remotely close to the previous shot! You will not get close groups on the target if this happens, believe me! The group printed far more horizontal, resulted in a 48 - that nearly was a 47 and believe me you need that like a hole in the head.
It was very obvious also that the pressures around the rifle in position were not correct, nor constant. The hold movement was affected severely and later, when I put my 20 power scope on top of the rifle, I discovered that I was no longer holding the ten- ring, with sharp accented movements predominating. This technique went
immediately into the ‘never- to-be-looked- at’ bin!
More to the point, I have watched shooters with the same problem virtually duplicating the results on the target that I experienced. This is actually quite a common fault among prone shooters and think what happens when you add the recoil factors of a 308 Target Rifle to the equation. The mind boggles - because they cannot see the fault developing as it is hidden in the fullbore recoil.
I now know what position of the left elbow corresponds to results for my prone shooting, and I can see this when I take up my position. I just simply look down with my left eye and the left elbow of the shooting coat just clears the left side of the rifle in position.
You must understand that I do not recommend this as the ‘B all and End all’ of the position applying to
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