Shooting free hand ?
 

How far do you feel comfortable shooting at deer size game free hand ?


Iron sights ?
Scoped ?




Please try to keep the BS to a minimum ! :hail:



BTW – No need to write a dissertation. LOL :pcwhack:

50-60 yards max open sight without a rest.

120-150 yards max scoped without a rest. And this is a big maybe.

I practice free handed, and its tough. If I was smarter I would spend less time on teh bench, and more free handed.

Shooting nats, 400-450 yards.

In all seriousness, I feel that I could hit a white tail sized game at 100 yards in the most ideal conditions. Meaning good weather no wind, not breathing heavy etc...

If I were on the move with other variables present I'd be comfortable at 50 yards.

Give me a tree or log and it's a totally different game.

Tom

I have been practicing offhand and at 100 yards I can get 8 shots into a 8 inch target consistently. I'm starting to get more of them in the center but there are 2 or three that are at the edge of the 8 inches. I might do 120 yards but if the buck is walking I would not shoot..... cause I would wound him or if I was lucky I would miss.

Edit : With Scope

I seldom shoot free handed, I learned a long time ago growing up squirrel hunting that I was a much better shot when I used a rest...I always set up to have some type of rest, it might be a tree, shooting rail, bipod or sitting and using a knee, but I almost always use a rest when shooting a rifle...

Now, back to the question ???



Off hand iron sights ?


Off hand scoped rifle ?

:lolabove:

I shot a doe at 170 yrds. free hand a few years back. Thats my farthest. I practice shooting free hand constantly, and other positions. I used to always practice off a bench, then I realized I never have that situation while hunting. So I started practicing field positions.
-Jake

100 yds. w/ scope, 50 yds. open sights. And I do practice offhand.... Hunting clothes, gloves, temps., they change it all.

I'd say about 50 yards with either scope or open sights.. And by open sights, I mean a peep sight... My days of shooting regular open sights are over, unless I am shooting at a turkey with a load of shot...

I always try to set up where I have some kind of solid rest, be it a tree, a rock, or the ground..

You know its really good this thread hasn't turned into a BS fest. I am pleasantly surprised.

Depends on how big the buck is!

But I'd say 120yrds MAX with a scope. I'm not very good off-hand! I try to get some type of rest every time!

Not too sure about open sights, only the 30-30 is open sights and I don't shoot it much, but when I do shoot it I usually set targets (milk jugs) at 50-75yrds...

Under perfect conditions I would go out to 100 yards with a scoped center fire rifle. I would prefer some type of rest at anything over 50 yards and always have something with me.

Me too !




Taken from another website: NAHCI salute you !

A man who understands the real world !!!

We all look for something to brace ourselves on............

I grew up in an area where the wind seems to always be blowing at at least 10 to 15 MPH. If there is very little to no wind, 200 to 250 yards max with iron sights, 300 to 350 yards max scoped - but I always use a shooters sling with a rifle or rifled barrel slug gun. I have never used a bi-pod or shooting stick. My longest shot on a predator was a good 300 yards (one shot). My longest shot on a running deer was 150 to 175 yards (one shot). The hardest thing about shooting in wind is the change in wind speed and direction. If the wind speed and direction are consistent but not windy, the wind does not present a problem.

100 yards with a scope, I dont shoot iron sights so I really cant say. I shot one running at 135 yards with my ML one day free hand, probably shouldnt have taken that shot but caught the back of his lungs and he didnt go far. I always look for a rest if possible. Back in my younger days a couple of buddies and me raised beagles and did lots of rabbit hunting. We started taking are 22's for rabbits, all of us got to be very good shots for sometime. It is one of those things that if you dont use it you lose it.

With GOOD iron sights on a handgun, I can take 50yd freehand shots with confidence.
I don't think I could hold a scoped handgun solid enough for shooting much further than that.

With GOOD iron sights on a rifle, I'd take a picture perfect broadside at 100yds.
With a scoped rifle, I'd stretch that to 150yds, maybe 200 if conditions were perfect.

I do a good bit of offhand shooting with my handguns at 50, and my rifles at 100yds and beyond, so I'm comfortable with my guns and shooting like that.

I laser bore my guns, then do a 4-5 shots from the bench to make sure it's "on", then I spend most of my time shooting in simulated hunting conditions from then on out.

A good sling is a life-saver for rifles.

I've taken deer all the way out to a whopping 110-yards off-hand with a scoped rifle. I can't say anything about open-sights as I don't own any firearms aside from handguns that are open-sighted.

depending on how im taking the off hand shot, id say i can do about 75 iron sights shooting isosceles style. maybe and this is a big maybe, 175 yards iron sights shooting improved weaver stance with a full harness sling to wrap around both arms and a shooting jacket on my best day. add another 25 yards to those numbers if i have a good set of peeps on the rifle. with a scope id say i could do about the same shooting isosceles. i have to admit though, i have taken some shots i should not have thought of taking while im shooting improved weaver style with a scope. confidence helps some shots but its no bipod or shooting stick.

BTW - for me, with confidence.


How far do you feel comfortable shooting at deer size game free hand ?

Iron sights ? 50 - 75 yards

Scoped ? 100-125 yards

Here comes the BS factor!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most hunting rifles are not that well balanced for off hand shooting. Most hunters think slings are meant for shouldering your rifle while walking. There's a real talent for shooting off hand and most don't practice enough while at the range or plinking to become adapt enough to shoot at game in the field.

Let me say first whenever I can get to a rest, knee, or go to prone that is the common sense thing to do. And above all I'm not one to wound or mane an animal. But........... Shooting off hand is somewhat of a strong point in my shooting skills. Either competition or hunting I practice doing it a lot. And it can be done regularly with accuracy. For one after guiding hunters for 22 years up to 200yds or beyond most hunters are not even as proficient shooting off a rest as I am off hand and that's a true story as sad as it may sound. Remember I said most hunters.

So here's some BS that's not so BS tally's.

Scoped rifle elk 450yds. Lungs one shot.
Open sighted rifle elk 350yds. Heart one shot.
Muzzle loader open sighted Mule deer 150yds. Neck (that's all that was above the terrain)

Like I said previous I practice a lot for silhouette competition and hunting. I have no problem taking an off hand shot. When winter rolls around and it's time for hunting coyotes I prefer to shoot them off hand for more practice.

More hunters should practice off hand shooting. If you can shoot a pepsi can at a 100yds off hand 2 out of 3 shots your ready.


Well balanced rifle and a trigger job is definitely a major factor.

If you were..you'd prob also use correct grammar...J/K..

I practice shooting clay pigeons offhanded at 100. I usually hit 6-8 of 10 with my 22.250 with 1.5lbs trigger and a 4x16 scope. So I'd say I'm comfortable shooting out to 100 with my deer rifles.

I never use open sights for deer but practice shooting at 50 with an open sighted .22 and would feel very confident shooting at that range, if I had a larger rifle properly sighted in at that distance.

I do $$$$ shoots once a month or so all off handed. Just a group of friends nothing sanctioned will get together at my place.

We each put a dollar into the pot for each round of shooting, each round you get 5 shots. Whoever shoots highest score(NRA ring targets, 10 pts for bulls. 9pts 2nd ring, 8pts 3rd...etc..) wins the $$$ for that round.

We do centerfire pistols at 25yards
Rimfire scoped rifles at 50
Rimfire non/scope rifles at 50
Centerfire rifles at 100 but shoot at clay birds not the targets.

All shots are offhanded, can use sling for stabilization on rifles. Some guys show up and don't have each firearm and we let each other borrow what someone doesnt have. The nicest thing is someone cannot show up with an $1100 .22 and out shoot anyone just due to the accuracy of the rifle.

Usually I have like 10 guys show up so winning $9 a round starts to add up for the better shooters.

It has helped my offhanded confidence and ability in a huge way but I still look for a rest whenever Im in the woods hunting.