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Old June 23, 2011, 12:32 AM   #1
Ideal Tool
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Prone Shooting?

Hello, everyone. How many of you shoot prone with a .22? Either for it own sake, or for practice to help in big bore? At club, we used to shoot Sat. mornings, a sporting rifle league..nothing really serious..no coats or mitts allowed, but slings ok. offhand at 50yd. any rifle ok..even .22 r.f., at 100yds. only c.f., sitting, prone, & bench. Had fun, did ok. That was nearly 20 years ago. Now I have no one to shoot with..purchased a BSA 1930's era match rifle, would like to train myself in prone..but this sucker is heavy!...30", 1" muzzle. Fired prone first time with it last weekend..kept them all in black on 50M std. target at 50yds. Had to fight with weight of rifle & humidity! For some reason I didn't use sling, but had canvas coat on. Even with padded leather shooting mitt..hand began to hurt..maybe next time I better sling up!
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Old June 23, 2011, 07:21 AM   #2
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Old June 23, 2011, 07:54 AM   #3
Rifleman1776
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Considered the most stable of shooting positions, I can't do prone. Never have even before my waistline began growing. I can't breath, can't crank my neck up to get head in proper position and my elbows roll around like they are on ball bearings. I prefer sitting with elbows locked between the knees. Also, I see no advantage to prone, most places (other than ranges) will have grass or whatever that will block your view.
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Old June 23, 2011, 09:52 AM   #4
Old Grump
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If your strong side knee isn't drawn up till it's tight and your weak or support arm elbow isn't directly under the gun then you will roll. Old saying is if it doesn't hurt the first time you ain't doing it right.

After awhile when your limber catches up to your position it will stop hurting, (mostly).

If you do it 2 or 3 or 4 times a week and get used to it you will stay limber, a couple months away from the tight position and it all goes south on you and you have to start over again.
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Old June 23, 2011, 10:06 AM   #5
kraigwy
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I've shot NRA and ISU Small Bore with a H&R 5200 (Clone of the Model 52 Winchester) its heavy but with a proper position, you wont notice.

Same thing with my Model 70 300 Winchester 1000 yard bolt gun. It's heavier then my 5200. (29 inch Heavy Barrel, sligjt taper from 1.125 at the action to .96 at the Muzzle). Again with a proper position it can be confortable in the prone.

What you need is a good coach to get you in that postion. Best place to find that coaching in the Civilian Marksmanship GSM Clinics. There is lots of GSM Matches in Mich. The clubs that put on the matches also put on the clinics. They can be found on the CMP Website.

Basicly there are two types of prone positions. One is the straight leg position with all your weight on your stomach and chest. (Referred to as the Little Green Army Man position, like the little soldiers we played with as a kid.). This is common when shooting off a bipod or sandbags.

For a position used in competition like small bore or high power there is the cocked leg position. This is the most stable, and with a heavy rifle, the most comfortable. You cock the leg on your shooting side (right leg for right handed shooters). This brings you knee up, turning you a bit on your left side (Right handed shooter). It puts you on your side, taking the weight off your diaphram allowing easier breathing. The left, supporting elbow is almost directly under the rifle. Head is as straight as possible allowing you to get the good "Chipmunk" spot weld, where almost 100% of the weight of the head is on the stock of the rifle.

Here is a perfect example of that position:



It's hard to explain the position to someone you can't see, I don't know your body make up, but I do know there IS NO ONE WHO CANNOT BE GOTTEN INTO A GOOD PRONE (or any other positions) if they have a good coach.

One of the responses to this post some one mentioned they can't shoot prone because of the stomach or what ever. It's not that they can't shoot prone, its that they have been shown how to shoot prone.

I don't shoot as well as I use to, I don't take it near as serious as I did before I retired and stop coaching and shooting for the NG, but I still coach, I am a CMP GSM Master Instructor, I've been coaching for about 30 plus years sense I attended the NG MTU Coaching Clinic. I have never found anyone I couldn't get into a prone (or any other position). If you were closer I'd fix you up.

Baring that, the Civilian Marksmanship Program has several training books on shooting, below is two that I think will help you the most. Only $6.95 Each.

https://estore.odcmp.com/store/catal...4=&note5=&max=

https://estore.odcmp.com/store/catal...4=&note5=&max=
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Old June 23, 2011, 11:42 PM   #6
Ideal Tool
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Thanks everyone for kind replys..Thank you Kraigwy, for you most helpful advice. The club I belong to does indeed have CMP matches..Problem is, work... 10hr. days, 60-70hr./week...must be there before 9:00AM ..not going to be at best..might have to take a day off. Thanks for your help!

Last edited by Ideal Tool; June 23, 2011 at 11:56 PM.
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Old June 24, 2011, 01:12 PM   #7
cracked butt
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Quote:
Basicly there are two types of prone positions. One is the straight leg position with all your weight on your stomach and chest. (Referred to as the Little Green Army Man position, like the little soldiers we played with as a kid.). This is common when shooting off a bipod or sandbags.
LOL. LGAM is a great description

I switched to the other position after reading Constantine's book (Modern Highpower) (I think), I think he called it the Estonian position- its helped my scores dramatically

...but...

In the club where I shoot, we either shoot 100 or 200 reduced targets, I can keep all of the shots within the 7 ring in the slow fire prone, but I'm really at a dead end. My shots look a lot like a shotgun pattern, about the only thing good I can say is that I have my sight setting correct. I can never seem to shoot better than an 85/100 or in that position. I seem to shoot better with my .22 target rifle with the aperature/globe sights, maybe my vision is going bad or something
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