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Practice with a Purpose
#7689053
12/14/19 11:55 PM
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 876
218 Bee
OP
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OP
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 876 |
I'll admit right up front: nobody loves a benchrest more than I do. I really get a kick out of reducing my (sometimes substantial) human error from a shooting equation and evaluating the performance of a rifle / load combination. Unfortunately, I've never found it particularly feasible to tote a benchrest around with me in the field. The hunting cars of African PHs are stuffed with a staggering assortment of gear, but you won't find a bench anywhere in there. Likewise, I haven't been able to lash one onto a saddlehorse when hunting in the mountains of Patagonia. Or figured out how to schlep one around the plains after pronghorn... Since the requirements of my hunting only allow the luxury of "field expedient" rests, I regularly (like once a month) make myself get the heck away from my bench and bags and work on ME. Today was one of those times..."Stick Days" I call them. This afternoon was spent with a couple of accurate rimfires, a hundred rounds of ammo, my sticks and a couple of steel targets (50 & 100 yards). The "head" of a 2/3 scale IPSC steel silhouette is about 4" square and makes a dandy 50 yard target. My 8" swinger at 100 works well also. The toys were a Cooper 57M and my 70's vintage Anschutz 1418 carbine, both in .22 LR. My old Stoney Point standing bipod was used most of the time, but 20-30 rounds were launched offhand. Oh, I wish I could tell that every round hit steel...but I'd be lying. The REAL story is that there weren't MANY misses...and the better news is that I called 'em! Nobody is perfect in the field and practicing to learn to "trust your wobble" is time well spent! The bench is my shooting friend...but my hunting enemy. It pays for me to remember that... Mark
"I always take care to fire into the nearest hillside and, lacking that, into darkness". - the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: 218 Bee]
#7689128
12/15/19 01:07 AM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,753
Nathan Nelson
Extreme Tracker
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Posts: 4,753 |
I shoot off my Bog Pod Tripod all the time and shoot steel with my 22s in a similar fashion. Muscle memory, plus shooting the 505 is much more pleasant. I have a gravity fed pulley system also to hit moving targets. Need to work on it a little more.
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: 218 Bee]
#7689184
12/15/19 01:49 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,259
Texas Dan
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,259 |
I start dealing with withdrawal if I stay away from the range for more than a few weeks. I've always been one who enjoys using and taking care of all my tools.
Last edited by Texas Dan; 12/15/19 01:54 AM.
"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: 218 Bee]
#7689194
12/15/19 02:00 AM
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 570
Papalote
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Tracker
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 570 |
I lean on trees or shoot off my mind legs. I have metal swingers at 85 yds or so.
Papalote
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: 218 Bee]
#7689217
12/15/19 02:34 AM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 23,177
Bee'z
The Beedazzler
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The Beedazzler
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 23,177 |
Beautiful rifles Mark. Any practice is good practice Sir
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: Papalote]
#7689238
12/15/19 03:19 AM
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 876
218 Bee
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Posts: 876 |
I lean on trees or shoot off my mind legs. I have metal swingers at 85 yds or so.
Papalote I'm a long-time tree-shooter myself!
"I always take care to fire into the nearest hillside and, lacking that, into darkness". - the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: Nathan Nelson]
#7689255
12/15/19 04:04 AM
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 876
218 Bee
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 876 |
I shoot off my Bog Pod Tripod all the time and shoot steel with my 22s in a similar fashion. Muscle memory, plus shooting the 505 is much more pleasant. I have a gravity fed pulley system also to hit moving targets. Need to work on it a little more. Nathan, you are one of a select few of my acquaintance that has ever used the words "505" and "pleasant" in the same sentence! Mark
"I always take care to fire into the nearest hillside and, lacking that, into darkness". - the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: 218 Bee]
#7689285
12/15/19 05:15 AM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,753
Nathan Nelson
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,753 |
I shoot off my Bog Pod Tripod all the time and shoot steel with my 22s in a similar fashion. Muscle memory, plus shooting the 505 is much more pleasant. I have a gravity fed pulley system also to hit moving targets. Need to work on it a little more. Nathan, you are one of a select few of my acquaintance that has ever used the words "505" and "pleasant" in the same sentence! Mark 505 off the bench is just bad, off the sticks is more pleasant does not make it fun. Plus, the Mercury needs movement to work. Another reason to use sticks.
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: Nathan Nelson]
#7689446
12/15/19 03:23 PM
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 876
218 Bee
OP
Tracker
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 876 |
I shoot off my Bog Pod Tripod all the time and shoot steel with my 22s in a similar fashion. Muscle memory, plus shooting the 505 is much more pleasant. I have a gravity fed pulley system also to hit moving targets. Need to work on it a little more. Nathan, you are one of a select few of my acquaintance that has ever used the words "505" and "pleasant" in the same sentence! Mark 505 off the bench is just bad, off the sticks is more pleasant does not make it fun. Plus, the Mercury needs movement to work. Another reason to use sticks. I'll happily take your word on the Gibbs as I've learned that the .470 meets (and slightly exceeds) my personal recoil tolerance. I got by, but just never shot it as well as I wanted. One of the few things that Eastwood got right in all the Dirty Harry movies was the quote, "A man's gotta know his limitations"! Mark
"I always take care to fire into the nearest hillside and, lacking that, into darkness". - the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: 218 Bee]
#7689493
12/15/19 04:35 PM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 31,055
HWY_MAN
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 31,055 |
I guess I practice with purpose, I shoot pretty much daily and it's nearly always a critter involved.
Yes! A Weatherby does kill them deader.
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: Papalote]
#7689544
12/15/19 05:28 PM
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 570
Papalote
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 570 |
I lean on trees or shoot off my mind legs. I have metal swingers at 85 yds or so.
Papalote HIND legs. I gotta proof read
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: 218 Bee]
#7689578
12/15/19 06:20 PM
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 570
Papalote
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 570 |
Double tapped
Last edited by Papalote; 12/15/19 06:21 PM.
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Re: Practice with a Purpose
[Re: HWY_MAN]
#7689598
12/15/19 06:52 PM
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 876
218 Bee
OP
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OP
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 876 |
I guess I practice with purpose, I shoot pretty much daily and it's nearly always a critter involved. That ain't practice...that's being suited up and ready to play all the time! Mark
"I always take care to fire into the nearest hillside and, lacking that, into darkness". - the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
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