Do you shoulder a gun properly?
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- Senior Levergunner
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Do you shoulder a gun properly?
Did anyone ever teach you how to properly "shoulder" a gun? Expect most of you are like me. Heck, you just put the butt plate up against your shoulder and shoot!
What bought this subject to my mind is I've just finished watching Hickok45 on YouTube (really like the guy and his videos) and noticed that he--like me--doesn't get all of the butt against his shoulder. From 1/4 to 1/3 of the top of thebutt plate was above his shoulder or maybe more correctly was not touching his shoulder as he was shooting. This is bound to make recoil more severe with heavy recoiling guns.
For some time now I've tried to correct this and found that when I get the butt further down on my shoulder I then have to bring my head down further than I'm used to. So maybe that's it. We have the butt high on our shoulder so we don't have to bring our head down so far.
So maybe I needed some lessons about this long ago, and maybe I have company.
Shoulder a rifle (as you normally do) and see how much of the butt plate is sticking up above your shoulder or at least is not making contact with your shoulder. You might be surprised.
Have any of you had lessons regarding this? Perhaps some of you skeet or trap shooters have.
I'm all ears. Never too old to learn.
Don
What bought this subject to my mind is I've just finished watching Hickok45 on YouTube (really like the guy and his videos) and noticed that he--like me--doesn't get all of the butt against his shoulder. From 1/4 to 1/3 of the top of thebutt plate was above his shoulder or maybe more correctly was not touching his shoulder as he was shooting. This is bound to make recoil more severe with heavy recoiling guns.
For some time now I've tried to correct this and found that when I get the butt further down on my shoulder I then have to bring my head down further than I'm used to. So maybe that's it. We have the butt high on our shoulder so we don't have to bring our head down so far.
So maybe I needed some lessons about this long ago, and maybe I have company.
Shoulder a rifle (as you normally do) and see how much of the butt plate is sticking up above your shoulder or at least is not making contact with your shoulder. You might be surprised.
Have any of you had lessons regarding this? Perhaps some of you skeet or trap shooters have.
I'm all ears. Never too old to learn.
Don
- AJMD429
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
What gets me is all the "kids rifles" that have a stock that is 'kid' size - if you think a 'kid' is 15 years old - but won't properly fit a REAL 'kid' of 5-10 year age. The poor kids wind up with the guns tucked in their armpit sometimes...
An AR-15 with a collapsible stock set to the shortest position is WAY better than the 'Chipmunk' type rifles I've seen, unless you're just starting to teach shooting when the kid is 5 ft tall and weighs 100 lbs. Of course you might want to use a 22 LR adapter on it, if your 5-10 year old kid is new to shooting...
An AR-15 with a collapsible stock set to the shortest position is WAY better than the 'Chipmunk' type rifles I've seen, unless you're just starting to teach shooting when the kid is 5 ft tall and weighs 100 lbs. Of course you might want to use a 22 LR adapter on it, if your 5-10 year old kid is new to shooting...
Last edited by AJMD429 on Sat Jan 25, 2014 9:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
How you shoulder depends on the rifle and the type of shooting you are doing. What is correct for one type may not be for another. We all have different body sizes as well.
How I shoot an M4 in CQB is not how I shoulder a precision rifle, which is not how I shoulder a levergun, and I shoulder different leverguns differently depending on the stock.
In many situations, bringing your head down to the rifle is not what you want. You want to bring the rifle to your eyes. In others, this is not the case.
I was taught several techniques for different situations and weapons.
How I shoot an M4 in CQB is not how I shoulder a precision rifle, which is not how I shoulder a levergun, and I shoulder different leverguns differently depending on the stock.
In many situations, bringing your head down to the rifle is not what you want. You want to bring the rifle to your eyes. In others, this is not the case.
I was taught several techniques for different situations and weapons.
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- Borregos
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
+1Old Savage wrote:Yes.
Pete
Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
And for the type of firearm you are shooting. A rifle with a crescent plate, for instance, needs to be further out on one's shoulder - or even at the top of the arm. A shotgun butt can be tucked in closer.7.62 Precision wrote:How you shoulder depends on the rifle and the type of shooting you are doing. What is correct for one type may not be for another. We all have different body sizes as well.
What's right - depends. On everything.
Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
Funny how this just brought back a decades old memory. What I learned from dad was simple. Does it feel right? Is it comfortable? Does your eye naturally line up with the sights? Then again, I learned from a man who grew up with a rifle in his hands (during the depression he often help to feed his family with it), served in WWII and was his companies "sniper", which meant he had to drag an '03-A4 across Europe without firing a shot from it.
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"Go low, go slow and preferably in the dark" The old Sarge (he was maybe 24.
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"Go low, go slow and preferably in the dark" The old Sarge (he was maybe 24.
"Freedom is never more that a generation from extinction" Ronald Reagan
"Every man should have at least one good rifle and know how to use it" Dad
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
I got some big shoulders and no neck! so the wife says. My big jug head just sits on top my shoulders. Otherwise if I had a neck would be 6' 7" (Linebacker position in football did it ??) She says boy you have tiny ears too and look they are touching shoulders.
Way too much information ?? Isn't she precious ? She is a hottie too!
Common sense tells me that the amount of surface area impacting shoulder area in relationship to recoil force being distributed less trauma to shoulder absorbing the full surface area of gun butt fully against shoulder being held firmly.
In grades 7-12 (Rifle Club at school) our Instructor who was a previous 1000yd Wimbledon champ ????(1960's ?)
Hug that gun butt tightly, fully, and completely like you young fellers hug your girlfriends.
Way too much information ?? Isn't she precious ? She is a hottie too!
Common sense tells me that the amount of surface area impacting shoulder area in relationship to recoil force being distributed less trauma to shoulder absorbing the full surface area of gun butt fully against shoulder being held firmly.
In grades 7-12 (Rifle Club at school) our Instructor who was a previous 1000yd Wimbledon champ ????(1960's ?)
Hug that gun butt tightly, fully, and completely like you young fellers hug your girlfriends.
Last edited by madman4570 on Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
I think I do!!!!!!!!!! My dad told to shut my eyes and throw the rifle to my shoulder, then open my eyes, should be looking through the sights.
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
Alot of guns are not fitted perfect to their body properly. Most guns come to fit everybody as best they can. Some iron sighted rifle stocks are flat to the point you have
to mash youre cheek on the stock to see the sights causing the butt to be high on the shoulder. Then some put scopes on a gun and lift their head high to see through it not
getting a (cheek weld).Its so nice when you shoulder a gun and it feels right and sights line up with out having to strain to see them.
to mash youre cheek on the stock to see the sights causing the butt to be high on the shoulder. Then some put scopes on a gun and lift their head high to see through it not
getting a (cheek weld).Its so nice when you shoulder a gun and it feels right and sights line up with out having to strain to see them.
What in the wild world of sports is going on here
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
I don't know if I do or I don't, but the photo below shows how I've shouldered a rifle all my life and how I teach my kids. The butt nestles into that little dip between the bicep and the shoulder muscle. Feels real good and the arm absorbs the recoil better than my shoulder. As I said, I ain't claiming this is the proper way, but it works for me. Also, if I'm walking along and think I may have to get off a shot surprise shot real quick, the rifle is carried pointed down about 45 degrees and angling across but with the butt already in that handy little crevice so that the butt is already in position to shoot the moment I swing the muzzle up. Here is the well-used photo yet again ....
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cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
I've never had a rifle custom fit for me, so, I throws it up there in a position that lets me feel the sights are in the right place....(even with low rings most scopes seem too high for me )
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
I've noticed many right-handed shooters on YouTube videos have their right elbows way too low. My dad (who shot expert with all firearms while in the US Army) taught me to keep my elbow up and even with the shoulder. He showed me that you could easily keep a rifled shouldered with one arm if you kept your right elbow up. Also allot less painful shooting this way especially with heavy recoiling firearms. Keep your elbow up!
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
That's the way I tell folks to pick a handgun; one that is 'already lined up with your eyes' when you quickly raise it to 'ready' position with your eyes closed, likely is a good 'fit'.JerryB wrote:I think I do!!!!!!!!!! My dad told to shut my eyes and throw the rifle to my shoulder, then open my eyes, should be looking through the sights.
Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.
Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.
Want REAL change? . . . . . "Boortz/Nugent in 2012 . . . ! "
Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
That's one he!! of a long serve....grass, or clay courts?our Instructor who was a previous 1000yd Wimbledon champ
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- horsesoldier03
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
I always went with the philosophy that if it hurts you did it wrong! It dont hurt as often as it used too.
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
Yes. Uncle Sugar, and his representative in the form of that GM1 brooked no deviations. I found that if I followed his instructions, my rifle and I became very efficient.getitdone1 wrote:Did anyone ever teach you how to properly "shoulder" a gun?
Don
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
That is the way they taught me. It raises the whole shoulder so that you dont have to crank your head over as far to use the sights.Friends Call Me Ji wrote:I've noticed many right-handed shooters on YouTube videos have their right elbows way too low. My dad (who shot expert with all firearms while in the US Army) taught me to keep my elbow up and even with the shoulder. He showed me that you could easily keep a rifled shouldered with one arm if you kept your right elbow up. Also allot less painful shooting this way especially with heavy recoiling firearms. Keep your elbow up!
Jeremy
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- QCI Winchesters
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
It seems that lots of girls have trouble holding the rifle butt right on the shoulder. This girl holds the 03A3 the same way my wife shoots. Lots of girls that come to our shoots hold rifles the same way. You would think the '06 would hurt with so little of the butt on her shoulder!
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Last edited by QCI Winchesters on Mon Jan 27, 2014 7:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
Not always correct. For many types of shooting it is not as stable.Friends Call Me Ji wrote:I've noticed many right-handed shooters on YouTube videos have their right elbows way too low . . . Keep your elbow up!
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Re: Do you shoulder a gun properly?
A really common error is having the weak arm elbow too far to one side, it should be right under the gun. I see lots of people shooting rifles that hold them like they were shotguns. Also, 90% of people seem to hold the crescent buttplates wrong. KirkD has it right!
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