Ultralight backpacking rifles and offhand shots

[PredatorX]

How well are you guys shooting your mountain rifles offhand? Talking 7-8# and under?

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[mtnwrunner]

How well are you guys shooting your mountain rifles offhand? Talking 7-8# and under?

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At 50 yards, I am deadly.

Randy

 

[mt100gr.]

As randy alluded to, range is the big factor here. I killed 4 deer in the past 2 seasons with a 6.5 lb kimber. One at about 13 steps, 2 at about 30 steps (a double) and one at about 20 steps, all off hand shots. I practice with it shooting off hand to be "effective ". I don't try to cut x's and measure groups.

 

[Brendan]

Carefully. I shot an Elk off-hand with my 6 lb Kimber Adirondack (6lb scoped and loaded) - drilled him behind the shoulder (only 40 yards), but probably wasn't paying attention, not sure I got it shouldered completely securely and scoped myself a little. Much more of a crack than a heavier gun.

 

[PredatorX]

Yeah I quickly learned the need to practice in actual hunting positions instead of just on the bench. This year, I thought I'd be cute and take my 7# .308 whitetail hunting to break her in. I never missed so many shots offhand. With my 9.5# rifle, never had any issues, so wasn't sure if it was me or if these UL's were that much harder to shoot. I did connect on a 100 yard offhand shot but was just curious how you guys are with these lightweights offhand as now I don't know which way to go!

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[Ryan Avery]

I made two off hand shots this year. Elk 80 yards and deer 145 yards with a 8 pounds 6.5 PRC.

I do practice this quite a bit at the range and would say I am average at best.



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[SkunkCabbage]

Practice practice practice in a variety of weird scenarios being able to dispatch your rifle.
Once your load has been found for your rifle get off the bench and practice off a pack, down on a knee, against a tree, free hand etc.

 

[weaver]

I suck at shooting offhand and the way I hunt I rarely have to. My first bull I shot at 200yds offhand with an 8lb rifle and Id say that's pretty much my limit. Deer would have to be closer.



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[PredatorX]

That's pretty telling to hear Ryan say he is average offhand. Maybe that is hanging around other big time shooters though! Time for me to get off the bench for sure.

I am beginning to question if rifle weight is an area i should be trimming though. I can see a scenario where I may have to take a quick offhand shot. I don't think the 20" barrel is doing me any favors either. I know I can shoot a longer, heavier rifle more acurrately.

Let me ask this...if I had a threaded barrel, could I add a thread protector of a heavier weight (tungsten?) to add a little bit of stabilization? Or would that make it too whippy and change the harmonics?


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[Wrench]

I think balance becomes VERY IMPORTANT as weight gets low. A muzzle heavy gun is much more likely to settle in than an ass heavy one.

I've got several kimber and ti guns stocked in edges and balance at or in front of the action screw makes it work for me.

 

[mtnwrunner]

This is a great thread being there are a couple of other threads currently going on about rifle weights.
I mainly backpack hunt so weight is somewhat of an issue BUT it ain't everything. Couple of years back, I bought a super uber ultra hi speed custom lightweight set up and it was the worst rifle I ever shouldered. Just over 5 pounds and it was crap. It was accurate but it was whippy, felt horrible, and I just virtually hated it. I did shoot a couple animals with it and one was an offhand shot at about 175 yards, basically luck, and I sold it. So, my point is that when it comes to offhand shooting, a rifle has to have balance, a good feel and of course lots of practice with it. That's also why I prefer my backcountry setups to be around 8 pounds.........I'm just able to shoot that weight better.

Randy

 

[howl]

I figure a 7# 20" barreled carbine is the basic hunting rifle. Get a lightweight 22. You'll learn how to hold it and improve keeping all vectors in a straight line.

 

[hodgeman]

Light rifles are definitely harder to shoot offhand. I've never tried an offhand shot at game with my Fieldcraft- but 50 yards or so would be about it. My 8lb .300WSM has worked to 100 or so on caribou a couple of times but offhand shooting in my area is pretty rare and always fairly close. Mostly I'm shooting either sitting or prone.

Balance is huge deal as mentioned. I had a Kimber Longmaster for a few years and it shot offhand like a dream. 7.5lb rifle and it seemed a good 75% of the weight was barrel.

 

[flinginairos]

I figure a 7# 20" barreled carbine is the basic hunting rifle. Get a lightweight 22. You'll learn how to hold it and improve keeping all vectors in a straight line.

I was going to say the same thing. I have shot so many lightweight .22’s offhand throughout the years I find just about any rifle easy to shoot offhand. I’m not talking taking 100+ yard shots offhand but anything in that range I’m usually good enough to kill.


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[jorgensen.travis]

This can easily be practiced by dry firing at distance objects through your scope, and trying to keep the crosshairs on target through the break. I'm usually torn between my Winchester 94 and my Tikka for Midwest woods hunting. If I'm anticipating closer, quicker shots, I'll opt for the 94. I feel like I can get it into action faster and shoot off hand better than a bolt action. I've carried my AR at times because I can shoot it best offhand, but it's kind of noisy and awkward for hunting. Maybe a compact, bolt gun with a low powered scope and an AR style grip would be best for offhand shooting, but I haven't explored that option yet. I personally like the weight in the middle of the gun, rather than front heavy for offhand shooting, but I might be in the minority on that.

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[PredatorX]

Great tips guys. This is why rokslide is the best.

Btw, I'd love to shoot a critter with a lever action. That just got added to my bucket list.

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[SEtoNWHunter]

Same as above. I really like to practice unsupported field shooting positions. Offhand, kneeling, and sitting. Prone is great too but rarely useful for me because of obstructions. Killed an elk this year from a kneeling position, and a deer seated. Both at 40-50yds. Elk with 30-06 Tikka (< 7.5lbs scoped) and deer with 308 Savage LWH (<6.5 lbs scoped). The seated position can be really deadly but requires practice and some flexibility. This probably shows my mental issues, but I'll sit on the floor with my rifle (with the bolt REMOVED) and sight on stuff across the room and practice hold, breath, and trigger squeeze. Trigger never breaks because the bolt is removed so you can just watch what happens with the reticle and practice as much as you want.

- - - Updated - - -

Also mentioned above but hunt small game with a rifle similar to your big game rifle. I have a ruger american bolt .22 that will put every round through the same hole at 25 yds and I love to get after rabbits in the winter/early spring with it. Lots of off hand shots. Here in OR we have no closed season and no limit on rabbits so....

 

[sloveless]

I took an offhand shot at mule deer 3 years ago after watching him bed down in some tall sage. I started as a seated 350 yds shot off of shooting sticks, but I got tired of waiting with all the other hunters around on a general unit that also knew he was around. So I moved in closer, turning down my scope as I went and keeping my wind good. He didn't bust from his bed until I was within 30 yds. He popped up and stopped to look at what I was 50 yds out. One-and-Done.
I had practiced a lot of dry firing at my house. I need to take the advice of the others and get a bolt action .22 for a little rabbit shooting practice.

 

[slick]

Killed a cow this year at 90 or so. Cows ran up into a saddle as we were moving along one side of it. Elk saw us at the same time as we saw them. Had a few seconds to decide to shoot or not. Shouldered my Tikka 300wm with a 2-7x33 Leupold. Hit her in the shoulder. All ended well. It’s not something I typically practice, but need to start. Never know when a shot will present itself.

 

[BigWoods]

My Kimber Hunter is 5lbs 13oz scoped and I can consistently ring an 8" plate at 100yds with it. Personally I tend to shoot lighter rifles better so long as they balance well.

Tracking deer in the big woods of the Northern New England doesn't allow many prone or even rested shots.

This year's deer was downed off hand at about 75yds.