As a Dutch qualified basic-trainer my club regularly is visited by people who are interested in shooting and who want to know what it is like. These persons are given written and verbal info about cbecoming a member of the shooting club. Also they are given a tour over the club and the shooting ranges. If they are still interested, they can shoot a number of shots with a smallbore singleshot match rifle, under the supervision of an instructor.
Most people in The Netherlands have never seen nor handled a real firearm. It is always a challenge to have these people handle a firearm the correct way, and the most difficult part of this all is to put them in a sound shooting position in just a few minutes.
Trying not to overfeed them in the short time available, I started to look for a way – rule of thumb – to make these people assume a shooting position that is good enough for starters. Reading the book “ways of the rifle” by Heinz Reinkemeier (I met him once briefly aprox. 9 years ago at the German training centre in Dortmund) I found a discription for assuming the prone position. In short it says:
‘lay down on the floor, face forward and facing the target with the forearms folded one over the other and the chin resting on the folded arms. Race the chin and unfold the arms as if holding a rifle – left hand forward of the right hand and in line with the right shoulder, while keeping the elbows rested on the floor’.
This way a natural and relaxed position is assumed that at the same time is taking into account the size and shape of the shooters body. Not only is this action very easy to perform, it is also very easy to demonstrate and explain to the novice shooter. Unfortionately, no instructions are given for the standing and kneeling position. I started to experiment and discovered that almost the same procedure can be used for both other shooting positions. Mind you, these ‘rules of thumbe’ can be used as a starting position to let people - who have never handled a firearm before - assume a shooting position in just a matter of minutes. In no way do I claim that they result in an optimum or ideal shooting position.
For the kneeling position I found the following protocol.
‘Assume the kneeling position, sitting on the heel of the right foot. Left lower leg is positioned vertical. The forearms are folded one over the other and the left elbow is positioned on the left knee. Turn the right upper leg outwards until it is positioned straight under the right elbow. (this way the 3 points of support form a triangle) Unfold the arms as if holding a rifle – left hand forward of the right hand and in line with the right shoulder, while keeping the left elbow rested on the left knee’.
For the standing position I found the following protocol.
‘Standing 90 degrees turned away from the target, the forearms are folded one over the other and resting against the chest. Unfold the arms as if holding a rifle – left hand forward of the right hand and in line with the right shoulder, while keeping the left elbow rested on the spot where it rested on the left upper body’.
Again, these ‘rules of thumbe’ can be used as a starting position to let people - who have never handled a firearm before - assume a shooting position in just a matter of minutes.
Please, feel free to comment on the procedures as described. Any comment or advice is appreciated.
Albert
(The Netherlands)
asuming shooting positions by novice shooters
Moderators: pilkguns, m1963, David Levene, Spencer, Richard H
Albert,
Good descriptions, but,
I find that with absolute beginners it is easiest to put them in prone position with a rest or block to support the rifle and not try and confuse them with positions. Just give them the basics for sight picture, sight alingment, breathing and trigger squeeze. Then let them have some fun.
Another option is to let them shoot seated at a bench rest.
Good descriptions, but,
I find that with absolute beginners it is easiest to put them in prone position with a rest or block to support the rifle and not try and confuse them with positions. Just give them the basics for sight picture, sight alingment, breathing and trigger squeeze. Then let them have some fun.
Another option is to let them shoot seated at a bench rest.