TargetTalk

Hi,

I am in 5th grade and have been shooting offhand 10m for a couple of months. I recently ordered a sling and sling bracket from Daisy and installed it to the pump lever.

Here's my problem: I have no idea how to configure the buckles and straps correctly.

Could you guys point me in the right direction, somehow? There are no resources or shooting clubs in this town besides JROTC, which I won't qualify for anytime soon. I don't want to put in years of practice with misconfigured equipment.

Any help will be greatly appreciated,
Cole

In order to avoid confusion I'm wanting to compete in 3-Position 10m air rifle, sporter class (for now), as soon as I'm old enough for JROTC.

Thanks again,
Cole

Cole,

Why don't you email Bob Foth at USA Shooting. He is in charge of youth development there and is a great teacher.

Bob.Foth@usashooting.org

He has a nice article on how to use a sling that is written for the newer shooter ... I don't have an electronic version of it, but I'm sure he will send it to you

Also... why don't you go ask the JROTC instructor if you can practice with them? Here in my state (New Mexico) they are willing to help the younger kids out too. If they have matches, especially CMP "Cup" Matches, USA Shooting Junior Olympics, and NRA matches, you can shoot in those matches

Let Bob know where you are from, and he can most probably hook you up with someone willing to help you.

Thank you very much, sir, for the suggestion. I have written Mr. Foth and am in hopes that he can help me.

My father warns that there may be liability issues for JROTC in letting yougsters practice with them, but I have also gotten in touch in our local JROTC instructor for aid.

Thank you very much.
Cole

PS: Any other ideas would also be well appreciated!

Is there a 4-H program in your area? Also, some of the gun clubs may have youth programs.

Where are you located?

Hello Sir!

There is a 4-H club locally, but unfortunately very small and this being a rural area concern themselves primarily with stock husbandry and agriculture, as well as various home projects. They have no shooting program, and no great interest or funding for one in the future.

I've just now finished reading a Bob Foth article online which has helped me some, though I'm still not absolutely confident of my set-up. Feels right, that's for sure! Do I cut off the left over strap or simply let it dangle down?

The JROTC instructor probably won't be responding to e-mail before monday or so. Perhaps he can give me a pointer or two.

I'm really sorry for buggin' y'all with something I'm sure you know back and forth and consider elementary. Please understand I'm just starting in this discipline, though I've been shooting casually with my dad for a while.

Thank you so much for your help. If ever I can pay you back, only ask,

Cole Donald Ballenger

OK Cole ... let's try something here.
If you have Bob's article, read it again, and then I've loaded two photos that may help on my club's website.

Photo #0: http://www.vc4hss.com/Air_Rifle/images_AR/Sling0.jpg Note that this is for a right handed shooter, and if you are a lefty, things are just reversed. On this photo look at how the sling is on the arm. The buckle is on the OUTSIDE of his arm ... AND it's not tight .... you should be able to easily get two of your fingers under the sling ... you don't want to cut off the circulation to your arm. Look again and you will see a safety pin which keeps the sling from sliding down the sweatshirt the shooter is wearing (you can wear up to two sweatshirts ... one is a minimum, if nothing else something to pin the sling to. It should be just a bit small .... never on the too large size.

OK now to the next photo:http://www.vc4hss.com/Air_Rifle/images_AR/Sling1.jpg Note that the other buckle is on the lower part of the sling with the extra flowing away from the shooter. the sling comes up and flows around the support hand and with a slight twist connects to the rifle. The purpose of the twist is so that you have a smooth sling across your hand. (Yes, get a glove ... even a workglove is OK to start off with) DON'T cut off the extra because when you go from prone to kneeling the sling length will change.
To adjust the sling looser all you have to do is use your trigger hand and flip the buckle to let out some of the material, and if you want to tighten it just grab the extra & push it away from you to make the sling shorter.

(Anybody else out there feel a desire to chime in .. feel free)
Keep an eye out here on Targettalk for any clinics that folks may be having and watch the CMP website for their summer clinics.


Cole, you seem like a real polite kid ... just the kind I like on my team .... if your folks ever move to New Mexico give a holler.
Also, if your dad wants to send me a PM with his email address I can send some other pictures too.

Also for your Dad.
If your 4-H extension does not have a program, there should be nothing preventing him from volunteering and starting one himself. That's how I started (I was a swimming coach before).
Funding a program is what the "Friends of NRA" are for. Have your dad check the Friends of NRA website http://www.friendsofnra.org/ , contact your state rep and write a grant request ... money is there and they like to give it to youth programs
Go to the Friends of NRA banquet in Talequah ... it's Oct 2, and meet some of the folks that contribute in your area and would most probably help out.

There are programs within the state extension program (in OK) that can certify him as a 4-H volunteer and start him in the right direction.

Also, Mr. Foth can give him some information on what is called a Level-1 Coach school which he can take to start out a good learning process. Or he can contact Mr. Marcus Raab at the NRA who is in charge of the coach training programs ( MRaab@nrahq.org )
There is a Level-1 school which is at Camp Perry in September and a few more that he can see here at the bottom of the page: http://www.nrahq.org/education/training ... chools.asp

When I was younger (braver?, sillier?) I used to got to Talequah and jump out of airplanes .... I like your part of Oklahoma!

You keep working and asking questions young man .... you're no bother at all. (Especially on a weekend!)

Mr. Martin, with the help of your photos I think I've got it!

I'll show this email to my dad and see how he feels about pursuing coaching certification. He's very supportive of my shooting, but also quite busy, so who knows?

You've been a great help and I'll mentally file away your name. Never know, someday we might run into each other. I'll be the kid with his sling set up correctly! haha

I have yet to hear from Mr. Foth and my local JROTC intructors and am waiting with bated breath for their input.

Sir, you have a wonderful day!

Cole Donald Ballenger

The Daisy sling is an abomination. It not only streaches in position but its almost impossible to return to the exact sling length each time you get ready to shoot. Look up a picture of a two buckle sling [ The high power shooters are the major users ] Have your local leather shop male you one , you will never regret it. Good Shooting Bill Horton

Cole, make sure the sling is positioned high enough on the upperarm so that it will not press on any muscles (else it the muscles will react by stiffening up) and that the pulling force comes from the middle of the loop around your arm - the left and right part of the loop must pull with an equal force. Most leather or canvas slings take aprox. 10 minutes to stretch so dont start shooting right away, but let the sling (and your body) settle.

To mr, JHMartin:
Sir, as a trainer of juniors have you noticed any difference in the shooting position between adults and juniors? My shooting organisation in The Netherlands does not have any info on how to train juniors and what any differences in the positions are.
I train juniors and seniors at my shooting club and I have the feeling that juniors use different posutions due to the fact that the relations between their body parts differ from those of adult shooter.
Do you have any experience with this ?

Thanks,
Albert B
(The Netherlands)

Albert ....

You are correct .... junior are a bit different, but in many ways the same ... one thing they are more impressionable .... they will listen to you (most of the time).

Juniors can (in my opinion) be a whole lot more frustrating though.

You can get a position built on say an 11-12 year old, and you will think you have made great progress (scores are progressing, they are getting more confident, etc)

.... and BOOM .... the next week they can hardly hit a 7 ring.

I have a set of tape marks on a support beam at our range where I keep track of how these youngsters are growing. The first thing I do when I have a problem, it get them out of their position and stand them up to the beam. I've had some of these kids grow 1-1/2 inches in a month!
You ask their parents ... "Has he/she been eating any differently?" & they'll tell you they can't keep food in the house.

You get kids with super short shins, and extra long forearms and all other combinations.
Sometimes you just have to build the best position you can, and wait for their other limbs to catch up.

I think that is the real struggle of a junior coach .... that and some of the emotional issues the younger ones will go thru.

I have a daughter that we just put her in a new jacket back in June-July I think. I already have her bottom button at the edge of her jacket ... her hips are growing. I know that in a few weeks it would be too tight for inspection, so we gotta get a new one before April and the JO's.

I see most of the issues crop up first in the kneeling position, so I use that as a bellweather for growth issues

I know this was more of a ramble, but I guess the point is that if you can get a wide variety of growing juniors into decent positions, ... if you can get an adult to listen, you can probably do the same for them.

==================
In regards to a Daisy sling .... this is why I think it is a perfect sling for youth ... since they are growing, they will need to change the lengths repeatedly and often. If you pin the sling up on a sweatshirt, it won't slip down, and slipping down is where you'll encounter problems.
For the younger shooters they can easily adjust it, while in position, if it is worn properly ... Even my 9 year olds can adjust their slings by themselves.