Others Practice, Practice, and More Practice with Offhand Shooting

[ernroe]

Earlier on here I posted a thread about shooting Offhand, and I got some very good advice, Basically, in summary, it was developing your technique using good fundamentals and practice, practice and more practice. That is what I have done, and it is beginning to pay off. I put a red dot sight on my HW30 and designated it as my offhand shooter. I have been shooting it almost every day even if it's for only 10 shots. I am fortunate that I have a shooter friendly backyard that extends for 50yds. My PCPs are getting a little pissed, but they are young and have time to get over it. I don't want to keep beating y'all over the head with my advancing age, (80 this coming April) but to let everyone know that you are never too old to learn something new or improve on something that you already know. That being said, I feel more like I do today than I did yesterday.

The attached photo is a 1-gallon milk at 50 yards, and 4 of the 6 shots hit the pasted-on target.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@ernroe Outstanding shooting offhand! This is an inspiring post. Thanks for sharing. How’s the recoil on the HW30? Not too bad, eh?

 

[PapaT]

My pumpers are almost exclusively off-hand for me, and I don't think they'd have it any other way. But... pasty on a milk jug is a little beyond what I'm ready to try at 50 yards. Beautifully done.

 

[Hoppalong Doc]

I enjoy shooting milk jugs filled with water tinted with red food coloring, at 25 yds.. I usually shoot with my Sheridan .22 cal. Great fun, but I'm actually hooked on target shooting with my TX200 or my HW97K. I've actually got pistols, pumpers, springers, CO2 rifles. I just love shooting., what more can I say? Orv.

 

[Jaabaa]

Love it. When I had my computer in the basement I kept a Umerex Sa 10 on my desk and would shoot across the room At 7;yards. Between game matches would shoot all kinds of stuff.
I have never had a really nice airgun pistol and I'm looking hard. Going all in.

 

[Danman]

Earlier on here I posted a thread about shooting Offhand, and I got some very good advice, Basically, in summary, it was developing your technique using good fundamentals and practice, practice and more practice. That is what I have done, and it is beginning to pay off. I put a red dot sight on my HW30 and designated it as my offhand shooter. I have been shooting it almost every day even if it's for only 10 shots. I am fortunate that I have a shooter friendly backyard that extends for 50yds. My PCPs are getting a little pissed, but they are young and have time to get over it. I don't want to keep beating y'all over the head with my advancing age, (80 this coming April) but to let everyone know that you are never too old to learn something new or improve on something that you already know. That being said, I feel more like I do today than I did yesterday.

The attached photo is a 1-gallon milk at 50 yards, and 4 of the 6 shots hit the pasted-on target.

Very nice! Hey im 38 and struggle with offhand shooting too. Hoping to buy an HW50 for offhand shooting shortly, gonna leave it open sights for as long as i can. Just waiting for it to be in stock. I think the HW30/50 are great guns for this, i just prefer the Lil more power from the 50! Your Pcps will get over it, mine do

 

[ernroe]

Very nice! Hey im 38 and struggle with offhand shooting too. Hoping to buy an HW50 for offhand shooting shortly, gonna leave it open sights for as long as i can. Just waiting for it to be in stock. I think the HW30/50 are great guns for this, i just prefer the Lil more power from the 50! Your Pcps will get over it, mine do

Thx for responding. I have a HW50S and as you know it has more power than the HW30.
I chose the 30 for offhand shooting because it is, for me, much easier to cock. I shoot off of the right shoulder, so after the shot I just reach out with left hand and break the barrel open, push in a pellet, close it, and ready for the next shot. It only takes a few seconds to complete the cycle. Oh, I click off the safety as I put the butt of the gun in the shoulder pocket.

 

[Danman]

Thx for responding. I have a HW50S and as you know it has more power than the HW30.
I chose the 30 for offhand shooting because it is, for me, much easier to cock. I shoot off of the right shoulder, so after the shot I just reach out with left hand and break the barrel open, push in a pellet, close it, and ready for the next shot. It only takes a few seconds to complete the cycle. Oh, I click off the safety as I put the butt of the gun in the shoulder pocket.

Is the barrel length the same on both? Its nice that you have experience with (& own) both! My Slav 630 is an odd duck: Looonggg barrel, short (almost youths) stock, weak action, with minimal recoil and a nice lockup with a chisel detent. Its a whopping 5 inches longer than the 50s and is getting sold once i have the HW. Offhand shooting is a main reason I chose the 50s over the R9/HW95. It will shoot the same pellets as my TX which makes life easy too.

 

[ernroe]

Is the barrel length the same on both? Its nice that you have experience with (& own) both! My Slav 630 is an odd duck: Looonggg barrel, short (almost youths) stock, weak action, with minimal recoil and a nice lockup with a chisel detent. Its a whopping 5 inches longer than the 50s and is getting sold once i have the HW. Offhand shooting is a main reason I chose the 50s over the R9/HW95. It will shoot the same pellets as my TX which makes life easy too.

The barrel looks to be about 2 inches shorter. It is really hard to determine because I have a muzzle break on the HW50. It doesn't do anything but give me more leverage when cocking it, and it is a little heavier. I attached photo of HW50.

 

[Jaabaa]

I think they are both 15.5 inches. When I had them both the Wiehrauch suppressor fits both of them (told by AoA) I held them both up next together and it's everything else that seams bigger. I just sold my 50s a few weeks ago. It's feels way more powerful than the HW30 and the cocking effort was tough for my shoulder.
The Krale site says 395mm

 

[rsfrid]

Practice for sure, but don’t neglect arm strength training with free weights. I use 8 pounders held straight arm out to front and sides till arm shakes. As you become stronger, gun will shake less. This is just my experience with free pistol shooting.

 

[Scriv]

There is much pleasure to be had by just snatching up a springer, and shooting off hand. I think that in the quest for accuracy we sometimes forget that. I have an HW50 on the way that the plan is to shoot with iron sights. We'll see.

 

[Danman]

There is much pleasure to be had by just snatching up a springer, and shooting off hand. I think that in the quest for accuracy we sometimes forget that. I have an HW50 on the way that the plan is to shoot with iron sights. We'll see.

Mine will be staying on irons as well
I miiiiight scope it at some point just to see what it can do, I have a nice spare Hawke 3x9 and rings. The sights themselves are very interesting, with different inserts to choose that your eyes prefer. I haven't messed with em but the ones that came on the gun were a bit thick. They fit tight when lined up perfectly, but then....your bullseye kinda disappears lol.
Christmas holidays i break it/myself in!

 

[Scriv]

Mine will be staying on irons as well
I miiiiight scope it at some point just to see what it can do, I have a nice spare Hawke 3x9 and rings. The sights themselves are very interesting, with different inserts to choose that your eyes prefer. I haven't messed with em but the ones that came on the gun were a bit thick. They fit tight when lined up perfectly, but then....your bullseye kinda disappears lol.
Christmas holidays i break it/myself in!

Unless I'm mistaken, the rear has different widths as well to give you some relief. I always use a six o'clock hold (pumpkin on a post) so the bull is not obstructed.

 

[Danman]

Unless I'm mistaken, the rear has different widths as well to give you some relief. I always use a six o'clock hold (pumpkin on a post) so the bull is not obstructed.

Yip, reading manual now and they seem to rotate nice and quick into position, came with this nice test target as well. The manual reads like I just purchased an Atomic Bomb lol, WARNINGS everywhere you look.

 

[ernroe]

Practice for sure, but don’t neglect arm strength training with free weights. I use 8 pounders held straight arm out to front and sides till arm shakes. As you become stronger, gun will shake less. This is just my experience with free pistol shooting.

That is a great idea! I use 12lbs for curls but for shooting your method makes more sense. When I was shooting skeet, I would mount my gun 30-40 times on non-shooting days just to improve my stamina and prevent that 4th round fatigue.

 

[PapaT]

Great ideas. Gun lifts or weights. A little strength conditioning is smart.