Welcome to Smallbore Rifle Silhouette by Jerry Webster

The Techniques

You will see many different techniques used at the Smallbore Rifle Silhouette matches. The people shooting Rifle Silhouette tend to be the average person doing what they learned growing up or what they picked up at the Rifle Silhouette range from other people who learned at the range. There are no classes in Rifle Silhouette shooting as there are in the Olympic type shooting sports. My method is based on what is taught to the world class shooters in the Olympic shooting sports. Obviously it is not going to be the only way you can shoot at Rifle Silhouette targets. There are years of training and experience behind the Olympic programs and they must know something about the best positing to hold a rifle shooting offhand. That is why I use it as the my guide for shooting at the Rifle Silhouette range. I do not claim to be an expert instructor and what I state here may not be perfectly aligned to what is taught in Olympic Shooting sports. I was never taught by anyone. I did my own research as to how they are taught. If anyone recognizes an error feel free to let me know.

The point in getting a good shooting stance is all based on balance. What is required is the most stable posture you can have while holding your rifle on target. If you are not balanced in your stance it will add movement to your rifle. This means keeping your body and rifle weight vertical and directly over your feet. If your posture is such that you are off balance in any direction, you are forcing your muscles to make the weight adjustment required to hold you in balance. This is an element that can add wobble in your rifle as you are trying to hold on target.

An important note about my right hand on the rifle. My right wrist was shattered in the same accident mentioned in the footwear section of Equipment. Because it has pins in it and does not have normal mobility, it might not rest the same at the gun stock as yours would. Mine is comfortable the way it is. Yours might be slightly different than what is pictured here to be in the best position for you.

THE FEET should be about 18 inches apart or about shoulder width. The right foot should be 90 degrees from the target direction. The left foot is turned slightly towards the target. There should be slightly more pressure of weight on the balls of your feet for more balance and control.

The legs are straight but relaxed. Do not force the knees into a locked position.

The hips might be slightly forward to help the elbow rest against the body. Adjusting your hips may not be required depending on the persons size and shape.

The upper body has a slight lean to the rear to adjust for the weight of the rifle. The amount of lean required varies depending on the height and weight of the person. The point is to comfortably balance the weight of the rifle and the upper body over your feet.

The shoulders are in-line with the target. This forces the rifle butt to be held more on the ball of the shoulder joint instead of inside the shoulder.

The left elbow should be underneath the rifle and resting against your body to directly support the weight of the rifle. If you do not do this it is doubtful you would ever make it to Master Class. Every top shooter uses the elbow against the body for one reason - stability.

THE HEAD should be vertical. The sense of balance when standing is always done while your head is in an upright position. Why try to train it differently? I need to cant, or tilt, the rifle to properly see through the rifle scope. I also need to have the scope canted in the opposite direction to see the crosshairs level while sighting. If you look at the full sized picture below, you can see it in the Standard Rifle picture. Note the difference in the scope knobs relative to the rifle stock. The Hunter rifle is not as bulky and is canted less for me.

Your left hand HOLD IS VERY IMPORTANT and should be resting under the rifle at a good balance point of the rifle. If your left hand is not comfortably transferring the weight of the rifle through your wrist to your forearm, it will be a serious source for wobble because of its forward position on the rifle. My holding point is typically just in front of the trigger guard. The overall point on the rifle hold is that your arm muscles are not having to hold the weight of the rifle which adds to the stability of the hold. There are a few varieties of holds with the left hand. Find one which puts the least strain on it for the most stable results.

THE RIGHT HAND should be comfortably on the rifle. It should not be there to manipulate the rifle; only for the finger to manage the trigger.

THE TRIGGER FINGER should have only the tip of the finger activating the trigger as seen in the Hunter Rifle hold above right. The finger does not wrap around the trigger at all and should definitely not be in contact with the rifle or trigger guard. ALSO NOTE: Until you are in a position where you are nearing the target and getting ready to fire, your finger should be on the outside edge of the trigger guard as pictured with the Standard Rifle above left.

IN CLOSING - No matter how you decide to stand and hold the rifle it is important that you do it consistently every time. If you are inconsistent on your standing position and hold of the rifle, it will make it much more difficult to learn how to be steady on the target. Try to find something that feels good and stick with it for a while. After you get better on your holding ability it is easier to try something different and, you will be a better judge on if it is an improvement or not.