Monday, June 23, 2008

Point Shooting a Long Arm (Rifle, Shotgun)

Some time in the 1980's I remember having read an article about point shooting a rifle. It might have been in Soldier of Fortune magazine. At the time I owned an H&K 91 (which, as much as I love my M-1 Garand, I still dearly miss). I tried the position in dry-fire mode, but I don't recall if I actually tested it with live fire.

The weapon's sling goes from the butt under the right arm and then over the left shoulder and back to the front swivel. The rifle butt rests firmly in the abdomen while the right hand grasps the rifle's grip and the left hand rests on top of the barrel to stabilize it. (Sorry if the description's not clear enough -- I don't have pictures)

The end result is that the rifle sticks straight out from your abdomen, and it will shoot where you look -- out to about 100 yards, if I remember correctly. Without rearranging the sling, you can carry the rifle, muzzle down, by letting it hang under your right arm. You can then bring it into action by swinging the barrel up and planting the butt in your abs.

I have not verified the claims to accuracy, and I think this would take a little more practice than point-shooting a handgun, but if I were a soldier in a shooting war, I think I'd want to test this method for accuracy and speed of getting my weapon into action.

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2 comments:

Emil Bandy said...

Interesting, very interesting....

sounds sorta painful to me ;)jk

What is the advantage of that position compared to the hip position?

Also, I sorta am reluctant (especially with a rifle) to limit my shooting position range to around 100 yds, (unless that is all the range I could in any possibility be shooting, or I was using a carbine), and I would rather be able to change from 100 to 600, or beyond rather quickly. (with a large cal. battle rifle)and use a shoulder mounting (with sling) of the rifle.

Craig Mutton said...

The advantage over the hip position is that the weapon is centered with your bifocal vision. The same reason you center the handgun in point shooting.

I believe this mode of shooting came either came directly out of Vietnam or from Vietnam vets who served as mercenaries in South Africa. In dense jungle or brushy woods, a soldier on patrol is likely to run into hostiles at shorter ranges than in open country.

I assume that once he gained cover, he would change to the more accurate aimed fire from the shoulder position.

Understand, that I'm not promoting or advocating this mode of fire. Just an interesting bit of information I ran across that someone might like to try.