Prone shooting aint as easy as it looks!

[old11bravo]

This mat was generously donated to me by one of the most gracious and humble members on the forums, and no it wasn't JuKk0u.



However old smiley himself did join me to partake of the fun and festivities.



Here are my first set of groups with my new DMR. All groups were at 100 yards. I was trying out various ammo to gauge results. You can see what ammo created each group thanks to my Windows Paint sorcery. There was one group from 5 rounds of mystery ammo that I had and could not identify so if you recognize this ammo, please do tell. Clearly I need more practice but some ammo definitely out-performed the others. My second set of groups in the next picture were beginning to tighten up slightly as I began to get the hang of prone shooting.



This last set of groups was more satisfying than the first but I obviously will need more practice to get where I want to be.

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[slimmer13]

Have you tried Appleseed?

 

[gmerkt]

Prone position in shooting, which I've thought about some over the years. I was 18 years old when I joined the army, six feet tall and weighed 145 pounds. I hated the prone shooting position. That M14 Rifle felt like it was pushing me back with every shot. Fast forward to my mature years, now at 67 I weigh 220 pounds. About once a year, I shoot in a modified High Power Service Rifle Match. Now, prone is my favorite position. I've got a lot more padding on my body. I'm a human sand bag, the rifle doesn't move me and the recoil is no problem. When you're comfy, your accuracy gets better. I get real comfy in that 20 rounds of prone slow fire.

Still shooting (copies of) the M14 Rifle, M1A more exactly. At my age and physical condition, I'd never be called back to active duty. However, were that to happen, I'd be an effective. The last time I fired the match with an M1 Rifle (Garand), I took first place in our small club. The rifle is a CMP Special in .308 Win. Picture:

 

[bobdog308]

barrel is to short to efficiently burn the powder in those loads. did you notice an "acrid" smell.

 

[Member 34319]

Prone certainly takes a little practice at first. Once you have it figured out, you'll likely enjoy it. I enjoy shooting prone past 200 yards. Every time I've shot to 1000 or further, it was prone.

I like using bags in the front and rear too. Bipods never move the way I want them to.

 

[Stomper]

This mat was generously donated to me by one of the most gracious and humble members on the forums, and no it wasn't JuKk0u.

View attachment 468400

However old smiley himself did join me to partake of the fun and festivities.

View attachment 468401

Here are my first set of groups with my new DMR. All groups were at 100 yards. I was trying out various ammo to gauge results. You can see what ammo created each group thanks to my Windows Paint sorcery. There was one group from 5 rounds of mystery ammo that I had and could not identify so if you recognize this ammo, please do tell. Clearly I need more practice but some ammo definitely out-performed the others. My second set of groups in the next picture were beginning to tighten up slightly as I began to get the hang of prone shooting.

View attachment 468402

This last set of groups was more satisfying than the first but I obviously will need more practice to get where I want to be.

View attachment 468403

Looks like you have a 2MOA capable AR, which is quite acceptable for a fighting rifle. Your "mystery rounds" look like they may be Hornady A-max

 

[Caveman Jim]

I rarely shoot prone because it feels like I'm laying on a watermelon, my mini me is in the way...

 

[parallax]

for more fun and games take your prone shooting out into the woods, where you are laying on rocks pointed up hill down hill side hill, weeds growing too high to see your target,,, wood ants biting the back of your neck, chiggers burrowing into your skin..... that there is some good times.

 

[Camelfilter]

Maybe just use the cheap stuff (55gr CBC/Magtech, 62gr IMI etc), until you get used to prone?

Then jump to the pricier stuff/reloads.

Especially if your feeling it today.

 

[11Charlie]

I haven't shot prone since I was in the military.

 

[Aero Denezol]

I also recently started practicing prone, it is a lot of fun.

 

[Geardo]

for more fun and games take your prone shooting out into the woods, where you are laying on rocks pointed up hill down hill side hill, weeds growing too high to see your target,,, wood ants biting the back of your neck, chiggers burrowing into your skin..... that there is some good times.

Tried doing this at Latch, gotta watch out and not land on a fricken broken bottle while getting into prone quickly! Had to use a matt to keep from getting stabbed.

Annoying:

 

[Lefty60]

I like shooting prone, the challenge is getting some strong folks to help git me off of the ground and back on my feet

Living long enough to grow old ain't always easy

 

[Argonaut]

I shoot prone with the exception of my 378 Weatherby. I have always thought it might break something.....mostly a part of me.

 

[gmerkt]

Oh, and about the shooting mat. Mine is a old moving blanket that Wheaton Van Lines left behind 31 years ago. Very fancy.

Big belted magnum from prone? Not for me.

 

[Mistman]

That's the only way we used to shoot p-dogs away from a rig, pulled a lot of prickly pear thorns out of my legs. Doesn't take too long before you start watching the ground a little better before dropping but you can't always see the durn things.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I shoot prone occasionally ...it is tricky to re-load a muzzleloader in the prone , but it can be done...
Mostly though I shoot standing , off hand...

Prone is great for target work...as it can be very stable and I have done a few hunting shots that way.
Andy

 

[Boboclown]

I like prone for the range, does take some getting used to. Throw in a bipod and now you have to throw in properly loading the bipod as well. I used to always get in the dirt to shoot prone, never bothered to bring mats cause its normally clothes I'd get dirty one way or another.

Prone is great for target work...as it can be very stable and I have done a few hunting shots that way.

Lucky. I go prone here and the brush is in the way.

 

[Sandaholic]

Love shooting prone. I've never shot prone at 100 yards though I would like too. That way I can see just exactly how accurate my rifles are. For some reason I can't quite get comfortable at the bench. Which is odd because if I'm in the woods or the wild I can just flop down next to or on top of any old thing and get on target. But the bench just feels........wrong. Especially because at the Spokane Rifle Club I have to use those blast diverter stand deals. Apparently people don't like the concussion of a muzzle brake. But are fine getting pelted with brass Just another reason it will be nice to finally take possession of my rifle suppressors when the gubmint gives me the okay. Why thank'ye me'lord

 

[Boboclown]

One time I got pelted by someone else's brass, knocked my glasses off a bit then got caught and burned the corner skin of my eye.

I typically go to the longer range and shoot prone to avoid exactly that.