Got a chance to go to the range yesterday.
25 degrees, with a stiff (15 mph) wind more or less steady from left to right.
I was wearing an insulated coverall over long johns and jeans on the bottom, and over thermal undershirt, sweater, and three other layers on top.
Went prone with my M1A, and fired a very nice (for me) 200 meter group on a repair center D target - 9 out of 10 in the black, with # 10 just half an inch below the black at 6 o'clock.
Went up three clicks, went to 300 meters prone, rapid fire cadence, 17 out of 20 in the black.
Went back to my 200 meter sight setting, and back to 200, and tried 10 shots sitting.
One was in the V ring. The other nine were in a very nice, 4 minute group about 8 inches low and four inches left of the point of aim.
Why? With all those clothes on, I couldn't get a proper sitting position. I couldn't even get an open leg position. I ended up with the support leg knee up, with my support elbow resting on that knee. Must not have had NPOA for that group.
I write this to seek suggestions and comments on the effects of winter clothing on getting proper positions.
The Editor
Mom! I can't put my arms down!
We have similar problem here in FL. How to git the steel butt plate on M1A to stop sliding off sweaty shoulder when wearing tank tops in August! **)
Sounds like dry firing from kneeling position is in your future to me. ^-^ Either that, or I know some events that need shoot bossing in a nice place down south. :cool2:
God bless ya'll - hang in there.
I did the KD clinic at laCrosse in December wearing Carhart insulated bibs. Now I admit that I have put on a few lbs. but I could not get into the sitting position either. I ended up kneeling for the stage 2 rapid fire. Not the best, but I could do what was expected. Of course it does not hurt to practice other positions...one never knows if the grass will be too high and sitting will not work. :cool2:
I have since tried my sitting position with my snowmobile snow pants from Cabelas...no worries there! I expect that the bibs are just too restraining for siiting position. They are okay for work tho'. Of course I don't sit too much in a 50' bucket truck when working. O0 I did remove a jacket layer while shooting...that helped.
Kneeling works just fine.
Practice it a bit and you can max that stage with ease.
As Sam says kneeling can be very effective. Collegiate Smallbore and International shooters do it well enough to shoot extremely small groups.
Take a look at this from the Georgia 4H
http://spalding.caes.uga.edu/4h/projectsafe/documents/Lesson8Kneeling.pdf
I wish I had the flexibility to shoot sitting EVER! I shoot kneeling just fine. Too old too stiff and too fat. Riflemen adapt.
Larger clothing helps, If your wearing longunderwear, use a larger pair of pants. Carhart bibs need to be way to big if you'er wearing them for shooting.
Wear a layer with with inner torso and arm layer allowing freedom of movement then an insulated vest, then a shirt large enough to go over the vest then an outer layer or two more.
The idea of insulation is to capture air inside your clothing. Get bigger stuff for the outer layers.
Phenery, I reccomend cotton candy to keep the butt of your rifle from sliding when wearing a tank top.