Just did my first Appleseed weekend last month, and learned a lot! I'm definitely not a rifleman yet, but huge improvement thanks to the instructors at the Eatonville WA shoot. You all are amazing!
I'm struggling with elevation when sitting cross-legged. I'm sitting with trigger side foot underneath, ankles close to my body, and leaning forward. I always end up with my front sight very very low, and I can only seem to get it high enough by muscling the gun up. Any suggestions for achieving enough elevation for a good seated NPOA?
Try rotating more toward your trigger-side (greater index) when you build your position. It will get your support-side knee more directly under the rifle.
I have a similar problem cross-legged. Unless I artificially bring my knees way up, which isn't very steady, everything is too low. I switched to an open-legged position, and the whole world changed.
Hello, daplumma, glad to see you posting on here and working towards improving that position. If I recalled your build or rifle, I might have some specific advice in addition to what others have said.
I shoot crossed-ankle when sitting, and I rest my elbows below my knees, and have my support hand back against the slip ring on my AR. That may or may not work for you. Grant Singley has a helpful article on crossed-ankle, but I'm too flexible to shoot with my elbows where he says to put them, at least without using leg muscle.
http://www.odcmp.org/0307/default.asp?page=USAMU_CASITTING (http://www.odcmp.org/0307/default.asp?page=USAMU_CASITTING)
I strongly recommend watching Ken Roxburgh on the sitting positions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPVVeKY_puY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPVVeKY_puY)
Another thing that can help is to have someone photograph or video you in position. Where is the rifle butt? Are your shoulders level? Are you bending at the hips, rather than the waist? Is your support elbow far enough under the rifle to keep from canting and gain elevation?
Maxwell nailed it!
In Roxburgs clinic, it may or may not be on his video.....a few things I started doing. I am still struggling with my own seated position, in NRA High Power. I need to be putting up 98's-100's, and I am stagnating with low 90's.
Many may think....low 90's seated at 200 yards, "That is great"! It is OK....but surely not great.
The 2 RAPID fire stages, in NRA HP and also Appleseed AQT's are what I refer to as "free throws". Like in a basketball game, gottta make the free throws. Most High Masters CLEAN or are 98/99 in the rapids.
Roxburgs video will help. Here is a YOUTUBE link to retired Colonel Denise Loring's seated position during a team NRA Match. She shoots cross ankled. AND CLEANS it regularly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3YKN44N2kY
A few things I have been working on, I shoot cross legged, indian style or criss cross apple sauce. Left leg over the right.
For this position, this has been what I have been working on:
1. In prep, I loosen my pants belt, and unbutton the top button of my pants, and lower the zipper a little. Enough to get the pants loose. This helps a LOT with my breathing and also my pulse.
2. When I sit to establish NPOA, I ensure to kick my BUTT rearward. I use my right hand to prop myself up a bit, and kick my BUTT out to the rear as much as I can. This gets me off my butt bone (hip) and gives me a more flatter/stable position.
3. I wear a shooting coat, on that I only secure the top two buckles on coat and they are not tight, just snug. I also unzip the side zippers, which allows me more freedom to move..
NPOA is key to all positions. For seated, we need to stand after establishing NPOA. I now have a healing broken leg, so it is difficult/impossible for me to stand in position like I used to. So...., I put a glob of spit between my intimate area, as a reference on my mat of where to drop down to. I also prior to standing, pick a reference I can line my intimate area//groin area up with. Like a telephone pole, or a piece of brass, or the corner of my mat. Something, a reference to quickly line myself back up on. It has been working well.
I have posts in this section of the forum on the finer points of the six steps, and also GRIP. Please read that, it is important in the rapids.
https://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=50070.0
Hope the above helps.
R/
Chris
Excellent, excellent, excellent! Thanks for all the tips - I think between prone, seated, and standing, it's seated that has the most variability and is most dependent on body type.
I'm 6 foot, 208 lbs. Just lost my belly earlier this year, and man, is prone/seated better! However, like the gentleman in the video above, I'm longer in the torso than the leg, and I'm struggling to get good bone support. I'll work with crossed ankles as well.
I'm shooting a 10/22 with tech sights in a magpul x22 stock - It's fitted pretty well to me.
It takes time in position. I suffered the same problem when I started. For me it was a flexibility issue. I used the crossed ankle position until I was able to get my shoulders low enough to bring my point of aim up in crossed legged. My best stage 2 score is a 49 because I rushed the last shot and I didn't need to there was probably 4-5 seconds left. :wb:
Build a dummy stock that fits you from the one you took off the rifle and practice the position. If you can do it while you you watch TV.
With practice you will be able to shoot seated almost as well as you can shoot prone.
If you can legally shoot an airgun at you house and you have the space it is great cheap and quiet trigger time to prove it is working. Scaled down targets are on the site for 10 meters or just copy them at 40%.
Chuck
Can you post a picture? Hard to diagnose without seeing what's going on.