Advanced PRONE Position Stuff....

[navybowhunter]

OK, this will be on the Prone Position.

We are all familiar with the SHF's for prone.  Won't go into that.

Questions, rhetorical:

Are you actually comfortable in prone?

If not, why not?

Have you ever had anyone truly critique your prone position?  Aside from Appleseed instructors on the firing line?  *Not a gig on Appleseed Instructors here, just mentioning, have they worked with you other than the firing line*

Here is a suggestion, and something that worked/still works for me.

Have your friend/wife/significant other take a few pictures of you in prone dry firing.  Gear up as if your shooting KD at the 400 yard line, everything except the ammo.  3 pictures...one of your head/support elbow, one of your trigger finger/head/grip, and then one directly behind you showing the entire position.

In my case, when I first did this, it was pointed out to me that my trigger side shoulder was too high.  Way too high, and it was very pronounced and easy to see in the pictures.

Why?

OK...more sage wisdom taught to me by a NAVY Distinguished Rifleman, and now Appleseed instructor (BlueMax121).  Joe.

When Joe broke this down for us Southern Maryland instructors about a year or so ago...we nicknamed this "The Joe Roll".

What is the Joe Roll?

Well...in addition to having a high trigger side shoulder, I also was on my toes, especially my support foot.  Anyone have difficulty getting the support foot flat?

OK...here is how I fixed that.  My prone position starts like this in Prep.

-   Approach the Mat straight on
-   Drop to my knees
-   Establish a "rough position" with the rifle in my shoulder.  This is so I can get rough NPOA, and also set up my scope on my target.
-   Lay out any magazines/gear/data book on my trigger side, easily within reach during the COF.
-   If you have a spotting scope, set that up on your support side, set it up so it is easy to view the target, without getting off the rifle too much.  With practice, it will be easy to do this.
-  Stand back up again
-  Drop back to my knees
-  Apply the GI Loop sling to my support arm, while cradling the rifle with my trigger hand (of course keeping the muzzle in a safe direction)

** Here is where the magic happened for me**
After sling is attached

- Lay flat on the mat
- Roll exaggerated, (it is a significant roll) on my support side
- While on my support side, I am comfortable enough to lay my support foot flat on the deck
- Extend and Invert the support elbow (as much under the rifle as possible...still maintaining comfortability)
- Drive butt stock of the rifle FWD, and then put in my shoulder
- Establish GRIP (see post on GRIP)
- Draw trigger knee up
- ROLL onto my trigger side, allowing the trigger elbow to fall naturally, lay naturally where it wants to on the mat 
- Get my trigger CALF parallel with the barrel of the rifle
- Check NPOA
* Now....I know we teach to shift NPOA around the support elbow.  GREAT for a minor adjustment.  If I need a MAJOR adjustment of NPOA, I will pretty much start the process over from "on my knees".*

The above may help some of you with your Prone position.  Seriously, if you can get someone to take a pic...that helps so you can see this for yourself.  Aggrivere pointed this out to me awhile back...and it helped a lot.  My trigger shoulder was very high, comparatively speaking.

Minor NPOA windage adjustments, I do the "around the support elbow" thing. 

ELEVATION adjustments....this is another advanced way to do it.

My support hand pretty much remains in the same position on the forearm, it never does move.  Yes, you can adjust elevation that way (moving support hand in/out on forearm), but...that really means your sling is too loose if you can do that.  I am unable to really do that, as my sling keeps me from doing that. 

GLOVE!  That is why I wear a glove on my support hand.  Protects my hand from the sling.

To adjust elevation, we can always draw the trigger leg up or down, it works to an extent.

What else can we do for elevation?

Stretching the abdomen works for me, almost akin to an inchworm.  The way they move..., try that. Little scooching fwd/aft will make minor adjustments in NPOA for prone.

This 30 degrees on the target position?  It surely works.  BUT....more and more shooters are realizing that a more "straight on" approach/position to the target works better.  Maybe try lining up a little more inline with the target and see what that does for your scores.  It may actually improve them.

Transitions/Rapids:

I try to stand to where I do not move my feet from where they are supposed to be.  It can be difficult.  Regardless...
I mark where my support elbow goes, with a big glob of spit (Ken Roxburgh tip there).  Yeah it is gross, but it surely works.
My spotting scope works as well as a reference to where I need to be.
Where are your EYES when you stand?  Old USPSA trick here...and it surely works on saving some time in the rapids.  (not needed if one is shooting the rapids properly...but regardless)
What is the FIRST task after the "Fire" command in an AQT?

My eyes are on that blob of spit for my support elbow,  It is my first task.

SO....there is a little more on Prone.  If what your doing works, awesome! If not, the above may just help you.

R/
Chris