Prone Rifle Shooting

We’re going start with the basics. I’m going to start off with a bi-pod here. The way I have this one set up, one leg is connected to the other so all I have to do is sweep it down. I have them locked down to the right height, so when I go prone, a 30 round magazine is going to clear the ground here. You also notice that this bi-pod has a pivot point on it with an adjustable tension, and that’s really good if you find yourself on uneven ground. And also the bottom of the bi-pod the legs here have some smooth aluminum tips on them. And the reason for that is I’ll show in just a second on how you can slide the bi-pod back and forth to find different targets. So with that in mind, lets get the bi-pod out here and get to the prone position.    One of the key factors when you’re shooting prone off of a bi-pod is your target arrangement. If they are small targets and relatively close together, I’m going to take my left hand and put it under the butt stock of the rifle. You see here, I’m grabbing my right shoulder, and this allows me to get a real steady hold, but it also limits how much how much I can traverse the rifle.   If I have general size targets and a lot of them, I’m going to grab the front of the bi-pod and this allows the shooter to engage a wider field of view. It’s a little bit less stable, but it allows you quicker target engagement.  I’ve got a target down there at about 200 yards. I’m going to take some shots at it using both of the techniques.     In some competitions, you’re not allowed the use of a bi-pod .That’s not really a big deal. I’ll show you a technique on how to use your magazine as a mono-pod. Just use the base of the magazine on the shooting mat, or on the ground. But what you want to be aware of, some magazines and gun combinations, when you force them in the ground, that causes malfunctions to the rifle. So, you want to be sure that this combination works, well ahead of the match. So, lets go ahead and do that.  What I am trying to do here with this magazine, I’m pushing the rifle down into the shooting mat just a little bit. I’m also using a pistol grip here to pull it back into my shoulder just like I was firing standing. So, what I’m trying to do here is pull back, push down, and with my left hand, it’s going to drive the rifle left and right, high and low. So, I got my left elbow down into the mat. And, lets see what it looks like.  One more thing you might want to put in your bag of tricks is the double magazine. If you got a good prone position that’s wide and flat, two magazines on the ground is more stable than one. Makes for a good stable platform.    One other point of interest for you big guys, a 40 round mag or a 50 round mag will get the rifle a little bit higher, and get it right line with your shoulder so it will make it little bit easier on you to shoot. So, there you have it. Different prone techniques and different equipment. With little bit of practice, you should be able to do it on command. See you on the range. CLICK HERE FOR PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION