In all honesty you don't even need to build a barricade to practice off of. You can use anything! If you have a 6ft ladder in the garage that is a perfect barricade because it will allow you to work anything from prone to standing.
Don't over think the process. A barricade is a barricade. Some are a little more wobbly and some are more stable, but all are shoot off the same way. Things to think about:
Pushing/Pulling the rifle into the barricade: This may depend on how stable the barricade is. I like to push my bipod into an unstable barricade and wrap my support hand over the barricade with my thumb around the bipod. Having more of the rifles weight to the back leaves it on my which may be more reliable than the barricade if it's just thin partical board or what not.
Bag/No Bag: I know some guys to use bags fo every barricade and some that don't use them at all. Some use them depending on the stages course of fire/time allotted. I find bags are useful in most situations, but it's something you have to practice with to do it quickly. A longer bag 8-10" and 4-5" wide with filled about 75-80% with heavy fill like sand or rice is great because it will form to whatever your throw it on. Some guys prefer bags strapped to their rifle. I only go this route on roof tops and such because I use a backpack or large rear bag in conjunction. This way I don't have to figure out how to hold on to too many items. Problem I've had and seen with them attached to the rifle is many times the bag with roll from under the rifle to the side during bolt manipulation or target transition, so it is not my preference most of the time.
Sling/No Sling: I've used the sling successfully on barricades before, but I've also had it work against me as well on some stages. The big thing is if you plan to use it then practice with it! Every single time you practice barricades!
These are just some notes. Also every position you shoot should be as close to how you would shoot prone as possible.. What I mean by this is use should be squared up to the rifle for proper recoil control, good bolt manipulation, and able to keep the rifle on target throughout the entire process for fast follow ups. Also go out on youtube and watch how guys work the barricades. I'll be putting out more videos on this with the methods I use as well once I get done with my move and settled in come August time frame.
Feel free to shoot me a question any time though and I'll try to help you out.
Final note: The best way to get into this kind of shooting is to just go out and shoot a match. As long as you are humble and willing to learn, the guys at a local club are more than willing to bring you in and teach what they know. Seriously, some of the best friends I've made in a long time have been through this sport and shooting practice. Go out and just have fun. Figure out what you need to work on and the gear that may assist you best. The club guys are always willing to lend gear and many times will even let you try out their rifles as long as you ask nicely!
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks