TargetTalk

How do you work out what size kneeling roll you need? Or is it just a case of trying lots and seeing what suits you?

The kneeling roll is the major adjustment in the kneeling position.
its what puts you near the paper.
get a bag type kneeling roll and the best filler I have ever used is small plastic beads.
They use them in injection mold machines.
they are fairly light and are fully adjustable in size.
the solid beads lock up solid when under your ankle and conform much better than cork or rubber.
Think of kneeling as prone off your knee not standing with a sling.
Start off with a large (full bag) and see how it feels.
adjust untill the position feels right (prone off your knee).

There's no number I can give you. It all depends on your foot size, height, and feel. When you're figuring it out, just remember that your weight should be supported by the kneeling roll, not your toes and foot.

More than any other position, kneeling must be modified to suit the individual. The lengths of the shooter's shin, supporting arm and torso must all be accomodated to place the rifle on target. To some extent this can be addressed by placement of the front foot and handstop, but as others have pointed out, the kneeling roll is the major point of adjustment. (Some shooters, especially juniors, don't use a kneeling roll but sit on the side of their foot. I can't do it and would not recommend it.)

Make sure your kneeling roll has a zipper so you can change the amount of fill. Fill material is up to you. Hard plastic beads are great, polystyrene pellets compress and shoud be avoided. I use birdseed myself. I see lots of folks with rolled carpet pieces, but avoid these. They are either too hard (causing rocking and pressure points on the instep) or too soft (and compress too much over a string.) After that, it's just trial and controlled experimentation until you find the size that suits you best. Good luck!

Hi
I know a couple of guys who use rice.

Peeps

I have a question well we're on the topic of kneeling rolls. Where do you buy the plastic beads used to fill knelling rolls? My roll is currently filled with rubber and I need to change my fill but dont know where to get fill.
thank you!

I searched until I found a Tub-O-Beads. If you don't buy beads right, it'll cost you $40 to fill your roll. If you have a friend that works in plastic molding, then try to get a gallon or two of the raw plastic beads. I personally prefer the craft beads rather than the molding because of the added weight. Feels more stable.

As for the rice, I very much advise against it. Not a great thing for that to get wet (see Perry).

There is a Rule of Thumb for determining the thickness of the kneeling roll when kneeling on it.
After studying a lot of good tot top shooters (in the Netherlands), measuring their shoe size, shoezole length and the thickness of their kneeling roll when under pressure and at the point where the leg/foot rests on the roll (the shooter kneeling on it), we concluded there is a relationship between shoelength and roll thickness.

Thickness (in shooting position) = shoelength devided by 3.2

This is a rule of thumb and we use it only as a starting thickness. From there we start experimenting, making the roll thinner and thicker in small steps (1 or 2mm at a time). The best tickness produces the smallest and most round shaped groups on the target.

This rule of thumb has worked very well with all shooters I coach/train. Off course, the exact thickness depends on how you are build and shaped etc. like mentioned above.

There are 2 shooting positions: 1 low position (leaning forward) 1 upright position (sitting more upright) We found that, using the rule of thumb, resulted in a thickness of the kneeling rolls between both shooting positions. So, from the thickness determined by the rule of thumb you can experiment with a low position (making the roll thicker) or an upright position (making the roll thinner).

Good luck,
Albert B
(The Netherlands)

jgrinolds wrote:I have a question well we're on the topic of kneeling rolls. Where do you buy the plastic beads used to fill knelling rolls? My roll is currently filled with rubber and I need to change my fill but dont know where to get fill.
thank you!

See if there is a factory that does injection molding in your area.
If there is contact them.
Sometimes you can luck out and they spilled some.
once they hit the deck they sweep them up and junk them.
Tell them you need about 1 1/2 gallons and they may hook you up.

i've found when sorting out the kneeling roll many people do not pack enough material into the kneeling roll

when setting up into position ensure that you are sitting on the sole of your boot, it will take you weight and also because the pressure is going down the sole it releves your ankle of strain!!!

so work on getting your foot in the right place first then fill the roll to fit under your ankle so that it keeps the correct angle so you sit in the position with the weight going down your boot. make sure that the sole is touching the floor at the toes, not your toes!!! if that makes sence

Let me know if you need more elaboration


Michelle

TomN wrote: Hard plastic beads are great, polystyrene pellets compress and shoud be avoided.

I cannot agree to this, because I shot many, many years with polystyrene filling and know many shooters who use them without problems.They do not really compresse.
And there is one great plus: the weight to carry will be about 2kg less.

The diameter of the roll should be that size, that the shooters shoe tip squeezes the bottom and the sole curries the weight. Otherwise the body could seesaw over the roll.

A smaller, but fuller roll may be an advantage over a larger but part filled roll, who lies flat like a pillow.

Yes hard plastic beads are great, polystyrene pellets compress and shoud be avoided.

________________
Plastic training

I probably missed it, but, what do the rules allow for in a kneeling roll? Are there specific dimensions or thickness limits?

John

corning wrote:I probably missed it, but, what do the rules allow for in a kneeling roll? Are there specific dimensions or thickness limits?

John

7.4.7.11.4 Kneeling Roll
Only one cylindrically shaped roll is allowed for shooting in the kneeling position. The dimensions are a maximum of 25 cm long and 18 cm in diameter. It must be made of soft and flexible material. Binding or other devices to shape the roll are not permitted.