Training Without a Jacket

[mtncwru]

My shooting coat is back in Germany for a couple more weeks, and my plans to borrow one have fallen through. I tried training wearing an extra sweatshirt and tightening my sling down as much as I can, but it still slips down badly. Does anyone have any ideas on how to keep my sling in place on my arm better until my jacket gets back?

[DLS]

Sew a large button on the sweatshirt sleeve, you can remove it later.

A large safety pin can work too Either pin a loop of webbing to act as a sling loop or just wedge the sling down on top of the pin.

Not too fancy, but quick and easy and will work in a pinch.

[mtncwru]

Thanks, DLS. I tried the pin, but it sagged pretty bad. I hadn't thought of pinning a piece of webbing in place; I'll give that a try next.

[Ulrich Eichstädt]

You have to fix the safety-pin deeper, through the skin... ;)

(sorry, couldn't resist...)

[mtncwru]

You have to fix the safety-pin deeper, through the skin... ;)

I'll tell my girlfriend to bring over her industrial staple gun :-)

[RobStubbs]

I would suggest you try training something else other than prone rifle shooting. Training is meant to reinforce what you do, or to train specific elements to strengthen them. By trying to bodge together a sling fastening you're acheiving neither. I'd suggest you could try shooting with the gun rested (on something like a sandbag) if you really 'need' to shoot something, otherwise train something else. There's a whole raft of physical and mental exercises you could do whilst you're without a jacket for a couple of weeks.

Rob.

[metermatch]

I'm with Rob on this one. You don't want to learn new bad habits. But you may be able to use it for mental training, getting into position, and learning to feel what your body is doing, and learning to train your body to relax, and be able to know when it isn't relaxed. With a coat, you may have been masking problems you didn't have.

Standing may be an eye opening experience without the coat. You should really be able to feel your body and the status of your muscles.

Jeff