TargetTalk

If the leather type shooting jackets and trousers give an advantage (they must as everyone uses them), what is that advantage over not using them?

Well most people don't actually use full leather clothes, usually it is a mixture of both canvas and leather. Usually the canvas is used in the areas that need the most support and/or do not have to bend alot (ie. the back, the straight parts of the arms etc.) and leather in the areas that do need to bend or where more movement is needed.

Often the full canvas clothes can restrict your movement or even fight your position when you are shooting in certain positions. But this rigidity and restriction can be helpful when the jacket is designed for a single position, especially standing.

The full-leather jackets on the other hand are very comfortable and allow a lot of movement. Some prone-only shooters also prefer the leather only jackets because the areas where the jacket usually provide the most support (the upper-arms and shoulders) are usually leather anyway and you need movement in those areas.

So the short of it is that if you are only shooting standing then full double canvas may be a good choice for you if you really like the stiffness. If you are only going to shoot prone then you may find that leather is better for you, though a lot of prone shooters also use the mixed canvas/leather for a bit of extra stiffness in the arms and back area. If you are going to shoot 3 position mixed canvas/leather is the usual choice as it is easier for your body to fit the gear in different positions and you still get the support when shooting standing.

All that said; to each there own, there are plenty of shooters who don't shoot with the norm and don't feel restricted by it.

The international rules say that the jacket must hang loose. If this is the case, why wear one? I thought the jacket was to help the rifle shooter find bone to bone contact and reduce the pulse. Maybe I'm getting NRA High Power mixed up with International.

Jackets are to provide support and prevent the elbows from slipping. As for reduction of pulse, that is a new one that I have never heard of before.....if anything reduces the pulse it would be what you wear under the jacket that would assist.

In the first post, there was a statement about the "jacket must hang loose". For international competitions, there are specific rules with regards to the fit of jackets, how tight they are to the torso, etc. The international style of jacket is significantly different from an NRA highpower style coat that has straps, etc. that effectively form a corset.

One of the main differences between the two is that you can shoot ANY rifle discipline with a properly fitting ISU coat and be legal.....but that is not true w/ a highpower style coat.

The advantage of NOT using the canvas pants and coat? You don't sweat as much.....

Padding and anti slip at elbows and shoulder are understood. But to shroud and strap the body in stiffer than needed clothing, doesn't that amount to artificial support? In high power and smallbore.

jackh wrote:But to shroud and strap the body in stiffer than needed clothing, doesn't that amount to artificial support?

You could probably make a case that most everyday clothing provides some degree of artificial support. The ISSF rifle clothing rules make some attempt at defining how much support is acceptable.