I "cant" fight it anymore!

[EricP]

I have been shooting NRA prone for about two years now. I feel I have been fighting a natural tendency to cant the rifle to the left ( I am right handed) the whole time. I guess initially I thought that it was a position flaw that needed to be corrected. The fact is that when I try to hold the rifle perfectly vertical my position feels weak and wants to fall to the right and I my neck has a lot of tension in it to get my head behind the sights.

After watching footage of some World Cup and Olympic matches I noticed that a lot of the top shooters cant the rifle. So I assume it is an acceptable prone position.

My hold in prone is pretty good but think the movement in my hold comes from the tension in my neck. I experimented yesterday with a telescopic sight with about a 10 degree cant and my hold benefited greatly. My neck was less tense and my position felt much more solid.

I am concerned now about how to repeat the same amount of cant throughout a match. With a scope I have decided to just turn the scope in the rings so the crosshairs are level when I cant the rifle. My question is what to do when I shoot metallic sights. I do not want to use a spirit level since it is prohibited.

What are others ways canting shooters verify cant angle without using a level?

I know I do not shoot ISSF competitions but for some reason I feel like I should at least play by those rules. With the exception of when I shoot with a scope all my equipment is ISSF legal. Same reason I play by all the rules in golf even though I am not on the PGA.

[David Levene]

II do not want to use a spirit level since it is prohibited.

What are others ways canting shooters verify cant angle without using a level?

I know I do not shoot ISSF competitions but for some reason I feel like I should at least play by those rules. With the exception of when I shoot with a scope all my equipment is ISSF legal.

Unless you are talking about Air Rifle or 300m Standard Rifle, spirit levels are perfectly legal under ISSF rules.

[EricP]

Oops! I guess I was looking in the section about 300m and air rifles. I guess I get a spirit level.

EricP

[Tim S]

Eric,

there is nothing wrong with a moderate inwards cant to the rifle. Lots of shooters do this, mostly to rotate the sightline closer to their aiming eye, but also it can be more comfortable on the supporting hand/arm if the stock is wider.

as David said, spirit levels are perfectly legal for smallbore. Other ways are level bars on the foresight tunnel, either as part of the element, or separate.

[bpscCheney]

I find that so long as the shooter is comfortable and relaxed the position is usually stable enough to perform well. In my case I have a slight outward cant in prone, standing, and kneeling. I have been told I have the most bizarre positions that my coach has ever seen but I cannot contort myself enough to make any of the other ones fit. (Opposite cant in all positions, high power style kneeling, too narrow of a standing stance.) Again just my humble opinion.

[JH]

I have been canting my rifle to the left (also right handed) for the last 13 years, easily between 30% and 40% cant. Every time I experimented to lessen the cant, I ended up with strain in my neck and a position that is not comfortable for me.

I don't think that canting the rifle is a problem, but your consistency of the cant. I read a technical article a few years ago that scientifically tested the impact of the small-bore projectile at 50 meters. They concluded that a difference in cant of 4 degrees or more will displace the impact of the bullet. In my opinion, it would be very difficult to discern a 4 degree variation without the use of a spirit level.

[gstarik]

Outward cant is ok. I shoot myself with an outward cant,and I know many top level shooters which do it. The inward cant is more common,but any cant should be consistent. Just use a spirit level.
Guy.