AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Black Powder Shooting => Topic started by: Roger B on September 21, 2025, 08:26:06 PM
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Not to start an argument, but I try to wear a glove on my support (left) hand due to my offhand position. I use a palm up up position & hold far back towards the lock. This often results in a "stingy owie" (as my patients would call it) sometimes with flit & most of the 1075 plus caps. Pop a 1075 plus in the dark & see what I mean. It will definitely make you consistently wear shooting glasses! The glove is just there to protect my fingers & doesn't offer any assistance to my shooting otherwise. I know the NMLRA rules specify that the rifle must only be supported by the hands & a shoulder, but does anybody know about a specific call on this. If not, I will have to change position after 50 yrs of shooting. On second thought, I can probably miss equally well in any position!
Roger B.
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We had one Alberta club put on a match at Rendezvous B.C., who stated offhand meant off the hands. Elbow resting against the ribs or waist was not allowed.
Here is the position he explained and is the position Taylor and I use. I do not "see" a reason for not allowing a glove or shooting mit. When I shot with the mitt,
I was long enough in the body, I made a fist and rested the forend on my padded knuckles. That position might not protect the fingers.
Taylor's 1853 Joseph Lang 16 bore
(https://i.ibb.co/wrb3Rckc/100-7211.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Z1wtV2j2)
My "English" 14 bore
(https://i.ibb.co/99QBSb6n/aiming.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fYjZLkfM)
Disregard the sling and hand stop. 2 Shooting Mitts.
(https://i.ibb.co/qFMCdDxT/Anschutz-Sling-handstop-nd-mitts.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tPMz4H3V)
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So technically, if "offhand" meant "off the hands"; can we assume that the butt of the rifle cannot touch the shoulder either?..... ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
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The gun has a butt plate, thus is shot off the shoulder, not the butt.
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Any club can make any rules for informal matches.
From the NMLRA rule book:
5610–OFFHAND POSITION
Standing on both feet, with no other portion of the body
touching the ground or any other supporting surface. The rifle
will be supported by both hands and one shoulder only. The
rifle must lie in the palm of the forward hand.
Since it must be shot with the palm on the stock a glove is a no-no? Also not allowed are finger tips or a fist as used in other disciplines.
Also of interest:
2350–SHOOTING JACKETS
Shooting jackets up to and including a large- or small-bore
jacket of standard weight will be allowed in all matches except
musket matches or as otherwise stated for a particular match.
Leather or international cinch type jackets are not allowed.
As to the elbow issue, it says nothing about your elbow may not touch your torso. I'd have a very serious problem with someone that tried to enforce something so ridiculous a real match. And for most us us the elbow does not touch anyway, the back of the upper arm does. The point is mute. Holding the forend way out is bad form and will hurt your accuracy. You want structural support from bones, not muscles.
My club shoots NMLRA aggregates. Nobody uses jackets or gloves. If legal that may explain why I struggle with the ML and not with service rifle. With my jacket and glove I's probably add 10% to my ML scores.