Spot weld, cheek weld, stock weld

Gene L

IIRC, when I was in Basic training, we were taught the "spot weld." Which meant to hold the M 14 rifle so your thumb wrapped around the wrist, and your cheek went up hard against this thumb. This had two benefits: first, it insured that you always positioned your rifle in the same way, and second, that your head would recoil with the rifle, keeping you on the rear sight and making follow-up shots quick.

Then, IIRC, there was the M 16 and it was a stock weld, since you can't wrap your thumb around the M 16. You just touched the stock at the same place. Then was the cheek weld, which may be the same thing, but it may be where you put your cheek on a scoped rifle, same ever time.

I was thinking that those who get bitten by a scope might try a spot weld if you can get one. Howsabout that?

breamfisher

Someone, I think it's Kyle Lamb, Larry Vickers, or someone like that puts a glob of epoxy putty where his nose should go. Touch nose to epoxy and have proper eye relief.

bisley

I guess I must be a cheek weld kind of guy, having never been trained properly in the more modern methods. It's just something I do naturally, having been taught by pretty good WWII marksmen and Depression-era squirrel hunters, whose only bench shooting tips were about breathing, sight picture and getting comfortable enough to keep the trigger pull as efficient as possible. I'm sure they probably mentioned this - I just don't remember a lot of focus on it.

I've always used over-the-counter rifles and shotguns, in a variety of different styles, and while I shoot a little better than average when my inconsistent eyesight will allow it, I might actually be able to break into a higher circle of competency if I paid a little more attention to this aspect of shooting fundamentals. I'll try to remember to be more aware of this next time I'm trying to shoot groups. I could actually be doing it 'kind of right,' without even realizing it.

orchidman

Spot weld, cheek weld, stock weld, Tuesday Weld

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnNcwsm2SBA

Razorbacker

bisley wrote: »

I guess I must be a cheek weld kind of guy, having never been trained properly in the more modern methods. It's just something I do naturally, having been taught by pretty good WWII marksmen and Depression-era squirrel hunters, whose only bench shooting tips were about breathing, sight picture and getting comfortable enough to keep the trigger pull as efficient as possible. I'm sure they probably mentioned this - I just don't remember a lot of focus on it.

I've always used over-the-counter rifles and shotguns, in a variety of different styles, and while I shoot a little better than average when my inconsistent eyesight will allow it, I might actually be able to break into a higher circle of competency if I paid a little more attention to this aspect of shooting fundamentals. I'll try to remember to be more aware of this next time I'm trying to shoot groups. I could actually be doing it 'kind of right,' without even realizing it.

Do you have a nice front rest and rear bag? I didn't til recently. Sand bags had always been fine with me but I bought the real thing to better teach my wife the fundamentals. But I tried it first and I couldn't believe it. Not Ernie/Zee/$1000 nice, I bought a Caldwell. I'd been reading those two's posts and I couldn't believe it. I found myself thinking I could squeeze one off between heart beats. It is that solid.

Ernie Bishop

When field shooting, you can get into really weird positions to where you are holding a gun in a very non-conventional way (rifle or specialty pistol).
With a SP there is definitely no cheek weld. In other words, it is not required to be accurate. Correct parallax adjustment and having a slight dark ring evenly on the outside edge of the ocular will keep your eye centered. Not getting into the gun helps. Also learning how your gun shoots when you really do get into your gun. Is there a difference? Does one way work better for you or not with that particular gun?
Long story short...Shooting from all kinds of positions can teach you a lot about your gun and your ability when shooting field positions.

bisley

Razorbacker wrote: »

Do you have a nice front rest and rear bag? I didn't til recently. Sand bags had always been fine with me but I bought the real thing to better teach my wife the fundamentals. But I tried it first and I couldn't believe it. Not Ernie/Zee/$1000 nice, I bought a Caldwell. I'd been reading those two's posts and I couldn't believe it. I found myself thinking I could squeeze one off between heart beats. It is that solid.

Yes - probably something similar to what you describe, although some of my more precise groups came from shooting my varmint-style AR from a cheap bipod, using my balled fist on a low bag for the rear rest. More like field shooting than bench shooting, but still yielding under 0.5 MOA (100 yards) from a DPMS 20" heavy barrel. I attribute this more to the decent trigger (RRA national match), minimal recoil, a good hand load with match bullets, and virtually no wind, than to my low end bench equipment. As far as cheek weld, I have no formula - I just stabilize my head in the right place to get the eye relief right, by resting my cheek against the stock.

Jayhawker

Ernie Bishop wrote: »

When field shooting, you can get into really weird positions to where you are holding a gun in a very non-conventional way (rifle or specialty pistol).
With a SP there is definitely no cheek weld. In other words, it is not required to be accurate. Correct parallax adjustment and having a slight dark ring evenly on the outside edge of the ocular will keep your eye centered. Not getting into the gun helps. Also learning how your gun shoots when you really do get into your gun. Is there a difference? Does one way work better for you or not with that particular gun?
Long story short...Shooting from all kinds of positions can teach you a lot about your gun and your ability when shooting field positions.

This :that:...A few years back I was hunting with an AR and I got pinned by a deer (a big doe) kinda behind me and off to one side...she knew I was there, but wasn't sure exactly what I was, so she just stood there alternating between blowing, stomping and feeding... the shot I ended up taking was wrong-handed with the rifle canted almost 90 degrees - something I never would have done with a traditional rifle.... put the bullet right where I intended and she expired on the spot. I had been experimenting with unconventional shooting positions and felt very confident taking the shot.