Fighting Stance – the best way to describe this position is to say that you step into it. Your left foot (assuming you’re right-handed) is out in front by a stride and slightly to the left of your right foot (i.e. your right foot isn’t directly behind your left foot). Lean into your leading foot a little. Your feet should be no more than shoulder-width together and don’t lock your knees! Allow your elbows to point out at a slight angle. Don’t hang around, the key to consistent, accurate shooting from a standing position is to get into that position quickly and fire.
, First Target Position – with this popular stance, your feet will be side-on to the target (so you’re facing 90 degrees away from it) with your hip leaning slightly towards it. This will cause your skeleton to take most of the load, rather than your muscles. Your left arm is doing all the work here really but that still shouldn’t be much as it’s just taking the weight of your rifle. The rifle should ideally be resting on your left hand, which is flat. Your right hand is only used for pulling the trigger.
Classic Sitting Position – sit, if possible, with your backside raised a little. Either on a smooth rock or a bag. You don’t have to but I find it does make it a little easier to shoot if you do this. Use your feet to stabilize yourself, weight on your heels, knees bent, making a nice 45-degree angle from the floor.
Half-Kneeling – another very popular position is when your right knee is kneeling but your left foot is planted in the ground ahead of you. Your left elbow rests on your left leg and your backside is sitting on the heel of your right foot. This can be a bit uncomfortable for some so you may want to consider putting a jumper between your backside and your heel to make things a bit comfier for you.
