I'm reading about the need for a shooting jacket and glove....all of which are intended to diminish the direct contact between the shooter's body and the weapon thereby (in theory) reducing input to weapon from one's heartbeat, breathing, twitching etc.....

So...an informal survey request:

Do you shoot in a vest?

Do you shoot with a glove?

What category shooter are you?

I'm curious as to how beneficial a shooting jacket that admits a 4" PVC pipe through the back can be!!!!

I didn't see anything in the rules about not being able to shoot naked...

I just started wearing a vest this year and it does make some difference. Even loose it helps stabilize just a little, and seems to have helped me become more consistent. It hasn't helped me to a new a personal best but it does seem to help me shoot class more consistently.

The vest is for shouldering the rifle and minimizing heartbeat effect. The 4" pipe is not supposed to be beneficial it is supposed to make sure its not cinching the shooter upright for support. The vest must hang somewhat loosely on your body. You can't use any gloves or jackets so save your money for the vest. I'll be getting one soon, tried a few and can tell it will be worth it to have, plus they are so fashionable

Dee


No naked shoots please.. Think of the children..

I wouldn't even shoot naked at my house with the mosquitos around here

Good point about the skeeters, Dee - they were trying to carry us off last night, clothes and all! I personally would never attend a naked shoot - some of us look bad enough covered up...

Irish764:
One accessory you will need is a shell deflector for that auto.

Irish,
The shooting jackets and gloves commonly used in prone/position matches are not allowed in silhouette. Either IMHSA or NRA versions, which brings up a comment in another thread about hunter weights, that is the primary difference between NRA and IMHSA rules is rifle weight allowances.
The shooting vests that are allowed in silhouette do have to be loose enough for a 4" PVC to placed between the closed vest and the shooter, I have unfortunealy seen this rule randomally enforced and rarley challenged. THere were certainly violations to this rule at the 2007 Nationals. As for gloves, the clothing should be whatever is acceptable for the weather conditions, I have seen this over enforced at a national match in PA one year where the temp was in the low 60's F, cold for many southern people who were wearing light sweatshirts. It was taken to the point of requiring an individual wearing a longlsleeve t'shirt (former skin cancer patient) remove his long sleeve shirt. My point being that clothing to fit the weather can be a personal thing and recently is mostly up to the people shooting at the time. Typically you do not see anyone wearing gloves as if it that cold usually there is snow thus making it difficult to find the hit targets etc. although I am sure there are times that some shooters do wear them.

As for the vests I personally use a Hardscrabbel Mnt vest but I have seen everything from homemade cloth to Browning shotgun...whatever you are comfortable with and falls within the rules as far as fit and support is fine.
It will help reduce the visual parts of heartrate showing up in the scope at the very least and if nothing else build the mental part of the game. Typically a shooter will be more consistant and usually gain an average of 2 to 4 points when adding a vest to the gear used.

Mary

BTW my class if I have any is AAA standard and Master in hunter.

Innocent Mary

The shooting jacket has helped me with both stability and proper gun positioning.
The pockets for mags and ammo and other stuff also helps.
Keeps your head more relaxed because you know where you magazines are, your scope covers don't get left behind.... Keeps your heart rate steady and not racing when you try to look for your shooting stuff and you do not have pocktes for them.

I personally think that it will make NOT about 10 to 15 points difference but it sure helps in the over all schem of things.

Perhaps some of the vest violations were in spec when the user purchased a vest years ago and have since become out of spec as the users dimensions have changed.


Dee

Mary, you liked my Browning Vest? Doesn't it go well with my Range Safety Officer hat? Oh, that's right, Gary traded me for it. I'll have to find a new vest that doesn't clash.

A little secret about that vest. I have the felt pad out of a small bore position coat sewed into the shoulder. In my case it does insulate against the pulse effect as well as reducing the heart rate caused by missing magazines, ammo boxes, etc.

It isn't tight but it would be interesting to learn what a tight coat might be good for. I've read some of David Tubb's remarks on offhand position and his is dependant on his coat for support. Since it's it's not allowed in our sport I guess I'll have to continue to work on balance instead.

Dave,
The position jackets (different from a vest as they have sleeves), do offer some support from both having the sleeves and most have a more form fitting cut, they are designed to be tight thus the use of tow or three sweatshirts under them at times. The result is more like a stright jacket with the arm positions in a conformity that can be used to shoot.

As for the outgrowing the vests, Dee, several of the vests that I was referring to at the nationals were clearly new homemade vests. My biggest complaint about that is the inconsistancy enforcing the rules. I can honestly say that the current vest I am using is smaller than my first vest, only because I ws not measured at the time and needed it in less than two weeks, thus the multi-colors which has now become popular. It still has enough adjustment to accept a 4" PVC pipe.


Browning makes nice vests Dave, and come on when does the hat have to match the socks????

Mary