Shooting Jacket

[Lilorfnannie]

I'll stick this in "General Discussion" since it's shooting-related-

Newbie question:

Let me get this straight- the main difference between a regular jacket and a shooting jacket is the shooting jacket has a big pad on the shoulder to absorb recoil, and maybe big pockets to hold more ammo? And that's all? Besides the $200+ price difference??

So if I take a ladies' L.L. Bean denim barn jacket and put a recoil patch on it (like I saw a neoprene one just for this purpose on the Cabela's site for $10) then I'm good to go??

And since I'm good with sewing I could enclose the patch in a color-coordinated denim fabric, sew a few strategic, inconspicuous clear buttons on the jacket, and sew some matching buttonholes on the patch cover and button the thing in place- thereby rendering the jacket dual-purpose.......

yeah? Or what other mods would I need?

 

[PatMcD]

Well, if you look at this picture:
http://www.creedmoorsports.com/stor...dmoor Deluxe OD Green Canvas Shooting.&area=C
You'll see there is quite a bit of difference.
The adjustable straps in front to really tighten the coat on to you, rubber pads on shoulder, elbows, and bicepts so the rifle sling, and your elbows don't slide around.
Pockets for ammo are not necessary.

I've seen home-made shooting coats, but was never really impressed by them. An LLBean barn coat has got to be $100 anyway (if that is your starting point).

Think of it like this:
A well-constructed shooting coat (Creedmore Hardback) is like standing up inside a metal culvert.
Using a canvas barn coat would be like standing up inside overcooked macaroni.

 

[Jasper]

what do you plan on using it for?

im using a borrowed (from the club's junior rifle program) ChampionsChoice canvas jacket right now, but have a Creedmoor hardback on order (should be shipping in 4-5 weeks).

the pad on the shoulder isnt so much for recoil. it's more for getting a solid weld between the buttstock of your rifle and your shoulder. Creedmoor/Champion'sChoice jackets are set up for target shooting (be it HighPower, F-Class/match rifle, smallbore, etc).

if you're looking for something to help ease the recoil a bit, spend $50 on a recoil pad/harness and use it with any old jacket you already have....because $200-$500 for a competition grade shooting jacket would be a waste of money.


if you shoot highpower (or any variance of target rifle shooting), then a creedmoor jacket will make a SIGNIFICANT difference. hell my scores went up ~ 35-40 points even using a borrowed jacket that doesnt fit me quite right. consider it an investment in your career in competition

 

[Admin]

Think of it like this:
A well-constructed shooting coat (Creedmore Hardback) is like standing up inside a metal culvert.
Using a canvas barn coat would be like standing up inside overcooked macaroni.

+1 As with most shooting equipment, you get what you pay for.

 

[Jose]

Are you talking about a rifle shooting jacket or a vest for shotgun sports?

 

[Lilorfnannie]

Well I got the L.L. Bean barn jacket at the thrift store for $15 I don't see myself paying $200+ for a shooting coat- I didn't even pay that much for my ankle-length, L. L. Bean super-warm down coat that I've had for several winters-

Those are all good things to know, thank you all for the info-

What I want to use it for is Appleseed, and general-purpose training in that same vein. Not up for competition, not at this point It said on the Appleseed website that a shooting jacket is helpful- but not necessary.

Those jackets just mentioned look nothing like the ones I saw on Cabela's website (clickyclicky), that's what got me to thinking it wouldn't be so hard to make that.

Now I looked at the Creedmoor site and those are a different item altogether. I'd have to look at one in person but outside of leather (I don't have a machine that will sew leather) I don't see why I couldn't do that myself. I'm handy with a sewing machine. Maybe I'd change my mind if I saw one.

 

[JohnFH]

A "Shooting Coat", is the specialized competition jacket. They are designed to help increase accuracy.

The "Shooting Jackets" in your link are just jackets that someone labeled "Shooting Jacket" as a marketing thing. The only way these will help your accuracy, is by keeping you a little warmer at the range so you don't shiver when you shoot.

If your looking for recoil reduction in rifles, use a recoil absorbing butt pad. It's helpful to get one that is fitted for your length of pull.

 

[Jose]

Those jackets just mentioned look nothing like the ones I saw on Cabela's website (clickyclicky), that's what got me to thinking it wouldn't be so hard to make one.

Those jackets are for wingshooting.

 

[Lilorfnannie]

What is wingshooting please?

And thank you John- O.k., no, I don't know that I'm looking for recoil reduction per se, I thought that was what the shoulder pad was all about. Since it was said that it was more for helping the rifle stay in place then hey that's it then-

 

[JohnFH]

wingshooting=skeet/trap/bird shooting

 

[Cabinetman]

Shooting Coats are designed specifically for competitive shooting sports like Highpower competitions. They require a LOT of practice to use properly and can't just be slapped on to make you "shoot better". IT's used primarily for "off-hand" standing position where your body must be held straight and stiff in order for you to be accurate at long distances. They take some of the strain of standing stock-still while trying to aim.

If you've never shot competitively, you won't understand their use until you do. I'd recommend that you simply attend a sanctioned contest to see them in action. Then you'll understand their use. They are NOT meant to simply dampen recoil. And, the pocket isn't used for "spare ammo". Once you've planted your feet, you can not move again unless you want to ruin your stance. So, having ten rounds in a holder in that pocket allows you to shoot the 10 rounds, one at a time, in your Garand, 03A3, or AR over the required time of 10 or 20 minutes. It's one of the hardest things to do competitively, imho. Standing there really takes a toll on your back and that coat will help you a lot. They are made from all types of materials but the best ones are heavy, leather jobs with thick felt linings that are very stiff. You button up in one of those like wearing a girdle it's that tight. In many cases, shooters will even wear a sweatshirt under them to keep their body temps up (in cooler climates). In hot climates (like Camp Perry in the Summer) I wear Underarmor cool shirts to keep me from fainting!

So, shooting coats are really special tools to put a good edge on your shooting skills in competitions. Like the other posters have said, a shooting "jacket" is a fashion statement, nothing more.

Yes, those targets are a long way off!

 

[PatMcD]

annie, if you do go ahead and make your own, please post pics when you're done. I for one would be interested to see what you do

 

[bpm990d]

Here is a picture of some guys with homemade shooting coats. Gotta love the coach in the middle with a tie on. Can you imagine wearing a tie at Camp Perry in August.

B

 

[Cabinetman]

Here's a more "modern" look. This young lady out shot most of the men and had perfect form. It's great to see such a diversity of shooters on the line.

Rome

 

[packingungal]

Like those pics Cabinetman!!

 

[Lilorfnannie]

That was all really interesting, thanks-

Making a competition shooting jacket does sound like a huge, complicated job. But I priced the leather, stiff ones like mentioned and that is in the $300-$400+ range!!! If I decide I want one like that then it might be worth making it. Except like I said it would have to be denim or that heavy nylon stuff, my machines don't do leather. You know how you make a stiff padding in it? You take the shell sections, put all the outside buckles or whatever on, then sew the pieces together, and you include a "pocket" for the stiff panels. You slide the stiff stuff in and sew the pocket closed. Or, you quilt it in the section before you sew it together. It is possible- sounds less likely though-

Thanks for the info everyone & love the pictures

 

[Cabinetman]

Well, before you try to undertake reinventing the wheel, you might look on eBay and also at websites from Champion and others. I just checked and did a search for "shooting coat" on eBay and there are about 1/2 dozen including a leather one for about $50 right now . Size is important! Measure your chest and add an inch or two and buy that size.

There are also a lot of places that sell used ones for well below original prices, many times as much as 1/2 off. Maybe the shooter out-grew his coat or gave up high-power shooting. In any event, you can most certainly find one out there for about $100-$150 if you look hard enough.

Also, if you're looking to just "get-into" this aspect of the hobby, you can purchase a more simple one. Even CMP sells the canvas model that will do the job. I used one like that for a couple of years successfully. Put it this way, a better coat wouldn't have improved my scores but they did stiffen up my stance and lead me to improve my equipment as time went on. You also see similar coats here:

http://www.creedmoorsports.com/store/home.php?cat=249

How can you go wrong spending $75 or even $125 to find out you like doing this? Also, you'll notice at meets that the shooters use roll-out mats to lay on. They do two things. They provide a clean surface for you to work on and also keep dirt from flying up on you upon shooting.

A properly stocked high-power shooter will have his coat, matt, a collapsable stool that has a bellows pocket below for misc. equipment, a timer (because you'll want to know how much time has elapsed while shooting) and a water bottle because you can easily get dehydrated. All of that plus your rifle and ammo makes for a bit of gear to haul to the line and setup. Many guys have designed inventive carriers to get them back and forth. At Camp Perry, the walk to the line is about a mile.....no kidding. After a few hundred yards you'll wish you had something with wheels.

Oh, don't forget an 'empty chamber" flag. Most places require them.

Sorry for being so long. It would be best if you could team up with someone in your area who has done this. For me it was really intimidating the first time I went to a contest. All those guys knew what they were doing and I was fumbling around like a...well.....newbie. But after a couple of times, you get more confident and can concentrate on your shooting more than setting up and finding your stuff.

Rome

 

[Lilorfnannie]

No it wasn't long at all, don't apologize Thank you for the info- all excellent stuff & I appreciate it!!