This article was originally written about the settings of FolloWing Complete hook system, but it applies to FolloWing and SteadyWing hook extensions, too.
Where should a person start with the adjustment or fitment of the hook to the shoulder? How should it feel? I would be shooting from the 3 traditional positions of standing, kneeling, and sitting on a cushion with the stock rested on the left knee. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
The general answer is that the best usage mode is where you hit the most targets :-)
Set the hook and the upper wing as close to each other as possible, but still comfortable to get in with your arm. The height of the whole hook system can be adjusted easily, usually you’ll have three different settings for the three positions, and also may need to change it for heavily inclined uphill/downhill shots. You may rotate the whole thing towards your body if it is better for you. Make experiments with different settings, but change only one setting at a time and watch the effects, and avoid the extreme positions. The FolloWing Complete hook system can be changed in many ways, I set it by default to a general position that fits to many shooters, but everybody is different.
- Sitting: the upper wing holds about 60-80% of the rifle’s weight, so the rifle hangs down from your shoulder. Height is ideal when your neck can stay relaxed, your face fits naturally on the cheek piece. The hook is used only to give the same position to your body when shouldering the rifle.
- Kneeling: almost all the weight hangs from the upper wing, the hook is usually 2-4 cm higher but this depends on your body proportions. When installed properly, your kneelers have to be almost as steady as your sitting shots.
- Standing: things change a bit for this position, the upper wing doesn’t take too much weight or won’t even touch your shoulder, the rifle’s weight pulls the nose down so the hook sits in your armpit and holds the rifle from falling forward.
More info about shooting positions and techniques can be found here: Updated BFTA Manuals (in many languages).
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