Learning from Biathletes

by
posted on February 18, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
zent2015_fs.jpg

Beyond marveling at their incredible toughness and athleticism, I have been intrigued by gun-handling skills demonstrated by many of the Olympic biathletes in Sochi. The way they transition their rifles from carry mode to shooting position is fluid and fast. The technique most often employed is to reach back with the strong hand, grab the barrel behind the rear sight, then pivot the butt around the shoulder while simultaneously pulling the muzzle forward toward the target banks. At that point they grip the fore-end with the weak hand, slide the strong hand to the pistol grip and shoulder the rifle, ready to shoot. Clearly it is a well-practiced sequence and the stiff double-shoulder harnesses used to carry the rifles while skiing facilitate the fast transition. When done right, the method eliminates unnecessary movement and delay, and prepares the biathletes to shoot in just a couple of seconds.

Based on indignant letters we receive whenever we show African PHs carrying their rifles muzzle forward, this technique probably sparks safety concerns in some viewers. The camera angles don’t make it perfectly clear exactly what’s downrange, but I am guessing muzzle control is tightly monitored, and in watching the broadcasts I have not observed incidents where a muzzle drifts back to the firing line.

As hunters, we don’t often need to deploy our rifles so swiftly from on-the-back carry, but such a scenario is not unthinkable for those pursuing high-country game. In some competitive disciplines or in real-life tactical shooting, however, this biathlon technique could definitely help rifleman succeed or even survive.

Latest

.308 Win.
.308 Win.

Handloads: A Quiet .308 Win. For Large-Format Pistols

Of the many commercial .308 Winchester loads, few, if any, are designed for barrels shorter than 16". The one that follows helps address this gap while remaining simple to suppress and light on the wrists.

Court Approves Watchtower Firearms DIP Financing

Watchtower Firearms was granted final approval for debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas in late June.

Review: Ruger LC Carbine In 10 mm Auto

Following the success of its .45 ACP-chambered LC Carbine, Ruger realized that this platform would go a long way toward making the 10 mm Auto more controllable and fun to shoot, and a new 10 mm version was released in 2024.

The Armed Citizen® July 14, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Favorite Firearms: A Little Stevens From Chicago

"Over the next five or six years, and before I went off to college, I fired hundreds and hundreds of rounds of .22 BB Caps, CB Caps, Shorts and Longs through this rifle."

Preview: Strike Industries T-Bone Charging Handle

The T-Bone from Strike Industries is an ideal fit for suppressed applications, as it can be configured by the user to redirect gas blowback entirely to either side ...

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.