Knuckle Whacking

jake99

New member
Shooting from a rest I keep getting my middle finger knuckle whacked by the back of the trigger guard. I avoid it by pushing forward on the fore-grip with my left hand, but I figure that's developing another bad habit trying to get rid of the first one. Is this a common ailment? I'm new to shooting from a rest, and I bought a cheap one that maybe is putting my hand in a bad position, but I figured I'd post a ? before trying something else. This is how I usually end up, with my hand on the rear support:
 

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I guess that you'd need to grip more tightly with your right hand so that it moves back with the rifle during recoil. Basically, what seems to be happening now is that your grip is loose enough that it allows the stock to slide back and bring the trigger guard into contact.
 
Thanks Art, that's something that should have been obvious but I probably wouldn't have thought of. I've been moving the rest all over the place with every shot trying to figure it out..
 
I remember bruises on my finger from the guard. My first experiences with shotguns helped me develop and learn to keep a tight grip, but it was also due to an unstable position and not mitigating the recoil efficiently.
 
Grip the grip area tightly and pull the rifle back tightly into your shoulder. You are gripping too loosely and letting the rifle recoil freely against your shoulder.

Either that, or buy an economy-size box of knuckle band-aids. Your choice.;)
 
Does that rest hold the stock or are you putting the butt against your shoulder?

If it does, personally, I would go with sandbags and put the stock in my shoulder. That way you can pull the butt tightly into your shoulder.
 
I shoulder it in the rest, the rear support is in my hand there in the pic. With progressives shots, the gun moves back until it ends up like that. I'm ending up moving it around a lot to get the rifle back forward. I haven't been clamping the front much since the folded bayonet is in the clamp, maybe adding to the problem.
Ordered sandbag rests today.
 
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