Ok, for us who are frustrated, confused etc., I would appreciate some tips. Got a rifle. Want to test some loads. Don't want to spend $200.00 with a benchrest and leather bags. Have sandbags. 100 yards 18x quality scope. Benchrest technique? Tips? By no means it ain't a "piece of cake." I now really appreciate benchrest shooters!!! HELP!
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Now for Advice we can USE
- Thread starter RR
- Start date
Keep the barrel off the bags. Shoot the same way everytime. Don't squeeze the trigger 'til your ready. Put the rifle back on the bags the same way each time you shoot. Keep your hands off the front of the rifle. tuck your left hand back under the stock and hold the bag or the stock with it. Do it the same way each time. Breathing is just as important in bench bag shooting as it is in offhand. Use breath control. Squeeeeze. Did I mention doing it the same way each time?
The whole idea with the sandbags is to isolate the rifle from as much of your body as possible. Sounds dumb when you're holding onto the rifle but you do want to isolate that rifle from anything external.
That's the tricky part.
Set up the rifle on the bags (& what sensop says about no barrel contact), kinda stuff the rifle into the bags so when you look through the scope you have your proper sight picture. Get that sucker snugged in so when you hunker up, you don't disturb the sight picture.
Many use their off hand placed under the rear of the stock for very minute adjustments for elevation. As you barely squeeze your off hand in a fist, it will slightly lower your point of aim, etc.
Too, maybe try using your trigger finger & thumb the squeeze the trigger against the rear of the trigger guard rather than pulling on the trigger.
Breath control is critical obviously.
Lot's of dry firing practise. Maintain that sight picture through the whole dry fire & see what type of sight picture change you get when the firing pin drops. Adjust your techniques accordingly.
Get with somebody that's good at it & get some personal coaching.
Too, it might be better to start off with a really good, low caliber (minimal recoil) rifle so that any mistakes on your part will be attributed to you & not the rifle. The low caliber's nice because you don't get beat up trying to learn the techniques.
That's the tricky part.
Set up the rifle on the bags (& what sensop says about no barrel contact), kinda stuff the rifle into the bags so when you look through the scope you have your proper sight picture. Get that sucker snugged in so when you hunker up, you don't disturb the sight picture.
Many use their off hand placed under the rear of the stock for very minute adjustments for elevation. As you barely squeeze your off hand in a fist, it will slightly lower your point of aim, etc.
Too, maybe try using your trigger finger & thumb the squeeze the trigger against the rear of the trigger guard rather than pulling on the trigger.
Breath control is critical obviously.
Lot's of dry firing practise. Maintain that sight picture through the whole dry fire & see what type of sight picture change you get when the firing pin drops. Adjust your techniques accordingly.
Get with somebody that's good at it & get some personal coaching.
Too, it might be better to start off with a really good, low caliber (minimal recoil) rifle so that any mistakes on your part will be attributed to you & not the rifle. The low caliber's nice because you don't get beat up trying to learn the techniques.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
If you're talking about having a range at home, rather than going to a commercial range: I'm too lazy to make a prefab concrete slab for a table, or pour footings.
I've just used three and four cedar or treated 4X4 posts and a sturdy table-top. A sheet of old used 1/2" plywood, cut in half and doubled; glued and screwed together. The key is angle braces from the top of one post to the bottom of another--even old, used 1X4s will do. Use deck paint against weathering; put an old blanket across the top to protect against splinters...Cheap and easy.
Sandbags? Scrounge some of those plastic zipper bags from your friendly local bank...Don't fill them too full. A piece of 4X4 block under the front bag will help with alignment of the rifle, generally...
The actual shooting advice, above, is as good as any!
Have fun, Art
[This message has been edited by Art Eatman (edited April 27, 2000).]
I've just used three and four cedar or treated 4X4 posts and a sturdy table-top. A sheet of old used 1/2" plywood, cut in half and doubled; glued and screwed together. The key is angle braces from the top of one post to the bottom of another--even old, used 1X4s will do. Use deck paint against weathering; put an old blanket across the top to protect against splinters...Cheap and easy.
Sandbags? Scrounge some of those plastic zipper bags from your friendly local bank...Don't fill them too full. A piece of 4X4 block under the front bag will help with alignment of the rifle, generally...
The actual shooting advice, above, is as good as any!
Have fun, Art
[This message has been edited by Art Eatman (edited April 27, 2000).]
Use the bags to achieve elevation so you dont have to disturb the forearm of the rifle, use the bag under the pistolgrip or portion of the rear of the stock to help adjust the elevation, by squeezing it with the hand you have under there.....put your cheek on the rifle at the same place every time if possible (and it should be), look through the center of the eye...one otherthing the whole set upis like "building blocks", you want the table high enuf that you can sit comfortably, and use the bags to adjust the height of the firearm accordingly, also use a spotting scope set so that you dont have to completely "reset" every time.....at least that is what works for me, everyone is different...fubsy.
[This message has been edited by fubsy (edited April 27, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by fubsy (edited April 27, 2000).]