I can see how it would be cool to try to be really accurate and precise, but it just doesn't seem practical. If you really need to use the rifle to hunt or for whatever reason, I doubt people will be using vice grips. I've never seen a sniper using one of those. I just don't really see what the point is and it seems really boring. How can someone even say they shot really good if they're not even really shooting. They just clamp the rifle down, aim for the bulls eye and pull the trigger ...
Why Do People Benchrest Shoot?
- Thread starter AlBundy
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1. It is a good test of the abilities of your equipment instead of your own abilities. (You can see if your $2000 rifle really is half-MOA accurate, even if you aren't)
2. Some people don't use their firearms to hunt, and feel it is fun to be incredibly precise.
3. It helps handloaders see if their new load actually makes a difference.
4. Some people are plagued by perfectionism.
5. Taking the shooter out of the equation means that money spent will pretty directly affect performance.
6. A used $200 rifle will kill a deer the same as a multi thousand dollar custom rifle, and the deer will never know the difference. For some, it's just about pride.
Need I go on?
2. Some people don't use their firearms to hunt, and feel it is fun to be incredibly precise.
3. It helps handloaders see if their new load actually makes a difference.
4. Some people are plagued by perfectionism.
5. Taking the shooter out of the equation means that money spent will pretty directly affect performance.
6. A used $200 rifle will kill a deer the same as a multi thousand dollar custom rifle, and the deer will never know the difference. For some, it's just about pride.
Need I go on?
I have a KIDD 10/22 with 36X scope and forearm benchrest adaptor that is benchrest only. I have others that are multi-purpose and can be used for anything. I have to say the bench rifle is hands down my favorite to shoot and has been the most fun to "tune" every bit of accuracy out of it. I used to think that benchrest shooting was easy but after I tried it, I found that wasn't the case. It takes tons of testing and tweaking to get everything out of a rifle. It's also not as simple as clamping it in and pulling the trigger and BAM! You hit the bullseye. Reading the wind, mirage etc. is what separates winning benchrest shooters and the losers. I'm not near skilled enough yet to compete but with A LOT of practice and $$ invested, I hope to be someday(with a more capable rifle).
Okay I see what you guys are saying. It does have it's purpose but I think if someone is using anything more then a bipod then they aren't even shooting anymore. It will just come done to who has the better equipment. I think that competitions should be judging skill, not the size of peoples wallets. They should just hand everyone the same exact rifle and setup and see who's actually better. I Don't mean to start any crap but it just freaks me out when I see that at the range. I just think to myself what's the point.
EDIT: ^ Nice rifle. I guess I'm a little biased because I'll never be able to afford a $2000 rifle. Even if I could I'd probably spend it on ammo and other goodies for my SHTF guns.
EDIT: ^ Nice rifle. I guess I'm a little biased because I'll never be able to afford a $2000 rifle. Even if I could I'd probably spend it on ammo and other goodies for my SHTF guns.
Many things that we people do are done purely for recreation. I don't like golf, for instance.
Other attitudes and things we do are done for emotional reasons. I don't see the need to carry in the shower.
Just let folks do what they enjoy. If you are not a race car enthusiast do your thing, and let others do theirs.
However bench rest shooters do find things that affect accuracy, and that is helpful to all of us.
Jerry
Other attitudes and things we do are done for emotional reasons. I don't see the need to carry in the shower.
Just let folks do what they enjoy. If you are not a race car enthusiast do your thing, and let others do theirs.
However bench rest shooters do find things that affect accuracy, and that is helpful to all of us.
Jerry
I think you're confusing shooting off a bench... with shooting from a rest, like a Caldwell Lead Sled...
Two completely different animals.
I sort of agree with you on the second one, but shooting from a bench, off a bipod and a rear bag, isn't much different than shooting prone.
If you think it's easy, try it at 600-1000 yards and see how ya do.
Two completely different animals.
I sort of agree with you on the second one, but shooting from a bench, off a bipod and a rear bag, isn't much different than shooting prone.
If you think it's easy, try it at 600-1000 yards and see how ya do.
I've never seen a sniper or anyone else shoot without some support if at all possible. Even combat soldiers are taught to improvise some sort of rest from various positions.
I use sandbags when at the range and a pack, rolled up jacket, shooting sticks, and sometimes a bipod when in the field. Any smart hunter does the same. You only shoot offhand when there are no other options available.
I cannot speak for all shooters, but when at a range I use the benches exclusively along with sandbags. I already know how well I shoot without them and am able to shoot from other field positions at many places other than at the range. If I'm shooting at the range I'm only interested in what the rifle or my handloads are capable of doing so I remove any human error from the equation. Once I determine which rifles and loads shoot best the rest of my shooting is from improvised field positions and off hand.
Playing around with different loads is a fun way to shoot during the off season. I'll be at the range most of the day tomorrow along with my chronograph trying out 3 different 30-06 loads, 2 different 308 loads and a couple of 7mm rem mag loads to see how they shoot in my rifles.
trg42wraglefragle
New member
Its a heck of a lot easier than off hand!
I find that its fun to a certain degree to try shoot good groups,
but with my .22s I'm more accurate than they are so it get frustrating because the groups are not as good as I hope for.
Thats why I started doing off hand shooting steel targets, much more satisfying for me.
But then I get sick of shooting targets, I would much rather shoot some pests.
But since I started practising offhand I'm far more likely to hit a rabbits while standing.
I find that its fun to a certain degree to try shoot good groups,
but with my .22s I'm more accurate than they are so it get frustrating because the groups are not as good as I hope for.
Thats why I started doing off hand shooting steel targets, much more satisfying for me.
But then I get sick of shooting targets, I would much rather shoot some pests.
But since I started practising offhand I'm far more likely to hit a rabbits while standing.
trg42wraglefragle
New member
Ok re-read your post and yea the type of benchrest you mean would drive me mental, its more about the guns ability and you ability to tweak your loads just perfect, and all you do is pull the trigger
That'd bore the snot out of me.
That'd bore the snot out of me.
While everybody who's posted has touched on a few things, I'm kind of in line with what I think the OP was getting at.
Let's put aside for the moment benchrest competition, and tweaking load/equipment variations.
It bothers me that many of the ranges I've shot at will allow ONLY shooting from the bench. Yeah, I know it's for safety, but...
I've seen plenty of people out in the woods thinking that because they can hit a dime at 100 off the bench, they can kill a deer at 400. What they fail to realize is that practice off the bench makes you good at.... well..... Shooting off the bench.
Please understand, in my several years of High Power competition, I decided at some point that I was going to be "playing the game". Big heavy shooting coat. Shooting mat. More stuff would have come along if I could have afforded it.
But I knew that I was doing it. When I started in competition, at first it was to make myself a better field shot. And it has, mostly by making me concentrate on the fundamentals. I enjoyed the matches a lot, but I realized that I was never going to hunt deer with my Creedmore coat or my target rifle.
I guess what I'm getting at is that a lot of people think that bench shooting translates directly to field position shooting, and if they can hit that dime, they're "good shots", somehow.
I go to a couple of ranges, but once I get my loads dialed in, I want to be able to shoot from standing, or prone, or kneeling, because I need to see how I can shoot. The bench told me everything I needed to know about my equipment, now it's about me and eliminating my mistakes.
Sorry if I rambled, or if it was too much of a rant, but it's been a pet peeve of mine for a long time now.
Let's put aside for the moment benchrest competition, and tweaking load/equipment variations.
It bothers me that many of the ranges I've shot at will allow ONLY shooting from the bench. Yeah, I know it's for safety, but...
I've seen plenty of people out in the woods thinking that because they can hit a dime at 100 off the bench, they can kill a deer at 400. What they fail to realize is that practice off the bench makes you good at.... well..... Shooting off the bench.
Please understand, in my several years of High Power competition, I decided at some point that I was going to be "playing the game". Big heavy shooting coat. Shooting mat. More stuff would have come along if I could have afforded it.
But I knew that I was doing it. When I started in competition, at first it was to make myself a better field shot. And it has, mostly by making me concentrate on the fundamentals. I enjoyed the matches a lot, but I realized that I was never going to hunt deer with my Creedmore coat or my target rifle.
I guess what I'm getting at is that a lot of people think that bench shooting translates directly to field position shooting, and if they can hit that dime, they're "good shots", somehow.
I go to a couple of ranges, but once I get my loads dialed in, I want to be able to shoot from standing, or prone, or kneeling, because I need to see how I can shoot. The bench told me everything I needed to know about my equipment, now it's about me and eliminating my mistakes.
Sorry if I rambled, or if it was too much of a rant, but it's been a pet peeve of mine for a long time now.
4runnerman
New member
1. It is a good test of the abilities of your equipment instead of your own abilities. (You can see if your $2000 rifle really is half-MOA accurate, even if you aren't
This is about 1/3 true. Bench rest shooting is still a challange. breathing and trigger pull come into play. The gun is NOT locked in a vise as you might think. Look at it as when you deer hunt and rest your rifle on a tree branch of over the hood of your car. It is about not being happy with 6 inch groups at 300 yards.
It is about seeing just how good you can shoot. Snipers use bi-pods as do bench rest shooters also. Not all bench shooters use bags front and back.
Bench shooting is about shooting 600 yards or more
Bench shooting is about one hole at 200 yards
Bench shooting is about challanging yourself and the rifle
Bench shooting is for people bored with hunting.
On the fun side--Bench shooting is about shooting house flys at 100 yards and actually hitting them
Shooting shot gun shells at 300 yards or a egg at 600 yards. For those of you that have not tried it,,,Take a golf ball and set it at 300 yards or more if you like. Heck stick your rifle in a vise if you want, Find out yourself,it's a challange of you and your rifle. It's more than pulling the trigger.
This is about 1/3 true. Bench rest shooting is still a challange. breathing and trigger pull come into play. The gun is NOT locked in a vise as you might think. Look at it as when you deer hunt and rest your rifle on a tree branch of over the hood of your car. It is about not being happy with 6 inch groups at 300 yards.
It is about seeing just how good you can shoot. Snipers use bi-pods as do bench rest shooters also. Not all bench shooters use bags front and back.
Bench shooting is about shooting 600 yards or more
Bench shooting is about one hole at 200 yards
Bench shooting is about challanging yourself and the rifle
Bench shooting is for people bored with hunting.
On the fun side--Bench shooting is about shooting house flys at 100 yards and actually hitting them
Shooting shot gun shells at 300 yards or a egg at 600 yards. For those of you that have not tried it,,,Take a golf ball and set it at 300 yards or more if you like. Heck stick your rifle in a vise if you want, Find out yourself,it's a challange of you and your rifle. It's more than pulling the trigger.
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Quote:
1. It is a good test of the abilities of your equipment instead of your own abilities. (You can see if your $2000 rifle really is half-MOA accurate, even if you aren't)
That's true. The problem is (in my experience) is that there are a lot of guys out there who are convinced that the rifle/ammo combo is the weak link in their setup.
Like thinking that they can purchase the skills.
1. It is a good test of the abilities of your equipment instead of your own abilities. (You can see if your $2000 rifle really is half-MOA accurate, even if you aren't)
That's true. The problem is (in my experience) is that there are a lot of guys out there who are convinced that the rifle/ammo combo is the weak link in their setup.
Like thinking that they can purchase the skills.
mrgoodwrench76
New member
You should go stand down range from one of them, then see if you think its still 'shootin' or not.
bigautomatic
New member
Shooting small groups is very subjective. Some folks think that a 1.5 inch group is great. Some folks think that 1/2 moa is really, really good. But in the competitive beach rest game, a 1/2 moa group means that something is wrong. Ever play cornhole? Try putting 5 cornhole bags through the hole without touching the board......5 times. Is trying to put 5 bullets through the same hole boring? To most, probably so, but it is not a game for the impatient. And nothing about it is practical. Not meant to be. Golf is not practical. Chess is not practical. Drag racing is not practical. Etc, etc.
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Marquezj16
New member
That was a fun day! Actually it was set at 340.
There is a place for all types of shooting. Bench rest shooters have a different purpose than those who shoot from hunting positions or combat positions. Some cross boundaries. It does not make one group of shooters better or worse than the other.
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