Bench Rest shooting?

[montanadan]

I need to bench a 50cal, cap-lock, and I really do not know the correct way to do this. The correct placement of the rifle on the rest, honestly, I have never done this. I shoot right handed rifles left handed, if that matters. When every one gets done laughing, may be, you could give me some advice...Respectfully Montanadan

 

[Bob J]

Sandbags provide the most steady rest for shooting from a bench. Or, if you have a tripod-type rest, a small sandbag resting on tripod platform works good too. I have used several sandbags placed under forearm grip area and one under rear buttstock. Have also skipped the rear sandbag and crossed arms resting buttstock on my arm. Getting the proper "height" is important. You don't want to be "Scrunched over" but rather more comfortable. I'm sure others here can add some good information (I could use it too!).

 

[doverdog]

The method I use, and I don't have any idea as to whether it makes the slightest bit of difference, is to have the gun resting on the bags about the same spot on the gun where my hand would be if shooting without bags. I also have my hand on the bag and rest the gun on that so the gun has the same thing under it as when shot normally. Do not rest the gun on bags way out toward the muzzle end of the barrel as this puts unnatural upward pressure on the barrel. I totally agree with the previous recommendation about getting the rest high enough so you are not all humped over the gun like someone with a bad back. Try and keep everything the same as if you were shooting from your hind legs.

 

[silverfox]

montanadan: I asume you just mean to site your rifle in at 50 yards. The way I do is sandbags under the forearm at about the same place I would hold for shooting offhand. Another sandbag under the belly of your stock behind the trigger guard. Now you say you shoot left handed with your right hand thumb and finger form a y and push the sandbag toward the butt of the rifle until your sites aline with the target. You know what to do with your left hand. Squeeze the trigger and take out the bullseye. The gun should be setting on the bags with the sites lined up like it is in a vise. Also as mentioned you want to be in a comfortable upright position not hunched over the rifle. Also the front bag may be 8 inches or higher than the bench top. Just adjust until the rifle sits on the bags with the sites on the bullseye. Good luck.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

I need to bench a 50cal, cap-lock, and I really do not know the correct way to do this. The correct placement of the rifle on the rest, honestly, I have never done this. I shoot right handed rifles left handed, if that matters. When every one gets done laughing, may be, you could give me some advice...Respectfully Montanadan

Not knowing what you're ultimate goal is, it's worth mentioning that in most cases the POI for a rifle sighted in 'locked down on a bench like a vise' will be noticeably different when that same rifle is then fired off hand standing for example...the recoil arc is totally different, throwing off the POI.

 

[Bob J]

Roundball- When you say "noticeably different", do you mean like an inch or two at 50 yards?

 

[roundball]

Roundball- When you say "noticeably different", do you mean like an inch or two at 50 yards?

It really can be a wide variety of differences depending on how the rifle is benched...ie: if a rifle is quite firmly held down in place on the bench, by a rock solid person firmly planted behind it, the rifle isn't going to move much at all...but if you then stand up and shoot it offhand, the recoil will push your back, the barrel will rotate up much more and probably some to the right than it would on the benched position.

The variances will come from the differences in how one is benched to the differences in how one is held and fired offhand, body and forarm positioning, how much the shooter weighs, etc, etc...POI could be a matter of inches, and not necessarily only straight up...could also be right, etc.

At least that's been my personal experience...bench sighting is fine for checking group size when load testing and you really don't care where the groups are hitting the paper during that part of testing...then actually sight it in the way you're typically going to be shooting it...standing, sitting, etc...for example, I finish my fine tuning sitting in a small chair to simulate the way I'll actually be shooting, like sitting on the ground or in a treestand...then I know precisely where my sights will hit, whether a target, a squirrel, or a deer

:m2c:

 

[WV-Rocklock]

In my huumble experience Roundball is right on the money. I do my final sighting holding my rifle in my hands and then using sand bags to steady my arms. Then when everything suits me I shoot off hand to see where my POI is in this position. Depends on a lot of varibles as to how much difference there will be.

 

[horkeye]

I need to bench a 50cal, cap-lock, and I really do not know the correct way to do this.

Montanadan,

Good idea to start your bench resting at 25yds, then when happy go to 50yds, then 75 and finally 100yds.

This works for me :results:

Jim.
:thumbsup:

 

[2172]

I do what Roundball does, just never thought about why I did it that way...works...Hank