The "hold"

[Field_2_Fork]

That's a gooder!

 

[Straightshooter1]

Because of my age and physical limitations, I shoot almost exclusively off a bench these days. And for recreational precision shooting, I have just one rifle, a .308 RPR that weighs 15 lbs. The trigger has been set to where I get 12-14 oz of pull and found that to be one of the first adjustments I made that helped a great deal. The grip has been replaced with an oversize vertical grip that better helps me with consistent trigger pull. Though I wrap my hand around the grip as normal, I'll back off my grip pressure completely once I've got my POA where I want it and then pull back on the trigger until it breaks.

I've experimented with various holds to see what best helps me get the most consistent results and as it turns out, shooting it free recoil simply does the best . . . for me. Before I break the shot, my cheek will rest very lightly on the rest and my shoulder also very light and in the same place in order to get the site picture I'm after. When site picture is right and the POA is too, then I remove all contact with the rifle, except for barely touching the grip and the finger on the trigger, though still looking through the scope when I break the shot.

In addition to the rifles weight, the muzzle break helps a lot to mitigate the .308 recoil. Typically, I shoot off an adjustable front rest in which the hand guard sits and with a rabbit ear rear bag supporting the factory stock. Occasionally, instead of that rest, I'll shoot off a bipod the same way with good results too. So, either way, shooting free recoil has worked best. . . for me. I have a level mounted on my scope to be sure it isn't canted and in the same position when I pull the shot. After each shot I push the rifle back into it's previous position with my shoulder. Recently, I installed an adjustable bag rider onto the rear stock to better fit into the rabbit ear bag which allows it to slide easier so the rifle won't tend to jump as much and it has helped make the rifle a bit more stable before, during and after a shot. Soon, I'll be installing a forearm adapter to attach to the hand guard so that it'll fit and slide like bench rest shooter's stocks does. That should improve stability even more.

It's taken a while to develop all this, and it's working pretty well now.

 

[Brians356]

@Bc'z,

She may not care, but with the state of cosmetic surgery today, there's no reason for a permanent scar, even if it is a badge of honor.
-

 

[Bc'z]

@Bc'z,

She may not care, but with the state of cosmetic surgery today, there's no reason for a permanent scar, even if it is a badge of honor.
-

She wears it proudly.
I hardly know it's there.
She ask the ER doctor if he knew how to sew.
He said he tried flies for a hobby, I told him that works for me.

 

[Brians356]

My dad never admitted to it, but he may have bent to a somewhat twisted sense of humor, or just to paternal duty. When I was 10 years old, and not a big kid, he had me shooting his '61 Model 70 Featherweight in 30-06, with the factory hard plastic butt plate. With no hearing protection. You'll understand if I've had a flinch problem since.
-

 

[outasite`08]

She took it like a champ, me not so much!
1.5 hours away from where we topped off gas, 2 hours away from hospital.
She didn't mind the eye box when shooting at a buck with my 06', buck fever and all.
All she kept saying was " take my picture".View attachment 1200105
2 stitches on the inside, 6 outside.
She now shoots a 260.

Ouch, I only hit like because she is smiling.What a trooper. I put my own stitches in. Ice and Dr. Daniels.I didn`t smile. I do hold the forearm when hunting, but on the bench I use my off hand to control the bag under the butt and shoot off a bipod only. Field prep. Jeff

 

[Dusty Stevens]

She wears it proudly.
I hardly know it's there.
She ask the ER doctor if he knew how to sew.
He said he tried flies for a hobby, I told him that works for me.

Shoulda had him put some deer tail in there for decoration

 

[ckaberna]

Thanks everyone for the input. Yes this isn't a bench gun, the forend hold seemed to do the trick tightening the group. Where I hunt is private land, and we sit on a nice ledge over looking a small patch of field so I usually lay a bag down, lay down and plop the front of the rifle atop the bag and wait. I rarely ever fire off the hand or any other position as I shake a bit, which is probably something I have to fix.

So hold that forend! Check!

Practice the same way you are planning to shoot. Probably NOT free recoil.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Practice the same way you are planning to shoot.

Absolutely!

And BTW, when I was in Nam . . . I NEVER shot free recoil. Though, I did give it a try a couple times when on full auto.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

Well, are there any bonafide snipers here. I don't know what the service teaches today, but in 1957, you wrapped a sling around your arm and held that M1 tight in your shoulder. I always shot expert, and that's the way we did it. Standing, sitting, kneeling and prone. Try shooting that Garand any other way, and you carried a bruise on you shoulder for weeks.

As has been said before, benchrest shooting with 2 oz trigger, good stationary rest and rear bag, from a heavy rifle is the time you should shoot free recoil. Just pulling a heavy trigger will move a rifle off point of ail if you don't hold it tight front and rear.

Just my two cents.

 

[Dlewis89]

Well, are there any bonafide snipers here. I don't know what the service teaches today, but in 1957, you wrapped a sling around your arm and held that M1 tight in your shoulder. I always shot expert, and that's the way we did it. Standing, sitting, kneeling and prone. Try shooting that Garand any other way, and you carried a bruise on you shoulder for weeks.

As has been said before, benchrest shooting with 2 oz trigger, good stationary rest and rear bag, from a heavy rifle is the time you should shoot free recoil. Just pulling a heavy trigger will move a rifle off point of ail if you don't hold it tight front and rear.

Just my two cents.

I am in the service, how I shot an M4 is hugely different to trying to shoot my bolt guns only because of position changes and transitioning target to target. Which maybe is an issue and I probably should try shooting the same way. I use that sling methose standing and kneeling, it does help alot on those. I also have body armor on and the whole experience is, as a whole, uncomfortable. I shoot expert aswell but again, that's not too hard as at even 300m the targets are a human shoulder width and standing tall lol.