Dumb benchrest question of the day

[TommyD11730]

Why don't benchrest stocks have raised / adjustable cheek risers?

Is it because the rifle is secured via front rest / rear bag and allowed free recoil
?

Try not to flame me just trying to learn something here.

Thanks!

 

[G Liles]

You don’t need your cheek putting a lot of pressure if any on the stock. Some shooters use offset scope rings so they don’t touch the stock at all with their cheek.

 

[MikeRu]

Compared to F class prone you’re sitting upright so less need for a cheek weld. Head supported by spine.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

It's certainly not a dumb question but one that is by far best answered by going to a real match, watching, talking and asking this kind of question when there.
Others have answered you in a simplified fashion but all you really have to do is watch, to understand, in general. Thing is, there's so much left that is best seen, instructed how AND why...vs what you can read on forums. It's not as simple at all as just saying, stay off of the gun and the gun just automatically sticks them into a hole by itself. Far from that!
Probably the biggest factor in br is having a good mentor. Good flags being maybe just as or even bigger than anything else at all.

 

[BoydAllen]

Cheek pressure can vary from shot to shot, and that can affect consistency of point of impact, especially with a rifle that is relatively light, such as the classes that have a 10.5# weight limit. It takes a bit to get used to finding the image behind a high magnification scope, but with some practice, it is easily done. There is also the matter of the increase in stock weight from fitting an adjustable cheek piece.

 

[Jayplace]

You don’t need your cheek putting a lot of pressure if any on the stock. Some shooters use offset scope rings so they don’t touch the stock at all with their cheek.

I hope it works, i'm changing to off-set rings today. I have trouble keeping the hearing protectors off the stock and i'm tired of fighting it.

 

[JFrank]

I hope it works, i'm changing to off-set rings today. I have trouble keeping the hearing protectors off the stock and i'm tired of fighting it.

Do you sit behind or along side the rifle ? I find it much easier to sit behind, no more banging my ear gear on the stock..

 

[RGRobinett]

When the optic is adjusted for ZERO paralax - regardless of head/eye position, the target image and reticle are "welded", & there is no need for precise head placement. Observing conditions/flags and following their 'instructions' is imperative. RG

 

[Big Mc]

Why don't benchrest stocks have raised / adjustable cheek risers?

Is it because the rifle is secured via front rest / rear bag and allowed free recoil
?

Try not to flame me just trying to learn something here.

Thanks!

The only Dumb Question is the one not asked. Tommy Mc. You are fine

 

[Schippergreg]

I hope it works, i'm changing to off-set rings today. I have trouble keeping the hearing protectors off the stock and i'm tired of fighting it.

After using Harrells offset rings on my rifles I struggle trying to shoot a rifle with standard rings. Offsets are much more comfortable to me.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

After using Harrells offset rings on my rifles I struggle trying to shoot a rifle with standard rings. Offsets are much more comfortable to me.

Amazing how much that little bit of offset helps. I love those rings. They're on all of my bench guns.

 

[AlNyhus]

When the optic is adjusted for ZERO paralax - regardless of head/eye position, the target image and reticle are "welded", & there is no need for precise head placement. Observing conditions/flags and following their 'instructions' is imperative. RG

Pure gold right here boys and girls.

 

[Doug Casner]

Ive heard guys say they dont even touch the stock with their cheek. You can see better with your head up anyway. Doug

 

[Jayplace]

Do you sit behind or along side the rifle ? I find it much easier to sit behind, no more banging my ear gear on the stock..

I'm not sure how to answer. I certainly sit towards the rear of the stock, but i'm still beside it. The distance to the eyepiece dictats where I'm positioned and when i'm in position, the earmuffs are just touching the stock unless I cock my head and that's uncomfortable. Even then, the earmuffs are still really close to the stock.

Taller rings would resolve the issue, but when I visually tried different positions, moving up and to the left just slightly was so much more comfortable.
I'm changing rings today and will hopefully get out later this week to try it. I'm optimistic though.
Being new to this, I'm just starting to work out my loads and learnig as I go.

We only shoot 100 yard at my range, but I assume at 200 yards I would need to adjust for height and left or right a bit. This is VFS. If it was group, it wouldn't be as important.

 

[AICS308]

Pure gold right here boys and girls.

I have read many simple explanations for how to set parallax. Right now that is one of my big issues because it seems I can not get a dependable, repeatable setting on the scope.

 

[Schippergreg]

I'm not sure how to answer. I certainly sit towards the rear of the stock, but i'm still beside it. The distance to the eyepiece dictats where I'm positioned and when i'm in position, the earmuffs are just touching the stock unless I cock my head and that's uncomfortable. Even then, the earmuffs are still really close to the stock.

Taller rings would resolve the issue, but when I visually tried different positions, moving up and to the left just slightly was so much more comfortable.
I'm changing rings today and will hopefully get out later this week to try it. I'm optimistic though.
Being new to this, I'm just starting to work out my loads and learnig as I go.

We only shoot 100 yard at my range, but I assume at 200 yards I would need to adjust for height and left or right a bit. This is VFS. If it was group, it wouldn't be as important.

I’ve experienced no need to dial any windage with offset rings.

 

[Jayplace]

When the optic is adjusted for ZERO parallax - regardless of head/eye position, the target image and reticle are "welded", & there is no need for precise head placement. Observing conditions/flags and following their 'instructions' is imperative. RG

I'm in the early learning process, so I have a question about parallax. I've read about and basically understand the concept. When I set my scope up at the range, I adjusted the parallax by focusing the target image as sharp as possible. The dot didn't seem to move around, so I thought that was good. The next time I went, it was considerably hotter and the image was out of sharp focus. I re-focused and used that. Is that normal to have the parallax/focus change.
The article I read indicated the parallax adjustment was not primarily for focusing. Is that true?
I have a Leupold 45x if that makes any difference.

 

[JMayo]

In varmint for score the poa is critical. Any pressure from an outside force, cheek, ear muffs sholder pressure, trigger pull & i can go on an on.
it all makes a difference.
The x dot is sectioned into quarters that's how critical poa is. The width of a fine crosshair is a huge amount of movement.

 

[JFrank]

@Jayplace
This video might help, you may also want to look at stool height.

Videos | wheeleraccuracy

www.wheeleraccuracy.com

 

[AlNyhus]

I have read many simple explanations for how to set parallax. Right now that is one of my big issues because it seems I can not get a dependable, repeatable setting on the scope.

Have you focused the eye piece first?