Bench Technique - the Hold

[South Pender]

I've been trying to control a 6 lb., 6oz. Sako Vixen 6 PPC on the bench and have been wondering about just how you more experienced shooters hold the rifle in the bags. I'm shooting from a Bald Eagle front rest with Protektor front bag and a Protektor rear rabbit-ears bag. The front bag is quite narrow between the ears so that I can get a pretty tight fit to the forend. The bags have the silver slippery fabric to allow smooth motion in the bags.

How tightly do you guys hold the rifle when bench shooting? I guess it depends to some extent on the size of the cartridge being fired. With a light cartridge like the 6 PPC, do you guys grip the rifle at the pistol grip fairly tightly? Do you pull it fairly snugly into the shoulder? Do you minimize contact with the cheek?

I've been holding the rifle fairly firmly against my shoulder and holding the grip fairly firmly, with very minimal cheek contact.

I realize that the more important thing is to be consistent in your hold from shot to shot, but have been curious about what more experienced shooters tend to see as the best grip/hold.

 

[T-shooter]

I've been trying to control a 6 lb., 6oz. Sako Vixen 6 PPC on the bench and have been wondering about just how you more experienced shooters hold the rifle in the bags. I'm shooting from a Bald Eagle front rest with Protektor front bag and a Protektor rear rabbit-ears bag. The front bag is quite narrow between the ears so that I can get a pretty tight fit to the forend. The bags have the silver slippery fabric to allow smooth motion in the bags.

How tightly do you guys hold the rifle when bench shooting? I guess it depends to some extent on the size of the cartridge being fired. With a light cartridge like the 6 PPC, do you guys grip the rifle at the pistol grip fairly tightly? Do you pull it fairly snugly into the shoulder? Do you minimize contact with the cheek?

I've been holding the rifle fairly firmly against my shoulder and holding the grip fairly firmly, with very minimal cheek contact.

I realize that the more important thing is to be consistent in your hold from shot to shot, but have been curious about what more experienced shooters tend to see as the best grip/hold.

I've been experimenting and it seems a light hold helps. Lightly touching the shoulder and I use my left hand's index finger on the trigger guard. For elevation my Caldwell Rock front rest is adjustable so I don't squeeze the rear bag. A light grip on the stock at the grip and a light tough for a cheek weld. My .308 with a brake doesn't kick that hard so letting it recoil into my shoulder doesn't matter. It seems if I grip and hold too tight, the groups open up. There will probably be a lot of different opinions and to each his own. My advise is to try different methods in at least 5 round groups, 10 would be better. You'll probably find one will work better for you.

 

[Richard Coody]

I've been trying to control a 6 lb., 6oz. Sako Vixen 6 PPC on the bench and have been wondering about just how you more experienced shooters hold the rifle in the bags. I'm shooting from a Bald Eagle front rest with Protektor front bag and a Protektor rear rabbit-ears bag. The front bag is quite narrow between the ears so that I can get a pretty tight fit to the forend. The bags have the silver slippery fabric to allow smooth motion in the bags.

How tightly do you guys hold the rifle when bench shooting? I guess it depends to some extent on the size of the cartridge being fired. With a light cartridge like the 6 PPC, do you guys grip the rifle at the pistol grip fairly tightly? Do you pull it fairly snugly into the shoulder? Do you minimize contact with the cheek?

I've been holding the rifle fairly firmly against my shoulder and holding the grip fairly firmly, with very minimal cheek contact.

I realize that the more important thing is to be consistent in your hold from shot to shot, but have been curious about what more experienced shooters tend to see as the best grip/hold.

Well most bench guns weigh twice what your gun weighs. Benchrest techniques like free recoil really aren't going to work well. Put your shoulder into it and hold the rifle as tight as you need to to control it. If just shoulder and pistol grip control it fine. Just remember consistency is the trick. You need to hold it the same way on every shot.

 

[rayjay]

A lot depends on the trigger pull. The reason free recoil works is the 2 oz trigger a br rifle has. Once you get to 6 oz and beyond it's hard to pull the trigger without moving the rifle. Now you have to grip the rifle and have shoulder contact. The higher the trigger pull the more you have to grip and shoulder the rifle. This introduces heart beat and breathing to the mix. Shooting a hunting type rifle well from the bench takes a lot of practice and a good grasp of what is going on.

 

[T-shooter]

What I was talking about isn't free recoil. Just a light pull into the shoulder pocket and I use my left finger on the trigger guard to pull straight back. This way I'm not putting any side force on the pistol grip. The lighter the pull into the shoulder, the less you will see the reticle move on the target due to your heartbeat. Placement in the shoulder is very important. You do have to be consistent every time. I noticed when shooting on a bipod, especially before I used a brake, if I pulled a bit too much with my right hand on the grip, the rifle bounced to that side under recoil. If my cheek was too tight on the stock, it bounced the opposite way. I had a hard time getting it balanced every time. When it's right, you should still see the target in the reticle after the shot and recoil.

However you hold, try letting go of the rifle and see if you are still on target. If you are forcing the rifle up, down, or sideways to get on target, you can't be consistent from shot to shot. Just try and see what works for you. Doesn't matter how as long as you get the results you are looking for. Usually I can usually shoot under 1/2 MOA at 215 yards and a couple days ago put 5 consecutive shots in a .325" group and a second at .550" in zero wind conditions. I can't even come close to that every time but my largest group that day was 1.200" and if you include the flier, 1.370" possibly caused by the wind after it was gusting up to 8-10 mpg sideways.

 

[T-shooter]

A lot depends on the trigger pull. The reason free recoil works is the 2 oz trigger a br rifle has. Once you get to 6 oz and beyond it's hard to pull the trigger without moving the rifle. Now you have to grip the rifle and have shoulder contact. The higher the trigger pull the more you have to grip and shoulder the rifle. This introduces heart beat and breathing to the mix. Shooting a hunting type rifle well from the bench takes a lot of practice and a good grasp of what is going on.

Exactly. I use a 1-3/4 lb trigger that has zero takeup, breaks clean, and has next to no overtravel, but can dry fire without seeing any movement on target. I've always tried to roll into the trigger. Just slowly start increasing pressure until it breaks and then hold it rearward for a second after firing.

 

[bsekf]

HeHe, Just do it exactly the same way every time .... and that is impossible with a light rifle with any recoil.

T shooter has it right.... set the rifle up and then let go of it (relax) to see if the sight picture changes. Dry firing helps but if you are squeezing the rear bag to align the sights, recoil will upset the sight picture more than the firing pin spring. I use high rings on the scope I use for load development, helps keep my cheek off the stock and makes it easier to replicate.

Anybody try squeezing the trigger between the thumb and forefinger, rather than pulling on the trigger with the forefinger? That way the right hand would not touch the stock, just the trigger guard and trigger. Read it someplace.

Bill "technique is my excuse for patterns"

 

[rayjay]

I think one thing you have to do differently from free recoil is concentrate on the sight picture through the trigger pull. If the crosshairs are moving stop squeezing the trigger. Your sight picture has to be stationary.

 

[dogdude]

bsekf, I've been squeezing my trigger between thumb on backside of trigger hanger and forefinger in rimfire and centerfire, works Great!

 

[Bart B.]

I've never shot 7 pound sporters through 14 pound match rifles shouldered as they rest atop bags on bench tops as precise as when slung up prone resting stock toe and front hand holding fore end on bags. Holding area on targets is the same with both; 1/10th MOA maximum.

Groups shot from prone half the size shot from bench.

In training a military rifle team on position issues, all six members shot a 13 pound scoped match rifle and a Garand from both ways mentioned above. All groups shot from bench were larger than from prone for both rifles. Shouldered rifles atop rests on bench tops rarely recoil the same during bullet's time in the barrel. Too much torque variables in our bodies.

If your trigger hand grips the stock and trigger finger is correct on the trigger, a five-pound trigger letting off won't move the point of aim until recoil does that. Dry fire keeping your aiming eye open watching the scope reticle. If reticle jumps in any direction, change grip and trigger finger position on trigger.

 

[South Pender]

I don't know whether it makes a difference, but my Sako Vixen 6 PPC has a Canjar single-set trigger. I've been shooting it in set mode, where it goes at about 2 oz.

 

[rayjay]

With a front glide plate you could definitely give free recoil a try.

 

[rbduffer]

Lots of good info here guys, Thanks.

 

[Lapua40X]

You already know that your Sako 6PPC is a varmint (hunting) rifle and that it's light weight makes it impractical to compare its performance (or shooting style requirements) that might apply to a bench rest rifle. In your case, I'd put the Bald Eagle away and put that rifle on a bipod. The rear bag you're using isn't one that I would choose but rear bags are very much a personal issue so I won't go there.
There are two common errors made by most shooters I've worked with. The first is that they tend to wrap their trigger hand around the rifle's stock. When pulling back on the stock to seat the butt into the shoulder they tighten their hand and put torque on the stock that results in the introduction of errors when the rifle recoils. I recommend placing the trigger hand along side the stock with the trigger finger away from the trigger and the thumb along side the stock while the remaining fingers pull directly rearward on the stock to fix the should hold in place. The fingers pulling back on the stock do not wrap tightly on the grip portion of the stock; they simply pull back using the first and second knuckles of the fingers. The left hand controls the position and tension on the rear bag. The cheek weld is firm but not so firm that it interferes with recoil. Too firm a cheek weld will place stress on the comb of the stock causing it to reach in a non-linear motion when the rifle is fired. If you need some suggestions on controlling trigger squeeze and placement of the trigger finger on the trigger shoe or any other basic information this is a pretty good resource - IMO.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/151865472X/?tag=accuratescom-20
One last point. If you find that you can't avoid using the front rest, be sure you are resting the rifle on the rest at or very near its balance point and restore it to the position after each shoot. The rest should grip the forestock tightly.
Best of luck to ya ..................

 

[grovey]

Besides figuring out what hold works best for that rifle. IMO having a front bag that fits the stock well where it matters....matters. Meaning, there will be a spot both fore and aft where that rifle will ride the bags better and torque less. Meaning in both front and rear bags. Find that spot with the right size front bag, and use a front bag that fits the forearm snug where the gun wants to be. Once there, you can just lean into the buttstock and use the grip that works best for you. I do just fine with a joystick front rest and rear bags on my sporters. Your factory stock shouldn't keep you from shooting well, it just ain't a 2x4.

 

[K22]

First, let me say that I'm not an extensive bench shooter - I simply hate shooting off the bench but have to for load development and initial scope sight it. However for load development precise bench shooting is essential so I've had to try and master some form of precise bench shooter.

For my light hunting rifles with trigger pulls in the 2.5 to 3.0 pound range I've found that free recoil does not produce consistent groups for me. For me, holding the stock with my left hand (right hand shooter) just short of the front rest helps me establish a more consistent hold and thus more consistent groups. This also helps prevent twisting the rifle when pulling the trigger. I like a moderately firm hold but the key is to be consistent from shot to shot.

I also make sure that the rifle is replaced at the same location on the front rest from shot to shot.