I recently bought an alloy Bald Eagle rest (the newer version, not the made in US) so that I had my own gear and didn't need to use the local club's Caldwell rest.
I have already tossed the windage cable setup, and taken all the sharp points off the threaded post.
While 'playing' with the rest today (greasing, checking screw tightness, etc) it occurred to me that maybe there is a right/wrong way to setup a rest for shooting.
I've seen at the local club folks just grab a rest, put it on the bench, line it up (sort of/maybe), drop their rifle in, put rear bag under the buttstock...and start shooting.
I wind the windage across into the middle of the travel, so that my rifle is centred over the main post first.
If you start out with the top plate off (say) to the left then your rifle is now sitting out away from the more sturdy part of the rest.
Does it make any difference? Am I being a tad too 'precise', or persnickety?
How do you folks setup your rest before putting the rifle in?
Does it matter if the rifle isn't sitting over the main screw post?
I just figured that it can't hurt to do it, even if it doesn't actually help accuracy at all.
Bear in mind that I've had no 'instruction' in right or wrong way to shoot benchrest. We are not that sort of club! Just a lot of (mainly) retired folks shooting the best way that we can.
I have already tossed the windage cable setup, and taken all the sharp points off the threaded post.
While 'playing' with the rest today (greasing, checking screw tightness, etc) it occurred to me that maybe there is a right/wrong way to setup a rest for shooting.
I've seen at the local club folks just grab a rest, put it on the bench, line it up (sort of/maybe), drop their rifle in, put rear bag under the buttstock...and start shooting.
I wind the windage across into the middle of the travel, so that my rifle is centred over the main post first.
If you start out with the top plate off (say) to the left then your rifle is now sitting out away from the more sturdy part of the rest.
Does it make any difference? Am I being a tad too 'precise', or persnickety?
How do you folks setup your rest before putting the rifle in?
Does it matter if the rifle isn't sitting over the main screw post?
I just figured that it can't hurt to do it, even if it doesn't actually help accuracy at all.
Bear in mind that I've had no 'instruction' in right or wrong way to shoot benchrest. We are not that sort of club! Just a lot of (mainly) retired folks shooting the best way that we can.