i was wondering how many of you guys shooting unbraked 7mm or bigger rifles use free recoil or hard hold when shooting from the bench? I was talking to a guy and his thought was that no matter what kind of rifle whether a 8lb hunting rifle in 300win or a custom long range rifle that weighs 15lbs, that free recoil will give you the best groups. I thought that with larger caliber rifles you wanted a little "grip" on the forend to prevent it from bouncing out of the rest causing flyers. He was saying that no matter how hard it bounces around the bullet has left the barrel long before the Rifle starts to recoil. So i figured i would give my 7.5lb 338 win mag a shot with the free recoil method, i shot 6 3 shot groups with a load that pushes a 225gr Hornady at 2900 fps. I set up my rest and rear bag perfectly in line and on target. No matter how square i was to the rests and target the rifle would bounce around wildly, always up and way to the left to the point that when when the rifle quit moving i was looking about 8-10 feet to the left of my target and it give me a beating as well. These groups were in the 2"+ range, not looking good. now i had the same setup but gripped the forend with medium pressure and really snugged the stock into my shoulder. Felt recoil was alot less and groups dropped back to the 1" zone where they normally shoot. So am i doing something wrong with this free recoil method or does it simply not work with large calibers in sporter style rifles? I did also try it with my 300 Win and got mixed results. Any input would be great.
free recoil or hard hold.
- Thread starter Mtstalker
- Start date
B Nettesheim
Gold $$ Contributor
Your target gave you the answers
ballisticdaddy
Silver $$ Contributor
I have heard and read a lot about free recoil but in my experience it doesn't work very good for me. Personally I prefer a stock with just a little hook in it so my support hand can also cradle the butt in my should pocket so I can have a light grip with the trigger hand. My groups also do help to verify that.
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I think its very individual. I know the guy who shoot bugholes 100m trg42 250scenars with wery light hold with no cheek.
Need to test both. 2 strings of 5 shots each technique on 100y(m) can show it.
In FTR its depend of bipod construction and overall rifle ballance and bullet weight.
Many of top FTR shooters come from palma and use hard holding
Need to test both. 2 strings of 5 shots each technique on 100y(m) can show it.
In FTR its depend of bipod construction and overall rifle ballance and bullet weight.
Many of top FTR shooters come from palma and use hard holding
Unbraked in my experience requires a firm hold and cheek weld........but then I am old school.
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
For those of us with "less than conventional" bench rest situations, it's an ongoing dilemma to decide how much hold to use on a gun. I get to the point where I'm pretty sure that it is the limiting factor in my group size. On some rifles I shoot pretty good groups both ways, but POI changes considerably with heavy hold compared to not. jd
I shoot F/TR with a .308 and 185 gr Juggernauts or 200 gr Hybrids. i use a Seb Joy-Pod up front and a flat top Protektor bag in the rear. the bottom of my chassis' butt stock is flat, parallel to the barrel.
generally speaking, i have found that a very light along the side of the grip "hold" and light shoulder contact works best me for me, especially with the heavier bullets. the Joy-Pod is very stable and the butt stock tracks very good in my Protektor rear bag. however, i have also found that with the lighter weight bullets and moderate charge weights, a pure free recoil with a trigger pinch and a 1/2" gap between my shoulder and the butt stock also can work extremely well.
so the answer is: it depends. clear as mud.
generally speaking, i have found that a very light along the side of the grip "hold" and light shoulder contact works best me for me, especially with the heavier bullets. the Joy-Pod is very stable and the butt stock tracks very good in my Protektor rear bag. however, i have also found that with the lighter weight bullets and moderate charge weights, a pure free recoil with a trigger pinch and a 1/2" gap between my shoulder and the butt stock also can work extremely well.
so the answer is: it depends. clear as mud.
To shoot true free recoil one must have a rest set-up that will stabilize the rifle with zero movement while the trigger is pulled. Free recoil is NOTHING touching the rifle (NO shoulder contact, NO cheek contact, NO left hand, NO bicept or pectoral contact, NADDA) except the trigger finger and possibly the adjoining thumb "just" brushing the stock. Without a flatbottomed BR stock, a well fitting front and rear sand bag rest, and an under 1 lb. trigger pull.....you're asking for the impossible....even with a 17 Fireball.....hunting style stocks just want to roll.
Recoil will begin before the bullet has left the barrel- Easy to test by using various rest set-ups which will show various POI's. Final sight-in the way (rest or shooting position wise) you intend to shoot your target.
This rifle movement in the rests while attempting to pull the trigger really becomes evident when using a high power scope......otherwise it largely goes unnoticed.
Recoil will begin before the bullet has left the barrel- Easy to test by using various rest set-ups which will show various POI's. Final sight-in the way (rest or shooting position wise) you intend to shoot your target.
This rifle movement in the rests while attempting to pull the trigger really becomes evident when using a high power scope......otherwise it largely goes unnoticed.
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Soft or a medium touch . Works . Larry
MIke I thought you free recoiled your heavy. I know alot of guys do. I see more guys starting to free recoil in light gun also. I know a few that free recoiled 300 Wsm in a 17 pound light gun. Matt
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