Front Bag OR Bi-Pod For Varmint Rifles?

[sw282]

l have this Varmint Rifle with no sling swivels. A friend and fellow Forum Member comments ''Great, No swivels to interfere with''. All my other Varmint Rifles have bi-pods. l took a couple off and realized what he was referring to. Plan on removing the studs too before some range time. 0pinions or thoughts anyone?

282

 

[mongo chicago]

Had both. Prefer using a front bag only.

 

[17cal Fan]

If you are concerned about harmonics, wouldn't you want everything as it is going to be when it's in service? I generally take slings off to sight in and don't rest a stud on the front bag. Just my 2cents.

 

[ClayM]

I do all sighting, load workup, etc. as close as I can get to the actual use of the rifle (coyotes and p.d.'s) Also cold-bore zero... No second shots on coyotes...

 

[Clancy]

Practice how you play….

Even the mighty @Alex Wheeler tunes hunting rifles off of bipods, because that’s how he’s going to use them.

 

[357Mag]

l have this Varmint Rifle with no sling swivels. A friend and fellow Forum Member comments ''Great, No swivels to interfere with''. All my other Varmint Rifles have bi-pods. l took a couple off and realized what he was referring to. Plan on removing the studs too before some range time. 0pinions or thoughts anyone?

282

SW -

Howdy !

I have never once shot a groundhog, using a rifle equipped w/ a bi-pod. Have always balance or sat rifle on a sand filled ( rear ) bag, rolled up coat or some such; or supported by my hand on the fore arm of the stock. My shooting has been done predominantly on what most would call " flat " farmland ( not very hilly at all ).

IMHO -
Even if 'beans are only in the " 2 leaf " stage, shooting from the ground using a bi-pod is still problematic, as even " flat " ground can have some undulations to it that can obscure the sight line.
I also don't think prone is all that great a position for shooting groundhogs in hay fields; either.
As a practical matter, farm fields of necessity must have access roads or paths to them. When these are wide enough to accomodate tractors, combines, haybailers and the like; then..... they can accomodate a pickup. If adjacent to a " barnyard ", engagements can often take place rght from the barnyard Heck... if
they're under the barn foundations... you likely wouldn't need a bi-pod in the first place.

What has worked for us quite well, is taking shots from the back of a pickup; w/ the " front " bag sat atop the cab. My best friend's groundhog kill that got him into the 500yd club, was taken using the arrangement just mentioned, above. My 510yd kill was taken w/ my rifle's fiberglass stock ( McMillan M-40A1 ) fore end balanced on the top edge of my car's partially-rolled down driver's side window. Most of the time, the farmer or land owner has alloted a strip of grassy path along a headland of along side of a ditch, for use in getting his machinery & trucks to / from their fields. When these are kept mowed, they are a kiiling ground for
" Soybeanus Digestus " that have to cross these grassy strips on their way to the ' beans.

And yes, I have taken shots from elevated postions overlooking the area of regard, from the sides of modest hillocks; et all. But again, shots taken w/ the rifle " rested " on a bag of some sort; does seem to work well !


Of course... unless your state prohibits shooting from atop or other wise on a vehicle ?!


With regards,
357Mag

 

[Gary in MD]

For determining what loads will shoot the best in your rifle, a solid bench and sand bags is probably going to be your best bet.
You don’t want anything that can keep the rifle from recoiling/sliding in the bags - bipod/ swivels/studs.
For zeroing your rifle for field shooting then you need to shoot it as you will use it in the varmint fields. There is usually at least a little difference in point of impact between sand bags and bipod. For the varmint shooting that I have done (about 45 years of ground hogs), I can’t imagine not using a bipod.
I want to be as low to the ground as I can, the higher that you go the more chance of getting a little shaky, unless you are shooting off a bench like it’s done in the prairie dog pastures. A couple of set ups for Hoggin’

 

[K22]

I've hunted eastern ground hogs extensively for 50 years. I've tried a variety of field shooting aids but have never used a bench in the field because I'm a mobile hunter.

Having witness some long-range specialists in the field, there is no doubt in my mind that a bench with a solid front and rear rest is the best option for long range precision shooting.

Many years ago, I used a Harris Bipod. In the prone position, it can be very effective. Not so much for me in the sitting position. The reasons I change to another system was lying / sitting on the ground I often got infested with ticks, I had to give up a lot of shot opportunities due to field of view limitations, and later in life, it was just too difficult physically to get into a prone position due to a spinal condition.

About 25 years or more ago, I switched to cross sticks and a lightweight highly portable sportsman's chair. This gave me a much better field of view and increased my shot opportunities significantly. It's also a highly portable system and I can engage a target on the stalk in less than 60 seconds or so since it so easy to adjust the height of my sticks just by changing the spread.

The downside of cross sticks is that it takes consider practice and technique development to make consistent shots on varmints with a small vital area. My effective range with this system is about 275 yards which covers 95%+ of my shooting opportunities where I hunt. That range extents out to 300 yards or so with predators.

The most important advice I can offer as a seasoned varmint hunter and practical shooter is this: practice as you hunt or intend to use the rifle.

 

[ClayM]

I've hunted eastern ground hogs extensively for 50 years. I've tried a variety of field shooting aids but have never used a bench in the field because I'm a mobile hunter.

Having witness some long-range specialists in the field, there is no doubt in my mind that a bench with a solid front and rear rest is the best option for long range precision shooting.

Many years ago, I used a Harris Bipod. In the prone position, it can be very effective. Not so much for me in the sitting position. The reasons I change to another system was lying / sitting on the ground I often got infested with ticks, I had to give up a lot of shot opportunities due to field of view limitations, and later in life, it was just too difficult physically to get into a prone position due to a spinal condition.

About 25 years or more ago, I switched to cross sticks and a lightweight highly portable sportsman's chair. This gave me a much better field of view and increased my shot opportunities significantly. It's also a highly portable system and I can engage a target on the stalk in less than 60 seconds or so since it so easy to adjust the height of my sticks just by changing the spread.

The downside of cross sticks is that it takes consider practice and technique development to make consistent shots on varmints with a small vital area. My effective range with this system is about 275 yards which covers 95%+ of my shooting opportunities where I hunt. That range extents out to 300 yards or so with predators.

The most important advice I can offer as a seasoned varmint hunter and practical shooter is this: practice as you hunt or intend to use the rifle.

I also use shooting sticks and a camp chair... Surprising how solid one can get, with practice...

 

[jepp2]

l have this Varmint Rifle with no sling swivels.

Might be slightly more accurate to say your rifle lacks sling "studs".

Plan on removing the studs too before some range time. 0pinions or thoughts anyone?

My rifles only have the studs in place when I am using a bipod. Otherwise, the studs like to chew on your front rest bag during recoil. I also shoot from the most advantageous position that meets my accuracy needs.

My most solid rest is front and rear supported. For shooting prairie dogs from a bench, I am rock solid with the table and rests shown below. For deer and antelope hunting, using a bipod with a rear rest is my best available rest. When I am mobile and in a state where you can rest off a vehicle, this is how I shoot.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

After reading all the above, I believe I've tried and used every method mentioned with varying degrees of success. For me, it depends on what I'm about to do, what the intended target critter is, and where I intend to do it.

For PD's and GS's in open fields, it almost always my rotating bench with CF rifles. Sometimes out the truck window on a window bag with custom 10-22's when it's not "bench weather". If the rifle of the day has QD studs, I remove them when I'm using my Sinclair front rest so as to not tear up the bags when at the bench. Most of my rifles intended for this do not have studs.



For rock chucks, it's sometimes a bipod or my "varmint stake" that works for prone, kneeling or sitting when I'm roaming about in the lava piles and juniper. I use this a lot for my rifles that lack QD studs.



A better look at the guts of the Varmint Stake:



I don't notice any change of accuracy or POI when using my bipods either, both seem to work just dandy, and the chucks don't seem to mind a bit.



Then there's always the "field expedient" rest most of us have used at one time or another:



But every rifle is dialed in from the bench first. I see no changes with accuracy or POI when using alternative rest methods in the field. And if any changes do exist, they're so small in practical terms as to be meaningless, at least to me. It all works, I believe it just depends on personal likes and grievances.

 

[Bill Norris]

I use a F-class style bi-pod with all my hunting/varmint style rifles. I can't see any difference in my groups after swapping over to the bi-pod vs. front rest.

 

[1mil]

As always great pics Mr Rick. Where might one buy a varmint stake...I like it!
Another rest off a bench is the "Dog Gone Bag" by Don Scott. He no longer makes these so finding one is a plus.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

As always great pics Mr Rick. Where might one buy a varmint stake...I like it!
Another rest off a bench is the "Dog Gone Bag" by Don Scott. He no longer makes these so finding one is a plus.

Thanks. My son whipped out the Varmint Stake in his shop for me out of scrap material from a drawing I made. Pretty simple and not very hard to make. Here's a pic showing it overall in case you or anyone else wants to copy it for their own use.



A big + One for Don's bags too. One of his window bags is in the pic with my 10-22. Great for shots out the truck window while cruising the two-tracks on the ranch.

 

[snert]

When on bags or a rest I remove my studs. They hang up in recoil and induce vertical.

If I need to carry with a sling or use a BP I put em in. I seldom have them in.

 

[sw282]

Nice Coopers Rick. Thanks for sharing.

282

 

[K22]

I also use shooting sticks and a camp chair... Surprising how solid one can get, with practice...

Yes, four points of contact, feet flat on ground, elbows resting on knees. My home-made sticks, made with 1/2" diameter solid aluminum rod, do not flex - very stable platform. Also, lightweight to carry in the field.

In my younger days I could hold sub 1 moa out to 200 yards on a routine basis. These days, with diminishing skills of old age, I have to be in the zone but still I'm quite effective out to about 275 yards.

 

[Gargoyle]

So, I've tried some things and I've screwed up some things. FOR ME...I just can't load a bipod consistently. I bought shooting mats with loops in them, tried spiked feet, dug holes into the ground for non spiked feet, etc. That method built an anxiety in me and I spent night crying myself to sleep over my vertical stringing.

So, I went to bags and just let the rifle free recoil flow while focusing on keeping the butt firm in the shoulder. Tiny ass groups! Went back to the bipods and put ski feet on them. Don't front load, focus on straight to the rear trigger press and stock pressed straight back into the shoulder and tiny ass groups.

Now I see PRS style bags that have a picatinny rail mount on them...oh boy!

 

[alf]

99% of my prairie dog shooting has been off a bench.

I use a small Bald Eagle rear bag for the butt, and a Hart pedestal rest for the front.

On the Hart, I replaced the 3 feet with carriage bolts with the heads down, washers, and nuts. I can easily move the rest around on the carpeted tops, while it stays put for shooting.

 

[Webster]

l have this Varmint Rifle with no sling swivels. A friend and fellow Forum Member comments ''Great, No swivels to interfere with''. All my other Varmint Rifles have bi-pods. l took a couple off and realized what he was referring to. Plan on removing the studs too before some range time. 0pinions or thoughts anyone?

282

I have been shooting my varmint rifles since 1970 off a bipod in the field. I lay on the ground. Can't imagine a sand bag in the field (no elevation). Do you want to lug around something to elevate a sandbag? I used to use a front sandbag at the range. For at least the last 15 years I use a bipod off a bench. My rifles always shoot about 0.400" at 100 yards off a bipod. I have to reposition the bipod after every shot and make sure the legs are locked all the way forward. Also have to reposition the rear bag after every shot. I mark the rear bag and bipod position with a magic marker on the bench.