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Front Rest Positions

Ive noticed benchrest shooters tend to have their front bag near the very end of the forend of the stock. Is this more of an issue for balancing the gun fore and aft in the bags or is there something else to it?

The reason I ask is becasue when I shoot, I have found that I have a tendcy to get better groups with the front bag placed closer to the recoil lug. I normally set mine appox, 2.5-3 inches in front of the lug. Oddly thats also where my guns middle balancing point is. I also noticed that if I sight in using a front rest and then attach a bipod, the zero shifts horribly. It still groups really well, it just moves the zero. My set up is on hunting type rifles and I do "hold" them. I dont dare try to shoot free recoil with a hunting stock.
 
Ive noticed benchrest shooters tend to have their front bag near the very end of the forend of the stock. Is this more of an issue for balancing the gun fore and aft in the bags or is there something else to it?

The reason I ask is becasue when I shoot, I have found that I have a tendcy to get better groups with the front bag placed closer to the recoil lug. I normally set mine appox, 2.5-3 inches in front of the lug. Oddly thats also where my guns middle balancing point is. I also noticed that if I sight in using a front rest and then attach a bipod, the zero shifts horribly. It still groups really well, it just moves the zero. My set up is on hunting type rifles and I do "hold" them. I dont dare try to shoot free recoil with a hunting stock.
Most front rests have three holes in them.for the stop post This is so you can find the right balance for your gun.. They each have a point of balance they like.. Tommy Mc
 
The benchrest guns mentioned have heavy shortish barrels compared to most other disciplines. They sport stocks that are light and some have to have weight installed in the buttstock to make weight. They are using cartridges with little recoil and are more concerned with controlling that in line with a setup that allows near perfect repetition.

It's just a different game with different tricks to compete. If they got better groups by using a sandbag placed amidships you can bank on just about every competitor doing that.

Joe
 
Ive noticed benchrest shooters tend to have their front bag near the very end of the forend of the stock. Is this more of an issue for balancing the gun fore and aft in the bags or is there something else to it?

The reason I ask is becasue when I shoot, I have found that I have a tendcy to get better groups with the front bag placed closer to the recoil lug. I normally set mine appox, 2.5-3 inches in front of the lug. Oddly thats also where my guns middle balancing point is. I also noticed that if I sight in using a front rest and then attach a bipod, the zero shifts horribly. It still groups really well, it just moves the zero. My set up is on hunting type rifles and I do "hold" them. I dont dare try to shoot free recoil with a hunting stock.

Disregard where other shooters place their front rest. Benchrest shooters place their rest where they do because of not ONLY balance of their rifles, but because that position is where their rifle shoots the best groups. So forget the "magic" positioning of a rest EXCEPT for where your rifle shoots the best.

Alex
 
I think of rest/bag position as an open sight...the longer the sight radius, the less off you will be with any given movement of the sight.

Example.....if you have a 30 inch spread between your front and rear sight and you move the front to the right 1/10th of an inch vs a 15 inch spread and the same 1/10th movement with the front.

It's why an 8 3/8 inch S&W is easier to hit with than a 2 inch snub...or why the sling guys use bloop tubes...to extend the sight radius.

I have my front rest just far enough back from the front that the gun stays put on the rest during recoil. I position my rear bag at the very (rear) end of my stock....just so I can touch the stock with my shoulder and not the bag.

Just my .02,
Tod
 

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