Hard Time Staying On Target After The Shot

[minnesotamulisha]

I realize that this may be hard to do without any pictures or a video, but I would like some advice on shooting form. Lately, I've noticed that after I fire a round, instead of staying on target, I am shifting to the left about 20 inches at 100 yards.

I played with my rest and rear bag alignment in relation to the target, but the same shifting continued.

Is this not worth discussing until I get video or pictures of my form?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

 

[JRS]

Is the forearm resting on a lazy susan ;D

 

[dkhunt14]

Try some shelf liner under your bag. It helps keep the bag from moving around. Maybe you need a bigger rear bag. You might have to change position behind gun. Try getting square with shoulder. Matt

 

[ShootDots]

I can not imagine having a "BenchRest Style" front rest and a good rear bag all lined up, that you could be getting that far off. My guess is that you are shooting from a Bi-Pod. If you are shooting from a Bi-Pod and getting that much movement, you are getting "HOP" from torque and recoil. If you ARE shooting from a good "BR Style" front rest and they are lined up correctly, I am at a loss. When I shoot at 1000 yards from my S.E.B. and I push the rifle back into position, I am not more than 10 inches off and that is from the ground. If I were on a bench, I would be A LOT closer than that.

This condition NEEDS to be corrected..

 

[minnesotamulisha]

Thanks guys. I am using a Bald Eagle Triangular front rest like the one in the picture. When it comes to tightening the adjustment screw (Red Arrow in the picture), how tight should it be? It doesn't seem that there is any side to side movement between my rifle and the rest.

As for a rear bag, I am using a Protektor Bag, just like this one. It is 4.375 x 4.375 at the base. Is it too small?

 

[minnesotamulisha]

Matt, when you say shelf liner, are you talking about the stuff you buy at Walmart that goes over the shelves in the cupboards?

 

[ShootDots]

What caliber are you shooting? If it is a B-I-G Magnum, I can understand what is happening. But if it is a light cartridge, then it has to have something to do with your shooting position. Some of the "BR" guys on here, like DKHunt, can help tremendously..

 

[minnesotamulisha]

Thanks ShootDots. I am shooting a 308. Not a big magnum by any means.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

Are your shoulders in line with the firing line or is your right shoulder (shooting right) back from your left? If you are not lined up in line with the firing line the rifle butt is recoiling and sliding right, hence the muzzle goes left. Two things can cause this; bad habit of not getting lined up or the length of pull(butt stock) is too long. All of this will make you stretch to reach the trigger.

 

[minnesotamulisha]

I can say right now that I know my shoulders are not perpendicular to my line of sight. I did a quick Google search of "Benchrest Shooting Position" and the results show that most people pictured don't have their shoulders completely square. How much is tolerable? Do you have to be perfectly square to your target, such as the isosceles stance when pistol shooting?

 

[CaptainMal]

Butt.

Is it a hunting style or benchrest style where it's flat and tracks straight back?

If it rises up like a hunting rifle you can be sure the rifle will end up pointing low after the shot. If there's any torque from the rifling, light stock, angled butt etc., things are going to move.

 

[minnesotamulisha]

I am shooting a Savage model 12 F T/R. It does have an angled stock, not the flat bench rest type.

 

[FBecigneul]

How much is tolerable?
Does the butt slide off your shoulder and onto your arm when you shoot?
It shouldn't.

 

[minnesotamulisha]

No, the butt stays on my shoulder, in the same spot it starts.

 

[dkhunt14]

Matt, when you say shelf liner, are you talking about the stuff you buy at Walmart that goes over the shelves in the cupboards?

Yes it comes in rolls and available in many colors. It really helps keep the bag from sliding. Matt

 

[dmoran]

Couple rest/bag possibilities:

1 - check for movement in the front rests top
- lock the windage of the top and see if it still does it
- eliminate any movement in the top

2 - Rear bag base/bottom not flat = causes rocking
- common off a bench, with rear bags (like the one in your picture) that do not have the extra reinforced base (4 layers of stiff leather - see attached image)

Donovan

 

[X-Caveman]

1st make sure you scope is properly mounted (hasn't moved or twisted in the rings). Then devise a way to check if the forend and scope horizontal cross hair are parallel. In other words, is the forend on plane with the horizon when the cross hairs are level?

I have a custom rifle with a stock from a reputable manufacturer that wouldn't track. It hopped upon recoil and returned to battery as much as 6 moa off. Mine is a 6.5x47, so it would be worse with a .308. I tried lots of things and wasted plenty of money only to discover the stock was twisted. In my case, it was .05" over the 3" forend width! I fixed it by scabbing a piece of nylon to it and machining it square. Now she tracks great, but she's UGLY.

 

[4xforfun]

If I notice during the sighter period of a match that my gun is tracking left of right during recoil I change my position behind the gun. If my gun tracks left (it is the butt stock that moves in my case) and ends up with the muzzle pointing to the right , I move my stool over to the right just a touch. Move your stool the same direction as where your muzzle is pointing (or the opposite direction your stock is moving). Don't make a big move....just a little at a time.

Now, I learned this shooting a big magnum, but the same goes for my dashers.

Side note...I sit BEHIND my gun....not BESIDE it.

 

[Lapua40X]

Perhaps I don't understand the expectations of some others, but in my experience a .308 off of a rest is going to experience some degree of muzzle jump and the twist of the rifling is going to determine whether the muzzle moves right or left of the target. Unless you nail (weight) the muzzle down, clamp it in place or install a muzzle brake with enough relief to overcome the muzzle jump it's pretty much a given that you won't be precisely on target after the round starts down range.

 

[dkhunt14]

I know guys with 300 WSM's that don't leave the patch at 1000 yards. They work on it with bags, rests and stocks that track. Now these are 17 pound guns with brakes. If they can do that at 1000 with a WSM a 308 should be able to stay a lot closer then the amount the OP stated. Position behind the gun and bags and stock design have a lot to do with it. The bag can't move and it has to fit the stock. The front rest has to have no movement in the top. I have seen a lot of them that move on recoil. Have somebody stand off to the side and watch. I have seen a bunch move especially with a windage top. Get a heavier bag with the right spacing and higher ears. The gun needs to ride the bottom and the ears need to hold the gun firm without sideways movement. A bag like the one Donovan shows goes over 15 pounds. Putting shelf liner under the bag helps hold it from sliding. The liner is soft and sort of sticky. The bag needs a heavy bottom so the bag sits flat. These are some of the things that will help. The way you open the bolt will move the gun also. My buddy is so slick at it and he slides his hand up along the side of the stock and pushes the bolt open with upward movement. He is so fast that when you spot for him you better not look away or you will miss the next shot. He is the smoothest on a 17 pound gun that I ever saw. He sat and practiced till he got good at it. Matt