This sight is a tremendous resource for great information! In order to get the most out of it you must learn to filter the data and understand the sources the information (and often times opinions) are coming. What I mean by this; there are many disciplines in precision shooting and most are discussed here by some really great shooters. Some of the set ups, techniques, equipment will cross over between disciplines and apply really well. Others do not. If you look closely whenever there is a thread answering questions related to load development the truly knowledgable crowd will ask a lot of questions to the OP on chamber specs, bullet weights, brand etc if not given in the original question. This is not to be antagonizing, demeaning, or to aggravate but mostly to fully understand all the parameters in play. To simply reply with an answer without knowledge of the specs, on that subject, is down right dangerous!
Now to your topic..... I shoot FTR and put a lot of effort into it. Here's my "opinion" and strategy I went with when I had my first custom rifle built for this discipline just 2 years ago. I do not shoot bench-rest but feel that crowd has the most accurate equipment and load development processes, steps (many get debated here all the time on the value of improvement) out there in their rifles and set ups. I wanted to mimic that and have built what I felt would be the most accurate 308 rifle. I also have learned recoil management is a major factor to high scores. I call this gun handling skills. I try to mimic the recoil in the bags and with a bi-pod the same as the bench-rest guys and open shooters with their front rest. I'm not the only one. My opinion this set up as well as equipment gains and rifle building are the main reasons the FTR scores are stating to rival some open scores now. For me to do this and have my gun track "straight" back in FTR (if that's even possible) I do as you described above, try and get very close to free-recoil. I don't feel complete free recoil works well in FTR but that's getting a little deep in the weeds (which I'm already doing
) for this discussion. If I have the right tool and I've done the best I can with load development and tested and verified all is good, my strategy is then to focus on wind reading and my setup before I pull the trigger. Let the equipment and ammo do the work.
I use medium rings as that's all I need for my scope to clear and my cheek set up. I do not want cheek pressure on my gun. I try and place my cheek in the same place every time as a reference point not as a rest point as that puts weight/pressure. I do the same with my thumb, not behind the rifle tang but to the side of the rifle just above my trigger finger as a reference point. My shoulder is just touching the butt pad with no pressure. I try and stay completely relaxed especially in my shoulders so it absorbs the recoil. If I get all that correct my gun usually tracks fairly straight (when I'm directly behind it). I try and do this the exact same every shot......consistency.... I do not stay on the gun for the entire string as many aspire to do. I use a spotting scope for mirage and flag point direction. I also have some back issues and have to at times get completely off my gun (another reason i practice my routine even when load testing to get muscle memory. I'm blessed to shoot with several accomplished competitors in our local matches. They all do relatively the same set up as I describe above.
A couple of them need higher rings because of their jaw lines, features etc. I'm sure there are different reasons for others but this defines, in detail, my thinking. Looks like you are on the right track with your set up! At 1000 yds everything gets magnified and assuming everything being equal in equipment and load development between competitors: set up, gun handling, and wind reading separate the top shooters from the pack. A little luck (and X count) usually separate 1 and 2
