Left/right hold 'wiggle' that ends up on target

[SGK]

I was doing load development today and I noticed that my hold has a tendency to swing ever so slightly left and right. The movement is slight and would appear (looking at crosshairs on POA) less than what ends up on target. I try to release the trigger in the middle or when it stops but I'd prefer to get rid of the movement or at least think about my hold/setup more closely to see if I can do better. I'm shooting from a bench with a front rest (Shadetree in Eagle base), Edgewood rear bag. I'm NOT shooting free recoil. In general my trigger hand is off largely off the gun except my forefinger on the trigger. My ear defenders rest on the stock as does my cheek. I'd say I have a relatively 'forward' cheek weld in the seated position. Pressure the rest more?

I'm wondering how much of this is due to poor hold, trigger handling or whatever. (Any wind was at my back and directly downrange.) That's 0.17 MOA of x spread.

 

[CharlieNC]

You should not need to time the shot due to movement, and need to determine the cause to eliminate. It certainly could be cheek contact, which can be magnified upon recoil. Trigger pull too. Experiment with setup and your contact until you find how to get the cross hair rock steady before firing , then trigger pull and recoil control.

 

[1911nut]

I’d try a couple groups with your cheek off the stock

 

[dbduff]

I’d try a couple groups with your cheek off the stock

Pinching the trigger as opposed to pulling may give a clue as to where the movement is coming from.

 

[gkgeiger]

Breathing?

 

[liljoe]

Wind flags?
Joe

 

[ebb]

What 1911 nut said plus don't let muffs touch either, don't wrap thumb over wrist of stock.

 

[Drop Port]

If you're seeing movement before the shot breaks that needs to be addressed first, the only thing that never stops moving is your heart. I see this as the problem more often, then not. Most of the time the shooter is resting their chest against the bench top.

 

[snert]

parralax? (gosh if I could spell...)

Wind flags?

 

[SGK]

Wind flags?
Joe

parralax? (gosh if I could spell...)

Wind flags?

Breathing?

Movement is in the hold. In my experience breathing normally results in a vertical movement.

Thanks I will go through my entire hold/setup and try to eliminate everything I can with some dry firing. I'm also going to watch Bart's video again. I probably need to be much more particular in setting up at the range (vs at home).

 

[Dave M.]

Pinching the trigger as opposed to pulling may give a clue as to where the movement is coming from.

I’m a pincher and it has been extremely effective for me. I know the HOF benchrest guys would throw up if they saw my squeeze.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

You gotta get everything with a pulse off your gun- thumb, cheek, etc. then make sure youre not leaning on a rickety bench and your heartbeat is moving it

 

[topclass2017]

takes me back to days of shooting smallbore 4-position. Didn't matter if with iron sights or a scope. There was always going to be a wobble, even when slinged up in prone - then it was mostly watching my heartbeat bounce my rifle up and down. The challenge was to have a consistent wobble, and with practice a smaller wobble, not so much for timing the wobble but to know the wobble to know when in the wobble to squeeze off the shot. Breathing was a huge part of wobble control - getting a good breath or 2 in before settling down to final pre-shot routine, and then figuring out when to hold my breath (inhale? exhale?) and how much to hold, and when to abandon the shot and start over.

One thing I remember vividly is that the wobble was not the same day to day, so set-up and sighters were invaluable to draw from experience.

 

[JEFFPPC]

If your right handed shooter it sounds like as you lean into your set up your pushing something. Rear bag, bench whatever, you need to eliminate the movement. It could also come from too hard of a trigger and as you squeeze your tightening your hand and pushing the gun. Your not describing a pulse, your describing a push. Have a good shooter were I you shoot or video your self as you shoot. Amazing what you can see watching yourself on video.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

If you can see it move back and forth before the shot its your heart or breathing. If it only moves as you pull the trigger its your trigger pull

 

[1shot]

Try adding one component of your final shooting position one at a time while looking through the scope. When the L-R movement starts, that is the problem. I know that for me being a leftie, if I'm not squared up to the rifle, I have a tendency to push shots to the right. Without watching you shoot I'm just spitballing here, but try the suggestions given to you here, and I bet you fine the error. Keep us informed as to your findings,

Lloyd

 

[BoydAllen]

This is a situation where dry fire is your friend. Friends who have had similar problems have been hard to convince, but when they went to taller rings a lot of their problems went away. Also, leaving more of the butt stock overhanging the rear bag helps prevent touching the bag with your chest. You need to figure out how to not have your hearing protection touch your stock. How much side tension does your front bag have on your stock? lf it is properly adjusted the movement has to be in the rear bag, which could be a poor fit for your stock. Even with my varmint rifles I have always bee able to achieve a steady hold. I believe that you can do the same.

 

[SGK]

If I set up at home carefully at my dining room table I am rock solid and comfortable. I'm doing something wrong at the range. Either I'm not properly aligned or I'm hunching over the bag/butt. I do notice that the crappy chairs they have feel too low versus the bench and I'm not as comfortable. I will do more practice at home and take much more time setting up at the range.

BTW my rear bag is an Edgewood MiniGator. Do people typically have the longer sloped portion forward or rearward? I noticed in Bart's video he has it to the rear. (His points at the 6 minute mark are likely spot on.)

 

[Gargoyle]

I've learned not to chase my tail on the left/right dance. I leave my windage set at the zero I got when I wasn't screwing up. Some days I see a slight left, some days a slight right. I chill out and adjust my grip and/or position until it hits zero again. Definitely the Indian and not the arrow in my case.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I've learned not to chase my tail on the left/right dance. I leave my windage set at the zero I got when I wasn't screwing up. Some days I see a slight left, some days a slight right. I chill out and adjust my grip and/or position until it hits zero again. Definitely the Indian and not the arrow in my case.

Same case in my neck of the woods.....usually the Indian. You are so right.