Long range bench rest shooting position along side or behind the bench

[60723]

I have shot both ways. I shoot my tactical rifle off a bipod and squeeze bag straight behind the bench without issues. Recently I have had some problems shooting my custom off a SEB rest if shooting from behind. I will occasionally throw a shot left. Took a while to realize if the rifle hit my collar bone at all the shot went left. Been shooting 6 years and only realized this problem last month. Trying to shoot beside now. Time will tell!

 

[JEFFPPC]

I think if you shoot free recoil or not will have some bearing. There is not a right or wrong way. Very little ever said about bench manners, nothing to sell, but a very important part of the game. If you really want to learn bench manners get a quality Springer air rifle and start shooting it 20 yards to 50 yards. In a sentence, its about total absolute repeatabilty. It requires focus and discipline. My advice to questb450 on muzzlebrakes is speak up and request a different position, First rule should be you cause no disturbance to fellow shooters. Some ranges have baffles or benches with space between them but many don't. If your inclined to not speak up, thats on you.

 

[JFrank]

By the time the rifle hits your shoulder the bullet is already down range.

Took a while to realize if the rifle hit my collar bone at all the shot went left

 

[quest450]

I think if you shoot free recoil or not will have some bearing. There is not a right or wrong way. Very little ever said about bench manners, nothing to sell, but a very important part of the game. If you really want to learn bench manners get a quality Springer air rifle and start shooting it 20 yards to 50 yards. In a sentence, its about total absolute repeatabilty. It requires focus and discipline. My advice to questb450 on muzzlebrakes is speak up and request a different position, First rule should be you cause no disturbance to fellow shooters. Some ranges have baffles or benches with space between them but many don't. If your inclined to not speak up, thats on you.

agreed, it was an older gentleman in our club, I didn't wanna make waves during a match and since muzzle must clear bench forward edge is not a benchrest competition rule I chose to wait a little bit, he's the only one shooting behind the gun so it was just bad luck drawing a bench next to him.

 

[R.Morehouse]

Sometimes I shoot free recoil, sometimes I shoot pinned. Short or long range. Both from behind the gun.

Regards
Rick

 

[Steve Donlon]

I think if you shoot free recoil or not will have some bearing. There is not a right or wrong way. Very little ever said about bench manners, nothing to sell, but a very important part of the game. If you really want to learn bench manners get a quality Springer air rifle and start shooting it 20 yards to 50 yards. In a sentence, its about total absolute repeatabilty. It requires focus and discipline. My advice to questb450 on muzzlebrakes is speak up and request a different position, First rule should be you cause no disturbance to fellow shooters. Some ranges have baffles or benches with space between them but many don't. If your inclined to not speak up, thats on you.

We had the forest closed down for the entire summer one year and got a HW97 springer and learned real fast about what not to do. Good suggestion about bench manners.

 

[Canuckienns]

Dave, when you sit behind the rifle it is pretty far back on the bench and the muzzle usually doesn't clear the front edge of the bench, if you're shooting with a muzzle brake it blasts your neighbors on both sides, it happened to me a few times during competition while I was about to squeeze the trigger so now I just wait until "you" are done !
It works with the 10 minute per target time rule but it did not under the old IBS 2 minute sighter period rule.

Mark I have no brakes now. There are still guys shooting those nasties at our shoots, but not me. A couple of times I shot near brakes and I had to time my shots inbetween. Go OIlers.

 

[quest450]

Mark I have no brakes now. There are still guys shooting those nasties at our shoots, but not me. A couple of times I shot near brakes and I had to time my shots inbetween. Go OIlers.

I wasn't addressing you Dave I have no problem with muzzle brakes as long as they're in compliance with the rules AND over the edge of the bench, actually all my barrels have a radiant Harrels brakes, I know exactly who you're referring to and I always hope not to draw a bench next to that individual, just getting back to my point......if you shoot behind your rifle most likely the muzzle will not clear front edge of a bench and that affects thje shooters next to you.....Go Cats !!

 

[JEFFPPC]

We had the forest closed down for the entire summer one year and got a HW97 springer and learned real fast about what not to do. Good suggestion about bench manners.

Funny you should bring that up. Here are a couple 50 yard groups today with my TX200 .177 springer. 8.44 JSB in 4.52. Two rimfire shooter were packing up as I arrived, too windy they said . I set my flags, here are a couple groups in switchy 6 to 10 mph winds.

 

[Clancy]

I moved behind the bench many years ago, and it was probably the best thing I’ve ever done to improve myself.

 

[6BRA]

By the time the rifle hits your shoulder the bullet is already down range.

And recoil always beats the bullet out of the barrel. Even on pistols. Learned this 40 years ago.
My dad was a big guy. He would hold N Frame Smiths loosely. As a Kid, I always held on tight.
My impacts were always lower on targets at 25 yards. The cause is above. His loose hold allowed the gun to rise before the bullet left the barrel. This tells the story. I picked up on this under 18 years old. And the purpose for Free Recoil has been realized. Consistency.

 

[jelenko]

What is the benefit in shooting from behind the bench vs alongside it?
Thanks

 

[JFrank]

I think this video shows pretty well that the bullet will be gone long before the rifle hits the shoulder.

 

[Tesoro]

I cant be to picky anymore. LOL

u can if you pay for it

 

[6BRA]

Recoil begins the moment the primer is hit by the firing pin. I would suggest the camera is not high enough speed and the environment is not controlled. Newton's law. 3 phases to recoil and the camera is only capturing the bullet exit. Gun movement will start when the primer ignites.

All You Need to Know About Recoil and How to Mitigate It - Gunsmithing Journal

Recoil can make shooting a gun intimidating and painful. Calculating it is easy, and once understood, there are multiple ways to mitigate it.

kurtthegunsmith.com

 

[JFrank]

Recoil begins the moment the primer is hit by the firing pin.

We can both agree on this point, and agree to disagree on other points.
The great part is that in America we can share different views.

Jim

 

[6BRA]

We can both agree on this point, and agree to disagree on other points.
The great part is that in America we can share different views.

Jim

I get it, we can agree to disagree. Please watch the video within this link. Let me know what you think after watching this.

How Recoil Affects Handgun Accuracy

Does recoil cause the muzzle to rise while the bullet is still in the barrel, or is the bullet long gone by then?

www.luckygunner.com

let me know what you think about the point of impact changes afterwards.
Mike

 

[JFrank]

I get it, we can agree to disagree. Please watch the video within this link. Let me know what you think after watching this.

How Recoil Affects Handgun Accuracy

Does recoil cause the muzzle to rise while the bullet is still in the barrel, or is the bullet long gone by then?

www.luckygunner.com

let me know what you think about the point of impact changes afterwards.
Mike

I’ll watch it later when I get a bit more time. Thanks..
I completely agree that you can influence a hand gun or a rifle with a tight grip , but under the context of the tread title long range Benchrest .. we typically free recoil and not pin the rifle to the shoulder ‘so under that pretense’ a 17 pound rifle is much slower to move back, hit the shoulder and then influence the shot. ( the bullet is gone ) so therefore IMHO and in response to post # 21 I would look elsewhere as a cause for his errant shot. Ensure he’s in good position to begin with etc.
Jim

 

[6BRA]

If you are pinning to shoulder...you better do it consistently which adds another thing on the shooter.
Cheek Weld is a killer as well. Improperly set up gun/scope/Ring height will add another thing on the shooter. Take things out of the shooters control and see what happens. Humans error...all the time.
We agree !

 

[4xforfun]

Behind. If at return to battery the cross hair is right of the mothball, I move my stool 1/2 to 1 inch right. If left, I move left.....untill the return to battery is on target!!

Tod