Need advice for prone from a bipod

[Fast14riot]

Need a bit of help coaching a couple guys on shooting from a bipod. My dad and my uncle both say that even a 13" bipod is not high enough for them to shoot prone with standard factory varmint style rifles. My uncle has a bit of a belly (probably 35-40# overweight) and my dad less so. I do not have this body shape and have no idea how to help them get comfortable and stable. I almost think they are trying to get their head vertical by raising everything up higher, but I also understand they just can't get as low as I can. (I normally shoot at a 8-10 setting on level ground, so I'm not super low, but I also use cheek risers to keep my head vertical.)

All the regular positional stuff I know, it's just these particular issues of saying they need everything so high up to be comfortable on the gun. Do you think a cheek riser might help? Moving the scope forward? Any tips would be appreciated. Their scores are really suffering from these positional issues.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Almost every game animal I have killed from the prone position has been with a 9"-13" bipod and the legs were never extended except to level the rifle on uneven ground.

All of my long range hunting and varmint rifle shooting practice is done from the prone position using the same bipods. I'll even do some load development from the prone position with a bipod on my big game rifles.

If they're having trouble getting a sight picture with 13", they're definitely doing something wrong.

Traditionally, you line up your body directly behind the rifle with legs spread at 1.5 times shoulder width. But sometimes I fire from the prone position in the field with my body off to the side due to terrain restrictions to body placement. It still works very well.

You could try moving their scopes forward, just make sure they still have a sight picture from the offhand and sitting positions. Also might try higher scope mounts. If they're using a rear bag, maybe try something a little higher or lower to get a more comfortable fit.

I am not an overweight person, but I just can't see how there'd be trouble with getting a sight picture using a bipod on 13"??? I never extend my bipods that high because it's just too much.

 

[Lapua40X]

Some of the shooters in our long range group have bellies that give the term "obesity" a new meaning. Waistlines of legendary girth. They all shoot prone very well.
In your place, I might put these shooters behind a rifle in prone and let them adjust themselves to the position necessary to achieve a proper sight picture and work from there.
What I have found with older shooters isn't that they are limited by their mid-section but that their neck doesn't allow them to get their head into proper position behind a scope when shooting prone. So I'd teach 'em how to shoot sitting from sticks or a tall bipod.

 

[memilanuk]

Most people set up and sight-in their hunting rifles from the bench... which puts the head and shoulders in roughly the same orientation as when they are shooting from standing/kneeling field positions. The scope ends up a little further back, maybe a little higher, etc.

When you take that same gun and put it on the ground and try to shoot from the bipod, your head tends to tilt forward, and your neck and shoulders are aligned differently - resulting in your face being much closer to the scope. In extreme cases, if the gun is too low you may end up with your eyeball trying to look thru your eye brow, which doesn't work well. The eye strain alone is uncomfortable for many people. Other times people who have had some sort of neck/back surgery have a hard time flexing their neck upwards enough to shoot with a lower position.

I typically have the scope mounted so that I have to stretch a little to see a full field of view from off-hand, and don't have to pull back as much to keep from getting scoped in the prone position.

With a 13" bipod, unless the individuals involved have a *very* pronounced beer gut, or multiple discs fused in their necks, they should be able to get a full and comfortable sight picture fairly easily. It may require moving the scope forward a bit, though.

 

[swd]

I shot F a few months ago and one shooter put a pillow under his chest. Looked pretty comfortable. Shoot your string fast and then take a nap

Come on out to the next High Power shoot at Sac. There's lots of great shooters there that can help them. Sept 11 is a 600 yard shoot and a great way to start in F. 60 rounds for score but bring 80 to include sighters. Plus you'll be able to get some good practice at 600 on your 6.8. I'm 95% sure I'll be there.

 

[aj300mag]

Traditionally, you line up your body directly behind the rifle with legs spread at 1.5 times shoulder width. But sometimes I fire from the prone position in the field with my body off to the side due to terrain restrictions to body placement. It still works very well.

This ^ ^ ^

I can't lay inline with my rifle, neck doesn't allow me to shoot that way. I cant my body to the left (I'm right handed), don't have any issues shooting in a low position.

 

[Fast14riot]

Thanks for the suggestions, I may take my dad and totally remount his scope and try a cheek riser for him. He probably did set up his new scope at the bench.

@swd, I'd love to come out to shoot F/class but that's my son's birthday. I'll be out there shooting the military semiauto silhouette in a couple weeks though. I'm working with someone on developing a new load using a preproduction bullet just for long range in the 6.8, just waiting to get some to try out.

 

[Sniper338]

Buy some 8ft 2x10s and a sheet of plywood and build a ramp to lay behind the rifle at an angle. Its way more comfortable

 

[Sniper338]

I cant find a picture to post, but if you can find the video with hill country rifles and the longest 375 cheytac shot, the shooter is shooting off one, and hes a bigger guy... im sure its on youtube...

 

[Fast14riot]

I've seen that ramp, a bit much to drag to a varmint silhouette match. I think I'm going to work on getting the gun lower and repositioning them to the gun.

 

[CharlieNC]

Yea 13in bipod seems way too tall, meaning he is probably arching his back and straining the neck in order to see through the scope. Try 6in or shortest bipod length, close the eyes and get comfortably behind the rifle, keeping eyes closed. Rest cheek on the stock. Open eyes. Adjust the scope to suit that comfortable position, using a folded towel as an adjustable cheek rest to support the head pressure. Make the scope position fit him.