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Question about - Locking down a rifle to the front rest.

Just like in Rimfire BR, i am seeing guys "tying down" their rifle to the one pc rest. They say that there isn't anything in the rules that say that you can't.. but if it is "tied" down, how can it be freely picked straight up from the rest.. which is in the rules. To me it seems like "cheating".. This behavior has only started recently as far as i can tell.

In some forms of rimfire benchrest such as ARA, either the front or rear must be able to lift freely upwards. Not both.

ARA Rule
8.4.2.1.2. Both the front and rear rest may not be attached to the stock at the same time. Either the front or the rear of the rifle must be free to be lifted from the rest.
 
While it seems like it would be extremely hard on a barreled action to clamp it into basically a vice-like fixture, we see that in a lot of tunnel testing of equipment and in bullet development, where apparently, they are looking for the absolute most accurate result possible.
 
While it seems like it would be extremely hard on a barreled action to clamp it into basically a vice-like fixture, we see that in a lot of tunnel testing of equipment and in bullet development, where apparently, they are looking for the absolute most accurate result possible.
More to it than that and it depends on the facility and more stuff. Some rf tunnels are set up that way but two things...one is it's rf and two is their results are typically not as good as can be fired from a more typical rest setup. Their idea is just consistency in testing more than how small they can get the ammo to shoot, if that makes sense. I don't know of any such facility where the gun is held rigidly for cf testing. Tests were done years ago with the bbl in poured concrete and the results weren't good.
 
In some forms of rimfire benchrest such as ARA, either the front or rear must be able to lift freely upwards. Not both.

ARA Rule
8.4.2.1.2. Both the front and rear rest may not be attached to the stock at the same time. Either the front or the rear of the rifle must be free to be lifted from the rest.
thanks for that update.. i don't shoot ARA anymore either..
 
More to it than that and it depends on the facility and more stuff. Some rf tunnels are set up that way but two things...one is it's rf and two is their results are typically not as good as can be fired from a more typical rest setup. Their idea is just consistency in testing more than how small they can get the ammo to shoot, if that makes sense. I don't know of any such facility where the gun is held rigidly for cf testing. Tests were done years ago with the bbl in poured concrete and the results weren't good.

Would you tend to think that the “rail gun” type of recoil, which is a controlled straight back free recoil that prevents torque tilting by way of a mounting fixture on bushings riding fixed steel cylinders, would constitute the last word in an accurate rest?

I have have never used one, but it seems to be the target of all discipline’s rules, implying it’s unbeatable. I would envision that the crosshairs basically never leave the POI. They would make trigger pull consistency more-nearly irrelevant, and of course if that’s the only part of the gun being touched, handling issues go away.
 
Would you tend to think that the “rail gun” type of recoil, which is a controlled straight back free recoil that prevents torque tilting by way of a mounting fixture on bushings riding fixed steel cylinders, would constitute the last word in an accurate rest?

I have have never used one, but it seems to be the target of all discipline’s rules, implying it’s unbeatable. I would envision that the crosshairs basically never leave the POI. They would make trigger pull consistency more-nearly irrelevant, and of course if that’s the only part of the gun being touched, handling issues go away.
Of course they are the pinnacle rifle in this sport but like you said, they are a system that allows the gun to recoil. I think that's the key difference. They're not fixed solid and that recoil control can be tuned too.
 
Of course they are the pinnacle rifle in this sport but like you said, they are a system that allows the gun to recoil. I think that's the key difference. They're not fixed solid and that recoil control can be tuned too.
The logic is sound, I’m not sure why I never come across them, nor even talk of a match for them. I don’t believe I’ve actually even seen one. I’m sure they are awkward to transport and perhaps the few that are out there are too dispersed to hold well-attended matches. Really, the only reason I haven’t built one is that experiments without peers or a place to even try one competitively, aren’t as fun. Few folks seem smitten with an F-unlimited Div.
 
Yep, but if a gun is bound down and can't move, well, that energy has to come out somewhere. IME, too tight in the front rest actually makes a gun buck like a bronco. I think the initial break away moment is crucial to good accuracy. Your setup is common and generally works well. I've watched guys with the newer edgewood(I think) tall ear front bags really cinch down on the gun in the bag/rest. Those guns tend to jump around bad. Used drier sheets work well too, in lieu of baby powder. I've also seen some really heavy guns in light recoiling cartridges that didn't shoot until you free them up one way or another.

I never said locked down, the rests and rifle set up correctly you should be able to side it fore and aft with minimum force.

You're very correct in the can't lock it down in the rests, but why does a hard hold work so well in Prone and Palma?
 
I never said locked down, the rests and rifle set up correctly you should be able to side it fore and aft with minimum force.

You're very correct in the can't lock it down in the rests, but why does a hard hold work so well in Prone and Palma?
A hard hold is a whole lot different that not being able to break away in the bags and Palma and prone are different games with different accuracy requirement from br, on top of that. I know several people that put a little shoulder into it or a little thumb pressure on the tang area, etc, but nobody that I've ever seen consistently shoot well in br uses any form of what I'd refer to as a hard hold and a lot don't hold it at all. And if it slides freely or with minimal force, then we were in agreement until you brought up a hard hold in a different game working like a BR rifle. Just apples and oranges. Again, I think we were in agreement. I agreed with your previous post. Just omit the second word(but) of my reply and read it again and I think it reads differently.
 
While it seems like it would be extremely hard on a barreled action to clamp it into basically a vice-like fixture, we see that in a lot of tunnel testing of equipment and in bullet development, where apparently, they are looking for the absolute most accurate result possible.
I've seen it done in experimental situations to reduce variables from the load development.

It doesn't make sense in any other situation, to me!
 
The logic is sound, I’m not sure why I never come across them, nor even talk of a match for them. I don’t believe I’ve actually even seen one. I’m sure they are awkward to transport and perhaps the few that are out there are too dispersed to hold well-attended matches. Really, the only reason I haven’t built one is that experiments without peers or a place to even try one competitively, aren’t as fun. Few folks seem smitten with an F-unlimited Div.
Rail guns don't work as well as bag guns in score, generally. And yes, they are mostly seen at bigger group matches. So yes again, it's not as fun to shoot alone but there are several at bigger group matches. Still nothing like the other classes, probably for the reasons you just mentioned. They certainly aren't what I'd call versatile. Lol! That said, it kinda gets to the point of this thread because you'd expect the groups to be much smaller, but they aren't much, typically. Kinda apples and oranges too, because some are 10 shot groups or I think 8 matches instead of the typical 5 cards at each yardage. It makes it hard to judge much by simply looking at match reports and group sizes because no other classes are playing under the same rules, so to speak and quite literally. I've shot them but I've never owned a true rail gun either. There's not not a lot of opportunity to shoot them in matches unless you shoot a lot of group matches and travel considerably for 4 gun matches, etc. Very cool pieces of equipment though. Lots and lots of room to experiment.

UBR has an unlimited class but like I said, a bag gun is a better option most of the time when navigating 6 bulls plus the sighters of a UBR target. Just my thoughts.
 
I have seen many times where someone refers to locking down their rifle to the front rest. I've done quite a bit of searching but have not been able to find any information, photos, etc... about how this is done.

Can someone point me in the right direction to find out more about this? I've seen it referred to on rimfire rifles as well as center fire rifles.
Great way to blow up a scope.
 
I shoot my Rail Gun in Unlimited Group. The top recoils just like a bag gun in bags, it just does it on solid rails that allow the Rifle to return to the point of aim very quickly. Of course, there are times when it doesn’t, after all, you can not secure it to the bench.

From my own experience, my Rail Gun really is not any more accurate than my Light Varmint Bag Gun In it’s ability to stack one bullet atop the other. It is just subject to fewer possibilities of shooter error. You still have to put a great barrel on it, soot the best in bullets, keep it in tune, read the conditions, and make sure you get the correct number of shots on the record.
 
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Mike Ratigan in his book “Extreme Rifle Accuracy” (2007) has a section - Pinning the Rifle.
He describes a technique that worked for him, using your shoulder pressure to hold the rifle hard against the front stop without holding the pistol grip or cheek touching. He used 20+ lbs of pressure which lifts the rear leg of a light rest.
He also shot free recoil under certain conditions.
 
Mike Ratigan in his book “Extreme Rifle Accuracy” (2007) has a section - Pinning the Rifle.
He describes a technique that worked for him, using your shoulder pressure to hold the rifle hard against the front stop without holding the pistol grip or cheek touching. He used 20+ lbs of pressure which lifts the rear leg of a light rest.
He also shot free recoil under certain conditions.
I'm familiar and shoot similarly, especially with the small 30s. It's a far cry from the rifle not breaking free in the bags. Again, apples and oranges. Your shoulder has a lot of give for the first say 1/16th of an inch or less. Are you a br shooter?
 
I'm familiar and shoot similarly, especially with the small 30s. It's a far cry from the rifle not breaking free in the bags. Again, apples and oranges. Your shoulder has a lot of give for the first say 1/16th of an inch or less. Are you a br shooter?
I shoot old timey br guns and a 40x rimfire. I shoot free recoil.
I compete against myself and often lose.
 
I shoot old timey br guns and a 40x rimfire. I shoot free recoil.
I compete against myself and often lose.
Let me try explaining in a little differently then. Imagine a wet leather front bag with the front rest squeezing it tight against the gun. That kind of freedom of movement problem. I hope that clears it up better.
 

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