Sporter stocks and rests?

[mshelton]

Should there be any problems with sporter stocks in a regular front rest?

I know you should pad it out or change the bag to get a snugger fit but here's what I'm seeing.

I have an older 7mm-08, sportsman 78, composite stock, pillar bedded, Shilen sporter barrel, 1-9 twist and handloading using some 110g bullets.

On a front rest and reg rear bunny ear bag the best it will do is just under 2" @ 100yds. Switching over to stacking up some old bags in the front, stacking them so there is a channel for the rifle to rest in and using the bunny ear bag on the rear, I can get under 3/4" 5 shot groups.

The only thing I really notice is the rifle jumping some in the rest and sliding back smoothly in the bags but the difference is incredible.

Am I off my rocker or is this a normal thing?

 

[fdshuster]

I find it all but impossible to get any type of precision accuracy with any factory stock with the typical narrow, round bottom forend. Have several rifles that were mediocre with the factory stocks, replaced them with dedicated benchrest stocks with 2 1/4" and 3" wide flat forends, and with a properly fitted front bag (and rear bunny ear) in my Sinclair 17# benchrest, the difference was astounding. It's the twisting/torqueing during recoil that destroys any chance of whatever accuracy the rifle may otherwise be capable of. For the rifles with the sporter stocks a good old fashioned hard packed sandbag or a Harris bi-pod, both with a firm hold will produce better groups than when using the Sinclair front rest, for me.