Things I've forgotten are just starting to come back to me. I am realizing now I had some setup that worked in terms of bench rests and technique, keeping muzzle flip and rifle jumping to a minimum - but I can't remember what it was. I do know before I got it, I got walloped and my groups were hopeless. Not because of the load or rifle, but (it's an "of course"), myself.
Before:
Eventually, and I think I recall hugging the butt in tighter and making sure I wasn't leaning in too much, thing smoothed up, I actually had no problem with the above picasso paintings, and groups got on well. Problem is I can't recall what I did. I used no sled, or tripod. I think I had some combination of the Caldwell front and rear bag combo, maybe the Protektor, some DIY bag or bags under both front and back; and I can't recall if I held on to the forestock and let my hand rest on the front bag, or just my right hand on the rear stock and using my left hand squeezing the rear bag/sock whatever it was, for easy elevation.
Dumb question, but what do you guys do, when dealing with heavy kickers at the bench for development or sighting-in purposes? Keeping it cheap?