best bench rest technique with heavy kickers

[bigbear]

I enjoy shooting my reloads and like to get accuate loads. With 30-30, 375Win and even 358Win I get groups (1-2")The 358 Win is a bit of a cheat, it's a scoped savage 99. My Win71 drives me crazy though. I love shooting it but my groups run from 3" to patterns. I'll get 2 shots 1/2" apart then the 3rd one will be 6" away.I don't think its my loads , I get great groups with my other rifles, my sako 300mag shoots ragged holes with my Nosler partion 180gr load for instance.So I figure it must be bench rest technique. I've tried resting forearm close and away from receiver, resting forearm on front bag, holding forearm with my hand resting on sand bag. Suggestions.

[southpaw]

I can't offer much for technique but I did learn a trick to help tame the recoil. Take a half a bag of lead shot ( about 12-13 pounds ) tie the open end shut ( this is very important ) fold the bag in half so half the shot is in the top of the bag and half is in the bottom. Now drape it over the butt of your gun. I learned this from shooting my 338 RUM. It takes alot of the recoil away .

If you are using a scope make sure that the mounts and rings are tight. Maybe even try another scope. Try another boolit/bullet. Your gun just might not like the load combo that you are feeding it. Maybe try putting the rear sand bag in front of the receiver?


Jerry Jr.

[45r]

With leverguns I let the forend rest on the front bag and hold the back part of forend with my hand,sometimes just my thumb and a couple fingers.You want to hold snug enough to keep the scope from hitting your brow but yet loose enough for the rifle to be able to slide straight back at the shot or you'll get fliers or stringing.Bench rest shooters put powder on their bags so the rifle can slide straight back.Some leverguns are finicky.

[frank505]

shoot them just like you are going to shoot them in the field. lever guns are not some kind of "benchrest" toy. they are for much more serious purposes than poking holes in paper time after time (PII). i have proven to my satisfaction that a lever gun will shoot better from sitting position than from any position on or near a bench.

[MtGun44]

Rest my forward wrist on the bag, keep the forend free with my Win 1886 helps a lot.
Marlin GG does not care.
Bill

[big boar]

This is just my personal experience with a heavy recoiling 450Marlin at the bench. If I let my left elbow rest on the bench, accuracy is very poor. I think Frank 505 has it right, lever guns generally do not respond well to bench techniques used for bolt guns. Therefor what I do is use a front bag to support my left WRIST, not much weight on it just to steady the rifle and if the left elbow touches the bench it has to be very lightly. Use the left hand to pull the forestock into the shoulder, I pull straight back with med pressure but I have to use the whole hand, not just a couple of fingers. The right elbow is supported by a soft bag, also light touch but you can get away with more pressure than with the left. I also use a bag for the right wrist but just a bit. What I'm trying to say is to support your elbows and wrist just enough to maintain a steady hold, about like holding the rifle in the field. The most important thing I've found is to keep the left elbow off a hard surface as this is where the magazine tube is located and any pressure there results in a loss of accuracy. I pulled my forestock off and used RTV (silicone sealant) to bed the back of the forearm that seats into the action and also a bead between the barrel and the magazine tube. This has done a LOT to improve accuracy with my rifle.

[6pt-sika]

Hmmm different strokes for different folks !

I lay the 444's in the bags on the bench just like I would a bolt action target rifle . However I do hold the rear portion of the forend .

And "so far" this has worked well for me .

[KCSO]

The single best technique for heavy kickers is the english standing bench rest. That way the erect body is able to move and absorb the recoil. I have an old school desk top turned sideways and mounted on a stand and I can clamp the whole works to the bench. Then I can shoot standing off a solid rest.