bench shooting\help

[cervus]

I seem to be noticing a lot of my groups of late,that I seem to be getting vertical stringing sometimes of up to 2" at 100yds off a benchrest with a caldwell tripod (which i place approx under fore end swivel area ater removing swivel stud)and a caldwell bag placed under cheek piece of stock(swivel stud also removed). This is with a proven load (.75-1"moa)and Im inclined to think that its me more than the rifle.Im getting this pattern in both my rifles (243,7mm08 std hunting rifles).

Had a very lightweight 270wsm that I started flinching with about 3years ago. Got rid of this rifle as i found it unpleasant to shoot. I did look at my shooting technique rather critically with this rifle and eventually came to terms with it and got it grouping very well.Initally with this rifle when i started flinching my groups had a horizontal pattern to them...

Just looking for any advice as to what to look for with my bench technique???...triggers already lightend off.

 

[britz]

Welcome aboard and hello.

First thing is to make sure that your forearm isn't touching the barrel when you are putting down pressure on the rifle to "tighten up". Next, I would check to make sure your barrel isnt' getting too hot. Sporter wieght barrels will often have groups start to drift when they heat up, they may be much more accurate if you space your shots out over a longer period of time.

 

[jmason]

These guys around here are far more qualified than my self to answer you but I would ask this:

If they are hand loads have the temps changes much since development? I have read here that 80 degrees seems to be a tipping point and have since made loads for use in certain temp ranges. I have not personally experianced stringing but the temp changes do open up my and likely your groups.

 

[Buffalobob]

Wrap your hand around the barrel and foreend and squeeze. If the barrel hits the stock then you either have a flexible stock or else you are a gorilla and have just bent your barrel. Don't squeeze it too hard next time. Try resting the forestock a little further back next time you shot and see if that helps.

Secondly, in the Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury doesn't mention parallax but he should have. It is very peculiar and happens when you don't get your head in the correct position on the stock with a non AO scope. Down in the optics section is a whole long sticky on it. Up on the front page is an an article on it. Make sure that stockweld is not your problem.

Finally, as stupid as it may be, try putting a towel or other cloth between the foreend and your front rest and see if "buffering" the rest will help. It is possible to make a rifle bounce erratically on recoil.

 

[Bravo 4]

Take the bipod off and see if it still happens. If so, it's because the bipod is bouncing off the hard bench. Think off it this way, ever heard of not resting your rifle on a hard surface when you shoot? The bipod is just an extension of the rifle. If you want to shoot with a bipod I would suggest laying prone on the dirt and giving it a try, if that is what you have the thing on there for anyways.
Hunting rifles + Bipod = prone ...That's the equation I keep coming up with at least.

 

[royinidaho]

By the time this thread makes the circuit you'll become aware of every problem that everyone has experienced. This is a good thing. By then you may have come up with a unique one that will help some one else.

Here's two suggestions:

1) Don't load the gun. Set up on the target. The gun should be in "the" natural position (there's a correct name for it but it slips me at the moment). That is, no muscle pressure should be necessary for the cross hairs to be on the point of aim. Brake the trigger. The point of aim should not have moved.

2) Takes too people. People one in secret (from people two, you) either loads or does not load the rifle and safely places it on the rest and rear bag. Then you do suggestion 1).

Don't video these sessions. Be prepared for a little self inflected humor. Been there and done that. No one ever speaks of those sessions.

 

[Bravo 4]

Roy is right...about a lot of things usually.
You did mention a flinching problem you had. If you have a flinching problem with a rifle and keep shooting/flinching you are creating bad habits and muscle memory, IMO. Let somebody else shoot it the same fashion you do and see if the problem still exists. Maybe that should be a universal rule number one: rule out the shooter first. Followed by the simple fixes like checking the mounts/rings. Make sure the action screws are tight. Check the crown for abnormalities. Check for barrel/stock contact. Put another proven scope on it. If none of these fix the problem then I think you really do have a problem.
With all that said, if you went from shooting over bags on a bench to shooting bipod on a bench and things went crazy....there's your problem, accuracy is consistency.

 

[cervus]

Thank you for all your help guys,really appreciate any suggestions.... Have altered my caldwell tripod so it is placed further back away from forend an a little closer towards reciever. Have also taken a little sand out of my front rest so its not quite so tight as i notice my rifles seem to jump after firing.

Buffalobob,will try your suggestion of a little buffering between fore end and front rest...

 

[cervus]

Bit of an update on this for you guys who offered suggestion...

Been out the rifle range last 2days with excellent results. The bench set ups where I shoot are made of moulded solid concrete. Normally i just put my caldwell tripod and bag straight down on to bare concrete.....

I did what I used to do up untill about 2years ago and put a strip of carpet back underneath tripod and bag..

What a difference it made,no more stringing of shots,just good hunting accuracy.Managed to duplicate some groups of under .5-.75" from my std 7mm08 sporter with 120ttsx...Im stoked!!!

Just gotta load her up an take her hunting...

 

[Buffalobob]

Cervus

In my life I have made some good shots and some really stupid misses. At least half the misses come from resting the rifle on a limb, fencepost, rock or other hard objects. Your rifle and shooting style seems to be sensitive to shooting from a hard rest - remember that when it is time to hunt. Good luck to you.