Field Rest Accuracy

[ZSteinle]

What would you guys consider "good" field rest accuracy? Bipod and a hand under the buttstock. I have been trying to work up a load for my 300WSM and am having a hard time getting it to schoot under 1MOA with a field rest. The only thing i have a problem with is that i used to be able to shoot 1/2 MOA or better with the same type of rest. The only thing i have changed in my rifle is added a few shims under the rear of the scope base so i can reach a mile. I am 99% sure of no copper fouling. and 100% sure my barrel is still good because it maybe has 300 rounds through it.

 

[britz]

Well, 1moa isn't bad to start with, but you should try using a sand bag or a rear rest bag under your stock and "preload" your bipod if you are shooting in the prone condition (dig in your legs into the earth slightly to eliminate small shakes).

Lots of guys here use bipods and rear rests to get .5 or better MOA accuracy. I think since this is a LRH forum, few people are using a front shooting rest because most of the shots are taken in the bush, not the F class shooting line. Bipods, back packs, and tripods are common around here.

If you have changed anything about your loads like FL resized or necksized, seating depth... that chould be changing the grouping. I have found that the cartidges in my magazine are slamming forward and changing the seating depth on the rest of the bullets in my 300wsm so I am going to attempt to increase neck tension to aleviate this problem.

Good luck.

 

[E4aker]

Check all the normal culprits when accuracy in a proven rifle starts to deteriorate.

-since you added a shim, I would double check that rings and mounts are torqued appropriately.

-make sure the crown is free of nicks (it's easy to bump a crown on a hunting rifle in hunting situations)

-Make sure action screws are torqued appropriately.

-make sure you don't have any bedding issues.

-If you are hand loading consider checking....Run out, You might want to try a different seating depth due to throat erosion. VLD bullets are IMO picky about deating depth.

Hopefully you can find the issue.



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[Michael Eichele]

Sometimes when a bipod is used a shooter tends to place the bipod on the ground then "pull" the rifle into his shoulder. With the bipod fixed and pulling into your body the free floating stock becomes NOT so free floating and the fore end puts pressure on the barrel.

Make sure when you rest the bipod on the ground that you dont "torque" the stock into the barrel. Finess is key here.

I read about so many guys who can get their rifles to group well on the bench with rests and bags but suck when they screw on the pod. I regularly get .25-.5 MOA out of ALL my rifles using a bipod exclusivley whether on a bench or in the prone position. It all boils down to technique. I used to have the same problem as every body else until I quite pulling the stock into my body and torquing the fore end into the barrel. Now I use very ridged stocks with LOTS of clearance to avoid any accidental contact in the heat of the moment!


Hope that helps!!!