Sand bags or bipod for load development

[ar10ar15man]

sorry..i do not see how a nonmoving solid hunk of steel caused a bullet to miss.
go to a benchrest match and see how many bipods are in use.
how many sand bags without a rest are used in the front.
there are no facts to back your "questioned the store bought adjustable front rest causing some unexpected impacts".

I built a little bench to take with me and many times purposely shoot in different places. although maybe not the case, there have been times off and on where I questioned the store bought adjustable front rest causing some unexpected impacts. I finally just made a great big sand bag about the size of a paper grocery sack and filled it with river sand. I like this the best along with a rear bag. it weights the bench down too.

 

[Dirtrax]

What is not repeatable with a bipod? Holding the crosshairs on the bullseye? Sorry, THATS JUST BULLSH!T Since we are using capital letter for emphasis. Sure, you can use a front rest, or even a leadsled. But he isn't talking about shooting F class. A bipod and a sandbag in the back works awesome. Unless you really suck at shooting and don't know how to press the trigger and flinch like a little bitch, bipods work fine.

Now we're talkin'!

 

[ar10ar15man]

no we are talking about REPEATABILITY.
again testing the LOAD not the shooter.
"bipods work fine"
it moves..it is not the SAME line to the target if it moved.
THAT IS A VARIABLE

YOUR STANDARDS are not what every one else wants, some of us
want more.

What is not repeatable with a bipod? Holding the crosshairs on the bullseye? Sorry, THATS JUST BULLSH!T Since we are using capital letter for emphasis. Sure, you can use a front rest, or even a leadsled. But he isn't talking about shooting F class. A bipod and a sandbag in the back works awesome. Unless you really suck at shooting and don't know how to press the trigger and flinch like a little bitch, bipods work fine.

 

[FIGJAM]

no we are talking about REPEATABILITY.
again testing the LOAD not the shooter.
"bipods work fine"
it moves..it is not the SAME line to the target if it moved.
THAT IS A VARIABLE

YOUR STANDARDS are not what every one else wants, some of us
want more.

My standards are 1/4 a 1/2 moa. Its doable with a bipod. Recoil will cause any firearm to move, even in a leadsled or using a front rest.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Bags... All day long. Can't stand shooting off a bipod unless I have to, like hunting.

 

[Litehiker]

I dunno.

Recently in testing ammo for my Ruger Precision Rifle off a bench I got the SAME accuracy (good) from my leather covered bags (cast iron front rest W/ small leather bag, large leather rear bag) as I did from my bipod/monopod combo.(Bipod is Atlas and monopod is CKT).

And for long distance my bipod/monopod from prone off a shooting mat is just as good as from a bench.

Eric B.

 

[Wedgy]

Whoa...whoa...pump the brakes boyz.....
This escalated quickly....
Then the dead sled gauntlet was dropped.
How many records have been set with the Leadsled or the Creedoore... ?
(However you spell it)
LOL
I forgot what the topic was...

 

[Deputy819]

Agreed. If you don't allow the rifle to recoil naturally with the load you're trying to develop then what's the point? I never had any kind of luck using one of those sleds and don't even own one anymore....

 

[Rick Richard]

Quote from Benchrest Central:


"Small groups can be shot off a bipod, make no mistake (e.g., http://www.6mmbr.com/TacticalFroggyA1.html). But a bipod on a concrete bench tends to bounce because the rifle pivots around the toe of the stock, and the forend of the stock where the bipod attaches is fairly springy, and there can be a lot of barrel weight in front the bipod. Plus, you generally hold onto a rifle with a bipod, and it takes a lot of practice to hold the same way for each shot.

With a pedestal front rest and rear bag the rifle can be supported where the stock is less springy (closer to the action) and the rifle slides backwards under recoil rather than pivoting on the toe of the stock.

The bullet spends about 0.001-0.002 seconds in the barrel, and in that time before the bullet leaves the muzzle the rifle moves rearward about 1/8 inch. Unless that 1/8 inch movement is EXACTLY the same with each shot, the muzzle won't be in the same place and the bullets can't go in the same hole. Shot-to-shot repeatability is much better with a pedestal front rest than with a bipod, in my experience."

 

[FIGJAM]

Agreed. If you don't allow the rifle to recoil naturally with the load you're trying to develop then what's the point? I never had any kind of luck using one of those sleds and don't even own one anymore....

I agree - leadsleds suck. But, when we are talking repeatability for load development, i would think it would be one one of the most consistent platforms.

 

[BJH]

I use a Caldwell BR front rest and bags in the back for load development and shooting at the range to verify drop. I have used a bipod before and used sand bags a lot. I have found that, for me, using the front rest with a bag that fits my stock correctly and positioned right, gives me the best results. I set the rest under the stock right where my bipod will be for hunting and I have not noticed any POI shift when switching over. I think the front rest gives more stability from a bench and offers easier adjustment.

 

[Rhett Crider]

Pricey but excellent for load development.

 

[Rhett Crider]

Trying to post a picture. Maybe this time?
Nope. LR1000 rest.

 

[Deputy819]

i would think it would be one one of the most consistent platforms.

You know, I thought that too....and it may have been just me..BUT twice (once with a Rem 700 and once with a Savage 110) I developed loads using a lead-sled and everything looked great on the targets. Afterwards, shot both rifles OUT of the lead-sled/off sandbags and those loads completely fell apart. Was weird......