Getting stable in the woods - How do You do it? Creativity thread!!

[777funk]

The bench with sandbags and a rest is one thing but how do you pull it off in the woods?


Here's what I like to do but it may not be a good idea. I like to trap the gun's fore-end between my hand and a tree and lean into it a little. This keeps me pretty still but I always wonder what the recoil is doing to the shot. I've wondered the same thing about bi-pod feet on less than dead flat ground. As the recoil sends the gun rearward, it also can deflect it a bit.

 

[jkupper]

We don't have very many trees around here, so I am always trying one of three different things. If the terrain will allow for it I will us a coat or pack to get comfortable on. Option #2 is a harris bipod. Option #3 is a set of predator sniper stix that I always pack around with me when I am walking. I have been known to take some off hand shots as well when I jump game out of a coulee. I have tried to shoot off of telephone posts or fences in the past, but I play hell getting steady at all, so I have given that practice up

 

[MudRunner2005]

The bench with sandbags and a rest is one thing but how do you pull it off in the woods?


Here's what I like to do but it may not be a good idea. I like to trap the gun's fore-end between my hand and a tree and lean into it a little. This keeps me pretty still but I always wonder what the recoil is doing to the shot. I've wondered the same thing about bi-pod feet on less than dead flat ground. As the recoil sends the gun rearward, it also can deflect it a bit.

Where your bullet hits has nothing to do with where your gun moved to after you pulled the trigger... That bullet leaves the muzzle before you ever feel any recoil or know what's happening. The only thing that can cause you to not hit, is you, or if your gun has a problem, like barrel wear, throat erosion, or scope is off. But if the gun and scope are in perfect working order, if you miss....It's all b/c you moved or flinched before you pulled the trigger.

Try breathing techniques and try being able to slow your heart rate back down and remain calm. It's what I do.

 

[777funk]

Where your bullet hits has nothing to do with where your gun moved to after you pulled the trigger... That bullet leaves the muzzle before you ever feel any recoil or know what's happening. The only thing that can cause you to not hit, is you, or if your gun has a problem, like barrel wear, throat erosion, or scope is off. But if the gun and scope are in perfect working order, if you miss....It's all b/c you moved or flinched before you pulled the trigger.

Try breathing techniques and try being able to slow your heart rate back down and remain calm. It's what I do.

I guess I'm coming from a spring airgun perspective. Managing the recoil is make or break between an accurate shooter and a beginner. I would think to some degree recoil management would effect the shot placement of any gun, no?

In shooting springers if you hold the gun tight, you'll be all over the page. If you let the gun's recoil do it's thing (artillery hold) AND hold the gun the same every time, you get good groups.

Of course the speed of most powder burners is 2-3x that of a good magnum spring airgun (2500-3000 fps instead of just 800-1100 fps), but that in my mind would just reduce the amount of the effect of recoil on the gun's shot, not eliminate it. Am I not right there? It seems like I've seen rests and sandbags designed to have very little resistance/deflection on recoil... such as this one:

 

[4bycamper]

+1

By the time you feel recoil, that bullet is gone gone.
I agree that it's hard to steady a rifle against a pole or a tree.

Try sitting down and bracing the rifle off your knees.
That's what I do.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Most of the time I shoot semi-free recoil for my .308. I use an artillery hold. The gun is rested properly on my shoulder (but very very lightly), and my hand is just barely on the grip....It's amazing how well a gun can shoot at the range when you let it do it's thing. gun)

 

[kcebcj]

The bench with sandbags and a rest is one thing but how do you pull it off in the woods?


Here's what I like to do but it may not be a good idea. I like to trap the gun's fore-end between my hand and a tree and lean into it a little. This keeps me pretty still but I always wonder what the recoil is doing to the shot. I've wondered the same thing about bi-pod feet on less than dead flat ground. As the recoil sends the gun rearward, it also can deflect it a bit.

Here in Idaho where I live and hunt it's so steep that getting prone or something similar is near impossible. Out to 300 yards I shoot off my knees. Years of practice has made that deadly for me. I wear a backpack 95% of the time hunting so if I have time to dial then a good rock pile or downfall to lean over with the pack under the rifle is what I do. Sometimes it as simple as sitting down and laying the rifle over a down tree.

Once a particular load is worked up and a drop chart proven all the practice I do is done using the things described above. I'm fortunate enough to live right where I hunt so the practice is real world.

I can't stress enough how important practice is. Hitting a bull at 500 yards in a snow storm leaning over a rock is a lot different than a target at 500 yards off a bench. I never shoot standing. Just too much movement

 

[JP100]

I used to think the bullet has well left the barrel by the time recoil has kicked in. but now im not so sure after reading alot of nathans info.
Im not sure iif hes on this site but has done alot of research and is worth a read
Hold that Forend!

 

[mtnrunner260]

Like others have said use whatever you can find in the field.
2 years ago I shot a deer of my pack, sticks and bent over aspen tree. I've been on benches that didn't feel that stable. Helped that I had 15 minutes to wait while he turned broadside.

 

[777funk]

I used to think the bullet has well left the barrel by the time recoil has kicked in. but now im not so sure after reading alot of nathans info.
Im not sure iif hes on this site but has done alot of research and is worth a read
Hold that Forend!

That's an interesting read. There are two opposing trains of thoughts. He seems sure having a repeatable hold on the gun and controlling the recoil is the best idea. I've seen others who think letting the gun react should create the best repeatability. I would think that letting the gun react (i.e. the least interference with what it wants to do in recoil) would be the most mechanically repeatable (takes the human factor out). I've experimented with Airguns (Springers kick both forward, rearward, and slightly rotationally) and I've found that they shoot the best without ANY interference to what the gun wants to do. Who knows how much this carries over to powder burners that kick. Nathan's article definitely gives stats (Group measurements) for controlled vs the cross armed hold.

 

[JP100]

That's an interesting read. There are two opposing trains of thoughts. He seems sure having a repeatable hold on the gun and controlling the recoil is the best idea. I've seen others who think letting the gun react should create the best repeatability. I would think that letting the gun react (i.e. the least interference with what it wants to do in recoil) would be the most mechanically repeatable (takes the human factor out). I've experimented with Airguns (Springers kick both forward, rearward, and slightly rotationally) and I've found that they shoot the best without ANY interference to what the gun wants to do. Who knows how much this carries over to powder burners that kick. Nathan's article definitely gives stats (Group measurements) for controlled vs the cross armed hold.

He seems to be the only one out there pushing this method strongly in the hunting scene in NZ. But all the small bore/full bore shooters use slings and there is no doubt about their ability.
I hopefully am going to go up and see him some time soon and see if he can improve/change my shooting??
All the guns bar one I shoot now have supressors fitted(.223,.243,.7mm mag) so recoil isnt really and issue. So I can confidently shoot these on any angle with pretty poor holds at times and still get good shots off. But the 7mm was a completely different gun to shoot with out it and I found it wouldnt shoot off a bipod but would shoot off a sand bag(****** flexi stock fore end fixed with epox).
How do you guys out there get on with big guns(.338 upward)????
Even with muzzel breaks there must be alot of movement

I think hes right about alot of people just taking the easy option with the rear cross arm hold. Ive done a bit of small bore and full bore and afther a couple of rounds your arms are pretty knackered to say the least haha.