Shooting from the hood of a truck using a bipod?

[RangerBrad]

I'll start this by saying I always practice from the prone position and am shooting 1/2 min out to 730 yds( far as I got to practice) This week end while at my dads we set up 400yds from a tree line that deer often travel at the ranch. We set up with the rifle on a bipod layed across the hood of the truck as the weeds were to high to allow the prone position and I didn't have a butt rest as I forgot it back at the house. at about 9:00am the deer showed up on schedule. I had plenty of time and no buck fever as this was more of a meat deer for my dad and his friend. I took steady aim and completely missed. The deer had no idea where the sound was comming from and continued to stand there. This went on for 2 more shots with all the time in the world I rechecked my elevation setting reloaded and continued. After 3 shots the doe had enough and simply walked into the brush.(I don't think she ever did figure out where the shots were comming from. I was beside myself and felt like I was shooting blanks. The only thing diffrent was I was shooting from the hood of the truck and not using a rear bag but felt I was solid on the deer each time I fired. Even if I was off a little on range ( using the BR2 range finder)I shouldn't of been more than a couple of inches off target. What the heck is going on? I usually start my practice at 400 and move out from there I'm flabergasted. Any thoughts? Thank's, Brad

 

[Broz]

Brad, Have you checked zero yet or put it on paper at 400?

I have talked about this before. The bounce from a truck hood flexing is a bad deal under recoil. Same across the roof.

The only other thing I could think of would be a mis-range off something before or after the deer that the RF grabbed, but that is not likely at the distance you were shooting.

Jeff

 

[farout]

That is a big miss isn't it. Especially when you are .5 MOA at 730 yards! I have a 25-06 with a 4.5-14 scope that is always about 6. MOA at 400/500 yards. I shoot both prone and off the hood of the truck when the grass is too high. I can hit milk jugs at 400 and steel at 500 all afternoon from prone or off the hood. I have not noticed much change in point of impact either way.

Off the hood, I usually lean my chest into/onto the hood using a 6 inch bipod. I spread my elbows and place my left fist into my right arm pit. I rest the butt on the fist and use the thumb to raise lower the butt. Use the same method a lot prone too.

I have not noticed much bounce difference with the bipod off the ground verses the hood of the truck. Maybe your ammo was bad or had something to do with the way your were stabilizing the butt of the rifle. Something was way off though to miss the whole deer at 400 yard with a .5 MOA rifle! Some experimentation would be the only way to know for sure.

 

[WildRose]

That is a big miss isn't it. Especially when you are .5 MOA at 730 yards! I have a 25-06 with a 4.5-14 scope that is always about 6. MOA at 400/500 yards. I shoot both prone and off the hood of the truck when the grass is too high. I can hit milk jugs at 400 and steel at 500 all afternoon from prone or off the hood. I have not noticed much change in point of impact either way.

Off the hood, I usually lean my chest into/onto the hood using a 6 inch bipod. I spread my elbows and place my left fist into my right arm pit. I rest the butt on the fist and use the thumb to raise lower the butt. Use the same method a lot prone too.

I have not noticed much bounce difference with the bipod off the ground verses the hood of the truck. Maybe your ammo was bad or had something to do with the way your were stabilizing the butt of the rifle. Something was way off though to miss the whole deer at 400 yard with a .5 MOA rifle! Some experimentation would be the only way to know for sure.

Ditto to the above.

Also, as in the first reply check you zero, but check it both off of a standing supported position like shooting off of the hood and check it against shooting prone.

How you "drive the rifle" makes a big difference on POI and that includes how you are handling the recoil which is different off of the hood vs prone.

 

[Bravo 4]

Brad, Have you checked zero yet or put it on paper at 400?

I have talked about this before. The bounce from a truck hood flexing is a bad deal under recoil. Same across the roof.

Jeff

+1
First thing is check your zero, if ok check POI at that range using same rest. I have seen a rifle under recoil almost bounce off a truck hood. If you are getting a lot of bounce try it with the rifle laid across a pack instead of a bipod.

 

[backwoods83]

I travel the fields a lot during rifle season, I see no difference in POI from my shooting bench with bipods to the hood of my truck, providing that I look at my level and make sure the rifle isn't canted and I put my weight against the truck. Have you shoot it at all since say it was 65 degrees and now its 40 degrees, depending on powder, that could make a big difference, with some powders I have seen 100fps+ velocity drop with a 25 degree temperature drop, ball powders are typically the worst. I took a doe Thanksgiving day with my 300wby off the hood at 441 with no rear bag, I think you need to do a little shooting and see what's happening.

 

[wnc-coyote]

Brad, I really hope you haven't done what a friend of mine did a few years back. We were groundhog hunting with almost the same scenario as yours. He also fired three shots with out a hit at only 325yards. We went back to his house later to double check his zero, sure enough he was dead on. It wasn't till 2 days later when he pulled in my driveway I relieved what he had done. The huge gash in the hood of his three week old truck from three shots out of his 223 told the story. No real insight to what happened in your case just had to pass along a good story.

 

[Len Backus]

You made me laugh!

 

[Clayne B]

The hood of my jeep has ripples in it from shooting the .22-250 off of it. I would NOT shoot off a hood of a "nice" vehicle. gun)

As far as your misses... I duno man, Was it at an extreme angle up or down?

 

[Greywolf18]

Earlier this year I shot my longest deer at 450 yards. I was shooting from my truck as well since it was the only option in the scenario I was in. My truck sits too high to shoot from the hood, so what I did was climb into the back of the truck and put the rifle on the top. This allowed me to setup the bipod and I could still get very comfortable and steady behind the rifle while standing in the bed of the truck. I was surprised at how steady I was, I would try doing that as an alternative to putting it on the hood of the truck.

 

[Broz]

so what I did was climb into the back of the truck and put the rifle on the top. This allowed me to setup the bipod and I could still get very comfortable and steady behind the rifle while standing in the bed of the truck. I was surprised at how steady I was, I would try doing that as an alternative to putting it on the hood of the truck.

This would be illegal taking of game in Montana. Your feet need to be on the ground. So check the rules in your state first.

Jeff

 

[Greywolf18]

This would be illegal taking of game in Montana. Your feet need to be on the ground. So check the rules in your state first.

Jeff

Jeff-

That's good information, I didn't know that. I'm not trying to be a smart ***, but does that mean you can't have a tree stand?

 

[Broz]

Jeff-

That's good information, I didn't know that. I'm not trying to be a smart ***, but does that mean you can't have a tree stand?

No it was explained to me after I asked a local game warden. On this ranch I sometimes have a few older gentlemen I take out. They can not get far from the truck so I wanted to know the rules and asked. The officer stated that when shooting from a vehicle your feet need to be on the ground unless you are handicap approved. If not handicap approved with sticker on the windows you can use any part of the truck for a rest but your feet need to be on the ground. So you need to be out of the truck so to speak. As far as I know this only pertains to vehicles and a tree stand would be fine.

Jeff

 

[bigngreen]

If your dialing ranges you could be one rev of on the turret, not that I would know anything about doing that
I had something come up this year and that was getting into a position that I could not use my rear bag and since I don't practice anymore without it I was made painfully aware that something needs to be added to my shooting practice and that is shooting without a bag sometimes.