Shooting lighter weight rifles?

[zr600]

I have two other rifles that always shoot great. But they are way heavier then this one like 12-15lb rifles.

 

[C S Fever]

So much to cover here. The most common thing we see and needed to improve ourselves, when we started building better rifle shooting mechanics, is to square the mass of our body behind the rifle. This may mean adjusting your length of pull, cheek weld, and scope eye relief on your rifle system. The rifle butt pad will connect to your shoulder more medial on the clavicle and higher. Usually, just moving the scope back toward your eye will accommodate a more fundamentally sound technique and position. We want our shoulders, hips and face as square to the target plane as possible to manage recoil and follow through after the shot, see the bullet fly and impact. You will find the fundamentals of consistently acquiring a natural point of aim will be easier from here as well. This photo is from the prone position with my lighter hunter rifle, and when shooting from a bench, we can get directly behind the bench and accomplish the same position (with out using a stool or chair). Every supported position we get into in the field is now the same mechanically as the position we zero in and shoot those tiny groups we all are so proud of! lol This is just one step in the process of modern rifleman mechanics. Check out @moderndaysniper for more, Caylen and Phillip know their stuff and have helped us a lot. View attachment 213982

Absolutely this

 

[LVJ76]

Well sometimes groups can be sub moa other times other times bigger. The gun does have a muzzle break on it. I did just shoot a 3 shot group with it that was half moa. What would you recommend for a better bipod? I was thinking maybe a rail and an atlas would maybe be worth a look. I might take a backpack and put a couple Coates or towels in it and try and shoot off that too. Thanks for all the advice any more is always welcome to. I think I might just need to work on my fundamentals on this rifle. I can shoot my heavier rifles very well. But they do have different stock designs too. I'm wondering if some of it is the stock too, maybe I'm just not used to this stock.

It takes time to get used to a stock design especially if different to the rest that you have and are used to. Practice, that is what you need. Someone mentioned snap caps, they are a must to dry firing.

 

[Blackbears4ever]

When I read this post I can immediately relate to it. Lots of experienced shooters responding to this thread. My 2 favorite hunting rifles both weight under 9lbs loaded with a sling. At the range I practice off a Harris bipod because where I hunt every shot is going to be sitting, lots of ground cover and my pack isn't tall enough to use as a rest. To simulate most hunting conditions put a loose sand bag under each bipod foot. My rifles shoot 1" groups off bags or a bipod. Lateral dispersion is very often influenced by your heart beat. What works for me is 6-7 deep breaths while getting behind the scope. You have about 5 seconds of saturation time to send the shot before normal heart rhythm returns. This trick took 1/2" of my groups and virtually all of that was lateral dispersion. Happy hunting.

 

[emtyhopper]

The best thing I have found for developing handloads for a lightweight rifle is a bulls bag combined with a rear bag. I built a wooden riser to get the bag up to the height I need.

 

[PartsJr.]

I find dry firing to help me and doesn't cost you anything but time. If I see my crosshairs jumping all over I know I need to change something (my grip/hold/trigger squeeze/rest position/cheek weld/natural point of aim....) to minimize. When I get dialed in with my technique they move very little to not at all.
One thing I noticed on both my Win. M70 and my Rem. 700 is the bolt handle will bounce up slightly upon dry firing. I can eliminate this by closing the bolt handle and then lifting it maybe 1/16" to 1/8" from contact with stock. Helps me minimize crosshair jump when dry firing, can't say if it helps live firing.
Good luck.

 

[Tommo64]

I have had similar experiences with my Tikka T3X lite 308. A lightweight rifle and a bipod shooting off a hard bench is not the best combo. Good technique will help I'm sure but personally I have had better results with either a Caldwell front rest or bag. You also have to control the fore end to prevent excessive muzzle rise with the lightweight rifles for consistent groups. If you're planning on using your bipod in the field I would suggest you check your POI with it in a field situation and adjust zero as required prior to going out on a hunt as it will most likely have changed from your bench rest set up.

 

[Tommo64]

The best thing I have found for developing handloads for a lightweight rifle is a bulls bag combined with a rear bag. I built a wooden riser to get the bag up to the height I need.

This is exactly what I did. Definitely the best arrangement for me anyhow.

 

[Barrelnut]

The reason the reticle jumps around when dry firing, on an empty chamber, is because the firing pin assembly just slams against the bolt head when the trigger is pulled. This is because there is no primer in place to absorb the blow as there is when a live round is loaded.
This is what snap caps do, they absorb the firing pin force. If you don't have snap caps - I don't - then a great substitute is a fired cartridge with the fired primer still in it. The fired primer and empty cartridge will stop the annoying crosshair jump when dry firing. Actually there is no real need for snap caps, if you have some fired brass. Simple.

 

[BPollard]

Yes, but, the reticle is moving?? Try sandbags as an experiment to rule out the bipod theory.

Are you loading up the bipod when you shoot?

 

[Wolf01]

How do you guys shoot lighter weight rifles good? I have a 7 mag Remington 700 action criterion magnum Sporter contour 26" long, have it in a Mesa precision stock bedded. Have a Trijicon 4-16x50 acculite scope on it. Weights about 9lbs. Shooting off a Harris and a rear bag at the range it seem like it's hard to shoot good. Seems like the reticle really is moving left to right. Have been struggling finding a good load for it am just wondering if it's the fact I just can't hold it as steady as my other rifles that are 2-5 more pounds. How do I get it to settle down?

My personal experience with being able to hold a rifle under 8 lbs is conditioning. The older I get the harder it is. If you are in shape, you will be able to pu the rifle to your shoulder to the appropriate poundage and with minimal rest, acquire and execute the shot.

 

[Sid Post]

How do you guys shoot lighter weight rifles good? I have a 7 mag Remington 700 action criterion magnum Sporter contour 26" long, have it in a Mesa precision stock bedded. Have a Trijicon 4-16x50 acculite scope on it. Weights about 9lbs. Shooting off a Harris and a rear bag at the range it seem like it's hard to shoot good. Seems like the reticle really is moving left to right. Have been struggling finding a good load for it am just wondering if it's the fact I just can't hold it as steady as my other rifles that are 2-5 more pounds. How do I get it to settle down?

Don't overlook "natural wobble area" in addition to the other comments. With my Glock, I was a poor shot trying to "catch" the sight in the "X" but, that is really the wrong thing to do.

Now, when the sight 'wobbles' over the X I take my shot without forcing it or slapping the trigger. Now I tear the X out of the target.

 

[matthaias]

My standard of shooting good is probably way less than yours, but my t3x lite in 7mm Rem mag is a little over 7.5lbs with glass and it's not braked. I started to develop bad habits from too long of range visits. I was gripping the gun hard and really trying to control the recoil. I started shooting it a lot better when I just focused on trigger pull and barely held the gun, let the gun "surprise" me and recoil into my shoulder. I call it a day the instant I start to anticipate recoil, evident by jerking the trigger or death gripping the rifle. For me this is about 9 rounds, with a brake it might make for longer sessions but I can shoot pretty close to my house.

 

[Bro Dave]

I'm not scared of the rifle it does have a muzzle break. I'm about 200lbs so I'm not a tiny guy. I feel like my wife's savage 308 which is a little lighter but no muzzle break or surpressor kicks harder then my 7mm. I have thought about turning the trigger down a little bit maybe that would help too.

I would go back to the post where the guys recommended watching the grip on your firing hand. Movement induced by squeezing the hand to pull the trigger is one of the biggest buggers I have seen repeatedly. When My 4 position indoor match rifle scores go to hell that is invariable the culprit. Comes from trying to hard.