Shooting Technique (ultra light weight rifle)

[Nikolakangrga]

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've posted. Been very busy at work and my fiancé being pregnant with our first.

My question is, I have been told by many shooters in order to shoot an ultra light rifle accurately you must know how to shoot them. Can someone explain this to me. My rifle is a Kimber Montana .300 win mag. I plan on taking it to the range this weekend but would like to have a few ideas in my head on "how to hold" the rifle at the bench as well as in the prone position. My understanding is these ultra light weight rifles do not like to free recoil but was told this by a gun shop owner so would like to hear people's experience who own or have owned this rifle.
Thanks!
Nick

 

[Browninglover1]

I have a Browning X Bolt in 300 WSM that if i remember correctly weighs in at just under 8 pounds with my scope on it (so it's not the same as your rifle, but it is lightweight in my mind). On the bench I noticed that I did not need to hold it any differently, but what I did notice was that my trigger control needed a LOT of work. It took almost an hour of dry firing to figure out how to properly pull my trigger so the gun did not move a little bit. I wasn't "jerking" the trigger but somehow I was flexing my hand or something and it was causing the gun to move a little.

My guess is that people tell you to hold the rifle different because it can help eliminate the problems with their trigger squeeze that they didn't see on their 12 pound and heavier rifles. After shooting my light rifle and perfecting my trigger squeeze I switched back to my heavy 22-250 and my groups went from 3/4 inch to 1/2 inch!

Firing from prone I also hold the rifle normal (bipod on front and off hand underneath the butt for support) and haven't had any problems. Experiment with your particular rifle and see if changing how you hold it improves your shooting.

Here is a very interesting article that I found on another thread here on this forum and while I haven't had a chance to try it out yet I want to see what it can do to my shooting.

Hold that Forend!

 

[WildRose]

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've posted. Been very busy at work and my fiancé being pregnant with our first.

My question is, I have been told by many shooters in order to shoot an ultra light rifle accurately you must know how to shoot them. Can someone explain this to me. My rifle is a Kimber Montana .300 win mag. I plan on taking it to the range this weekend but would like to have a few ideas in my head on "how to hold" the rifle at the bench as well as in the prone position. My understanding is these ultra light weight rifles do not like to free recoil but was told this by a gun shop owner so would like to hear people's experience who own or have owned this rifle.
Thanks!
Nick

Really bury it deep in the well of your shoulder and pull it in tight; and keep it there.

If you let it ride up, or don't keep it tight it'll pound on you pretty good.

I'd really suggest a quality muzzle brake and recoil pad; particularly if you are not naturally well padded.

 

[jrw1976]

The key to what you are going to be trying to do is control recoil and not captivate it. Recoil is going to happen no matter how you hold that gun. I have found that even on my 14# guns is that I can control the direction of recoil best from the prone position but the angle of my body has to be just right also. You want to control the direction of recoil not the amount of it. Ideally you want the recoil to move straight back into your body mass and for me that is the prone position, as in line with the rifle as I can do comfortably. You do not want up down or side ways movement in recoil, those movements can effect bullet travel. The only way to accomplish this is trigger time so practice, practice, practice.

Good luck, Jason

 

[Nikolakangrga]

Yes, I have been dry firing this rifle ALOT. I have noticed it is alot more "finicky" then my other rifles. I was just curious if the kimber montanas like to be held a certain way.

Thanks!

 

[4bycamper]

+1 on the previous posts.

Also, I think the "Know how to shoot them" is about a shifting point of aim that changes depending on what the rifle is sitting on.

The only "light rifle" I have left is a Winny 270 wsm. 6 1/2 lbs. If I an holding the rifle in my hands and standing or sitting, it will shoot to bullseye. When I go to the concrete bench, put my front rest on it, and plop the rifle forestock on the rest, It will be 2 1/2 moa off. diagonally. When I put my left hand on the rest and put the forestock in my hand, the rifle is back to bullseye.

When I put the barreled action in a heavier laminated stock, this problem goes away. But the 6 1/2 lbs goes away also.
It's just a thing.
I think this has something to do with the barrel gyrations due to the pencil barrel. None of my heavier barrels have this problem.
And yes, they are all free floated barrels.

Hope this helps.
Your mileage may vary.

 

[Nikolakangrga]

It's interesting how the way you hold the rifle can affect your POI.

 

[Top Cat]

I recommend a PAST Recoil Shield

PAST Recoil Shield

or folding up a towel inside your shirt to cushion the recoil from the bench...either one will help muchly...

The forend needs some special attention as well. A backpack filled with towels or newspaper, or a rolled-up towel...or something else that can be improvised that is soft will replicate the point-of-impact from holding the rifle.

I don't know your level of shooting experience, but recoil management is very important to a novice shooter. You might consider starting off with a reduced recoil load to gain some familiarity with your rifle so as not to develop a bad habit like a flinching reflex, which can be hard to overcome.

TC