Steadying Hints

[Four by Six]

Hi, newbie here. I am working through the stickies above, but have a specific question and hoping to get some advice from the experts here.

Background: 280AI, Winchester M70, Harris HB25S bipod, sling, factory Nosler 160gr partition ammo, Zeiss HD5 3-15 scope. No. 3 barrel profile. Gun is better than 1 MOA, and I'm about a 1-2 MOA shooter from bench.

For an upcoming Fall hunt, I have been practicing long range shooting in a field setting. I can move anywhere up to 400 yards and put the bullets in a 12" circle. The issue I have is I have a lot more crosshair jitter than I would like when I am over 300 yards. At 400 yards my crosshairs are wiggling around about 16" of target. While I'm able to time the letoff to keep the bullets on target, I'd feel better if I were more steady.

I am using three slightly different sitting positions depending upon the height of the grass I am trying to shoot over. I don't think prone position will be possible where I will be hunting. I have the strap wrapped around my left arm, and it is resting against side of left knee. I am leaning into the bipod, letting out half a breath and steadying everything best I can.

Any suggestions short of carrying a benchrest or taping a sandbag to the forend? Maybe less caffeine?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer.

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

If you are already shooting off of a bipod... Then I wouldn't change up by shooting off of a sandbag. Ounces turn to pounds during a long days hunt and the more you drag with you, the less ground you'll cover in a typical day.

It sounds like you are hunting open ground, but if you are shooting from a sitting position, look for a tree, rock, bush, anything that you can push your lower-mid back up against to help steady you. It sounds like you have a fairly good shooting position... But I would recommend only light pressure on the sling... Or none. I personally find that sling pressure only really benefits me when standing, otherwise, even my heart beating tends to move my poi as sling pressure increases... When using a bipod.

it sounds like you are working hard to learn as much as you can.... Which always pays dividends eventually. Good luck!

 

[cowboy]

I am using three slightly different sitting positions depending upon the height of the grass I am trying to shoot over. I don't think prone position will be possible where I will be hunting.

Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer.

While shooting from a sitting position with an extended bipod I try to duplicate any/everything I do while shooting prone with a bipod. Try to start thinking in how to eliminate "wiggling" as you described it. Here are some examples:

1) getting your back up against a tree, post, rock, sagebrush etc. as mentioned up above helps eliminate front/back movement.
2) to try to eliminate up down movement try to get some support under the buttstock against your shoulder: backpack, second set of folding shooting sticks etc.
3) to try to minimize side movement I take my backpack, a rock, a tree limb or whatever and slide it under the right cheek of my *** so I can lean into it without "wiggling" - I am a right hand shooter.
4) I force myself to not use any thumb pressure with my right hand to eliminate any torque when I light a primer.
I load a bipod by slightly pushing forward before lighting a primer to make the recoil rearward rather than wanting to bounce.
I practice with a 22LR all the time trying to stay proficient from the sitting position but I will tell you that my confidence level is about 1/3 the distance sitting versus prone but those of us that cover a lot of different type terrain also know that at times the prone position is just not an option.

 

[Four by Six]

Thank you for the excellent advice. Just what I was looking for. I will give these suggestions a try.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

If you sit on the ground with one (or both) knees up you can use your knee to support/steady the butt of the rifle. With a bi-pod keeping the muzzle end steady and a good support under the butt you should be able to hold much better.

I have no problem shooting 4" groups at 300yds using that technique.

One thing worth noting: I wouldn't recommend sitting with your back against a tree, rock or other hard surface if you shoot a moderate-to-heavy recoiling rifle. Do it once and you'll see why.

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

One thing worth noting: I wouldn't recommend sitting with your back against a tree, rock or other hard surface if you shoot a moderate-to-heavy recoiling rifle. Do it once and you'll see why.

Lol... Yeah... You might feel an unbraked 300wm... But a 308 or less you should be fine, especially if you are wearing layers or a good coat. That's also why lower or mid back... Allows your upper back and shoulder to absorb recoil without slamming you into whatever you are using for support!

 

[ShootnMathews]

My sitting technique is a little different. I do not use a sling. Just the bipod and my body. I sit on my rear and have my left knee up in the air. My right leg is bent with my right foot tucked behind my left foot and my right leg laying on the ground. To better describe, my left knee is at 12 o clock and my right knee at 3 o clock. I use my left arm to reach under my left knee from the the outside, and grasp my right ankle. I can now use my left arm and left legg as leverage to stabilize my sitting position.

As mentioned above I make sure my thumb is resting lightly and imparting no torque to the rifle. Using this method I can usually hold MOA for whatever the range is to about 400. It gets tougher after that.

 

[ShootnMathews]

Forgot to mention, I'm right handed. Would need to switch all that around if you're a southpaw.