Just how much difference would there be in poi if I sight in my rifle using sandbags and an adjustable rest. Won't the recoil from my adjustable rest, actually has a rubber "liner"
only, cause a higher point of impact? And now what if I take the rifle hunting??? How is the poi going to be now, maybe depends on how I hold the rifle, whether or not I use a tight sling etc.
All of this seems like I really won't know where it's shooting when hunting unles I actually shoot fm hunting positions?? Please, help!! Ray

Depends on weather if your barrel is free-floated and what material the stock is made of. Free floated with a wood (or very stiff synthetic) stock, not much if any difference. Pressure point bedded and a flimsy synthetic stock will make a big difference in POI as you change how the rifle is held.

Always sight-in the same way you will hunt. Open or closed forehand, sling, thumb across tang, whatever. Only rest your elbows on the bench, preferably on a jacket or padding. If you can't get a decent group, try letting your forehand lightly touch the sandbags, just to steady it a bit.

All rests will either absorb or repel recoil, and it is impossible to predict how it will effect an individual's offhand shooting.

I saw in a Boddington Article that Rigby(?) has a standing rest that they use to regulate doubles. That would be the best way to do it. I wonder if I could get my Club to build one? Sean

I use KurtC's method also. Shooting from a bench I use a sling with elbows resting on bench. If it's a really windy day at the range or I just can't keep the barrel still, I'll let the front hand/forearm touch the bags in front of me to help steady.

I shoot with a sling even when stand hunting just because that's the way I learned back in the olden' times. However just adapt your preferred method to this system and you'll be fine.

It will also tell you a lot more about your trigger pull than just laying it across the bags. Resting on bags only tells you how the rilfe shoots, not how you shoot.

Get OFF the bench and shoot only using sling supported body positions.

newtoot
I always hunt with some sort of a backpack and have used it for some longish shots.

Try it! I find a backpack much more versatile and consistent than a Harris bipod. By the way.. it is the preferred method for most snipers.

Jamie

I have some experience with this. I'm shooting a stout-recoiling synthetic stocked rifle w/ floatd barrel that doesn't show any change in POI or accuracy. I do my load testing on the bench. I have it on a sandbag rested just in front of the magazine, not held. The buttstock is jammed into shoulder and sandbags. This gives me zero wiggle at 100yards with the scope at 9x.

I've also played with holding the front of the stock instead of letting it sit and recoil freely, as well as shooting prone from elbows with non-shooting hand holding on tight. No change in POI. Accuracy was as good as I'm capable of prone. With more practice in both prone and various seated positions I'm pretty sure I'll see that I'll continue to see no change in POI or accuracy.