Just wondering how you folks hold your rifles when shooting off the bench? Do you hold the forend or put your non shooting hand under the rifle on the bench? Would it help to hold the forend for a heavier recoiling rifle like the 30-06 and above so as to prevent the rifle from twisting upon recoil? Thanks, Jay

I don't know how to answer your question pertaining to recoil twist, but I do hold done the front end on a simple rest to steady the sight picture against trigger pull.I grew up shooting a lot of military rifles with mil. triggers, and still do. roger

I wrap my arm thru the sling, just as if I was shooting offhand. I then make sure my hand is on the sandbag, not any part of the rifle.

I rest the forearm on the front bag & let it free recoil up to .338winmag. Above that, I hold onto the forearm on the bag.

I let the bags control the rifle. I shoot w/ a tripod rest in the front and a leather rabbit ear bag in the rear. I only hold the rifle w/ my shooting hand lightly and my other hand is griped onto the rabbit ear bag for fine tuning. If in a T shapped bench it helps even more to rest both elbows on sand bags (old shot bags filled w/ sand).

When I shoot one of my hunting rifles off of the shooting sticks, I hold onto the fore arm pretty stout to steady myself. POI stays the same as when in the bags. I shoot in the bags to see what a load will do, for groups, or to zero the scope w/ a load.

Good Luck

Reloader

I use the same technique as Reloader. Always have a soft material between the bench and the fore-end of the rifle. A bipod on concrete will cause muzzle flip so seat the bipod on a piece of foam or your rifle slip.

Mark

I cut a scrap piece of wall to wall carpeting to fit the benches at our range, no more sore elbows.

Up to and including 300 mag I shoot with my front hand on the rear bag for fine tuning also.

Jay

I'm an old Benchrest shooter so I like to shoot free recoil as much as I can. With a good front rest and rear bags or pedestals it's possible to do so with some hark kickers. For those that have to be held I caress them like you would your new bride, holding them but only tight enough to keep them from biting you. Now, one thing that I think more shooters should consider is a sissy bag. Or a padded coat. Anything to help absorb the recoil. They call them sissy bags for a reason and I'm as macho as the next guy but I use them and I just let the snide remarks slide. hell, I can remember when only sissies wore ear protection. i was one of the macho guys then too and now I can't hear my wife when she calls me for supper.

Ray

I use the PAST recoil pad for all magnums off the bench

Your POI won't change from hunting position to bench position on the smaller calibers if you let it recoil freely. If you shoot a .375 this way it will shoot considerably higher than when held offhand. With a .416-.458, you may catch the scope with your forehead as well. Anything from a .300 Mag up, I would definitely hold the forend. Actually I do it the same way with all of them, but with the smaller calibers it is a habit, on the larger ones necessity.

I always use a Harris bi-pod on front and a rear bag,sand bag/sock or if it's a Choate Sniper or Varmint stock,I just use their elevation knob.I rarely shoot anything over a 308.I only shoot heavy barrel rifles(except for my DPMS 308) and don't even shoulder them tightly.I just let 'em recoil.Any bull barreled rifle in 308 or less has very mild recoil.

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Originally posted by Cheechako:
Jay

........I like to shoot free recoil as much as I can. With a good front rest and rear bags or pedestals it's possible to do so with some hark kickers......... Now, one thing that I think more shooters should consider is a sissy bag. Or a padded coat. Anything to help absorb the recoil. They call them sissy bags for a reason and I'm as macho as the next guy but I use them and I just let the snide remarks slide.

Ray

Amen to that!!

I actually shoot more turkey guns from the bench than rifles. A lightweight, fixed-breech 3 1/2" 12 ga or 10 ga. comes back about as hard as many of the DG calibers. I fashioned a fancy sissy pad from a strip of carpet padding wrapped in duct tape. I don't give a flip what anyone sez...........I don't relish taking a beating any more than I have to.

Well Jay, alot depends upon the caliber and configuration of the rifle... type of sights etc. Mostly though I just let gravity hold it down for me. Seriously now, I have found that some rifles love to be held and others prefer the free recoil method for best groups. Unfortunately, sometimes it's the kickers which want to be free. What is most important is consistancy in positioning the bags, both front and rear. The amount of pressure you exert in any direction will have an affect on the shot placement.

+1 to Strut10.

And, if you have an old computer mouse pad laying around, cut it in half, glue/laminate the pieces together, and presto-a recoil soaker-upper for just about free.

rear hand on the grip lightly with thumb on the tang and my left hand comes back to grip the rear bag. This is a mental thing to make you feel like you are holding something. I can also slightly squeeze the bag to pinch in on the ears or raise/lower the POA.

For my flat bottom BR stocks, just enough hand to feel the stock and just enough finger to trip the sear. Basicaly free recoil. I see better groups and scores the less I touch the rifle.

I use my Caldwell Lead Sled. No recoil and rock solid for sighting it in.

I do exactly what reloader does, and find no difference in POI in the field....

I use a Lead Sled too. I love it.

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Caldwell Lead Sled for rifles and for 3 1/2 inch 12 Ga Turkey gun.