At the risk of being ignorant,I'll ask the following question.Is it common place to hold the fore end of a big bore while benching to improve accuracy?As I'm sure your aware a great deal of bench shooting is done by just letting the fore wood do its own thing.I'm wondering if its not different with big stuff though.I ask because my new Lott seems almost better off hand,or at least as good as when I bench it.So I'm wondering if the secret is some kind of combo,where you hold the gun and rest your hands on the bags.Any help appreciated.Thankyou in advance.

charger, you will probably get ten different answers to this question. I will tell you what i have observed in over 44 years of hunting. The rifle should be held the same way you will fire it in the field. You should always try to have three points of contact on the firearm when possible. Some people sight in the rifle with the fore stock on a rest, while the left hand is under the but or suporting it. This will cause the muzzle to rise more than the traditional hand on the fore stock grip. This is the main reason why people shoot high when using shooting sticks. Hope this helps you out. Charlie

Ya it does.I dont think its a big factor on smaller cals,but the big boys seem to want to be held,and Have the bench used merely as a steady

Absolutely it makes a difference, on any type of heavy kicker!

When shooting a double rifle, for any reason, sighting, hunting, or practice, the double rifle should not touch anything but your body, as if shooting off hand! A double rifle absolutely must be allowed to recoil as if shot off hand, or it will not shoot to it's regulation!

While shooting any bolt action rifles that kick much I use both a front and rear rest and hold the forearm with my left hand behind the front rest. I don't have experience with doubles so can't say on them.

When you mention that your rifle shoots as good off hand as from the bench that sent a flag up for me. I don't think I could shoot any bolt action rifle as well from off hand as a bench. Without knowing more details I'd guess you are either a fantastic off hand shooter, your rifle is inaccurate, or something is wrong with the technique used on the bench.

I hold the forearm & place my hand on the rest w/ a beanbag under the wrist for extra support. It helps me shoot the bigger (over .33mag) bores w/ more accuracy. Also keeps the scope out of my forehead.

Definitely get a death grip on the forearm and pull it back into your shoulder. No downward pressure on the forearm or rest. Lock up solid so that you and the rifle become one. Big Bore Zen. A Past pad between you and the rifle facilitates the Zen when doing a lot of shooting in load development. Then get rid of the pad for the final checkout and for the real thing, off hand shooting.

I agree with Fred and RIP for bolt action big bores.

For the real big kickers you definitely need to simulate a field shooting situation when you are sighting in. The upward movement of the barrel during recoil plays a much more significant role in POI than in lesser cartridges.

Consistency, as always, is key.

Cheers,
Chris

Man you's have all been a big help.Many thankyou's

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
Absolutely it makes a difference, on any type of heavy kicker!

When shooting a double rifle, for any reason, sighting, hunting, or practice, the double rifle should not touch anything but your body, as if shooting off hand! A double rifle absolutely must be allowed to recoil as if shot off hand, or it will not shoot to it's regulation!

That's correct, also with a big double you don't hang onto just the forarm you wrap your fingers up and around the barrels. 'cause if you don't your libel to rip the forarm off and end up wearing the barrels (or rear sight) in your forehead.

Get the fore end rest under your hand high enough so your sitting straight up. You don't get beat up as bad.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by 510wells:
... also with a big double you don't hang onto just the forarm you wrap your fingers up and around the barrels. 'cause if you don't your libel to rip the forarm off and end up wearing the barrels (or rear sight) in your forehead.

Yea verily it is as you say.
Grabbing both barrels and splinter forearm in a deathgrip is also said to aid in instinctive point and shoot in a hurry. It also just looks cool.

Remove the rings from your fingers or wear a shooting glove to keep from scratching or rusting those barrels!

Charger,

Lots of good advice here.

RIP: "Definitely get a death grip on the forearm and pull it back into your shoulder. No downward pressure on the forearm or rest. Lock up solid so that you and the rifle become one. Big Bore Zen. A Past pad between you and the rifle facilitates the Zen when doing a lot of shooting in load development."

510wells: "That's correct, also with a big double you don't hang onto just the forarm you wrap your fingers up and around the barrels."

RIP: "Remove the rings from your fingers or wear a shooting glove to keep from scratching or rusting those barrels!"

So, this is sort of what it looks like:



I'm firing the left barrel (rear trigger) of my .470 Merkel. Photo captured me in full recoil.

-Bob F.

Bob F.,
That'll work. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Excellent pic, Bob. The only thing I'd change is taking the blanket on the left side of the bench and using it to cover the right side (under the sand bags). I've picked more than a few sliver's out of my elbows after firing my 470 Mbogo from the bench (well..in warm weather where short sleeves are an option anyway...most of the time that is not the case up here!).

Cheers,
Canuck

quote:

Originally posted by Canuck:
Excellent pic, Bob. The only thing I'd change is taking the blanket on the left side of the bench and using it to cover the right side (under the sand bags). I've picked more than a few sliver's out of my elbows after firing my 470 Mbogo from the bench (well..in warm weather where short sleeves are an option anyway...most of the time that is not the case up here!).

Cheers,
Canuck

Canuck,

Yes, excellent advice! Since that photo was taken (in late 2003) I have since learned the error of my ways!!! Wood splinters and slivers are not fun.

-Bob F.

I almost always take a towel to the rifle range. I lay the towel on top of the bench, though I don't let the pointy screws on the bottom of the rifle rest get into it. That keeps me from getting skid marks (kind of reddish, actually) on my elbows, and gives me someplace to lay down stuff I don't want to touch the bench, i.e, rifle with barrel cooling off, etc.

I'm kind of attached to my old longsleeve shirts, so I won't use them without the towel. They've been in the family for a while, you see....

Better yet to keep you from getting bench elbow, buy an elbow pad @ your local sporting store. It makes a big diff. when shooting even 06 calibers off a hrd topped bench.

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:
Better yet to keep you from getting bench elbow, buy an elbow pad @ your local sporting store. It makes a big diff. when shooting even 06 calibers off a hrd topped bench.

I've found that left over carpet samples (about 2 X 3 ft.) work real well at the range. They pad the bench, don't cost much, about 3 bucks. And when they get too dirty you can throw them away or use them under the car to catch oil drips

Roi