Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Shooting light weight rifles

I recently had a 7-08 "mountain rifle" built. 7lbs 3oz scoped. This thing is tough to shoot consistently. I've been working up loads for it and have found a couple that shoot really nice sub 1" groups, but I'm getting frustrated with the fliers that I know are me. What's some of the tricks for shooting these lightweights well?

Gave shooting groups with light weight rifles. As long as I can hit point of aim repeatedly with a cold bore I am happy.

^^^ important. Light barrels are not made for the bench.

1) Lower your trigger weight
2) Don’t let your rifle free recoil

When shooting at the bench don’t be afraid to use some kind of cheater pad

Melvin Forbes used to sell a rear bag called a bench wizard...I always use it on light rifles seems to help a lot..

I use some "down pressure" at the bench by holding the fore end of placing my hand on top of the scope. It really helps. I got the tip from an online search and it was from Melvin Forbes. If it hurts to shoot it at the bench use a PAST recoil shield. I do with my light 30-06.

Hold the rifle behind the front bag and be as consistent in grip pressure and rearward pressure as you can. I try to avoid putting very much downward pressure on the forend...mostly pulling straight back into my shoulder. Before every shot double check that the front swivel is 1/2-1” forward of the front bag so it won’t hit the bag in recoil. Make sure the rear swivel and the bottom of the pistol grip aren’t going to contact the rear bag as the gun recoils as well.
It’s all about consistency with everything that touches the rifle from the time you pull the trigger ‘til the bullet is out of the barrel. And think “follow through”. Don’t worry about the impact point of the bullet until the rifle settles down after the shot and recoil.
I always use a folded up beach towel as a recoil pad on anything larger than a 25/06 or 6.5 Creedmoor and a folded towel on the front bag.

the down pressure helps, basner, and selby show this in their video's, I have a rifle i'm trying to work up loads and part of the trouble is me .I couldn't keep the crosshair from moving when I dry fired at target. I realized I was gripping the grip instead of pulling straight back. Crosshair moving 1.5 to 3" to right(100yards) griping, no movement with straight back pressure , and also as mentioned above no free recoil or gripping rear bag with left hand.Randy selby ,and Basner recommends bull bag type front rest. This also helped me.

Good thread, thanks!

Place a terry cloth towel over the front bag, then make sure the front action screw centers the front bag. Then do what is recommended by the other posters.

Do you all find a certain level of recoil makes it difficult? For example a lightweight 22 Hornet is easy to shoot but not a lightweight 243.

Rifles start to recoil when the bullet moves, so they are starting to recoil when the bullet is still in the barrel. That being the case, the lighter rifle will jump more than a heavy one for the same charge, and a heavier calibre will jump more than a light one firing the same charge. Light rifles may also compound this with a bit more barrel whip, depending on how stiff the barrel is.

I guess there's also the fact that if a rifle's knocking you about it can be hard to shoot well with it, though I wouldn't usually have thought a .243 with a decently-designed stock would be an issue, even if it was very light. People's tolerance for recoil varies though, and stock design and fit matters too - I've found a very light .30/06 (Rem 700 Ti) was not at all unpleasant, even with 220 gn loads, while another heavier .30/06 I had years ago, with a sharp comb and a steel buttplate, was not such fun.

The more the rifle's moving, the more important to ensure that it moves the same way each time. Also, if you can dampen the movement then it will usually have less effect, provided you are doing so consistently..

That is why I've always found with light rifles that it helps to hold them in both hands, with the weak hand holding the fore-end. I rest the back of my weak hand on the rest. I also pay attention to getting the buttplate/recoil pad in the same place on my shoulder, with equal (and fairly firm) pressure. I don't hold the rifle so tightly as to induce muscle tremor, but I am definitely holding it.All of this helps to dampen the jump, and give much better accuracy than letting the rifle recoil freely.

Other aspects of technique also matter, such as getting your cheek-weld consistent, keeping your trigger finger clear of the stock and drawing the trigger straight back, getting your neutral point of aim, getting your elbows in the same position each time etc, but these should be a given.

good information

I like to hold the forend in front of the bag with my left hand like I would while shooting in the field. Seems to work with light kickers like 6s. JB’s idea of using a folded towel helps too.

When I tried this, in order to do it naturally, it put my floor plate or dbm on top of the front bag.......which I did not think would be a good thing...

This is pretty much what I have found as well. When I first started shooting tikkas I had issues with accuracy. I learned the groups would tighten up quickly not allowing the rifle to free recoil. Even though tikkas have great factory triggers I noticed my groups also noticeably shrank after throwing a lighter yo dave trigger spring in them.

I really like the compact light rifles in pretty much any caliber. Like someone said above these are not my paper punching rifles, I look for repeatable cold bore accuracy as that is 99% of the time all I shoot while hunting. I look at it like some of the ultra compact carry pistols, great to have when attire will not allow you to carry anything else or that is what you like to carry but not what you want to spend all day at the range hammering your hand with.

How do you know the gun is capable of more? Might not be the fact its a lightweight gun.

Get off the bench.

Shoot from the prone position, preferably w/ a cuff sling, and sandbag.

Sling up and then lay the back of your hand on the top of the bag.


Once you're snapped in tight, the rifle wt. becomes essentially irrelevant.




GR

i have used the wrist drape technique on a couple tikkas i have and its worked. just drape your wrist over the front scope ring and the downward pressure keeps the rifle from bucking too bad during recoil throwing your shot off. as you know if sure that rifle are individuals and no 2 rifles will like the same treatment as not all of my tikkas require this method to shoot well. matter of fact i have a cz 527 american in 204 ruger that will put 2 shots in the same hole then throw the next one 3/4" off. maybe it'd like a lil weight on the the front ring............
Big Ed