Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What I learned at the range today....

I had my '06 Titanium out for only the second time this morning shooting some loads that previously showed some promise.

I brought 18 rounds with me, of 165 Accubonds in front of 58 grains of H4350. The first three groups are those on the bottom of the target. I shot them slowly allowing the barrel to cool between shots, and was NOT impressed with what I got. I shot these groups with my left hand laying between the bolt and the scope in my normal (albeit somewhat unsafe position), preferred hold style.

In desperation, I shot the next three groups...the ones on the top row... with my left hand squeezing the forend firmly...ala the style favored by many LW rifle shooters on the campfire.

The results were both consistent and startling. This site has once again paid off for me.

Good to know. I need to try this. I'm only shooting lightweight rifles now and what you've shared makes good sense.

I've heard this works. Haven't tried it myself. Thanks for sharing.

Interesting topic.

I shoot off of a soft towel over a commercial front rest most of the time. I was at the range again today.

One rifle is an old Brno 21H 7-57. It's worn and shows normal accuracy. It put 2 Berger VLD's into 1.5" at 100 yds from a cold fouled barrel and then 2 into 4"at 200yds with the warm barrel.

I put it aside and shot other rifles.

Later I shot it "hand held". In other words with my left hand holding the forend and that wrist on the bag with my right hand touching the rear bag.

It put 2 shots touching each other at 100 yds and it was sighted in!

This is also the best, maybe only, way to shoot the bigs as well.

With decent form holding the forend is not neccesarliy a hindrance to good accuracy. Big ame hunters are looking for or caring about differences of 1/10 of an inch in group size.

Is your hand between the rest and the forend? Are you pulling downward?
Thanks

The wider my stance or grip on the rifles, the better the groups.

For sure its the best way to handle heavy recoil.

I may look at my past records where the rifle was shot "hand held" and see if they are better or not.

Also there is the way I aim "hand held". Its more like off hand and not shooting to just the same mark.

Later.

Shoot it with the same grip you will use shooting at critters.

I think the extra layers of duct tape made the difference on the top row.

I normally rest my left hand atop the scope or barrel ahead of the scope.

Yeah, yeah...I have a love affair with duct tape.

My left hand was just behind the forward rest...just slightly up against it acually...which placed it just in front of the recoil lug a couple of inches.

It never occured to me to reach in FRONT of the forward rest. Hell,...that might have cut the groups down ever more.

"Shoot it with the same grip you will use shooting at critters."...I'll be shooting it just as I did in the top row of the targets, because that's how the rifle told me I HAD to shoot it partner.

Dave

I'm sure you know this but the utmost important rule is to never let the sling stud contact the bag in recoil.

I really can't see draping a hand over the top of the scope/barrel being good for groups.

iddave,

I've found the same thing when shooting my 700 MR. Firmly gripping the fore end did wonders for my groups. Finding a powder it liked didn't hurt, either...

I'm guessing you'll fell some critters with your setup. Be sure to post pics of dead stuff!

FC

It took a while before I realized just how much more consistant my hold had to be with the lightweight Ti. Much more so than the heavier rifles. Where the forearm is positioned on the front rest is crucial too. I try to keep it just behind the front of the scope & hold a bit more pressure to keep the front from jumping.

Your groups seem to show that a tighter hold beats the looser hold that many heavier rifles tolerate. Good post. It reminds me to bear down a bit on the Ti! A lighter trigger pull on the lightweights helps a good deal, as well.

Matches my experience with my Montana.

Agreed MM. Holding on to the scope while shooting a rifle is a new one for me... Don't see how adding 5-10 lbs of weight on top of the rifle is going to help it shoot better.

If I've got to hold my tongue just right and turn into a contortionist to make a rifle shoot decent groups off of a bench, I'll just go back to using a bow full time. I like rifles that shoot consistently from a variety of positions.

Don't really give a toot what it does off of a bench, how it's gonna shoot when aiming at breathing critters in multiple field positions is my concern.

Personally, I don't care to waste my time with temperamental rifles.

YMMV.

Mathman: I second that one. I own a bull barreled Anschutz 22LR that I use on ground squirrels. A tack driver at 50 yds. The landowner I hunt with wanted to give it a try on paper, and it was all over the place (like 2 1/2 to 3 inches). His style is a firm forearm/barrel grip normally used on his banded barrel 10/22 and back in his service days on a Springfield and M1. I asked him to turn loose of the barrel and it tightened right up. I normally have the trigger hand on the grip, and my off hand and forward rest as far forward as possible. Most of my units are light sporters, and groups are best when I really get a grip on them and hold them down.

On a similar note, I often see the TV pros resting their barrels on shooting sticks or some other forward support. Quite possibly those clips are reenactment shots pasted in to complete the program, but I can't see that being effective on some of the long shots they take.

The only group I see using barrel rests is the BPCR folks shooting off of sticks or a bench. They have a couple of techniques for identifying a harmonic sweet spot along the barrel that eliminates accuracy effects. I run a Shiloh, and it's the only unit I fire with anything touching the barrel.

I use my left hand to squeeze the bunny bag under the rear of the stock to adjust elevation . Your front rest should be about half way between the trigger guard and the end of the stock to avoid putting pressure on the barrel from stock flex . Especially with the tupperware stocks on the more inexpencive ( Cheap ) Savages and such !

The good news, seems the point of impact didn't change with changing of positions.