How do you shoot a 338WM off a bench?

recoil isnt bad standing up but is a completely different animal on the bags

Good stock weld on your cheeks or you'll pay for it. Concentrate on your form. Use a sissy pad if you must. I would not advise you use a lead sled if you have a wooden stock! It'll split one quickly under that circumstance. Mine's a pussycat....I shoot 225 grain Northforks. At least you wont be surprised by the recoil...you know its coming and it ain't a 223. For some reason, that calms me down on the bench...I tell myself to just man up and take it because I know its coming.

I pull mine in snug to my shoulder, firm hold. It can't hit me then, it only shoves.

Yep. And mouth closed. Mine will clack my teeth a bit otherwise.

I don't!

.............................So far all of the above mentioned plus the following. You might consider installing a muzzle brake.... When on the bench try putting some downward pressure on the scope with the palm of your non trigger hand..... Wear a padding shooting vest.....If the existing recoil pad on your 338 is hard, then a slip on recoil pad would help to absorb the recoil.

There are a few things you can do.

I'd say if you are having trouble with .338 you're shooting everything else wrong. I've never treated any of mine any different than I did any other sporter weight rifle from .223 family up through .458. Take a firm and consistent grip .. not "clench", pull the butt pad into your shoulder, then put a little force from your shoulder towards the rifle so you stiffen up a little, invoke your steely death stare through the scope, and squeeze ye olde trigger. (Then ask yourself WTF? release the safety, and try it again. :))

Tom

Make sure that you're sitting as close to upright as you can be. Leaning forward and into the recoil is OK with a 308 or a 30-06, but it makes things a LOT worse with a 338.


Okie John

Brian,

Two or three shots from the bench is not a big deal as long as remember to always pull the stock tightly on your shoulder, and not to get your eye too close to the scope. The problem with any heavy-recoiling rifle is shooting for extended periods of time, such as when sighting a new scope, or developing loads. For these I always use a lead-sled with a 20-pound (or so) bag of lead shot). When using a led-sled you still place your shoulder tightly against the sled as you pull the stock toward your shoulder, but the stock's pad is held by the sled, not against your shoulder, so you don't feel the recoil. A lead-sled costs from $60.00 to $200.00 (the price is up to you). The one I use cost me around $80.00 at Sportsman Warehouse.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/394466/caldwell-lead-sled-solo-rifle-shooting-rest

You will notice the Y support with a strap at the front of this sled. This supports the stock just below to scope, and the other end holds the stock's recoil pad. Keep in mind that you still need to have a 20-pound (or so) lead shot. Solid objects don't work well with lead-sleds because these slide around during the recoil, but a 25-pound bag of lead-shot stays put in the sled's tray, but it will cost you around $59.00.

Limbsaver recoil pad on the rifle and a Past, ambidextrous, strap on, shoulder pad (from Midway). You can handle some big stuff with those 2, just don't join the "half moon club" (scope bit).

I shoot hard kickers sparingly, and I try to remember to clench my jaw a bit. Last time I shot, it was an extra slip-on recoil pad and a folded towel between my shoulder and the stock. And I kept forgetting to keep my jaw tensioned for some damn reason. My teeth seemed to actually rattle. I hate shooting from a bench.

I shot my .338 Magnum off the bench prior to every hunting season to confirm zero, I shot handloads with 275gr. Speer RN so recoil was pretty stout. As mentioined by above posters a good cheek weld and pulling the stock firmly into your shoulder are important to not get overly beat up by the recoil. I managed with the solid red Winchester recoil pad but were I to be shooting a .338 WM now I would definately want a Decelerator pad.

Buy a dollar pair of cheap flip flops at wally world and cut off the thong part. Slide it between the rifle and your shoulder. It spreads the recoil out and also gives a second pad. Works great when I have to sight in a boomer

A poor man's lead sled that works ok is the MTM Shoulder Guard.

I use mine for load development with heavy kickers. Good for the low price but you still need good technique.

1) I don't, and 2) if I did it would be VERY CAREFULLY.

After polishing off say 800,000 rounds or more....doesn't pose much of a problem!

Good advice.. When I shoot my .340 or .338's when I had them, I just held tight against the shoulder and went at it.. I did sight my pals super light .300 Wea. Using the cab of a small truck for a rest.. It was just the perfect height for a standing bench rest.. The difference in recoil was very noticeable...

Even better, if you have a spare 20 bucks:

PAST recoil pad shield

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/680235/past-field-recoil-pad-shield-ambidextrous

Lot of good advice. Mine is - hold it like you love her!

When working with the heavies a "standing bench" is the better solution. Some ranges have them. One about shoulder height or a bit less. If possible a solid cover "closure" over a pickup bed, (preferably a 4x4 with lift kit) with a bag of shot for the rest or equivalent works well.

Limbsaver recoil pad and a Past shoulder pad. That is also what I do with a 300 & 375 RUMS.

Ditto that here. The PAST pad adds to LOP, mimicking the extra clothing I wear during hunting season. 225g AB and SST @ 2742fps.

I used to stack up the sand bags higher so as I would be sitting straighter at the bench. Didn't want to hunch down behind my 375s but sitting straight allows your body to move easy rearward with the rifle and thus reduced recoil.

Lots of other good tips here as well. Those PAST sissy pads work very well.

Brian, I know that my wife doesn't care for it. She's only good for 8 or 10 rounds from the bench....and prefers less. She does real well with the sub-9 lb., none-braked rifle! That said, elk season is getting close, so some bench time for zero re-check is coming soon! memtb


After many years, finally convinced her to use the PAST Recoil Shield. She's turning into a "sissy"!

I like the flip flop idea.

We have a couple of the PAST pads we keep with our sandbags at our bench. The thin one for wingshooting actually helps a decent bit and often gets worn regardless of the rifle being shot, just because it's not in the way and allows for best focus on making the shot. The thick one is the biggest one they make and is simply too thick and bulky and prone to shifting. The flip flop idea is a good one indeed.

Try a 378 Weatherby Magnum. You wann talk recoil. Maybe you shoot a 30-06

I sold my last .338 years ago. Used to keep one in the stable, but at about two pounds heavier than an '06, it seemed that they always got left in the truck. The lightest one I ever had was a Blaser Ultimate. I was much younger, but the bench was about the only place that I ever shot any of mine. I paid attention to what I was doing, but got along with them well. .375 is where the recoil began to bother me from the bench. One range that I had access to had a stand up bench for the big boomers. That makes a big difference with heavy recoiling rifles.

Jack

Close your eyes, Hope for the best!!

I put a Limbsaver on my Abolt stock. Other than that nothing special. I've shot as many as 40 rounds in a session doing load workup. I don't find it that tough to shoot. I actually prefer it to my buddies Rem. model 7 .308. That thing has a snap to it I just don't like.

Yes. It is...........


Casey

I use a cheap knee pad on my shoulder, to spread out the enjoyment and avoid bruising. Also try the Pachmayr Decelerator or Remington super cell pad. Use a stock that is very straight and with a wide butt for more pad area. Beyond that, remember the two mantras of big bore shooters:
"I don't want to be cheated out of any of the recoil I paid for."
"I will get the full amount of recoil that I had in mind."

Just use 250-300 grain bullets. They shove because of the speed of recoil. 250 grain accubonds are actually pretty nice to shoot. They remind you of 180 grain 30/06. 200-225 grains hit hard and fast.

A bit of cast is a wonderful thing...

This is how I shoot mine off the bench:

As above, holding.

I have a RU77 Tang, slightly modified from factory. Glass bedded, free floated, trigger job, Decelerator pad, Mag-Na-Ported, with a rubber? stick-on cheekpiece to fit my long neck better. The porting reduces muzzle jump about 75% by estimation with an identical, unported rifle. That helps a bunch. It also seems to slow the recoil a bit, into more of a push. Double hearing protection on the bench also helps. Addiitional shoulder padding can't but help, but I don't use it.

I use best accuracy handloads or factory loads of 225 or 250, nothing smoking hot.

I never fire more than 10 at a time. In fact, since I last dialed it in 25 years ago on installation of a new scope, I have never fired more than 4 rounds off the bench to check/adjust zero. And never more than that during the subsequent hunt(s) that season. Usually 2, there. One to droip the animal, and then maybe an insurance shot from a few yards out.

Clean and put away until next usage....

I have '06's that kick worse- one with a 17 inch barrel.

las, I think you really hit the nail on the head. To be perfectly honest, I don't shoot my 338wm much at all. Don't need to and never had to. There are other rifles that you can practice with, during the course of the year, and still easily make that kill shot during elk season with your 338wm when you need to pull it out and use it. Just make sure it's always dialed in and ready to go:

BSA, Pretty "sweet" group! If you miss an elk... it's on you, not the cartridge! memtb

Ha ha... That is entirely true my friend...