Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles How do you shoot a 338WM off a bench?

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...