I'm just getting into shooting precision auto rifles.  What is your technique at the bench and when laying prone?  I'm finding if I use the pistol grip to drive tension into my should I'm not quite as accurate.  Almost seems beneficial to let the rifle recoil freely.  Looking for suggestions for my next range trip.

For me, ymmv, the trick is in not gripping the grip too tight when pulling back into your shoulder. No reason to “grip” the grip the gun isn’t going anywhere. I am always thinking in terms of the forces I am putting into the system. Yes you need a cheek or chin weld. No you don’t have to push your face into the stock. Firm but consistent equal pressure gets it done. Focus on breathing and breaking the trigger the same on each shot. Follow through is very important with a semi.

Free recoil with a semi is a roll of the dice. Remember you have moving mass in the rifle that doesn’t exist in a bolt gun.

When prone, square up your body behind the rifle: Your spine, legs, etc... should be parallel with the bore axis.

For grip, I like to think I'm cupping an uncooked egg; just barely enough to hold on to the pistol grip, but not enough to impart undue and unwanted force. I like ambi safeties so my thumb can rest on the same-side safety lever.

I prefer to load the bipod forward a bit. My support hand is on the stock and squeezing a bag if necessary for fine adjustment on target. That support hand and my body weight pushing forward are doing the overwhelming majority of the work of keeping the rifle in position.

nvm

This is how I do it as well.