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Posted: 6/16/2006 4:57:40 AM EDT
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I have been trying to test my SPR for accuracy. I normally prefer to shoot prone, but last night I had to shoot from the bench because the one spot for prone at the range was taken. Anyway, while shooting from the bench, I struggle to get anything better than 2-3 moa. While shooting prone, I easily get cloverleaf groups. The ammo is very good (Black Hills). I am shooting from a harris bipod with a rear, rabbit ear bag. The scope is a nice 24x. I am shooting at very visible, orange, 1" circles. My trigger pull is very relaxed and consistent. The recoil is very inconsistent. And, the shots tend to go where the recoil goes. Please help me with my benchrest technique. I am barely touching the rifle at all. I thought this was correct. Should I be holding tighter for more consistency or what? |
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I am not. Should I be? I just have my head touching the stock to get proper eye relief. The butt rests against my shoulder, but I am not securing it there. My hand touches the grip, and I have good trigger pressure. I have had better luck using a nice rest, but the harris bipod isn't giving me good results at all. |
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I agree with the need to have repeatable shooting position and pressure points on the weapon. You will also want to make sure that if you are using a sling that the sling tension is correct. Further out in left field, make sure the gas block is on tight, a buddy had his slighty loose on a newly built varminter and was getting outshot by my 16" carbine until we realized what the problem was. He then went from 4"-5" groups to sub MOA. |
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I can tell you what's wrong, and it doesn't have anything to do with you - Basically, benchresting and bipod shooting don't mix! You're punching constant clover from prone off a Harris bipod, so the fundamentals of your hold when firing from prone position must be dead good. The kind of accuracy you've been getting from prone with a Harris is no small feat; group size and POI can be very sensitive to cheek and shoulder pressure when firing off Harris bipods, to the point where more than a few people have experienced inconsistent, ungood groups while shooting off of them. The good thing is that the problem you describe has a simple remedy: Since you're presumably going to fire the weapon from prone utilising your bipod, your SPR has already answered the accuracy question you put to it: "...While shooting prone, I easily get cloverleaf groups." However, if you seek to research your rifle's accuracy potential when actually shouldering it and firing off your bipod ( From what I read in your post, this is what you seem to want to know ) , here's what works for me. Do your accuracy testing with the very best benchrest and matching front bag that you can buy, but fold the Harris bipod up when on the bench and leave it on the gun, as removing it would alter the weight and balance characteristics of your weapon during recoil. When setting up to benchrest your rifle, bring the benchrest towards you until you find your weapon's balance point on your front bag ( Your weapon will begin to tip forward ). Now, slide your rifle back towards you, so that it just balances on the bag as it contacts your shoulder, while making certian that you can shoulder it as you would when otherwise firing the weapon. Now, get comfy: you will shoulder and fire your groups from the resulting position. Adjust your rear rest so that it makes your rifle rock steady, without hanging up on your rifle's rear sling stud during recoil. ( I use a sand sock positioned forward of the stud. ) -And now, carefully fire your groups without breaking position. I have found that shooting in this manner has given me a fairly good estimation of what accuracy I can expect when actually shooting prone. When done, be sure and take your rifle off the bags -wouldn't want your Tackdriver to tip over! Hope this helps, Fist of Freedom |
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