I am having a hard time shooting consistent groups with my 10 lb 338 lapua . I can shoot good on bags on the bench if I really put my shoulder into it and try to control it. Prone is another story , I just installed an atlas bipod to try and take advantage of the aft movement, I just feel like it's still blowing off target too much under recoil. I love my 6.5 cm!! I know if I struggle at the range I will have no hope in the field.
Controling lightweight magnum rifles
- Thread starter tdean
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HARPERC
Well-Known Member
How much difference between your groups at the bench, and those with the bipod?
I'm most successful with my .338 RUM when I put in the same amount of time on the set up as I would from the bench. I do better from prone with bipod if I get completely out of position, and start each shot as it were the first. Meaning get everything straight and balanced again.
I'm working up an affection for tripods such as Precision Rifle Solutions. I've never done as well as I would like with the bipod.
I'm most successful with my .338 RUM when I put in the same amount of time on the set up as I would from the bench. I do better from prone with bipod if I get completely out of position, and start each shot as it were the first. Meaning get everything straight and balanced again.
I'm working up an affection for tripods such as Precision Rifle Solutions. I've never done as well as I would like with the bipod.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
Bipods can be a great addition to a rifle system If you understand the different way you have to shoot them.
I am know expert, but I find that I have to push the rifle forward to preload the bipod and force the stock away from the barrel. I see lots of people that pull it backwards into there shoulder before firing the rifle and can cause the stock to contact the barrel and even add tip pressure to the barrel.
This takes practice and can improve accuracy with a bipod.
A good bedding and floating of the barreled action can minimize this to some extent also.
J E CUSTOM
Broz
Well-Known Member
Try a Harris, I can not shoot well or spot hits with an Atlas either. Loading an Atlas is hard for me and they always feel spungy.
Jeff
I've learned to be very successful with a little ultralight 338-300wsm, so I'll pass along what has worked for me... Fully set up I have had the rifle as light as 7.5 lbs and can still hold 1/2 MOA out to the range capability of the cartridge. But take it with a grain of salt, I'm definitely no expert in shooting technique. I am also very tall with long arms and big shoulders so what works for me might not work for everybody else.
Basically I have to hold on to the rifle for dear life or it's going to ring me and fly out of my hands. But I've tried to be technical in developing a series of steps for setting up. First is to get my body 100% in line with the rifle so the recoil energy goes straight through my body rather than just my shoulder. That really helps from keeping the rifle from jumping over to the right. That is probably obvious.
Next is getting my shoulder solid on the stock ... And I mean rock-solid... I really focus on digging the meaty part of my shoulder into the middle of the recoil pad to prevent any extra rearward motion during recoil. And then I think the key is that my bipod cannot support the load from my shoulder pushing forward (the legs would just slide and/or collapse), so I really focus on a strong grip with my right hand to hold the stock into my shoulder. Then my left hand anchors the forearm and really adds the final link to the solid setup to prevent too much muzzle rise. the final step is to focus on digging my cheek/jaw into the stock to help firm things up just a little more. If I forget that part it really rings my teeth.
Surprisingly once I lock in the position I can hold rock solid and keep recoil under control and still shoot accurately... no chance in hell to spot my shots. It is very fatiguing and takes a lot of focus. I shot about 10 rounds on Sunday morning, and by sunday afternoon my right bicep was all knotted up and sore from pulling the stock into my should so hard. So that puts it into perspective how much effort i'm putting into holding the rifle solid... I really am not joking when I say I am holding on to the rifle about as hard as I can. Which is why I'm pretty sure anybody who knows good shooting technique would laugh at how I am holding on to this rifle! For those of you out there who know good technique feel free to critique why this is bad technique in the spirit of knowledge sharing... I laugh at myself too when I shoot this little rifle and laugh even more when other people try and shoot it... It's also the reason my big 338 RUM has a 4-port brake.
Basically I have to hold on to the rifle for dear life or it's going to ring me and fly out of my hands. But I've tried to be technical in developing a series of steps for setting up. First is to get my body 100% in line with the rifle so the recoil energy goes straight through my body rather than just my shoulder. That really helps from keeping the rifle from jumping over to the right. That is probably obvious.
Next is getting my shoulder solid on the stock ... And I mean rock-solid... I really focus on digging the meaty part of my shoulder into the middle of the recoil pad to prevent any extra rearward motion during recoil. And then I think the key is that my bipod cannot support the load from my shoulder pushing forward (the legs would just slide and/or collapse), so I really focus on a strong grip with my right hand to hold the stock into my shoulder. Then my left hand anchors the forearm and really adds the final link to the solid setup to prevent too much muzzle rise. the final step is to focus on digging my cheek/jaw into the stock to help firm things up just a little more. If I forget that part it really rings my teeth.
Surprisingly once I lock in the position I can hold rock solid and keep recoil under control and still shoot accurately... no chance in hell to spot my shots. It is very fatiguing and takes a lot of focus. I shot about 10 rounds on Sunday morning, and by sunday afternoon my right bicep was all knotted up and sore from pulling the stock into my should so hard. So that puts it into perspective how much effort i'm putting into holding the rifle solid... I really am not joking when I say I am holding on to the rifle about as hard as I can. Which is why I'm pretty sure anybody who knows good shooting technique would laugh at how I am holding on to this rifle! For those of you out there who know good technique feel free to critique why this is bad technique in the spirit of knowledge sharing... I laugh at myself too when I shoot this little rifle and laugh even more when other people try and shoot it... It's also the reason my big 338 RUM has a 4-port brake.
djtjr
Well-Known Member
Youve been given some good advise so far but ill take it a step further. For a very light rifle break from the normal benchrest form and grasp the fore end with your non trigger hand. You have to play with the rear bag a bit to get it right as you can no longer squeeze but its effective when you get used to it. For me that has eliminated a lot of the bounce that I see in my light guns that isn't there in my heavy guns. It felt awkward but when my 338 groups went form 1 to .5 inches i got over it real fast. some of my light guns do not need it others do. Find what your gun likes in the situations you plan to use it in and stick with that.
I seated bullets father off lands , and have been holding on for dear life if you will , shooting amazing , have been tearing holes on 4 different trips to range . Hope I can duplicate when there is an animal on the other end , thanks for the advise
It is interesting that you mentioned this. Last hunting season I went back to my Harris on my 6.5-284 because I was having the same issue with accuracy. I thought it might have been caused by tensioning difference but really wasn't certain.
That actually is interesting. I have never owned an Atlas and the only bipod I use is a Harris. I use it for everything from load development on a bench to shooting prone in the field and it's as accurate for me as shooting off of bags.
