IMO, shooting a light barrel sporter off the bench may require additional attention to controlling pre-exit barrel rise compared to heavier rifles. I have had some lightweights that were no-problem to shoot well, others that were a lost cause without major modification(change of rifle components). While a muzzle brake may make the rifle more pleasant to shoot and perhaps reduce flinching/distraction, it's not going to effect the pre-exit dispersion. Realizing some have been already mentioned some of these ideas in this thread, I listed those that I have found that have minimized the barrel jump and improved accuracy for me:
-Rifle hold. Apply "rearward" pull off the stock and fore-end, practicing consistent pressure. VERY light cheek weld. Too heavy and you may be inducing muzzle rise. The mention of using a straighter grip, IMO, is valid in that it does two things. It enables greater leverage and more consistent rearward pressure, and, with bench and prone shooting positions that are "elbow down", ithe straight grip maintains a straight wrist, providing a more comfortable shooting position and less tendency for the wrist to act as a pivot during recoil. In the absence of a straighter grip, you can place a support under your elbow to straighten the wrist.
-Most sporters have an angled bottom surface butt that may exaggerate the muzzle rise with a flat surface rear support. Modify the rear rest to correct for this. Also, make sure front and rear swivel studs do not interfere with the rest. Make sure the rests are solid with no play or movement....during recoil.
-While this is a subject of debate, in my experience(and shooting style), I have found that with a light weight/heavy recoil rifle, there needs to be sufficient over-travel with the trigger; enough to allow the bullet to exit the barrel before reaching the hard stop.
Just some thoughts.
