Shooting heavy recoiling rifle from bench-beginner here

[J E Custom]

so I have 338 win mag, unbreaked sako 85 which kicks rather stoutly when shot from bipods off a bench. So much so, that just by changing the loading of the bipod creates a 2 MOA vertical difference in impact. I use the weak hand to adjust the bag under the buttstock while getting anooyed by 3 inch high groups. Suppressor or muzzlebreak is not an option. How could I enhace my accuracy? Perhaps put the weak hand on the forend To prevent the gun jumping 10 inchrs up each time it is fired.
I am a beginner and would welcome any technical advice.
Thank you!

Shooting off a by pod requires some training. By-pods load a stock badly near the front of the fore arm and this has to be compensated for.

A sand bag under the fore arm close to the front action screw will give you better consistency. But if you still want to use a by-pod, you must get use to pre-loading it before you shoot. The normal way to do this is to push the rifle forward once you get ready to shoot. this forces the by-pod to push the stock fore end away from the barrel and prevents it touching the barrel.

You can test the effects by simply standing the rifle on the butt and extending the by-pod out, hold the rifle barrel with one hand and push down or pull up on the by-pod feet and watch the gap between the stock and the barrel increase or decrease .

leaning into the rifle and by-pod will also reduce felt recoil.

Muzzle brakes will only reduce recoil, they will have no effects on a by-pod and it's forces on the stock.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Ftothfadd]

Thank you for all the help. I think I am leaning into the rifle loading the bipod quite decently. However, when I touch off a round, the muzzle jump is really pronounced. I feel, depending on the degree of bipod load, the muzzle jump is varied, and I think that influences the impact point and causes the vertical stringing. The issue is I am happy to sight in from bags, but then, how will I shoot in hunting application from the bipod...

 

[Rick Richard]

Keep in mind, shooting off a bench (concrete) with bipod and shooting off the ground (different technique) will result in different POI...if you are doing that.

 

[WildRose]

Thank you.
So, just to be clear, I am more or less ok taking the punishing in the form of recoil. My problem is the poor accuracy. I do understand though that the two are usually interlaced...

If you learn to simply use your body as a shock absorber vs fighting it there will be no punishment.

Pull'r in tight to your shoulder and just let it ride.

There are lots of things you can do to minimize the recoil from getting a good limbsaver or pachmayer recoil pad to quality muzzle brakes and suppressors that will make a world of difference as well.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

I "had" a beautiful Weatherby MK5 w/ German action, custom barreled 25" UN Braked, Glass bedded, .338 Win Mag that would, "clover leaf" 210 Noslers, 3 shots at 100 yds, (every year !) But it was, kinda heavier than I liked to carry far and recoiled more than, I could enjoy, ugh ! There is NO need ( IMHO) of anything bigger than, a .270 WSM or 7 Rem Magnum "class" cartridge, for "most" big game in No America like,.. Deer, Elk, Moose, Black Bears, etc. out to 7-800 Yards ! I shoot very well, NOW (no flinching and sub min of angle, over a Pack to 650 ! ) and my Tikka weighs just 7.5 Pounds,.. instead of 9.5 ! I now, shoot a LOT more and practice often, at variable ranges from 250 yds, over "sticks", to 650-700 yards Prone, over a Pack as, my portable Bench Rest is, a bit too heavy,.. to carry Moose and Elk hunting ! After load "work up" and Dial Verification the Bench rest,.. stays in the Garage !

 

[Idaho Lefty]

PS; I no longer get, any "Weatherby Eyes", shooting Game,.. in the Field with my .270 / 7 mags! Got a couple of Beauties from,.. shooting the .338 W M. over the years ! lol

 

[HARPERC]

.......This sounds completely counter intuitive but quit fighting it......Relax your body to the point it just becomes a load spring and shock absorber. Don't let it fly free or you're going to bleed and get a headache, but instead of tensing up to fight the recoil just relax and take it....

QUOTE="Ftothfadd, post: 1487626, member: 83730"].....I think I am leaning into the rifle loading the bipod quite decently. However, when I touch off a round, the muzzle jump is really pronounced. I feel, depending on the degree of bipod load, the muzzle jump is varied..........[/QUOTE]

Muzzle jump being varied suggest inconsistency in your hold to me.

 

[Radhimself]

Ditch the bi-pod, get used to shooting off bags like the boys have said

Work on your technique and hold

Double wrap a sling for forend control

Read nathans article posted earlier

Practice, practice, practice

 

[J E Custom]

Or, Get a good Muzzle brake and enjoy all of the benefits it brings.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Ftothfadd]

Thank you guys. I read the suggested article by Nathan. I guess the first step for mevwill be to update my shooting technique and try a foreend hold.
Ferenc

 

[WildRose]

Thank you.
So, just to be clear, I am more or less ok taking the punishing in the form of recoil. My problem is the poor accuracy. I do understand though that the two are usually interlaced...

Anticipation of the recoil leads to flinching which leads to poor shooting.

That anticipation comes from the pain you've been suffering from fighting the recoil.

Eliminate the pain with a good pad, brake/suppressor, correct your technique and just learn to flow with it and you can eliminate the flinching.

The problem has to be worked in reverse to reach the solution.

 

[WildRose]

Shooting off a by pod requires some training. By-pods load a stock badly near the front of the fore arm and this has to be compensated for.

A sand bag under the fore arm close to the front action screw will give you better consistency. But if you still want to use a by-pod, you must get use to pre-loading it before you shoot. The normal way to do this is to push the rifle forward once you get ready to shoot. this forces the by-pod to push the stock fore end away from the barrel and prevents it touching the barrel.

You can test the effects by simply standing the rifle on the butt and extending the by-pod out, hold the rifle barrel with one hand and push down or pull up on the by-pod feet and watch the gap between the stock and the barrel increase or decrease .

leaning into the rifle and by-pod will also reduce felt recoil.

Muzzle brakes will only reduce recoil, they will have no effects on a by-pod and it's forces on the stock.

J E CUSTOM

To add:

If you have a cheap tupperware/plastic stock and you attempt to shoot loading the bipod it's going to flex terribly stressing the action and quite possibly causing contact between the barrel and stock and the results will be even poorer accuracy.

 

[westcliffe01]

Video is a 95lb woman shooting my 308 which is loaded with 175gr Sierra HPBT and a close to max load of Varget. She shoots it very well too, she had about 5 or 6 rounds down the pipe before shooting the video. You can certainly see her upper body absorbing the recoil and she said it didnt hurt a bit...

 

[jaybo]

I have a couple of Sakos in 75 and 85 Finnlite and the stocks are good compared to other factory stocks but the recoil pads are very hard. I also have a Tikka 300WM that I put in a McMillan Sako Hunter stock that has a decelerator recoil pad and it makes a big difference. I agree with WildRose, I shoot off of bags and brace the lower part of my body for impact. I use a small towel folded to help cushion my shoulder and because I figure when hunting I will have on thicker clothes so it mimics my hunting situation. I pull the rifle in tight to my shoulder and place my left hand on top of the scope above the front scope mount and apply slight pressure to prevent the rifle from jumping up. I relax the upper part of my body and concentrate on a smooth trigger pull. I have busted my nose twice and kissed it several times when working on a new round trying to relax too much to ensure accuracy so if using this method don't relax too much in the beginning. Go slow and find out what works best for you.