Bi-Pod Beginner Shooting Question

C

CoyoteMoss

Guest
My question is - how do you control barrel recoil lift when shooting from a bi-pod. Or - Do you care ? I read one post where a sling was used to hold down the rifle. Currently I manage recoil with a tight hold - shoulder/right trigger hand and I've been placing two finger from my left hand over the top of the rifle in front of the scope.

I don't shoot F-Class but really would like to give it a try. This may be a "How To Shoot for Dummies" question. If I don't hold down with the fingers on top of the rifle what is happening - I set up, get settled in, aim and squeeze off a shot. Everything moves around so much, I have to go thru the whole routine again-:confused: -- while the wind is changing, the sun is setting and dinner is getting cold.

What I've not tried yet is pushing hard on the bi-pod??

Thanks for your help.
 
Pushing firmly into (known as 'preloading') the 'pod often does help control the hop. Some people go so far as to 'dig in' the feet a bit to give them something to push into. Others go with alternate makes of bipod beside Harris, which seems to be one of the worse offenders as far as 'hop' goes.

Sooner or later you'll end up shooting on a smooth cement firing line, where you have a very difficult time preloading the 'pod, so its worth figuring out how (for you) to best deal with shooting when you can't put that forward pressure into the gun. Yes, it does usually involve hauling it back on target. Even an 18# .308 moves enough that you will probably end up off target. To keep from sinking into soft firing lines, I've tried using 'Pod-Paws' (large feet that fit on the end of a Harris bipod, but even those sink some places. I took a tip from a team mate and got one of those thin (1/8") flexible plastic cutting boards and put it under the bipod feet. No more sinking, didn't seem to move around any worse under recoil, but everything slides back in place a lot easier after the fact.

I guess the other option would be to shoot a .223! ;) It shouldn't go anywhere!

Good luck,

Monte
 
Consider making pads out of 3/4" thick plywood 3.5" to 4" square is about right. Use a forstner drill bit to make a shallow flat bottom hole just bigger then your pod foot.

If shooting off soft ground, the flat sides ensures that the pad can't move easily. Plenty wide enough to support the rifle without sinking. My rig with rest is 30lbs.

If shooting off concrete, glue some 60grit sandpaper on the bottom. That will help the pad get some bite and might even let you preload the legs.

Make up two sets so you will always have the right set for whatever the range offers you.

Consider the newer ski pods. They work many times better. You only need to use a pod if shooting F(TR). Personally, I use a pedestal front rest in F(O) and have none of these issues.

Jerry
 
I've found that if I only place my sholder on the upper half of the recoil pad, the lift is greatly reduced. I use the Harris Bi-Pod also.
 
Really Appreciate Your Help

Thanks everyone for your advice, information and for helping me out. Really appreciate your responses.

Coite Moss
 
I shot on very cold and smooth ice for awhile and noticed I needed to relax and be more consistant behind the rifle to keep the thing on target. The friction was so low that the rifle would slide with any little movement and of course would be way off target. The groups were, and still are, my very best ever. I now use a smooth plate of aluminum under the bipod and a piece of paper under the feet to let it slide freely. Makes me happy.

Cheers,
Rob
 
Get behind the rifle!

A lot of shooters lay behind a rifle at an angle. When the rifle jumps it pushes on the shoulder at an angle. IF you lay directly behind the rifle without the angle, you cause the rifle to jump in more of a straight up direction instead of up and away from the body mass. This helps me to bring the rifle back to it's original point sooner. I also mentally mark the location of the bipods feet on the ground to bring it back to the original position. By putting forward tension on the butt stock you preload the bipod springs which will increase the jump. When you lay your fingers over the top of the rifle and try to reduce the jump you are impeding the natural recoil and introducing variables. You can't put exactly the same amount of pressure on the rifle each shot. Consistency is made possible by reducing variables.
 
i have a bipod question. when i practice i like to set my bipod feet on sand bags, this seams to eliminate the jump problem. but can i use the bags under the bipod feet during a match???
 
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