free recoil Technique or hold with 30-06 off bags

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p5200

Member
I seemed to get my best groups shooting free recoil with my Vanguard 30-06. is this normally considered the best way vs. a hold on the fore end to achieve the best groups? Trying to learn more about technique. Thanks for advice! :)
 
I figure your terminology may be off. When you are shooting free recoil, the butt of the rifle doesn't make contact with the shoulder and the only part of the body that makes contact with the rifle is the trigger finger. When the rifle fires, the buttplate slides backwards slightly before it makes contact with the shoulder. I really doubt if you are shooting a Vanguard in .30-06 free recoil by that definition as that would be a good way to get a scope in the eye.

If you are using a front tripod rest and squeezing the rear sand bag with your left hand for a right handed shooter and pulling the stock up against your shoulder with your right hand with just letting the forend rest on the front rest, that's the proper way to shoot off a tripod front rest with rear sandbag. It's not shooting free recoil. Sometimes though a rifle will shoot better holding onto the forend especially with heavy kickers or with stocks that don't ride sandbags well.
 
You are right! my mistake yes I pull the butt into my shoulder with just a cheap Allen bag front and rear. should I practice holding the fore end with my left hand? or does it make any difference? Thanks! :)
 
A few guys I know hold down the forend of hard kicking calibres, but I'm talking 1000 F class shooters here & they have rests capable of pretty precise sight alignment.

In your case, as long as you can hold aim consistently & hold on with the same consistency, it should be fine. On the other hand, anything is better than getting smacked around on a bench - it doesn't do your aim or wellbeing any good to suffer unnecessary pain. :(

John
 
p5200, hold the rifle however you can get the best consistency out of it. Sounds like how you are doing is how you are getting the best consistency. If I was going to shoot a rifle like a .460 off the bench, I'd be pushing forward against the butt as hard as I could with my shoulder and I would be pulling down on the forend with my left hand and pulling the stock back toward my shoulder with the left hand. It still wouldn't be fun to shoot, but would be manageable.
 
i shoot an 03a3 in 100yd matches, front rest, rear bag,trigger hand firmly gripping stock, no hand on forearm, leaning towards rifle with medium pressure on buttstock. the issue with forearm pressure is consistancy, or lack there of. too easy to get vertical changes due to variation in forearem load/pressure.
( the match is Military,Bolt Action, Benchrest)...open stock sights
mike in co
 
I was told by an oldtimer once to wrap my free arm around and grip the butt (kinda like giving the rifle a big hug)
Felt really weird at first but I shot my first 5 shot one hole group using that technique...
 
7mm

Interesting. Could you explain in more detail?

Thanks
 
Oldcoyote said:
" I was told by an oldtimer once to wrap my free arm around and grip the butt "

Interesting. Could you explain in more detail?

Thanks
Click to expand...

...YE GADS....Its been 40 years or more year since I shot one that way. :eek:

Dad,my uncle and I as a snot nosed brat shot that way off a bench with a front rest only, no rear bag. Considering being a right handed shooter, you hold the rifle as normal with your right hand, your left arm goes under the stock, reach back, grab the butt with your fingers between the butt and against your shoulder. Its kinda like using your hand as a sissy bag.

Boll
 
P5200 ...

p5200 said:
I seemed to get my best groups shooting free recoil with my Vanguard 30-06. Trying to learn more about technique. Thanks for advice!:)
Click to expand...

Watch this 6 minute video http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9194636798795391569 of this Icelandic shooter who set a 10-shot world record some years back at 200 yards shooting free recoil. Notice that he lifts his head away from the scope and rifle so that he can watch the conditions down range. Art
 
I have seen that! when I saw the fist shot, I thought he misfired. Then I noticed it was his style..

I guess it would take some courage for me to try that with my 7 X 300 weatherby mag! I has somewhat of a "crisp" recoil.
 
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