Methods for imperfect benches

[Rexracer707]

There are only imperfect wood benches at my local ranges. I push around on them before starting and shim a leg if needed, but any uneven pressure affects the POI. For PPC, I shoot free-recoil even on good concrete benches and don't put any sort of pressure on them, but for heavy recoiling guns like a 308, it's harder. In the past, I shot Hunter Bench using free recoil even with the 308 using a heavy shoulder pad pinned on my jacket and a pad on my middle finger which got rapped by the trigger guard during recoil. But I think most people who shoot heavier recoiling guns use a firm hold at least to the cheek and shoulder (free in the front bag). I would like to do this but don't know how to square a firm hold to a wood bench. Wondering how others deal with wood benches with "movement."

What kind of surface are they on? If they are on concrete bring a drill and a hilti gun shim up the bench then shoot a concrete nail in there to hold it steady.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Most clubs use portable benches to be able to move them incase somebody wants to lay down

 

[Slowshot]

Let's not over complicate this problem.
Move to the next bench.

At my home club TRRC, the 'High Power' centerfire range has concrete benches. No problem there. The rimfire range has movable wooden benches. All of those wooden benches move with the slightest touch. They are heavy enough but by touching one with my knee, or just settling in to look through my scope, I can see a lot of movement. That makes it pretty hard to shoot for points as the point of aim moves even when I just pull away from the scope to shoot free recoil. While my old club, Poulsbo Sportsmen's Club, had very few benches, they were very stable, though wooden.

As a result, at TRRC, I shoot all of my rifles at the 'High Power' range and avoid the rimfire range. I am new to this club. I have not shot a rimfire competition there. I doubt I ever will, unless the club fixes the wobbly bench issue. I am going to raise this issue at the next members meeting and see if anyone has the skills and tools to work on those benches. I would gladly help but I am no carpenter.

 

[feffer]

Most clubs use portable benches to be able to move them in case somebody wants to lay down

This is the case at the multi-purpose range at my club. For now at least, I need to adjust my technique to do well on these moveable benches. For wood topped benches they are better than most and have metal cross bracing and the seats are not built in like those on the public range, so I can bring my own stool. I would certainly use free recoil with a PPC or light recoiler, but I'm considering it for my 30 cal HBR as well. I find a "firm" hold is really hard to manage; too easy to vary things. Maybe, I just have to play with it more.

 

[Boyd Allen]

I have a 10.5# 6PPC that is balanced to shoot well free off of a sturdy bench, and in the past, at the end of range sessions, after confirming that the load was in tune, I have done some experimenting with various holds. After I figured out the "rules" that I needed to follow, I was able to shoot pretty small holding, but it took some figuring out. For me, it was all about not pushing down on the rifle at all, with my face or hand(s). I just pull it into my shoulder however much works the best for the rifle that I am shooting, with the second and third fingers of my trigger hand, in my case the left one. One other thing is to not be holding the rifle much off center from where it wants to be if you relax your grip for a second. If you are leaning into it to get to your point of aim, it will not group well. I also understand that some shooters do well "pinning" their rifles between their shoulders and the forend stop, some to the extent that they raise the back leg of their rest with pressure on the butt, and then back off to let it touch. One thing about these methods is that they make rifle balance and tracking much less important, which may explain why some shooters have chosen them. Overall, I would let your targets tell you what method to use.

 

[B.Larson]

Bad benches

There are only imperfect wood benches at my local ranges. I push around on them before starting and shim a leg if needed, but any uneven pressure affects the POI. For PPC, I shoot free-recoil even on good concrete benches and don't put any sort of pressure on them, but for heavy recoiling guns like a 308, it's harder. In the past, I shot Hunter Bench using free recoil even with the 308 using a heavy shoulder pad pinned on my jacket and a pad on my middle finger which got rapped by the trigger guard during recoil. But I think most people who shoot heavier recoiling guns use a firm hold at least to the cheek and shoulder (free in the front bag). I would like to do this but don't know how to square a firm hold to a wood bench. Wondering how others deal with wood benches with "movement."

COMMON PROBLEM......
Here`s the cure..... get active in your club/clubs.Volunteer ....Form a committee to build new benches.Take up a collection.On the NRA rangebook cd are a few plans.Concrete top is best with steel pipes for legs.....