the right way to shoot from a benchrest

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foosurdaddy

Guest
Hi guys,

Let me start by saying I am a bullseypistol shooter at heart.
I never really got into shooting rifle much, and never from a bench. At least not for sport.


I was at the range this past weekend and was wondering if there is a website that will show a fairly new bench shooter the right way to shoot from a benchrest.

Maybe even if some of you want to take the time and through your tips out there.....remember im a newbie!

I think what I am looking for are things like;

How do you hold the gun when its in the rest ( like you would if you were standing and shooting?, or let the rest do the work? ) Where does my non-shooting hand go.

Lineing up the scope ( do I move it up or down from the rear or do I get it set so I dont have to move it at all )

These are just a few.


thanks
Foosurdaddy
 
Unfortunately your questions need more questions before answers can be given, or even make sense. Lets start with the basics:

1. What type of front rest are you going to use? Does it have elevation control? Is it a windage adjustable top? Or are you using a one piece rest? Or are you just using a bag of sand? Maybe you are shooting a bipod?

2. What type of rear rest are you using? Sandbag? How full? Are you or do you want to be a bag squeezer?

3. What type of rifle(s). Are they BR guns or sporters or hunting guns and what calibers? What type of scope and power?

4. What are your goals?

This might end up being a very long discussion for there are many answers to each of the above issues after we know where you are coming from. There are no right or wrong answers. There are lots and lots of opinions on what works and does not work for each of us.

If you want to skip the 20 questions I suggest you go to your local benchrest club and observe and ask lots of questions. Bench shooters are a helpful lot. An hour or two at the club and you will learn more than you can here in a month....and you likely will be much less confused to boot. I'd be in the same boat you are in if I were to want to get started in Bullseye pistol so don't feel bad. bob
 
foosurdaddy said:
Hi guys,


How do you hold the gun when its in the rest ( like you would if you were standing and shooting?, or let the rest do the work? ) Where does my non-shooting hand go.

Lineing up the scope ( do I move it up or down from the rear or do I get it set so I dont have to move it at all )

These are just a few.


thanks
Foosurdaddy
Click to expand...

You are asking the right questions and there are skills to be learned here. Benchrest shooting is more in depth than it looks. I am a rimfire benchrest shooter so I cannot help you as much a centerfire benchrest shooter can if you shoot centerfire.

One of the main things is to position your rifle on the rest so you do not need to move it at all before you shoot. Everything you do must be the same every time. Be sure that your rifle is in the same position on each rest every time. Do not let your cheek lay on your rifle.

If you will notice in my avatar, I have my finger on trigger and I am not gripping the stock. My cheek is not touching the rifle, in fact, I am not looking through the scope as I already have. I am watching my wind flags. My free hand is under the shooting hand to keep it steady. The butt of the stock is just barely touching my shoulder (this would not work for a rifle with a lot of recoil). Many of the best rimfire shooters use a different style of touching the trigger off with their index finger on the other hand and make no pretense of conventionally holding the rifle.

Once you have a handle on how your rifle fits in the rest, we will begin studying the wind. After that, we will talk about mirage.:)

I suggest you go to a centerfire benchrest match and observe what the best shooters are doing.

You will find that most shooters are more than helpful with their advice to a serious new shooter.

If anyone else had something to tell a new shooter, please jump in.

Concho Bill
 
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I think it would be great to go and watch a benchrest match......I live in Johnstown PA. Would anyone know where the nearest one would be?

I have been useing a friends full leanth rest. the front has up and down adjustment and the back does have a little up and down adjustment.
It is in no way a rest made for benchrest shooting. So lets start there.

What are my options?
I am open to anything, this is good I have no really bad habbits yet, and would like to keep it that way.
I have to ask......what is a bag squezzer?

Thanks
Foosurdaddy
 
foosurdaddy Matches near you!

11 April 2010 Mckeesport, Pa. IR 50/50 Three gun match.
Fairchance, Pa 18 April Unlimited match.

Both are on the schedule at the IR 50/50 site. Directions to the range can be had from the match directors identified on the site.
 
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