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Shooting from rest

StickersNKickers

StickersNKickers

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When you shoot using a front rest (either bags, bipod/tripod, or even just your arm rested on a knee, tree, bench, or whatever), do you guys hold the forearm down firmly, or just support it and let the gun "jump"? Wasn't sure which way is more accurate. I tend to hold firmly.
 
I will hold it firmly, but from the bottom, not over the barrel, especially if its a free floated barrel. Putting downward pressure on any barrel, free floated or not will likely cause it to react differently than should. My main reason for holding the gun down firmly is just so it doesn't jump and scope my in the face. Been there done that!
 
Hold it firmly, like stated above. I've read, with slower shooting guns, like shotgun slugs, muzzle jump can really affect point of impact.
 
Never hold a long barreled firearm over the barrel. It will distort the harmonics of the barrel and through your projectile off target.
 
Definitely don't hold the gun down by its barrel. It absolutely will afect the piint of aim. Also, make sure the gun is resting on its stock and not the barrel, too. That can cause the barrel to push up and hit high.

As for holding it tight, I used to hold my rifles tightly on a rest until I realized I was holding them so tight it caused shaking. I finally started just letting the rifles rest with minimal pressure. That made a huge difference in accuracy and steadiness. In my experience, tense muscles typically plays out big in the stock, causing the shaking. They still jump when you hold them loose, but if they're in the pocket, reacquiring sight picture isn't a big deal.
 
LYON said:
I will hold it firmly, but from the bottom, not over the barrel, especially if its a free floated barrel. Putting downward pressure on any barrel, free floated or not will likely cause it to react differently than should. My main reason for holding the gun down firmly is just so it doesn't jump and scope my in the face. Been there done that!
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Do this ^^^^
 
Ok, then I'm probably doing it like most of the responses. I don't hold over the barrel either, just from the bottom. Just didn't know if I was holding it down tighter than most, trying not to let the gun move at all. I had read somewhere about not applying pressure to the front at all, just back at the trigger hand, so just got to wondering if there was a better way.
 
StickersNKickers said:
I had read somewhere about not applying pressure to the front at all, just back at the trigger hand, so just got to wondering if there was a better way.
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That's exactly what I do and was trying to convey. Enough pressure in your grip/trigger hand to hold it tight in your shoulder pocket and keep the crosshairs steady. Good luck!
 
AZHunter said:
That's exactly what I do and was trying to convey. Enough pressure in your grip/trigger hand to hold it tight in your shoulder pocket and keep the crosshairs steady. Good luck!
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You are still holding the forearm loosely tho, correct? I think I read that some don't even hold the forearm at all, just use the trigger hand to apply pressure and let the forearm sit on the rest. Could be wrong tho.
 
StickersNKickers said:
You are still holding the forearm loosely tho, correct? I think I read that some don't even hold the forearm at all, just use the trigger hand to apply pressure and let the forearm sit on the rest. Could be wrong tho.
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If anything, I have my left hand (right handed) resting next to the forearm on the rest, or I'll tuck my left hand under the butt in what is known as a "benchrest hold" to help keep the rear stable. My accuracy improved tremendously when I learned to leave the forearm alone. Even with my .300 Win Mag, muzzle jump and reacquiring the sight picture isn't a big issue or problem. I've never had scope eye this way, either. Come on down sometime and we'll throw some lead down range!
 
AZHunter said:
If anything, I have my left hand (right handed) resting next to the forearm on the rest, or I'll tuck my left hand under the butt in what is known as a "benchrest hold" to help keep the rear stable. My accuracy improved tremendously when I learned to leave the forearm alone. Even with my .300 Win Mag, muzzle jump and reacquiring the sight picture isn't a big issue or problem. I've never had scope eye this way, either. Come on down sometime and we'll throw some lead down range!
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I agree with this. I shoot sometimes with my hand under the forearm of my 870 on a bag but I dont really pull down. I let it recoil as natural as possible. I also will shoot without any hold as you would on a muzzleloader or high powered rifle as stated above where you dont hold the front of the gun at all. My groups are more or less identical shooting either way. I can go out a and shoot sitting down using my knees for my arms to rest on and still hit the same spot verifying that my groups wont change during a push or quick shot in the field. Worst thing you can do IS apply TOO much pressure down on the gun when sighting in affecting the barrel rise during recoil.
 
I run a Elite 3200 3-9X40 doa 250 bone collector with 3.5-5 inches of eye relief. Never comes close to my face. If your getting scope eye, you need a scope with more eye relief or a better fitting stock.
As I said in my post above about sighting in, I sighted in my muzzeloader last year pulling down too hard on my tripod without knowing it. I got great groups. I ended up having to make a really fast shot on a buck in late muzzy at 160 yards letting the gun sit on the tripod not holding the forend. Buck was completely broadside and I hit him straight the neck. I was so confused. I killed him, but not how I wanted. Went out and shot holding the gun down as I did sighting in, it was dead on. Shot again as I did on the deer, just setting the gun on the tripod and leaving the forend alone, letting the gun recoil naturally and hit a foot left consistantly. Thats where I learned to be careful on how to sight your gun in.
 
WillBates said:
I run a Elite 3200 3-9X40 doa 250 bone collector with 3.5-5 inches of eye relief. Never comes close to my face. If your getting scope eye, you need a scope with more eye relief or a better fitting stock.
As I said in my post above about sighting in, I sighted in my muzzeloader last year pulling down too hard on my tripod without knowing it. I got great groups. I ended up having to make a really fast shot on a buck in late muzzy at 160 yards letting the gun sit on the tripod not holding the forend. Buck was completely broadside and I hit him straight the neck. I was so confused. I killed him, but not how I wanted. Went out and shot holding the gun down as I did sighting in, it was dead on. Shot again as I did on the deer, just setting the gun on the tripod and leaving the forend alone, letting the gun recoil naturally and hit a foot left consistantly. Thats where I learned to be careful on how to sight your gun in.
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Agree that you should sight in how you will be shooting in the field, but I'm getting from your response that if you do it consistently either way, it should work either way. Key is consistency.
 
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