Cheek weld

[Newbie2020]

Is it essential that the cheek weld consist of the cheek bone tightly pressed on top of the cheek piece, or is it sufficient to have the base of the cheek pressed laterally against the butt stock?

I’ve got an adjustable PRS butt stock but it doesn’t raise High enough for me to press down firmly into the cheek piece.

If so, I’ll need to find an add on cheek piece.

 

[Mike_Honcho]

The single most important thing is that it is infinitely repeatable as it is your eyeball's relation to the optic.

Pressing down firmly imparts a force vector that must be accounted for.

Cheekweld is an index. The same level of pressure / the same spot / each and every time.

For me it is a light pressure, enough to crease the skin on my face and lightly feel the stock against and just under my cheek bone. This aligns my eye with the center of the optic. The pressure is just enough to maintain contact through recoil but not so much as to rest my head on the stock or impart a force vector.

 

[Newbie2020]

I am easily able to position at the center of the eyepiece without placing undue force on the butt stock. I just didn’t Know if consistency could be achieved without gently indexing the cheekbone on the cheek piece.

If not, I’ll be ok. If so, I’ll need a pad on top of the cheek piece.

 

[Jack Master]

No, its not required. Some guys like a Chin weld, Some a mid cheek and others like a cheek bone weld. As long as you can be consistent and index the same place the height of the cheek weld is not critical. I've found not smashing my face into the cheek piece had helped my shooting (reduced cheek downward pressure)

 

[hereinaz]

I think getting consistent contact and pressure is the key. You have to learn it for each position, if you are shooting from prone and upright because your head is in a different position. Whether it is a jaw "weld" or cheek "weld", it needs to be consistent contant.

 

[JustSendit]

Is it essential that the cheek weld consist of the cheek bone tightly pressed on top of the cheek piece, or is it sufficient to have the base of the cheek pressed laterally against the butt stock?

I’ve got an adjustable PRS butt stock but it doesn’t raise High enough for me to press down firmly into the cheek piece.

If so, I’ll need to find an add on cheek piece.

There should be some pressure, as that is what helps consistency to rebuild that position. Shooters preference if it’s more of a weld or touch, I’ve seen great shooters prefer different setups. The fundamental is it ought to be is comfortable and repeatable. If you find it more comfortable to press into the cheek raiser then that’s your preference.

When you say laterally- I’m reading your pressing sideways into the stock? If that’s the case, I wouldn’t recommend that, your pressure on the cheek raiser will be directly down. I personally rest my cheek on the rifle, with the same force I’d rest my chin on my fist if I was doing the “thinking” pose, if that makes sense.

For your rifle setup,I would ensure you’re maxing out the height, then look at the height of your scope rings, lastly if it’s just not comfortable for you, build up the cheek raiser. Sam Splint works with tape, as a cheap alternative but there’s tons of expensive professional options available to build that piece up. What’s your rifle setup look like?

 

[Deleted member 113831]

If cheek pressure influences the rifle as it recoils, then it is too much. I have been using excessive cheek pressure my whole life, and within the last year have just begun to undue that habit...It is having results.

I have been taking my 308 out to 1207 yards lately. My vertical spread has greatly decreased using the exact same rifle and ammo. At 1207 yards I'm seeing about 1.5 moa vertical, as judged by the full size IPSC I shoot at.

 

[308pirate]

You need to try and see what works for you by actually shooting. Everyone's facial bone structure and head/neck dimensions are different and what works for me (with a relatively long neck and high cheekbones) would be horribly uncomfortable and unrepeatable for someone with a shorter neck and different facial shape.

 

[MCGILLA]

As a beginner I’m still playing around with how much pressure I want or need, there’s been some great info already posted. And I will be following this one, as a guy who came from the action pistol world this is something I really struggle with.

 

[ken226]

The single most important thing is that it is infinitely repeatable as it is your eyeball's relation to the optic.

Pressing down firmly imparts a force vector that must be accounted for.

Cheekweld is an index. The same level of pressure / the same spot / each and every time.

For me it is a light pressure, enough to crease the skin on my face and lightly feel the stock against and just under my cheek bone. This aligns my eye with the center of the optic. The pressure is just enough to maintain contact through recoil but not so much as to rest my head on the stock or impart a force vector.

This is my take on it as well. I can consistently and repeatably screw up my accuracy by firmly mashing my cheek against the stock.

Force is a quantity that is both scalar and vector in nature; it is applied with both magnitude and direction.

I don't have the degree of muscle control necessary to apply the exact same amount of cheek force to the stock, with the exact same vector, shot after shot.

So, I opt to apply zero cheek force to the stock. A light touch, as a positional reference only. I can apply zero force, very consistently, for every round fired.

OP, you shouldn't take our word for it. You can test this yourself at little expense.

 

[Newbie2020]

There should be some pressure, as that is what helps consistency to rebuild that position. Shooters preference if it’s more of a weld or touch, I’ve seen great shooters prefer different setups. The fundamental is it ought to be is comfortable and repeatable. If you find it more comfortable to press into the cheek raiser then that’s your preference.

When you say laterally- I’m reading your pressing sideways into the stock? If that’s the case, I wouldn’t recommend that, your pressure on the cheek raiser will be directly down. I personally rest my cheek on the rifle, with the same force I’d rest my chin on my fist if I was doing the “thinking” pose, if that makes sense.

For your rifle setup,I would ensure you’re maxing out the height, then look at the height of your scope rings, lastly if it’s just not comfortable for you, build up the cheek raiser. Sam Splint works with tape, as a cheap alternative but there’s tons of expensive professional options available to build that piece up. What’s your rifle setup look like?

 

[Newbie2020]

This is my take on it as well. I can consistently and repeatably screw up my accuracy by firmly mashing my cheek against the stock.

Force is a quantity that is both scalar and vector in nature; it is applied with both magnitude and direction.

I don't have the degree of muscle control necessary to apply the exact same amount of cheek force to the stock, with the exact same vector, shot after shot.

So, I opt to apply zero cheek force to the stock. A light touch, as a positional reference only. I can apply zero force, very consistently, for every round fired.

OP, you shouldn't take our word for it. You can test this yourself at little expense.

Thank y’all for the great input. I was falsely concerned about getting some magical position and pressure. I just need more time on the rifle and practice getting comfortable shooting various positions.

Thanks again. Good stuff on the Hide as usual.

 

[fmillik]

Ryan Cleckner suggests you relax your neck entirely, like you are laying on the rifle.

 

[Conrad]

Been playing with this some myself lately, but ultimately the only repeatable force would be a 0 force where all neck muscles relax and the weight of your head is now on the stock and the stock is solidly supported...however; even that is easier said than done I think. People forget to relax. Running the bolt, rebuilding the position due to not truly supporting rear of the rifle--if that's moving up and down, then your neck is compensating because you're trying to get everything back on target and forgetting to just relax.

I think if you're physically mashing your cheek with a downward force into the stock then you probably need to lower your cheek rest to get a good sight picture.

Even LOP could be affecting comfort and thus cheek weld, so play with that too.

Is a light touch for an anchor point repeatable? I think it can be, but for how long? For a stage, no big deal.....load work? Would love to hear further input.

 

[stello1001]

So on my HCR, I have the comb height set to where I'm just barely touching it with my cheek. Not a whole lot of pressure to be honest. I can be comfortable and consistent like this so it works.

If you find putting some pressure is what works for you, go ahead. You'll need to be able to get the exact pressure every time.

Repeatability is key!!!

 

[Dthomas3523]

Like everything else, it depends on many things and there’s no one way for every situation.

Going for the absolute best precision and won’t be on the gun long? Chin with moderate to light pressure works great.

Gonna be on the gun for long periods looking through the glass? You’ll need a cheek weld which supports the weight of your head so you don’t get fatigued. And you need to be looking through optic.....so it’s going to be cheek and lots of pressure.

 

[BrienM]

I have caught myself pushing with my chin to steer the rifle resulting in terrible results. Sometimes when my 10 year old daughter launches a shot 2-3 MOA high at 650 or so I catch her being lazy laying on the butt stock not holding her own head up. When the shot breaks, it settles the rear bag causing it to go high. (all my theory anyway... but I am a once a month or so warrior)

 

[...]

Is it essential that the cheek weld consist of the cheek bone tightly pressed on top of the cheek piece, or is it sufficient to have the base of the cheek pressed laterally against the butt stock?

I’ve got an adjustable PRS butt stock but it doesn’t raise High enough for me to press down firmly into the cheek piece.

If so, I’ll need to find an add on cheek piece.

im honestly not a fan of the super hard cheek bone crammed into my stock approach.

personally i think you should be relaxed as possible in your position......and when you jam your cheek super hard into the stock, thats going to effect your shooting eye as well.

essentially i and just letting my head sit on the stock without any added pressure

all you need is a repeatable position, it really doesnt matter how you get it.

 

[Conrad]

im honestly not a fan of the super hard cheek bone crammed into my stock approach.

personally i think you should be relaxed as possible in your position......and when you jam your cheek super hard into the stock, thats going to effect your shooting eye as well.

essentially i and just letting my head sit on the stock without any added pressure

all you need is a repeatable position, it really doesnt matter how you get it.

I feel like if you're adding pressure (downwards) with your cheek to get a proper sight picture, then your cheek rest needs to come down.

 

[Steel head]

Perfect cheek weld?
Think of titties, you wanna all up on them but without bruising them.

 

[Pbgt]

I think of TITTIES alot, easy to retain.....thanks!

 

[fmillik]

For me, it’s easiest to just relax my neck muscles and let the gun do the work. My head stays the same weight from day to day

 

[iukamedic]

I was taught to use the natural weight of your head. Eyes closed and rest your cheek on your cheek riser naturally. Open your eyes and that’s your natural point of reference. Match your scope to that natural point of aim.

 

[Ugly_Duck]

I watched a video once when Todd Hodnett explained the best amount of pressure is that of which would be consistent to laying your head down for a nap. That philosophy has worked real well for me

 

[Baron23]

Coming from decades of high gun tournament American skeet in the past, I was used to a hard weld on the cheek piece (which I continue to insist is properly called a comb by actual stock makers). But that is a very different game in a number of ways.

I have found with scoped rifles that this was imparting too great of downward pressure wich had to be opposed by my rear hand/bag and that upon recoil that downward pressure was somewhat relieved as my head bounces up just a bit and imparted upward movement to the gun.

I found that when in that hard weld position, if I lifted my head off the comb, I could see immediate movement. If I rest my cheek bone (and my comb is set to right under my cheek bone...hard to get more consistent than that) lightly on the comb, then if I life my head off I don't see that big movement and I have found my shooting results to have improved a good bit from this.

I'm rather new to rifles, so all of this is a road of discovery for me. But, retired at 67...well, its given me a lot to do with my spare time and disposable income (and not so disposable income! haha). Actually, after months of COVID lockdown with internet access and a PayPal account, I don't have any disposable income anymore! LOL

Thanks guys ...love the Hide and the great information that can be found here.