Whenever I shoot my rifle from the prone, it always hops to the left and opens my groups up to 1.5MOA. I'm not really sure why. I'm guessing that part of the reason is that I can't really load the bipod. Whenever I try to, the stock feet on my Atlas just skid forward. So I guess what I'm asking for are any tips for recoil management and loading the bipod on wet/damp concrete or in general.
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Help with recoil management
- Thread starter Frapiscide
- Start date
i cant quote but look at the upper left on the forum page and click on the link to lowlights book. simple phrase tht he said... recoil exploits weakness.... itll go in the path of least resistance. if you not behind the gun guess where its goin. for loading id check out the Art of Precision rifles by Magpul. Todd Hodnett, maybe, shows step by step. its a pretty good video also. and PRACTICE. good luck man
I'm pretty new to this whole precision, prone rifle, shooting thing. My experience agrees what the previous posters have noted. You don't need a whole lot of force pushing forward on the bipod. Just enough to take out the slack. Then work on your natural point of aim so that you're straight behind the rifle. If you're not straight behind the rifle, any angle will be exploited by recoil.
I worked through this with the aid of Jacob Bynum's "Fundementals" video put out by Rifles Only. If you can spare the cash I would highly recommend that video.
- Todd
I worked through this with the aid of Jacob Bynum's "Fundementals" video put out by Rifles Only. If you can spare the cash I would highly recommend that video.
- Todd
I was planning on subscribing for the videos, but I never was able to figure out how to add the subscription. Whenever I when to the subscriptions page, it said that there were no available subs.
One thing I found interesting was actually SAKO recommending in some of their manuals that shooters "clock" the TRG muzzle brake that the sideways hop is eliminated. It looks weird tilted to the side, but I´ve seen it work. Still only a help until a proper technique is learned, though.
Nope; the manual actually tells you to cant the muzzle brake. In other words, if you level the rifle, the brake won´t be aligned perfect vertical, but more like 7 to 1 o´clock. I´m not advocating that and I emphasize learning correct technique; it only occured to me as an interested fact worth sharing
Well, it doesn't really hop now and I'm loading the bipod correctly. Now it's just kicking to the left. I tried shifting my body so it was angled to the right and then I shifted it so it was angled to the left and was still kicking to the left. I was pretty intently focusing on loading the bipod and being straight behind the rifle. Shoulders are perpendicular to the bore. Am I missing something?
You're not far behind my experiences. I too was at a point where the scope was kicking to the left, maybe a foot at 100 yd. I also tried positioning myself a little to the right, and then a little to the left and it would still kick to the left.
I'm to the point where the crosshair still ends up a little left by something like 2" at 100 yd. I think what has helped me improve the situation is to concentrate on not changing the amount of pressure I'm pulling the stock into my shoulder, trying to relax the shoulder, and trying to maintain constant pressure squeezing the rear bag. And try to do this, (follow through), throughout the recoil event, i.e. stay with the rifle.
I went throught the same thing when i started shooting, the rifle would end up moving left or right on me, at that time i did not understand about being right behind the rifle and other basic fundamentals.. the DVD "Rifles only Fundamentals" Jacob does a great job explaining what is going on and going over the basics of shooting, you should get a copy it will answer a lot of questions (it did for me anyways) and you can always find a good school to go to cant beat good training.
I had the same issue with the point of aim shifting left during recoil. I found I was putting too much pressure with my head on the stock. I mover the stock placement a bit farther out on my shoulder. When i did this my head and neck actually felt more relaxed in that position and no more shift in the point of aim.
Could it be the stock not located in the shoulder pocket correctly? I'm just throwing that out there, but I know if it's too far out on the ball it will kick it to the side. I don't know why a brake would effect the direction of recoil, but simply reduce the amount of felt recoil. Again just my opinion and it usually doesn't matter, but it seems that a brake may minimize the effect some only by reducing the actual recoil of the rifle thus causing less magnification of the problem. In my experience if I ain't on target after the rifle is fired, I know it's a horrible shot and I know it was most likely my fundamentals and not the rifle. I had a sympathetic firing once when the shooter next to me fired as I was getting on the trigger. When I got everything back together, I was looking at a gong that was way right of my target and I have no idea where that bullet impacted downrange! I know it was in the berm, but no idea where it actually hit! Lost my mental game there for a second and we were shooting under a covered lane, which I hate, but it is what it is.
Every shooting point on a firing line is a little differnt in slope, humps or holes that you have to contend with. this gives me my worst headaches when trying to get the best prone position. the best score I ever turned in was when my rear bag was a little higher than I thought was neccessay but I put enough down pressure on it to bring the crosshair up to the center of the bull. This made a VERY stable and firm BED for my rig. I didn't know it was going to be that positive, but it proved to be the best scenario for my accuracy. And as stated above, line up directly behind your rifle so the recoil will be directed straight back.
OP,
I'd suspect that you are steering the reticle to target, as well as using the bipod as a rest rather than a support. Before you jump into the bipod, do this: shoulder the rifle with non firing hand out on the fore-end and elbow almost directly under the fore-end, supporting the position using bone alone. Cognizant of the 5 factors of a steady position, but without looking at the target, or with eyes closed, build the position. Then, upon recognition that the position is relaxed, indicating you have a natural point of aim, open your eyes and adjust NPA to get the desired sight picture. Pull trigger smoothly. I think you will see a better result, as you will have better control over the rifle, as well as less muscle tension. Once you understand how to maximize the bone supported position, realizing support, muscular relaxation, and NPA, the bipod might then become an aid to good shooting. Right now, it is a distraction, having effectively prevented you from understanding the elements of a steady position. You have put the cart before the horse.
I'd suspect that you are steering the reticle to target, as well as using the bipod as a rest rather than a support. Before you jump into the bipod, do this: shoulder the rifle with non firing hand out on the fore-end and elbow almost directly under the fore-end, supporting the position using bone alone. Cognizant of the 5 factors of a steady position, but without looking at the target, or with eyes closed, build the position. Then, upon recognition that the position is relaxed, indicating you have a natural point of aim, open your eyes and adjust NPA to get the desired sight picture. Pull trigger smoothly. I think you will see a better result, as you will have better control over the rifle, as well as less muscle tension. Once you understand how to maximize the bone supported position, realizing support, muscular relaxation, and NPA, the bipod might then become an aid to good shooting. Right now, it is a distraction, having effectively prevented you from understanding the elements of a steady position. You have put the cart before the horse.
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I figured out my problem. Apparently, I was craning my neck too far forward or my shoulders weren't in the correct position. For some odd reason between shooting groups, I decided to roll my shoulders forward and most of my recoil troubles are gone. Who woulda' thunk?
