Advanced Marksmanship How do you manage recoil?

[Sterling Shooter]

Oh, sorry I misunderstood. Well just keep working on it. The rifle is going to move no matter what, the trick is finding the position so it recoils strait back and then goes strait forward again.

Most of my rifles are braked and the recoil impulse so slight I never think about recoil control anymore when shooting off the bipod. I just fire, see where I hit and make a correction if need be.

LL piped in so I'll defer to his expertise and videos.

There is movement of the rifle while the bullet is moving through the bore; and, there will be movement of the rifle after the bullet leaves the barrel. The muzzle brake reduces the effect of the recoil after the bullet has left the barrel. You can imagine it as a tug of war game where the team being defeated simply drops their grip and the other team falls backwards.

Both movements are described as recoil, yet the one after the bullet has left the bore is the one which most folks are thinking about. This recoil will effect NPA for the shot to come, while the earlier recoil effects the shot being taken, that's to say, it effects the arc and angle of barrel from line of bore at rifle rest and line of bore at bullet departure. The recoil while the bullet is in the bore is miniscule when the rifle is properly shouldered by the shooter. And, when the rifle is controlled consistently from shot to shot the bullet path and line of sight may actually intersect.

Here's an experiment to help folks understand recoil: Place a cleaning rod in the breach of the rifle and push a brush through the rifle without holding the rifle in position. What direction does the rifle go while the brush is being pushed through the bore? Then, holding the rifle to stop this movement, what direction does the rifle go when the brush clears the bore?

I don't think most folks have the wherewithal to control a rifle consistently to allow for the literal definition of a zero to be repeatedly realized. I have an interest in it as do some other LR competitors and small bore prone shooters but most shooter's targets do not require such precision to necessitate the effort. For me, I have the most fun with shooting while attempting to perfect my position consistency to indeed put 'em all right-in-there.

One more thing, a good position will accommodate consistency for both the recoil while bullet is in the bore, as well as the recoil after the bullet has left the bore. A rifle that is fitted to the shooter will also help to make recoil consistent since with such a stock the shooter can get all manor of muscular relaxation.

 

[mark5pt56]

I need to work on my position, this explains exactly what was going on in the match I just shot. I should know better, laziness with the bipod I presume.

There is movement of the rifle while the bullet is moving through the bore; and, there will be movement of the rifle after the bullet leaves the barrel. The muzzle brake lessons the effect of the recoil after the bullet has left the barrel. You can imagine it as a tug of war game where the team being defeated simply drops their grip and the other team falls backwards.

Both movements are described as recoil, yet the one after the bullet has left the bore is the one which most folks are thinking about. This recoil will effect NPA for the shot to come, while the earlier recoil effects the shot being taken, that's to say, the arc and angle of barrel. The recoil while the bullet is in the bore is miniscule when the rifle is properly shouldered by the shooter. And, when the rifle is controlled consistently from shot to shot the bullet path and line of sight may actually intersect.

Here's an experiment to help folks understand recoil: Place a cleaning rod in the breach of the rifle and push a brush through the rifle without holding the rifle in position. What direction does the rifle go while the brush is being pushed through the bore? Then, holding the rifle to stop this movement, what direction does the rifle go when the brush clears the bore?

I don't think most folks have the wherewithal to control a rifle consistently to allow for the literal definition of a zero to be repeatedly realized. I have an interest in it as do some other LR competitors and small bore prone shooters but most shooter's targets do not require such precision to necessitate the effort.

One more thing, a good position will accommodate consistency for both the recoil while bullet is in the bore, as well as the recoil after the bullet has left the bore. A rifle that is fitted to the shooter will also help to make recoil consistent since with such a stock the shooter can get all manor of muscular relaxation.

 

[steve123]

You have a very exacting way of describing things Sterling Shooter! It must be that you shoot the same way.

Thanks

 

[M40_A1]

Here's an experiment to help folks understand recoil: Place a cleaning rod in the breach of the rifle and push a brush through the rifle without holding the rifle in position. What direction does the rifle go while the brush is being pushed through the bore? Then, holding the rifle to stop this movement, what direction does the rifle go when the brush clears the bore?

Are you saying a rifle moves forward while the bullet is in the bore?

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Are you saying a rifle moves forward while the bullet is in the bore?

No. The example is to show that resistance to recoil constrains and directs movement. Making this movement predictable (the arc of movement) enhances accuracy. Arc of movement is produced both by recoil as well as wobble.

 

[jsthntn247]

My problem is the rifle moving left after the shot. Sometimes I don't have the problem and can actually see the bullet trace through the scope during a whole day of shooting. The crosshairs never move off the black of a Fclass target at 600 yards. I try to set the gun up the same way each time but can't figure out what is different when the gun recoils left. It makes for a crappy match when you are too busy fighting the gun and constantly adjusting your rear bag instead of reading the wind. Any suggestions?

 

[Sterling Shooter]

My problem is the rifle moving left after the shot. Sometimes I don't have the problem and can actually see the bullet trace through the scope during a whole day of shooting. The crosshairs never move off the black of a Fclass target at 600 yards. I try to set the gun up the same way each time but can't figure out what is different when the gun recoils left. It makes for a crappy match when you are too busy fighting the gun and constantly adjusting your rear bag instead of reading the wind. Any suggestions?

What's different is recoil resistance. You are now using the bipod as a rest rather than a support. Unless you relax into the bipod, just serving as a rest, you will loose control of the rifle as the bullet moves from breech to muzzle. In other words, as hard as you try you cannot follow through without control, and you cannot control unless you can relax into bone/artificial support. The bipod can also dull your sense of having properly adjusted NPA and this too can lead to the results you describe.