I thought I knew how to use a bipod. I have been shooting F-TR for close to 2 years and have a 600-42X behind me at 200yd with a 5.56 black rifle. Then I heard or read someone saying something about if a person knew the right way to use a bipod. I didn't get to ask them to elaborate, but I have spent some time thinking about it. I realized that there is a difference of opinion in at least one area, that of preloading the bipod. I went with the pro side and bought some agressive feet for my Harris bipod last year. I managed to snag a set of Phoenix Tactical Pod Claws before the company seemed to vanish from the face of the earth. Then, last week, one of the bench-rest types commented that what I needed was sled type feet to prevent bipod hop. I had never noticed a problem with it hopping, but I figured, who was I to argue with someone who had two 600-59X matches. Although, I was still a little conflicted. If you don't want to preload, why do shooting mats have pockets for bipod feet? And why do they make spikey type feet for bipods? Is it just a matter of personal preference. In my mind, the bullet will have left the barrel long before the bipod hops, but I could be wrong. Finally, I decided I would bring it to my community here at the Hide. Just what is the proper way of using a bipod for precision shooting at 200-800yd?
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F T/R Competition %%Need help on correct way to use a bipod%%
- Thread starter rsplante
- Start date
First check on youtube for Lowlight's videos on bipod usage.
Second, remember the rule for rifle rests is soft on hard. The best feet for bipods are the soft rubber on the Atlas bipods. The skis are okay for cart rifles used for F-open on flat level square ranges but they don't work as well on man portable rifles used for field shooting and hunting.
Second, remember the rule for rifle rests is soft on hard. The best feet for bipods are the soft rubber on the Atlas bipods. The skis are okay for cart rifles used for F-open on flat level square ranges but they don't work as well on man portable rifles used for field shooting and hunting.
Mostly - it depends on the type bipod you're using. It has become very popular in F-T/R events to use a "sled" type bipod with runners of some sort, rather than rubber feet or claw feet as are found on more traditional bipods. Although the term "free-recoil" is commonly used to describe how the sled type bipods are used, it really isn't. The rifle is still shouldered, but the bipod is not loaded and the rear bag is usually the eared type to allow the rifle to recoil as evenly and straight back as possible. It is also common to see various types of mats such as carpet, teflon (??) kitchen cutting sheets, etc., used under the bipod runners to allow free motion during the recoil cycle. These types of bipods also seem to work a little better with a fairly flat bottom on the buttstock, rather than an angled hook style. Mainly, the flat bottom makes it easier to control elevation during the recoil cycle.
I have been playing with this type of setup for a little while, but am having difficulty adjusting to NOT loading the bipod, so I haven't used it in a competition as yet. So I am still a bipod loader. I actually load it fairly heavy compared to some. If the firing line is composed of some uneven surface such as gravel, grass, etc., it helps to have a piece of short nap carpet (like indoor/outdoor) under the bipod feet when loading it. It you're shooting off a concrete pad, just let the rubber feet do their thing. The bottom line is that you will need to determine for yourself in a practice setting exactly how much loading works best for you; there is no hard and fast rule. I think if you get out and work on it a bit, it should become pretty obvious what is most comfortable for you (and gives the best results at the target!). Good luck with it.
I have been playing with this type of setup for a little while, but am having difficulty adjusting to NOT loading the bipod, so I haven't used it in a competition as yet. So I am still a bipod loader. I actually load it fairly heavy compared to some. If the firing line is composed of some uneven surface such as gravel, grass, etc., it helps to have a piece of short nap carpet (like indoor/outdoor) under the bipod feet when loading it. It you're shooting off a concrete pad, just let the rubber feet do their thing. The bottom line is that you will need to determine for yourself in a practice setting exactly how much loading works best for you; there is no hard and fast rule. I think if you get out and work on it a bit, it should become pretty obvious what is most comfortable for you (and gives the best results at the target!). Good luck with it.
F-TR and field or tactical shooting (or sniping) are not the same. I am not aware of any top F-TR shooter who actually "loads" a bipod. I'm sure there are some, I just don't know who they are.
The bipods used at the top end are of the sled variety used on boards, carpets and other materials. These bipods are expensive and we prefer to let them carry their weight and do their work rather than do it for them.
So, as long as you insist on loading these cheap bipods, you will not be happy with the results in F-TR. I'm also not aware on any top shooter in F-Open who uses a bipod, so be careful to whom you listen.
The bipods used at the top end are of the sled variety used on boards, carpets and other materials. These bipods are expensive and we prefer to let them carry their weight and do their work rather than do it for them.
So, as long as you insist on loading these cheap bipods, you will not be happy with the results in F-TR. I'm also not aware on any top shooter in F-Open who uses a bipod, so be careful to whom you listen.
Being new to F-Class, I was able to go to Nationals and World at the Whittington Center just outside of Raton, NM.
98-99% of all TR shooters used a sled type feet-No loading. I would hazard to say all of the top shooters used sled feet as well.
98-99% of all TR shooters used a sled type feet-No loading. I would hazard to say all of the top shooters used sled feet as well.
No, he wasn't using a bipod. He was using a SEB with the joystick and all. Speaking of which, he thought he saw a Sinclair type bipod with a joystick. I have not been able to locate such a beast on the web.
As for his advice, it was similar to what I am hearing here. He said he has not seen a top F-TR competitor using anything but sleds.
That's what this guy was saying. Since you went to the top competitions, were these people using a traditional bipod (Harris or Atlas, or such) with sled feet, or were they using a Sinclair type bipod? If so, I have a decision to make. I was hoping to keep it somewhat practical, and the Sinclair type bipods look anything but practical. I may have to concede to using something that unpractical if I wish to be competitive. In my mind, that is one step short of carrying around a benchrest front rest.
Actually, I was referring to alfson's post above. In F-TR, I am not aware of any top shooter using a Harris or similar bipod. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I just don't know of anyone serious in F-TR using such a bipod. The bipods used were an assortment of Sinclair (gen 2 and gen 3), Rempels, Star Shooter, Duplin and a whole host of other pricey ones.
So, if you're in the Houston area, you should come to Bayou rifles and observe some competitions. We have a long range (1000 yards) compe every first Sunday of the month. Yes, there was one yesterday. There will not be one in October, however.
So come visit and see what equipment is in use.
So, if you're in the Houston area, you should come to Bayou rifles and observe some competitions. We have a long range (1000 yards) compe every first Sunday of the month. Yes, there was one yesterday. There will not be one in October, however.
So come visit and see what equipment is in use.
The TR Bi-pod your friend saw is called the Joy-Pod. Sebastian makes it along with the NEo and the MAX.
Here is some vids of it in action on Seb's 308 TR rig:
Joy-Pod2 - YouTube
Joy-Pod - YouTube
Here is some vids of it in action on Seb's 308 TR rig:
Joy-Pod2 - YouTube
Joy-Pod - YouTube
I may well have been the only person using a traditional bipod at Nationals this year, and FWIW, the one I used is far from "traditional". It's a Long Range Accuracy bipod and has a much, much wider footprint than an Atlas or Harris. I personally didn't see a single traditional bipod besides mine; all were sled types from several different manufacturers as mentioned. That is the way the sport has gone, and I'll eventually be there myself when I feel confident in my shooting with the Duplin bipod setup. I shot rather poorly in a couple matches at Nationals this year, although it had absolutely nothing to do with the bipod.
The question I would be asking myself in your shoes is how serious are you about F-T/R competitions? If the answer is that you're very serious about it, then your bipod decision should be pretty obvious. If it's something you're just going to dabble in from time to time at 200 yd, perhaps the traditional bipod will be more useful for you. One thing I can tell you is that even though the scoring rings are smaller, cleans at 200-300 yd with high X-counts are fairly routine for experienced shooters. If you haven't competed at longer ranges (600 to 1000 yd) yet, what you will find is that every possible source of error is greatly increased. The increase in error factor is not proportional to the distance and goes up faster as the distance increases. At 200 and 300 yd, you can get away with a lot (like using a traditional Harris or Atlas bipod) and still post good scores, because the margin of error is much smaller. I've shot many cleans at a local 300 yd Reduced Palma Match we have here. Frankly, it's not that difficult, particularly if the wind conditions aren't too bad. If you're serious about F-T/R though, eventually you're going to want to shoot at longer distances; 300-600 for midrange, or 800-1000 for long range. That is where you will really start to see a big difference in performance based on the equipment you're using. If you envision shooting in F-Class events at longer ranges, you'd be far better off getting yourself a sled type bipod now and becoming proficient with it. It will be much easier for you to transition to one now than several years from now, which is process I'm having to go through. Bottom line is to let the type shooting you intend to do most often be your guide for equipment choices.
The question I would be asking myself in your shoes is how serious are you about F-T/R competitions? If the answer is that you're very serious about it, then your bipod decision should be pretty obvious. If it's something you're just going to dabble in from time to time at 200 yd, perhaps the traditional bipod will be more useful for you. One thing I can tell you is that even though the scoring rings are smaller, cleans at 200-300 yd with high X-counts are fairly routine for experienced shooters. If you haven't competed at longer ranges (600 to 1000 yd) yet, what you will find is that every possible source of error is greatly increased. The increase in error factor is not proportional to the distance and goes up faster as the distance increases. At 200 and 300 yd, you can get away with a lot (like using a traditional Harris or Atlas bipod) and still post good scores, because the margin of error is much smaller. I've shot many cleans at a local 300 yd Reduced Palma Match we have here. Frankly, it's not that difficult, particularly if the wind conditions aren't too bad. If you're serious about F-T/R though, eventually you're going to want to shoot at longer distances; 300-600 for midrange, or 800-1000 for long range. That is where you will really start to see a big difference in performance based on the equipment you're using. If you envision shooting in F-Class events at longer ranges, you'd be far better off getting yourself a sled type bipod now and becoming proficient with it. It will be much easier for you to transition to one now than several years from now, which is process I'm having to go through. Bottom line is to let the type shooting you intend to do most often be your guide for equipment choices.
gstaylorg made some good points and you should definitely answer his question, at least to yourself. If you are serious about F-TR comps then you make equipment decisions with that goal in mind.
I first started in F-TR with a tricked out AR-15 using a VersaPod. The bipod wasn't bad and I actually consider it better for F-TR than the Harris bipod for reasons that I will explain later. I had to load that bipod and it was difficult to be consistent. Remember that last word, it will come back. A lot.
After a while I heard that Sinclair was releasing a bipod designed for F-TR. As soon as it showed up on their site, I bought one. It was a second generation F-TR bipod and it was a huge affair. I got all manners of comments about "Moon landers" and "piping arrangements," and so on. I actually wanted to sell advertising space on it.
However, when I first used it I had a lot of problems. It would not load for beans and there really wasn't anyone to ask about proper use. After a match or two, I discovered that it did not like to be loaded at all. I went to Home Depot and got a $5 rubber mat for it and in fact 5 years later, I still use that same mat for that. Over time I saw any number of people buying the same bipod and then other ones started coming from various sources and I thought that was just great. I see people with carpets, boards, mats, etc., and nobody is loading them.
In order to be consistent with these sled-type bipods, the shooter has to let them do their job of supporting the rifle completely and recoiling consistently. This is where I found that doing less to the rifle actually does more for the performance of the system. The follow through is very critical with this sled-type bipods and you must train yourself to do a consistent follow through for every shot.
I divide these bipods into two categories: cradle and pedestal. The cradle types are best exemplified by the Sinclairs, and the pedestal types are more like sophisticated Harris bipods. I prefer the cradle type as I find there is less torque and hop transmitted to the fore end, but the advanced pedestal types go a very long way to eliminate the torque and hop by virtue of their wide stance.
If this is helpful to you, I would be happy to add more thoughts and observations.
I first started in F-TR with a tricked out AR-15 using a VersaPod. The bipod wasn't bad and I actually consider it better for F-TR than the Harris bipod for reasons that I will explain later. I had to load that bipod and it was difficult to be consistent. Remember that last word, it will come back. A lot.
After a while I heard that Sinclair was releasing a bipod designed for F-TR. As soon as it showed up on their site, I bought one. It was a second generation F-TR bipod and it was a huge affair. I got all manners of comments about "Moon landers" and "piping arrangements," and so on. I actually wanted to sell advertising space on it.
However, when I first used it I had a lot of problems. It would not load for beans and there really wasn't anyone to ask about proper use. After a match or two, I discovered that it did not like to be loaded at all. I went to Home Depot and got a $5 rubber mat for it and in fact 5 years later, I still use that same mat for that. Over time I saw any number of people buying the same bipod and then other ones started coming from various sources and I thought that was just great. I see people with carpets, boards, mats, etc., and nobody is loading them.
In order to be consistent with these sled-type bipods, the shooter has to let them do their job of supporting the rifle completely and recoiling consistently. This is where I found that doing less to the rifle actually does more for the performance of the system. The follow through is very critical with this sled-type bipods and you must train yourself to do a consistent follow through for every shot.
I divide these bipods into two categories: cradle and pedestal. The cradle types are best exemplified by the Sinclairs, and the pedestal types are more like sophisticated Harris bipods. I prefer the cradle type as I find there is less torque and hop transmitted to the fore end, but the advanced pedestal types go a very long way to eliminate the torque and hop by virtue of their wide stance.
If this is helpful to you, I would be happy to add more thoughts and observations.
I just received my membership card. Also, I shot in the last 300yd F-TR and am planning on shooting the 600yd F-TR this month. Last month, from what I remember, most of the F class was Open. I saw one guy with a Sinclair type bipod and didn't really notice the rest.
SEB , is the type of bipod with the joystick . SEB makes some if the finest front rests in the industry.
I am serious about F-TR (not to be confused with good at it.) OK, I get it, I need to go big. That means more equipment (not a problem, grin, I'm a hardcore tool junkie. e.g. Sartorius GD503) Thanks to all for the advice.
Denys, see you at Juliff Range on Sept 15 for the 600yd prone.
Thanks, but that was only at 200yd, and I am already learning at 300yd that it doesn't get any easier. Two weeks til my first experience at 600yd.
Thank you!
Here is a pic that has Sebastian running the TR rig with the Joy-Pod and Chuck on the Open gun (284 Win) using the MAX Coaxial Rest.
Sebastian made both stocks and the base and rings for each rig too. Not a very good pic of the MAX, but it is basically twice the size of the NEO and will handle up to a 8" forend whereas the NEO can handle up to a 4" wide forend.
I probably won't be there. I barely managed to drag myself to the LR match this weekend and that's just because I'm the match director. I am shot out after Raton. Also, due to my limited shooting time, I only concentrate on LR , especially this year so I could be ready for Raton.
I'm not even sure I will be at TSRA mid-range; I'm all out of loaded ammo after Raton, but I have started processing brass. Slowly.
At any rate, I'm happy to give you as much pointers as I can; worth every penny you pay. Also, the 2014 Gun Digest carries an article of mine of F-Class competition; if you want to spend money, you can buy that book. (I get no money for books sold.)
Trust me, there will always be more things for shooting F-Class you will simply HAVE to have (LOL). However, getting out and shooting is far more important, regardless of whether you have the latest and best kit available. Competing (particularly if you can stretch out the range as it sounds like you'll be doing) will help you decide what items you need sooner rather than later, and what can wait. You don't necessarily need to buy everything all at once. Just remember two things: 1) no single device, whether newfangled or tried and proven, will ever be a substitute for good wind reading skills. More points are lost to bad wind calls than anything else (ask me how I know that
; and 2) make sure you have fun as xphunter mentioned. Having fun will keep you coming back. Best of luck with your shooting and welcome to the addiction!
The LRA is large for a more traditional type bipod, no doubt about that. I have never felt my score suffered when using it; mediocre wind reading skills generally are the primary culprit if I don't shoot well.
I have been working with the Duplin and a MiniGator rear bag the last three months or so. As I mentioned above to rsplante, I am still not completely comfortable with it, even though the vertical so far has been outstanding. Because I'm not loading it, it seems to my eye that I'm not able to hold it as steady in the horizontal, and it's one of those little things that bugs me. However, this thread has helped rekindle my interest in it, so I'm thinking about trying it out in competition for the first time this coming weekend; we have a 3x20 @ 1000 on both Sat/Sun, so I really have no excuse not to come out of the Stone Age and actually use it. I've been loading the bipod for long enough it's second nature at this point, although I'm sure it will mainly be a matter of using the Duplin often enough to become comfortable and consistent with it and undo the muscle memory associated with pre-loading.
I have been working with the Duplin and a MiniGator rear bag the last three months or so. As I mentioned above to rsplante, I am still not completely comfortable with it, even though the vertical so far has been outstanding. Because I'm not loading it, it seems to my eye that I'm not able to hold it as steady in the horizontal, and it's one of those little things that bugs me. However, this thread has helped rekindle my interest in it, so I'm thinking about trying it out in competition for the first time this coming weekend; we have a 3x20 @ 1000 on both Sat/Sun, so I really have no excuse not to come out of the Stone Age and actually use it. I've been loading the bipod for long enough it's second nature at this point, although I'm sure it will mainly be a matter of using the Duplin often enough to become comfortable and consistent with it and undo the muscle memory associated with pre-loading.
I'm using a Sinclair gen 3, and saw my scores jump up considerably. The only problem I see so far is my gun recoils to the left . Not sure why, but I'll figure it out eventually .
In no particular order off the top of my head.
Sinclair
Phoenix
Center Shot
Dulpin
Flex (Dan Pohlabel's design)
That would probably cover 95% of what the top 100 shooters used.
Sinclair
Phoenix
Center Shot
Dulpin
Flex (Dan Pohlabel's design)
That would probably cover 95% of what the top 100 shooters used.
I'm having a tough time tracking this down. It is not on the website I finally found ::: SEB ( Coaxial Front ) REST ::: so I emailed them and Seb emailed me back and said he had forwarded my email to his US distributer, someone named Ernie Bishop. That wouldn't by any chance be you xphunter, would it? Seb said his website had not been updated since 2009.
I am that guy.
I am the United States and Canadian dealer for all SEB Rests and accessories.
[email protected]
This is interesting to me in that it jives with the experiments I conducted with my home-made bipod. I wanted something simple, easily adjustable, better than a Harris, but also something that would not break the bank. The legs are threaded rod, so it is very easy to change the feet to different designs and materials. Shooting off a carpet mat as noted in many other posts I experimented with hard rubber cup feet (can load but slides a little on recoil), straight metal bottom (a lot of grip to the carpet so easy to load), super balls (too soft- cheek pressure gives deflection), and hard plastic balls. By far the hard plastic balls worked best as they slide very easily and CONSISTENTLY across the carpet upon recoil; which means obviously you cannot load the bipod. Since the balls are completely symmetrical there is no alignment concern, like you might have in terms of keeping a sled foot parallel with the barrel. Testing was done with 223 and 308 at 300 yards, and both gave the same result. I'll post pics when I get a chance.
Well, hello Ernie.
I received your email with Joypod info and replied with my request to be placed on the waiting list.
Thanks,
Ron :^)
FWIW... if you like shooting with some degree of 'load' on the bipod, the Flex Bipod by Dan Pohlabel (mentioned above) works very well. It feels a little funky the first few times you use it, and it definitely involves a bit more experimenting to see where/how to mount it to suit your individual style... but it definitely works. Dan shot a 75-13V @ 800yds the first day of the FCWC team matches that had even the F-Open guys going "Holy crap!!!" Plus he's one of the nicer guys I've met in the sport to date
There are a *lot* of good designs out there nowadays... from the ultra-lite and simple Mystic to the Flex to the Center Shot to the Joy-Pod (still amazingly light, just needs a few refinements - which from the sounds of things were already in the planning stage before FCWC was finished, the 'crucible' of competition is funny like that!). It's hard to go too far wrong
There are a *lot* of good designs out there nowadays... from the ultra-lite and simple Mystic to the Flex to the Center Shot to the Joy-Pod (still amazingly light, just needs a few refinements - which from the sounds of things were already in the planning stage before FCWC was finished, the 'crucible' of competition is funny like that!). It's hard to go too far wrong
To continue where Monte started talking about results.
Raton was a crucible for proving various pieces of gear, technique and marksmanship. When I got there, the only piece of gear that was new to me was a different spotting scope than the one I had been using until then. It actually turned out to be a judicious acquisition as I spent far more time looking through it and observing conditions than I ever did with my prior scope. That Long Eye Relief eyepiece is brilliant, especially for a bespectacled guy like me. Every other piece of gear I used was at least three or more competitions old, if you know what I mean. I'm getting on in age and I do not adapt to new things as quickly as I used to so it's better to stay with what I have for big matches and experiment at club matches.
I don't shoot much during the year, just the monthly club matches and one TSRA match, so I am not in the same league as many shooters who showed up in Raton. I am not sponsored or part of any team, I'm just an individual shooter enjoying the game and learning to shoot.
Last year at Raton, my rifle had only 100 rounds through it, and the equipment with it, scope and bipod were new. I paid dearly for that as I had the scope fall off and I just fought with the Sinclair Gen 3 bipod. I crashed and burned.
This year was different.
The first day I was on relay 3, the one, along with relay 4, I discovered was for the also-rans. I started a little shaky but that day, I shot in the 140s all day with as high as 147 on the last match. I was pleased with myself. The next day I was squadded in relay 5, which I discovered was for the top performers from the day before. To be honest, I had not even checked the score sheets the night before. On day 2, I was able to shoot in the 140s all day and I was even told by someone that I had taken 3rd in Expert for match 7, with a 143-4. I did not think that score was so hot, but it seems the conditions had affected everyone else also. At that point I broke down and went to look at the scores and I was shocked to find myself pretty high up there. That shook me up because I knew there was still the last day with two strings of 20 rounds and anything can happen.
On Thursday I shot the team matches and spent most of my time observing the conditions on target 12. I managed to shoot a pair of 191s during the club matches, and the only credit I take for those is that I held my elevation near perfectly. That was a big confidence booster.
On the Friday morning, I found I was squadded on relay 1, again with the top shooters, and I was fidgety. To say the least. I was nervous as heck even before I got to the 1000 yard firing line. However, when I got on the line with all my well-known and well-worn equipment, and with a rifle and ammo in which I had supreme confidence, my jitters disappeared. I shot my customary 5 sighters, which I shoot from a thoroughly cleaned barrel, the 4th sighter was a 10 and the 5th sighter was an X. Then I told my scorer I was now going for score, facing the dreaded "10 and X for sighter and 9 first for record" syndrome. I actually shot an X for first shot for record and I was off to the races. My 15th shot came up an X and so far I had been clean; 150-6X at 1000 yards, but I had 5 more shots to go. By that time, my right (shooting) hand was shaking and I had trouble pulling cartridge 16 from the box and load it. I had visions of 200s floating in my mind, and obscuring my vision. I dropped shot 16, it was a 9 at 9 o'clock, just outside the line. I decided not to challenge it for two reasons; the pit guys were 3000 feet closer to the target and the delay may just kill me. However, dropping that shot was cathartic for me and I was cool as a cucumber shooting the last 4 shots; three 10s and one more X for a total of 199-7X, at 1000 yards, with a .308. This was a personal best for me.
My equipment had performed flawlessly; the Sinclair Gen 3 was just fine and my use of it was adequate, I never loaded it.
One F-TR shooter managed to shoot a 200-7X for that match; Clint Cooper did a great job and he was very happy. There were only 6 other F-TR shooter besides me who had shot 199-something. Of the F-Open crew, there were 3 shooters with 200-something; Danny Biggs, Marco Been and Gordon Ogg in reverse order of Xs. There were 11 F-Openers who shot a 199-something.
So, I felt in pretty good company and quite proud of my achievement, even if I don't use a high-priced bipod or that I don't load my Sinclair. I believe I have the proper technique for that bipod.
In case you were wondering; yes, I was elated with my score but I knew there was one more string of 20 rounds coming up and it would be hours before I got to it as I headed for the pits.
By the time I got back to the line, the conditions had changed drastically and I got to shoot just ahead of an approaching storm front. The wind was coming from seemingly everywhere at the same time and I was on target 6. Undaunted, I got on the line with my trusty-rusty equipment and went fired my string. It was horrible but I was able to pull out a 183-1 thanks to some of my conditions observations the prior day on neighboring target 12. Again I could count on my equipment and I did the best I could shrugging off a 6, and a couple of 8s. When I got off the line, I heard horrible scores coming from the lips of people I knew to be excellent shots.
The bottom line for me is simply to pick whatever equipment is decent and then learn how to use it and use it the same way, time after time. Unless the equipment fails, and I mean it breaks or something, blaming it for your poor performance is a waste of time and energy.
Raton was a crucible for proving various pieces of gear, technique and marksmanship. When I got there, the only piece of gear that was new to me was a different spotting scope than the one I had been using until then. It actually turned out to be a judicious acquisition as I spent far more time looking through it and observing conditions than I ever did with my prior scope. That Long Eye Relief eyepiece is brilliant, especially for a bespectacled guy like me. Every other piece of gear I used was at least three or more competitions old, if you know what I mean. I'm getting on in age and I do not adapt to new things as quickly as I used to so it's better to stay with what I have for big matches and experiment at club matches.
I don't shoot much during the year, just the monthly club matches and one TSRA match, so I am not in the same league as many shooters who showed up in Raton. I am not sponsored or part of any team, I'm just an individual shooter enjoying the game and learning to shoot.
Last year at Raton, my rifle had only 100 rounds through it, and the equipment with it, scope and bipod were new. I paid dearly for that as I had the scope fall off and I just fought with the Sinclair Gen 3 bipod. I crashed and burned.
This year was different.
The first day I was on relay 3, the one, along with relay 4, I discovered was for the also-rans. I started a little shaky but that day, I shot in the 140s all day with as high as 147 on the last match. I was pleased with myself. The next day I was squadded in relay 5, which I discovered was for the top performers from the day before. To be honest, I had not even checked the score sheets the night before. On day 2, I was able to shoot in the 140s all day and I was even told by someone that I had taken 3rd in Expert for match 7, with a 143-4. I did not think that score was so hot, but it seems the conditions had affected everyone else also. At that point I broke down and went to look at the scores and I was shocked to find myself pretty high up there. That shook me up because I knew there was still the last day with two strings of 20 rounds and anything can happen.
On Thursday I shot the team matches and spent most of my time observing the conditions on target 12. I managed to shoot a pair of 191s during the club matches, and the only credit I take for those is that I held my elevation near perfectly. That was a big confidence booster.
On the Friday morning, I found I was squadded on relay 1, again with the top shooters, and I was fidgety. To say the least. I was nervous as heck even before I got to the 1000 yard firing line. However, when I got on the line with all my well-known and well-worn equipment, and with a rifle and ammo in which I had supreme confidence, my jitters disappeared. I shot my customary 5 sighters, which I shoot from a thoroughly cleaned barrel, the 4th sighter was a 10 and the 5th sighter was an X. Then I told my scorer I was now going for score, facing the dreaded "10 and X for sighter and 9 first for record" syndrome. I actually shot an X for first shot for record and I was off to the races. My 15th shot came up an X and so far I had been clean; 150-6X at 1000 yards, but I had 5 more shots to go. By that time, my right (shooting) hand was shaking and I had trouble pulling cartridge 16 from the box and load it. I had visions of 200s floating in my mind, and obscuring my vision. I dropped shot 16, it was a 9 at 9 o'clock, just outside the line. I decided not to challenge it for two reasons; the pit guys were 3000 feet closer to the target and the delay may just kill me. However, dropping that shot was cathartic for me and I was cool as a cucumber shooting the last 4 shots; three 10s and one more X for a total of 199-7X, at 1000 yards, with a .308. This was a personal best for me.
My equipment had performed flawlessly; the Sinclair Gen 3 was just fine and my use of it was adequate, I never loaded it.
One F-TR shooter managed to shoot a 200-7X for that match; Clint Cooper did a great job and he was very happy. There were only 6 other F-TR shooter besides me who had shot 199-something. Of the F-Open crew, there were 3 shooters with 200-something; Danny Biggs, Marco Been and Gordon Ogg in reverse order of Xs. There were 11 F-Openers who shot a 199-something.
So, I felt in pretty good company and quite proud of my achievement, even if I don't use a high-priced bipod or that I don't load my Sinclair. I believe I have the proper technique for that bipod.
In case you were wondering; yes, I was elated with my score but I knew there was one more string of 20 rounds coming up and it would be hours before I got to it as I headed for the pits.
By the time I got back to the line, the conditions had changed drastically and I got to shoot just ahead of an approaching storm front. The wind was coming from seemingly everywhere at the same time and I was on target 6. Undaunted, I got on the line with my trusty-rusty equipment and went fired my string. It was horrible but I was able to pull out a 183-1 thanks to some of my conditions observations the prior day on neighboring target 12. Again I could count on my equipment and I did the best I could shrugging off a 6, and a couple of 8s. When I got off the line, I heard horrible scores coming from the lips of people I knew to be excellent shots.
The bottom line for me is simply to pick whatever equipment is decent and then learn how to use it and use it the same way, time after time. Unless the equipment fails, and I mean it breaks or something, blaming it for your poor performance is a waste of time and energy.
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One thing about Deny's you should know is he is very methodical/detailed in his approach in terms of being fully prepared ahead of time with his equipment well tested.
Even in the amount of rest he would have while in Raton seemed to have a pattern.
I must admit I envied the amount of sleep he had
Even in the amount of rest he would have while in Raton seemed to have a pattern.
I must admit I envied the amount of sleep he had
When did my name acquire an apostrophe?
Preparations is a big part of the game.
I had resolved to do well in Raton, especially for the FCNC, which are the exact format I shoot at the club. Sleep is part of preparations. I also abstained from alcohol and morning coffee while in Raton. I went to bed early, did not eat much and kept hydrated with Gatorade and water. I did break down on Thursday evening when Doug rolled in with some good stuff to drink. I had a few glasses of wine during the awards banquet. But I went back to my regimen the next day until the Sunday night banquet.
Preparations is a big part of the game.
I had resolved to do well in Raton, especially for the FCNC, which are the exact format I shoot at the club. Sleep is part of preparations. I also abstained from alcohol and morning coffee while in Raton. I went to bed early, did not eat much and kept hydrated with Gatorade and water. I did break down on Thursday evening when Doug rolled in with some good stuff to drink. I had a few glasses of wine during the awards banquet. But I went back to my regimen the next day until the Sunday night banquet.
I think it goes with the sport. I bought a t-shirt today that says, " I have CDO, it's like OCD but the letters are in alphabetical order, as they're supposed to be."
Well here is some more technical data you guys might be interested in. Seb sent this to me today to answer a question about the Joy-Pod from another forum.
How much can the Joy-Pod be adjusted, using just the stick?
What's the height/side-change ratio on the pod-stick in moa/mil for inch/mm movement?
Travel movement on the coaxial head unit is approx. 7.6 millimeter (=.0.300") from side to side, and approx 5 mm (= 0.200") vertically.
Just for instance: IF the center to center between the front bipod & the rear bag is 30 inches and target @ 1,000 yds (= 36,000 inches) - the joystick movement alone will give you approximately 360 inches (= 30 feet) side to side coverage and +/- 240 inches (=20 feet) vertical coverage @ 1,000 yards.
However the effective vertical travel is about 1/2X or less, assuming that your joystick hand needs to sit on the ground/ shooting mat, not "floating" in the air).
The shorter the distance between the bipod and the rear bag, the greater the coverage.
Vice versa, the longer the distance between the bipod & rear bag, or the shorter the distance of the target - the smaller the coverage.
The math is simple anyway :
.300" movement @ 30" = equal to 360" @ 1,000 yds or 36,000". (= 1/100 ratio).
.200" movement @ 30" = equal to 240" @ 36,000" (= 1/150 ratio).
(This is the same thing/can be applied when calculating the angle/MOA for scope's base).
In Raton (1000 yard target), when I centered the joystick & crosshair on the bull of my target (for instance on target #16), I could aim the target right & left next to my target (i.e. target #15 and #17), horizontally.
That was when the Sightron S-III 10-50 was set @ 50X power. (But I did set my scope @ 30X to 40X to be able to see my neighbor's targets during the string, not to "reduce" the mirage or its "apparent" movement on the target).
The effective vertical coverage was about twice (2X) the size of the target.
How much can the Joy-Pod be adjusted, using just the stick?
What's the height/side-change ratio on the pod-stick in moa/mil for inch/mm movement?
Travel movement on the coaxial head unit is approx. 7.6 millimeter (=.0.300") from side to side, and approx 5 mm (= 0.200") vertically.
Just for instance: IF the center to center between the front bipod & the rear bag is 30 inches and target @ 1,000 yds (= 36,000 inches) - the joystick movement alone will give you approximately 360 inches (= 30 feet) side to side coverage and +/- 240 inches (=20 feet) vertical coverage @ 1,000 yards.
However the effective vertical travel is about 1/2X or less, assuming that your joystick hand needs to sit on the ground/ shooting mat, not "floating" in the air).
The shorter the distance between the bipod and the rear bag, the greater the coverage.
Vice versa, the longer the distance between the bipod & rear bag, or the shorter the distance of the target - the smaller the coverage.
The math is simple anyway :
.300" movement @ 30" = equal to 360" @ 1,000 yds or 36,000". (= 1/100 ratio).
.200" movement @ 30" = equal to 240" @ 36,000" (= 1/150 ratio).
(This is the same thing/can be applied when calculating the angle/MOA for scope's base).
In Raton (1000 yard target), when I centered the joystick & crosshair on the bull of my target (for instance on target #16), I could aim the target right & left next to my target (i.e. target #15 and #17), horizontally.
That was when the Sightron S-III 10-50 was set @ 50X power. (But I did set my scope @ 30X to 40X to be able to see my neighbor's targets during the string, not to "reduce" the mirage or its "apparent" movement on the target).
The effective vertical coverage was about twice (2X) the size of the target.
I was one of a few shooting off of a harris at the world shoot. Mine has claws on it that i made from thick sheet metal. I load the bipod, tried a sinclair bipod and couldnt get use to it.
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