Suppressor or Area 419 Match Muzzle brake

[Ajb62]

Happy Thanksgiving. I have relatively new 300 Win Mag with an AI stock, Hawk Hill custom 24" Heavy Varmint barrel 1-10 twist, Curtis Custom Helix action, Trigger Tech Special Trigger set at 2.5 lbs, Nightforce ATACR 7-35 scope, Sig Sauer SRD 762TI 8" suppressor. It's a heavy rifle which I wanted. Shooting factory match ammo now. Hornady 178 grn Match ELD, Federal GMM 215 Berger, Black Hills 190 Grain, FGMM 190 grain sierra matchking. Shooting off a wooden bench with an Atlas bi-pod and home-made rear bag. Barrel was broken in according to Hawk Hills recommendations. Now have 120 rounds down the barrel.

Problem is the front of the rifle jumps off the bench even with the suppressor. I have to reposition the rifle after each shot. Accuracy is all over the place. Trying different ammo as listed above.

Do I need to switch from the suppressor to a muzzle brake to help reduce muzzle rise??? I have ordered a new rear bag from Protektor to see if I can get the rifle to recoil straight back consistently. Recoil on my shoulder is good. Thoughts??? Thank you in advance.

 

[Kadams1563]

With the rifle jumping off the bench I would say you might not be loading the bipod. If you are try more and I suggest you also get some spiked feet.

 

[TheOE800]

Get a rear bag from @Enough Said and practice good fundamentals.

 

[Ajb62]

With the rifle jumping off the bench I would say you might not be loading the bipod. If you are try more and I suggest you also get some spiked feet.

Thank you. I was thinking about putting a sandbag in front of the bi-pod and push that into the sandbag to load the bipod

 

[_Windrider_]

Thank you. I was thinking about putting a sandbag in front of the bi-pod and push that into the sandbag to load the bipod

You don’t need to do that and you shouldn’t have to do that. If you can, start in prone. Look through the myriad of threads where we discuss how to properly load the bipod (without using a backstop). Shooting of a bench is hard if your fundamentals aren’t good. The prone will help you get better fundamentals and you will be able to translate that to other positions.

 

[JustSendit]

With all that nice equipment you may consider taking a class to master the use of it. A brake will help but it’s a bandaid if you’re unable to manage recoil. Plus it’s uncivilized.

 

[Campguy308]

I dont really like sitting down and shooting from a bench. I like to stand up behind the bench and use a modified prone position. You might try that.

 

[Ajb62]

You don’t need to do that and you shouldn’t have to do that. If you can, start in prone. Look through the myriad of threads where we discuss how to properly load the bipod (without using a backstop). Shooting of a bench is hard if your fundamentals aren’t good. The prone will help you get better fundamentals and you will be able to translate that to other positions.

I'll go back to the prone and see what happens. Problem is after 12 years of football I have bone spurs, compressed vertebrae and arthritis in my neck. But I need to study how to load the bi pod as stated. Thank you

 

[Ajb62]

With all that nice equipment you may consider taking a class to master the use of it. A brake will help but it’s a bandaid if you’re unable to manage recoil. Plus it’s uncivilized.

Uncivilized it is. That is why I only shoot suppressed. However, I will read more about loading the bi-pod correctly and keep practicing. Much appreciated.

 

[hlee]

If your rifle is hopping all over the place, it is because your form is creating angles that the recoil is able to exploit. Actions ==> reactions and all that. Anyway, when your form is on, your rifle won’t hop.

130 lb 15 year old vs a sporter weight 7mm rem mag…

 

[Ajb62]

If your rifle is hopping all over the place, it is because your form is creating angles that the recoil is able to exploit. Actions ==> reactions and all that. Anyway, when your form is on, your rifle won’t hop.

130 lb 15 year old vs a sporter weight 7mm rem mag…

great example. thank you

 

[kthomas]

.30 cals and higher are certainly good at exploiting our flaws as shooters.

Shooting my 6mm's is an absolute cake walk compared to a .30, I have to be on my game to shoot my .30's well. I get reminded right away if I'm not aligned straight behind the rifle, or have poor rear bag discipline (my two biggest flaws at the moment). The recoil of a .30 will exploit any weakness you show it.

Benches are also horrible to shoot from. They are purposely designed to put the shooter at a big cant to the rifle, which is exactly what you don't want to do.

If you can, shoot in the prone. Focus on getting 100% straight behind the rifle (hint = you may not be straight behind the rifle even if you think you are). Take time building a solid position, which includes the rear bag. Shoot a few dry fire "groups" at your intended target: does the reticle jump? Do I feel really stable, or is the reticle jumping around a lot? Does the rear bag fill stable and "settled", or do I have to actively manage it? Am I comfortable?

When it comes to shooting the bigger calibers, I find building a solid foundation is critically important, much more so than with lesser recoiling cartridges. Because I haven't shot much bigger cals lately (been mostly shooting my 6BRA), I personally have to really work at this, as I've developed some bad/sloppy habits.

 

[kthomas]

Also, I would stick with the suppressor. Brakes are very unpleasant, especially with magnums, with the amount of concussion that gets directed to the shooter. Especially the Area419 brakes.

I find the biggest advantage of a suppressor is the suppression of concussion. I shoot better with a suppressor, especially .30 cals, than I do with a brake for that reason.

 

[Ajb62]

Also, I would stick with the suppressor. Brakes are very unpleasant, especially with magnums, with the amount of concussion that gets directed to the shooter. Especially the Area419 brakes.

I find the biggest advantage of a suppressor is the suppression of concussion. I shoot better with a suppressor, especially .30 cals, than I do with a brake for that reason.

Well said and much appreciated. I purchased a new rear bag from Protektor and will also work on loading Atlas the bi pod, which I was not doing. Suppressor it is. We only have 2 ears

 

[Precision Underground]

Rifle hop doesn’t really have anything to do with the actual loading or not loading of a bipod. About the only thing that can make a rifle hop is recoil being diverted back into the rifle. If you put a rifle on a sled that easily slides straight back, the rifle won’t hop because it just slides straight back. How could you make the rifle hop? You’d have to stop the recoil and cause it to reflect back into the rifle. IMO, most of the time this is done with a firm shoulder pressing into the rifle or a heavy cheek weld pinning the stock into the bag. In. It’s cases the recoil can’t move straight back so it’s reflected upward.

Some ppl think that loading the bipod fixed their problem because they got lucky and happened to put the right amount of pressure on the rifle to transfer the recoil to their body correctly. But I’d guess for every 1 guy that happens to get it right, 9 will get it wrong and cause more problems than they had in the first place. Even if you get it right you’ll be plagued with inconsistency and you’ll need a block of wood or some specific setup to press the bipod into if you want to have a chance to shoot well.

The answer is to connect the rifle to your body in a way that allows the recoil to move THROUGH you vs bouncing off of you. Sitting at a bench is a very awkward way to shoot a rifle, especially if you’re trying to manage real recoil. There’s really not a good way to do it. I would definitely suggest going modified prone on the bench or prone on the ground. The key either way is to connect yourself to the ground/bench and connect the rifle to yourself while keeping the shoulder relaxed and leaving the recoil a path to travel on. Don’t prop up on your elbows and don’t lay on top of the rifle. Use your back muscles to connect your upper core to the ground/bench and then pull the rifle straight into a relaxed shoulder. Don’t try brace for or oppose the recoil.

And come grab a bag from us too that will help

 

[Ajb62]

Rifle hop doesn’t really have anything to do with the actual loading or not loading of a bipod. About the only thing that can make a rifle hop is recoil being diverted back into the rifle. If you put a rifle on a sled that easily slides straight back, the rifle won’t hop because it just slides straight back. How could you make the rifle hop? You’d have to stop the recoil and cause it to reflect back into the rifle. IMO, most of the time this is done with a firm shoulder pressing into the rifle or a heavy cheek weld pinning the stock into the bag. In. It’s cases the recoil can’t move straight back so it’s reflected upward.

Some ppl think that loading the bipod fixed their problem because they got lucky and happened to put the right amount of pressure on the rifle to transfer the recoil to their body correctly. But I’d guess for every 1 guy that happens to get it right, 9 will get it wrong and cause more problems than they had in the first place. Even if you get it right you’ll be plagued with inconsistency and you’ll need a block of wood or some specific setup to press the bipod into if you want to have a chance to shoot well.

The answer is to connect the rifle to your body in a way that allows the recoil to move THROUGH you vs bouncing off of you. Sitting at a bench is a very awkward way to shoot a rifle, especially if you’re trying to manage real recoil. There’s really not a good way to do it. I would definitely suggest going modified prone on the bench or prone on the ground. The key either way is to connect yourself to the ground/bench and connect the rifle to yourself while keeping the shoulder relaxed and leaving the recoil a path to travel on. Don’t prop up on your elbows and don’t lay on top of the rifle. Use your back muscles to connect your upper core to the ground/bench and then pull the rifle straight into a relaxed shoulder. Don’t try brace for or oppose the recoil.

And come grab a bag from us too that will help


View attachment 8011663

Thank you. Prone is the way to go