Crescent Butt off the bench.

[Fly103]

Maybe a newbie question but I am a newbie to flintlocks so here goes. So far i've done all my shooting offhand on my 35yd range out back but I want to take my pedersoli to the local 100yd range and work up a long range load for her. I've had great fun learning the propper stance for shooting offhand with a crescent butt, after learning to keep my elbow out my groups tightened up tenfold and aiming became natural and instinctive.

What is the propper way to shoot a crescent butt of the bench, especially with heavier powder charges and not kill myself in the process?

Chris

 

[M. De Land]

I have not found a good solution for that one either other than than changing to a shotgun butt or less hooked one for off hand work. The hooked butt is for the upper arm while standing not shoulder which is what one uses when on the bench.

 

[russellshaffer]

Try using a gardener kneeling pad between the rifle and your shoulder. I have some hard kicking unmentionables and it works well for them. It's cheap and you don't have to do anything to the rifle.

 

[SDSmlf]

Maybe a newbie question but I am a newbie to flintlocks so here goes. So far i've done all my shooting offhand on my 35yd range out back but I want to take my pedersoli to the local 100yd range and work up a long range load for her. I've had great fun learning the propper stance for shooting offhand with a crescent butt, after learning to keep my elbow out my groups tightened up tenfold and aiming became natural and instinctive.

What is the propper way to shoot a crescent butt of the bench, especially with heavier powder charges and not kill myself in the process?

I just make sure that my rest and seat position allow my upper body to be in a vertical position, the same as when standing. You will get bumped a bit harder than when standing because you are only moving back from the waist up. Another option would be to find a rest high enough to allow one to stand when shooting. A tripod shooting stick setup will get you closer to stability of a solid rest.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I use a really tall sandbag so I can sit up straight and turn my chair sideways to get the proper upper body stance.

 

[Don Steele]

I wear a PAST recoil pad when I'm shooting heavy loads in one of my T/C ( "Hawken-style"curved butt) rifles from the bench.
As pointed out above...keeping your body vertical will help. I also use a small "butt-bag" under the toe of the stock. You'll find that your scores off the bench will improve with more shooting and attention to achieving consistent technique. I don't do much shooting off a bench rest but when I do...I make it a point to work on it over several range sessions and the results ALWAYS get better than when I started. There's a lot more to bench technique than just laying the barrel of the rifle on something and pulling the trigger.

 

[Art Caputo]

When shooting off the bench , I would add that felt recoil can be reduced with stiff loads keeping the butt more in the shoulder pocket, and accuracy can be improved by positioning the body behind the rifle with the shoulders at a right angle to the barrel. This holds true for sitting and prone field positions as well. Many range benches are designed for Free-recoil/Benchrest style rifles that are well supported, very heavy with low recoil, and the primary contact with the rifle is the trigger. Also, the body, is positioned in a more angular fashion.

 

[user 48679]

By keeping the body vertical, the body will slightly pivot with the recoil ILO getting smashed.

The lower the pivot (like at the hips), the less the felt recoil.

 

[EC121]

Pad your elbow up higher to get closer to the standing position fit. The bp will fit your arm better.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Many people lean into the rifle when at the bench and take a beating. A shorter seat and or higher rest will allow you to fire from a posture that is more like off hand shooting. Take the advice of the others and I and avoid pads that changes how the rifle is held and how you cheek the stock.

 

[hanshi]

I once had a Pedersoli .50 Super Cub that had a pretty good curve in the butt plate with the end of the heel and toe much too sharp. Off hand, no problem. Off a bench I got whacked; but being contemptuous (not that tough just takes my brain a day or so to register it) of recoil it wasn't until the next day i was in pain.

 

[TreeMan]

I carry a dish towel thrown over my shoulder when shooting a few of my rifles. I fold that bad boy up and cushion the recoil. I’d rather be called a wimp than miss because of a flinch from being scared of the recoil bite.