How do you stabilise your rifle for load testing/sighting in?

[Widows Son]

In order to remove as much human error as possible (without a lead sled), what methods do different folks use to get their rifles steady?

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

I shoot off the bench and on rear under stock area I use a sock filled with beads (some with other things). When u squeeze it stock goes up and muzzle goes down, do opposite for opposite results. Then all you have to worry about is left to right. Your shooting the rifle one handed. This is what they teach at army sniper school. Shooter error/tenancies has to be considered and most shooter will constantly repeat the error they have that's why each rifle must be zero'd for the shooter.

 

[oldwood]

Before mechanical rests , I used to be the transporter of the sand bags to Dad's shooting bench. In the 1950's , sand bags were the stabilizes of the day. We hunted groundhogs in summer at long distance w/ special rifles , and the sand bags would work on fence post tops , and car fender alike.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Sand bags front and rear, but every bit as important is to get a comfortable natural position. You can’t be straining to get on target.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Sand bags, lead shot bags or any relatively dense material to conform to the rifle. Even then I will still rest my hand on top of the sandbag while resting the rifle on my hand. The forearm of the rifle where the rifle is held should be where the forearm rests on the sandbags or the hand.

Another, more exotic test is to find the nodes of the rifle barrel where the vibrations caused by firing the rifle are minimal. There may be two nodes.

As for BPCR, there are uToob videos on how to find the nodes on a barrel, one involves putting the receiver in a vise and gently tapping and listening. It will change sound like a tuning fork. There are others but ideally, the most accurate load has the node right near the muzzle. That's why you see guys putting the rifle on the sticks near the muzzle. Others may find the best node is elsewhere and will rest the barrel accordingly

Set the node on the sandbag.

 

[wiscoaster]

Depends where I go to shoot. One range I use frequently provides large-size bags, so I just use them. At the other ranges I take my Caldwell forearm rest. I steady the butt with my off hand. I do have a Led Sled, but it's heavy and bulky and requires setup, so honestly, the only thing I've ever used it with is my long-range precision rifle ("unmentionable" here).

 

[snakebit]

Tried and true sandbags for me. Then I concentrate on breathing and trigger control.

 

[longcruise]

I rest the barrel on sandbags as near to the muzzle as possible and the rear either on sand bag or not with the butt firmly planted. If bags or whatever are built up under the elbow it allows for enough upright position to avoid misplaced position of crescent butt plates which can be painful.

I'm sure those harmonic nodes exist but I think having the rifle supported as close to the muzzle as possible minimizes the effect of any movement to enough effect that the method will produce better results. Unless of course the favored node is near the muzzle.

 

[sheriff john]

Sandbags, Sandbags, Sandbags ...and, perhaps a brick on the bottom if I need elevation. Stability is my friend.

 

[Nuthatch]

Shooting sled to get the group centered. I want the rifle barely moving at all. But it almost always prints higher than what I get from shooting off-hand, kneeling or rested on my hand. So there is always a little bit of fiddling after the sled sight-in to fine-tune where I want the ball to print when I'm shooting in field positions.

 

[longcruise]

Shooting sled to get the group centered. I want the rifle barely moving at all. But it almost always prints higher than what I get from shooting off-hand, kneeling or rested on my hand. So there is always a little bit of fiddling after the sled sight-in to fine-tune where I want the ball to print when I'm shooting in field positions.

I have the same approach. Bench for Initial sight in and field positions to fine tune. Exception is if I'm going to shoot in a bench match which is rare.

 

[Big Tom 52]

Homemade sandbags. I get the rifle set up as stable as possible and lined up with the sights on the target where I want to hit. Once this is done, I get settled in so I'm holding the rifle enough to aim and take the recoil but keeping it firm to the sandbag, squeeze the trigger, check the hit, load up and repeat until I'm satisfied. I can't hold steady enough to shoot off hand, so I always shoot from my shooting sticks to see if it's printing the same. That's the way I've always done it with my modern guns so that's how I'm doing it now with my Cherokee.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Guess I'm the odd guy here. I sight them in just like most of my hunting. Off-hand. Unless we're talking long distance with suppository guns. All my BP guns are sighted in real world hunting conditions. Usually standing with no support at the distances I will most likely get a shot at game in my hunting area. Works pretty well for me. But I do see the benefits of sleds and bags.

 

[smo]

I’ll be another odd ball…. I do both.

Once my gun is sighted in benched & on paper , I move too off hand for the fine tuning….

That is how most of the shooting matches I participate in are shot ….off hand.

However when hunting I always use a rest if possible.
I mostly hunt from elevated platforms or ground blinds which provides a rest in most cases.

 

[yonderin]

My thoughts..... bench rest for load development and starting to zero. Finish zeroing using whatever position you fancy or are most likely to shoot from.

Minimize human error for development and allow your natural error to be incorporated into your final zero.

 

[Harry Marinakis]

What wondering said.

Sight in your rifle using the method you normally use to shoot.

I always shoot offhand, so I sight in my rifles offhand. I start at 15 yards and work my way back to 100 yards.

Bench and offhand shooting both introduce their own peculiar set of errors. Doesn't make sense to sight in with bench errors and then expect good results when shooting offhand.

If your own accuracy errors are worse than the bench errors, then you might not notice the difference between bench errors and offhand errors.

 

[TDM]

For sighting in and load development I use the bench and this setup. I use close cell foam and towels to get a proper weld/sight picture.

 

[tjiann]

I don't sit at a bench anymore. Doesn't reflect my offhand shooting. I use adjustable standing supported setup at my range for sight in now.

 

[Frontier's]

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Old rolled up towel or pair of blue jeans on the hood of my truck.
Just need to be careful of powder flash on your paint job.