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

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Sighting in and load testing are different tasks with different requirements. When load testing, I want the most stability/repeatability as I can get. Front and rear rests, good comfortable position at the bench. Once I determine the best, most accurate and repeatable load, I then move to sighting in. Rough in the sights with a good rest, but then do your last adjustments from field positions (usually offhand for me.) Many rifles shoot to different points of aim when benched. Also, be wary of lead sleds with thin-wristed muzzle loaders. No recoil absorption can create cracked wrists.

ADK Bigfoot
 
I use a Caldwell 7 rest with foam zip tied to the front yoke, figger it's closer to resting on my hand to minimize jump.

At the range one day another fellow was having kittens trying to zero his new suppository with a Lead Sled. I tried a shot using his setup, found it unnatural and uncomfortable. Insisted he try my rest, what a difference.
He had other issues besides his rest. So much for the store telling him that he was ready to go.
 
I'm with the Hatche Jack and Longcruise crowd. off the hood. Usually, a pillow I keep in the trunk of the Corolla (mom made it with Crochet). Steady as can be and breathing and trigger control. I mostly shoot sitting down in the field in a blind so when I am sighted in I shoot from the door of the corolla which mimicks the leaning etc. from the chair in the blind. Everybody says I have terrible "form" but not many can beat me😁. Some of you I'm sure but other than the daughter🙄 and one buddy who beat me by 100ths of an inch once I am pretty good.

Oh, and the smoke cleans right off the paint job. Near fatal heart attack first time I did that on a new car but it literally swiped off. Vinyl roof? OMG what did ya tell her?
 
I would never trust off hand shooting as a reliable method for sighting in. I can't imagine anyone achieving precise results that way. Human error is inevitable. Personally, I do it from the bench using one of those rifle rest that permits repeatable alignment. I mean the sled-like rests that is adjusted by "dials" the shooter uses that moves the gun (barrel) vertically and horizontally to get perfect sight alignment. When it is thus aligned, I can walk away and return and the sights are still dead on. Some jostling may occur as I put my shoulder in place and grasp the wrist and trigger, but it is so simple to readjust, usually by just slightly moving the whole assembly. Where the gun contacts the device, it is padded. Once zeroed. I have NEVER had to readjust sights due to a point of impact change when shooting using any other stabilizing method such as the side of a tree or sandbags. I realize hand holding the rifle is supposed to change where the rifle groups, but I have not found that to be an issue at all. I've been bench zeroing for more than 55+ years. All I can say for certain is that it works for me.
 
I have a permanent scorch mark on my hunting frock using the over the hood method. For bench rest load development sand bags with fore stock near muzzle. But prints high compared to offhand and hand holding from sitting position so rest hand on sand bags and fore stock. If opportunity and time permits will go with sitting position over offhand to get the meat on the ground. Wanting to mount a scope on a rifle to bench test variety of patch lubes on same fabric. Similar test done but back East and not in Rocky Mountain climate. 50 yards off bench a better test than 25 yards.
 
Widows Son said:
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?
Click to expand...

Same as I do for my rimfire and centerfire - Caldwell Rock Jr up front and one of a few different bags in back (which bag depends on stock style). See no reason to not use a lead sled or similar if you have one (I do and it is a PITA to shoot from, so it mostly stays home)
 
A hunting situation always forgivable!

I killed a calf elk once off the highway to Grand Canyon. Was caring for my Pop in home hospice and got a few hours to hunt. Drove the "elk corridor" as we call it and saw a herd cross 1/2 mile ahead, sped up, drove fof road and ran to fence line. Herd about 180 yards away. I could see one cow in scope of unmentionable and shot her in the neck (all I could see was head in thick pines). Walked up and it was a calf!! Cleaned, drug to freeway (almost) and waited for no cars and threw her in the trunk. Drove straight to the butcher and had to wait for all the other real hunters with full size animules to leave so I could QUICKLY back in, unload and get back home w/o being seen by anyone I knew with a calf in trunk of the corolla. 93 lb elk that year. But when the wife got on me for shooting a calf I said "I been telling you I need a better scope, it looked bigger in the scope". Gott a Leopoild!
 
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I recently acquired a Lead-Sled. I have not used it yet. My theory is that with muzzleloaders and unspeakable firearms I want to know what the gun can do. After I establish that I then shoot from a prone or standing position. I do that to improve and/or maintain my accuracy.
 
If you really think about…. Shoot from a bagged rest. Place your support hand under the toe/ butt area of the stock. By squeezing or relaxing your fist under the toe, you can raise or lower the muzzle for elevation. Wind age is done on the bag.

Mount the rifle properly, cheek weld, eye relief for sights. Breathing and trigger control. All the mechanics for shooting remain the same. Once the rifle is sighted in, that is where it will hit if loaded consistently. Generally speaking the ball will hit where the sights are pointed. That’s it. No variables. That is with eliminating as much human error as possible, the rifle will perform. The point of aim for simplicity, will be the paintbox impact.

The zero of the machine/ rifle, once it is set, cannot alter itself. To do so would take a human. Shooting off hand with a zeroed rifle, shot from a bag, will still be zeroed. It is for the shooter to maintain and incorporate the proper mounting of the rifle.

A rifle zeroed from the bag is zeroed for the shooter regardless of future shooting positions.
 
azmntman said:
A hunting situation always forgivable!

I killed a calf elk once off the highway to Grand Canyon. Was caring for my Pop in home hospice and got a few hours to hunt. Drove the "elk corridor" as we call it and saw a herd cross 1/2 mile ahead, sped up, drove fof road and ran to fence line. Herd about 180 yards away. I could see one cow in scope of unmentionable and shot her in the neck (all I could see was head in thick pines). Walked up and it was a calf!! Cleaned, drug to freeway (almost) and waited for no cars and threw her in the trunk. Drove straight to the butcher and had to wait for all the other real hunters with full size animules to leave so I could QUICKLY back in, unload and get back home w/o being seen by anyone I knew with a calf in trunk of the corolla. 93 lb elk that year. But when the wife got on me for shooting a calf I said "I been telling you I need a better scope, it looked bigger in the scope". Gott a Leopoild!
Click to expand...
Dat funny.
 
azmntman said:
I'm with the Hatche Jack and Longcruise crowd. off the hood. Usually, a pillow I keep in the trunk of the Corolla (mom made it with Crochet). Steady as can be and breathing and trigger control. I mostly shoot sitting down in the field in a blind so when I am sighted in I shoot from the door of the corolla which mimicks the leaning etc. from the chair in the blind. Everybody says I have terrible "form" but not many can beat me😁. Some of you I'm sure but other than the daughter🙄 and one buddy who beat me by 100ths of an inch once I am pretty good.

Oh, and the smoke cleans right off the paint job. Near fatal heart attack first time I did that on a new car but it literally swiped off. Vinyl roof? OMG what did ya tell her?
Click to expand...
I watched my grand shoot off the hood of my fathers brand new (less then 1000 miles) pickup hood after he noticed that the rear sight was bent so he pilled his pliers out of his pocket and straightened it out. Dad and uncle laughed said he'd never hit anything after that. So they picked a white rock out in the field for him to shoot . He went to rest his rifle on the hood and the ole man yelled at him to put something under the barrel so he wouldn't scratch the paint. Dad tossed him his gun case and grand laid it on the hood and rested the muzzle on it took aim and the case landed on the other side of the ditch SHREADED all to hell, The ole man is jumping up and down about his wrecked case and grand just answered I hit the rock! we all looked and the rock was gone.
 
I do it like doubledeuce too. Front bag goes in the middle of the forearm and rear bag supports butt and arm wraps around to squeeze bag. After zeroing I can then shoot offhand or any other position I want, the gun is zeroed.
 
I use an adjustable rest I made from the bench or my B&D workmate.
gun rest 002.jpg

pedersoli 006.jpg
 

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