Sighting in Your Muzzleloader from the Bench

[Bob J]

When shooting from a bench, forearm stock on sandbag, do you hold the barrel down when you shoot? Or do you take the "hands off" approach and let barrel buck with the recoil?

 

[BrownBear]

Neither.

Put your hand under the forearm, then put your hand on the rest.

Putting a muzzleloader directly onto the rest usually results in a pretty substantial change in POI when you start shooting offhand.

 

[Rebel]

What Brownbear said.

 

[Ridge]

I never believed this until I tried it with my 13/16th's 40 cal barrel......the difference was about 6 inches in elevation.

Always put your hand under the forearm.

 

[Pittsburghunter]

I make sure no part of the barrel is on the rest and at the same time try to give the rifle a natual hold. With some guns this means scrunching your hold just beyond the trigger group because holding on after the rest feels weird. With some rifles I fold my forward arm under the rifle but that is rare most of my guns fit me fine. I don't get a POI problem with that but loose control of the recoil which ain't nice.

Some guns don't give you much room to hold and rest and I use a sight vice. That is better than what I described in my last paragraph.

Also buy a good rest mine sucks you get good shots out of the thing but it walks all over the place when you shoot. My buddy's has points that stick in the wood when you shoot and is heavier helping it stay put. Helps with follow threw.

 

[JeffinNZ]

I agree with Brown Bear and Rebel. :thumbsup:

 

[susie s]

When I sight in on a rest I try to make it as much the same as if I'm holding it off hand. I found that I actually can get a more accurate picture from cross sticks. I kind of wrap myself around them, use them for a rest, but hold my rifle like I shoot off hand and rest my elbows on my knees. Then it takes me about a year of off hand shooting to get it really fine tuned. It's always a long process for me. That's why I've been shooting the same rifle for 25 years! Had to "re-do" it a little when I had to move up the front sight some. Susie

 

[roundball]

When shooting from a bench, forearm stock on sandbag, do you hold the barrel down when you shoot? Or do you take the "hands off" approach and let barrel buck with the recoil?

You titled your thread "sighting in"...so if you mean sighting in for hunting, as opposed to just seeing how a particular load groups, you might want to consider another step...and that is to do your final hunting-sight-in work from the position you'll most like be taking your hunting shots from.

In my case, I take 99.9% of all my shots deer hunting while sitting on the ground leaning against a tree, or sitting in a treestand leaning against a tree...so my rifles are sighted in that way.

Sitting in a small straight back chair up against a shelter post, left elbow braced down against my chest, it's amazing how rock solid stable that is...the good news is that sighting in that way gives the most precise representation of how I'll be shooting while hunting.

And practicing the same way I'll hunt gives me 100% confidence in knowing where that ball is going to print...

:front:

 

[Bob J]

Put your hand under the forearm, then put your hand on the rest.

OK, so you must move the sandbag into a position where its just supporting the weight of the rifle in a more "natural" position? You don't hold the rifle down on the sandbag with your grip? Rather just hold more like you would if shooting offhand? I'll try it next time I'm at the range.

The range officers recommend shooting with forestock on sandbags,and for right-handers, left hand not touching forestock but wrapped into elbow of trigger arm (arms crossed). I guess this is more of a traditional cartridge gun typeof arrangement.

 

[arcticap]

When shooting off a sandbag type bench rest, I hold down the forestock with my left hand to minimize any recoil or muzzle jump just as you described. I don't allow any part of the barrel to touch the rest though. However, as the others described, final sighting should be verified in the offhand or shooting position to be employed while competing or hunting since the exact position of the eye (head) & buttstock (shoulder) may not be in exactly the same position as when shooting off the bench and may change the point of impact to some degree.
Unless a rifle is relatively heavy or the loading is relatively light, I prefer that the rifle be firmly held down to minimize any of the recoil's effect on accuracy. Some rifle shooters similiarly employ a sling. I suppose everybody has their own preference though. :imo:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Methods from others have that aspect nailed down.

One thing I found out long ago, when shooting hunting loads from a bench, I make sure I have the rest well elevated. The difference between getting shoved, rocked, or STOMPED, is if you are seated upright, or leaning forward down into the gun recoil.

 

[BrownBear]

OK, so you must move the sandbag into a position where its just supporting the weight of the rifle in a more "natural" position? You don't hold the rifle down on the sandbag with your grip? Rather just hold more like you would if shooting offhand?

Yup.

The range officers recommend shooting with forestock on sandbags,and for right-handers, left hand not touching forestock but wrapped into elbow of trigger arm (arms crossed). I guess this is more of a traditional cartridge gun typeof arrangement.

Right again. That technique works great for cartridge guns, but for some reason all my shots fall way low when doing it that way with a ML.

For general interest sake, I have a "big bore" bench rest which allows me to benchrest heavy cartridge guns while standing fully upright. It's pretty close to 5' tall to allow for front rests and sandbags. Sure takes the pain out of the big ones by letting your whole body rock back to absorb recoil. It's also way cool for sighting in a ML for offhand shooting.

 

[Bob J]

Brown Bear
Rebel
Ridge Pittsburghhunter
JeffinNZ
Susie S
Roundball
TANSTAAFL

:thanks: I appreciate the information on benchresting a muzzleloader. Am going to try this next time I'm at the range. The Tennessee flinter should be ready in a month and this will be very helpful :hatsoff:

 

[Rebel]

well you are more than welcome. I hope you get your new gun before your new storm. i hear Tammy is headed for Florida now. I think enoughs enough. You folk down south have really got hit hard this year by them storms. I still haven't been able to contact my aunt, uncle and cousin and her family in Splendora, Tx. Good luck with the new gun and the new storm.

 

[Bob J]

Looks like the storm will just bring a lot of rain to the northern part of the state (mosquitos should be hatchin' out when I get up to the camp in about 3 weeks :shake: :haha. But you know how quickly these storms can change :shocking:

Hope your family in Texas are faring OK and that you hear from them soon :grey: