barrel hold position

Discussions of powders, bullets and loading information.

Moderators: Kirk, Lucinda

Post Reply
User avatar
kenny s
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:14 am
Location: Venice FL

barrel hold position

Post by kenny s »

My Shiloh 40 70 SS is giving me good groups at 100, but I notice I get some flyers because of my hold position.
I found that with the barrel rest on the wood forearm, and a tight pull on the butt I get better groups.
most 2 to 3 inches at 100.
If I hold the barrel on the wood instead of the barrel up front, the groups are tighter.
I think this is controlling the heavy hammer fall.

so.....how do you all hold the gun at rest? I have a solid bench, and a heavy adjustable front rest, so no movement at all there.
Ken
BFD
Posts: 2789
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:36 pm

Re: barrel hold position

Post by BFD »

I rest on the barrel about 4 inches behind the front sight. I barely grip the gun.
gunlaker
Posts: 2764
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:16 pm

Re: barrel hold position

Post by gunlaker »

I don't think that it matters much where you put the barrel. You just need to be consistent. More important, I think, is how the rifle behaves on recoil. You don't want the rifle to jump in the cross sticks, but to just recoil straight back. When I shoot scoped silhouettes I can almost always watch the bullet strike and see the target fall while recoil is going on.

When I started shooting these rifles I used to use a death grip. In my .40 cal rifles and my .45-70's I don't hold very tightly at all. I actually squeeze the pistol grip a bit and don't do much pulling into the shoulder, but I do make sure that the buttplate is against the shoulder of course. My .45-90's and larger get a harder hold though.

Keep an eye on what you are doing with the other ( non-trigger ) hand. I find when shooting prone that it's important to do very little with this hand, just to make a cradle and not otherwise influence the rifle. That and finding a good natural point of aim will get you where you need to be I think.

Chris.
User avatar
bpcr shooter
Posts: 800
Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2018 5:30 pm
Location: Madison, Wi

Re: barrel hold position

Post by bpcr shooter »

easy way to find where you should put your barrel.......... grasp the rifle by the wrist and with the palm of your hand strike the barrel and work you way to the muzzle you will hear a tone difference in that spot is where you "should" rest the barrel. the reason is that is the harmonic "dead spot" also I grab my rifle at the wrist like someone is going to steal the damm thing!! I put a little white dot on my barrel to make it faster in competitions. You should be able to make one hole groups at 100yrds or there abouts, if you cant because of your eyes thats a different story but, if you cant you may need to try a different bullet, bullet size, lube, PP them bullets :D , bullet length , etc.
good luck and have fun!!
Matt........

also I shoot a 45-100 so my grip may be more than you need maybe not........

ohh and try shooting off cross sticks the bench is good for plinking but the more you can take out of the equation the better
NMLRA Member
Winnequah Gun Club Member (Lodi, Wi)
WIFORCE Member
SCI Member
Woody
Posts: 6060
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 9:02 am
Location: Freetown, Indiana

Re: barrel hold position

Post by Woody »

I know I'm in the minority, but I rest at the end of the forearm. It's easily repeatable and allows the barrel to free vibrate without re-guard of the "Null" spot. Works for me.

Woody
Richard A. Wood
If you are surrounded. You are in a target rich environment.
mdeland
Posts: 11708
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:47 pm

Re: barrel hold position

Post by mdeland »

I'm a forearm rester as well Woody. I've seen enough rifles in my time shoot away from hard barrel contact that I've never been to comfortable with barrel node shooting in BPCR's after testing it for some time now with various calibers and loads.
I have always done as well from the end of the forearm as out on the barrel dead spot. It does seem to work for some folks though as the result show. It (barrel node shooting) definitely does not work with center fire high intensity cartridges in sporting rifles.
User avatar
bpcr shooter
Posts: 800
Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2018 5:30 pm
Location: Madison, Wi

Re: barrel hold position

Post by bpcr shooter »

mdeland wrote: It (barrel node shooting) definitely does not work with center fire high intensity cartridges in sporting rifles.

very true!!!!!
NMLRA Member
Winnequah Gun Club Member (Lodi, Wi)
WIFORCE Member
SCI Member
bruce m
Posts: 3350
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:25 am
Location: australia

Re: barrel hold position

Post by bruce m »

check out gene beggs skeleton bench rest rifles.
tuned with a tuner AND where the barrel rests.
this guy has shot world records in point blank b.r.
we are talking 0.1" or better aggregates here.
www.bulletin.accurateshooter.com/tag/gene-beggs
keep safe,
bruce.
ventum est amicus meus
bruce m
Posts: 3350
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:25 am
Location: australia

Re: barrel hold position

Post by bruce m »

http://www.bulletin.accurateshooter.com/tag/gene-beggs/

sorry don't seem to ba able to get it.
try a goodle search.
keep safe,
bruce.
ventum est amicus meus
AzTBH
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 9:38 am
Location: Peoria, AZ

Re: barrel hold position

Post by AzTBH »

Bruce

Thanks for the posting on Gene Biggs. I was not familiar with Gene and his skeleton-style benchrest rifle and bench-rest shooting style. So, per your suggestion I did a google sear. This is a link to a video of Gene shooting.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/tag/gene-beggs/

Gene’s trigger finger is the only part of his right hand that touches the rifle. This technique reminds of the “artillery hold” that is recommended for precision shooting of Springer air rifle (aka springer). Both the springer artillery hold and Gene’s technique minimize gripping and just letting the rifle recoil naturally (and hence consistently).

Ross
Ross McCollum
Peoria, AZ

NRA Life Member
AzTBH
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 9:38 am
Location: Peoria, AZ

Re: barrel hold position

Post by AzTBH »

I just revisited the link in my previous post and noticed that I incorrectly stated that the video was Gene Biggs shooting. Actually the video is Rick Fox shooting a Gene Biggs rifle.
Ross McCollum
Peoria, AZ

NRA Life Member
bruce m
Posts: 3350
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:25 am
Location: australia

Re: barrel hold position

Post by bruce m »

ross, the main difference between the likes of beggs and us is barrel time.
a heavy bullet load in a 45/70 might be in the barrel nearly 3 times as long as beggs's bullet.
we have to try harder to be consistent.
the fact remains he is in effect resting his barrel.
keep safe,
bruce.
ventum est amicus meus
AzTBH
Posts: 192
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 9:38 am
Location: Peoria, AZ

Re: barrel hold position

Post by AzTBH »

Bruce

I agree on both of your points. Beggs definitely rests on his barrel (the point of your initial post). And, second the longer barrel time for our slow bullets is definitely makes consistent BPCR shooting more challenging. Thanks again for the link to Beggs. Although I have no desire to compete in benchrest shooting with skeleton-style benchrest rifle, I found the Beggs link and subsequent searches very interesting.

Good shooting,
Ross
Ross McCollum
Peoria, AZ

NRA Life Member
bruce m
Posts: 3350
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:25 am
Location: australia

Re: barrel hold position

Post by bruce m »

ross,
i too am not interested in point blank br other than to look at accuracy trends, and have no desire for a rifle like gene's.
however it is just interesting that he rests his barrel.
fclass guys are too scared to try it i can tell you.
keep safe,
bruce.
ventum est amicus meus
Post Reply