SmallCaliberCentral

I've been reading and heard testimony about how this cartridge does not move you off the target but allows you to keep your sight picture until bullet impact. They must be talking about 32gr bullets, which they always fail to mention, because my factory 40 grainers generate enough recoil (on a solid bench with bipod under front and sandbag under rear) to knock me off target. This might change if lying prone in the grass. Reckon? Have not tried lighter than 40 grain bullet yet.

What rifle are you shooting? A little weight always help keep the recoil down.

700 VLS. It's actually almost 1 pound heavier than the other heavy barrel models (9+ pounds).

This is just a suggestion. I would try shooting with bags under the front rather than a bipod off the bench. This should help give you a more solid hold on target without the "skip" affect of the bipod. This is the method I use anyways and save the bipod for sitting or prone shooting on the ground.

If you want to use your bipod instead of bags I've heard some guys use carpet under the rubber feet and claim it helps.

I've got a 700 VLSS and while I haven't shot 40 grainers I have shot 39 grainers and stayed on target every time. I shoot off a BR Pivot bench and use a front rest and a rear sand bag. It's lots of fun to see the rat-o-batics thru the scope.

I also shoot some competitive benchrest, and shoot free recoil. This causes me some getting used to early in the rat season, as I use a bipod from a bench then.

Free recoil is not the preferred method when shooting off bipods. A slight forward press is the more desired way to shoot. This helps, along with a piece of carpet as was mentioned, to keep the legs of the bipod from jumping as much.

I don't know if you generally shoot free recoil, but if you do, I hope this helps some.

Mike

operationsnsc, What power do you have your scope set on? I know that on some of my hotter loads I have to reduce the power on my scope to 10X to 12X in order to keep my target in the field of view. At the range I always keep it set on max (25X) but I usually reduce power to 16X on the praire.

I always use 20x, but still haven't been in the grasss with it yet.

I have two small sandbags that I lay across the feet of my bipods, it reduces the little bit of jump that my .204 produces