Shooting for groups under hunting conditions.

[Elmer Fudd]

Has anybody shot for groups off the bench with shooting sticks or on the bench with only a front rest? I did and my groups went from about .500" to just over 1" @ 100 yards. I always see groups shot off bags but none under hunting conditions. Anyone care to share some? You can't take the bench out coyote hunting

[Rick in Oregon]

Elmer: That's about typical without any sort of a rear rest or bag. Check out the cool little field bag below in the pic. Made by dog-gone-good bags, and designed by Darrell Holland, coyote hunting fanatic extrodinaire.

It has a little belt clip that allows it to be carried without any hassle, and a quick flip takes it off your belt and ready for deployment. Used under the toe of the stock in prone position, or on your knee when sitting to help with a downward angle, they are the hot setup for shooting sticks or bipod use.

[Elmer Fudd]

Cool What will they think of next

[Rick in Oregon]

Well....

Cool What will they think of next

How about "Auto Coyote Locator Device"????

[Cooper Varmint Man]

I remember the first time this flatlander (born and raised in St.Petersburg, FL) who has a spent lot of benchshooting went to South Dakota for his first P-dog shoot.

Some eye openers:

1) Shooting down from a bluff into a P-dog town....I took a shot...missed badly...and asked my buddy to range/confirm the 200 yard shot I had taken. His comment? That was a almost a 300 yard shot that I had just taken. It took a 1/4 of the day to lose my flat land benchshooting yardage estimating.

2) Shooting off a front bag only......off the roof of a truck.....on my tiptoes....was a challenge. I'm sure my "one hole" Cooper's groups had opened up a bit.

I eventually got into a groove (once my pride was swallowed) and ended up approx killing 308 P-dogs using 350 rounds of ammo.

I have a whole new found respect for shooting off of anything other than my Sinclair International benchrest with a rear bag plus and elbow bag.

[Silverfox]

I don't know if my method is right or wrong, but it works for me. When I am working up a load at the rifle range, I use a mechanical front rest and a rabbit ear rear bag. After I get my load picked out, I shoot off a bench at the range, but I have my bipod as the front rest and still use the rear bag. I place pieces of carpet samples under the legs of the bipod so the bipod legs are able to recoil a bit with the rifle.

This method has worked super good for me and I usually hit what I'm shooting at when out in the field. I do use a rest under the butt of my rifle when I can, but most of the time I wind up just using my left hand to raise and lower the butt of the rifle. I purchased some small bean bags, similar to the one Rick in Oregon has under the butt of his rifle. I haven't used it yet, but I think it is going to be the cat's meow!!!

[Hawkeye Joe]

Didn't you go to work today? I was going to blow it off also.Still didn't shoot the LRPV...and Today was perfect . WHAT A SWEET TRIGGER .I wore out 2 snap caps already .

I shot a bunch of times with my .204 and bipod from the 200 line(never 100) I think the groups were about 2-2.5 inches with a bad shot here and there.I was sitting, not prone. Didn't save them targets though .I was afraid someone might see them.

[Elmer Fudd]

Didn't you go to work today?

Yes I did. I can post up at work!

[Ryan S Albright]

For years I used a piece of carpet and pant legs of Levi Jeans that I would fill with sand in the field one end was stapled shut and I would fold them over then dump them out at the end of the day or when I had to move very far. I finely bought a Harris dupod which is great then I bought the Caldwell front and rear bags all so good I found if you fill them with plastic beads they are lighter and won't hold water or swell. This year I will be going to the field with a San Angelo's shooting bench this should really help the old neck out as my neck tends to get kinked up in my old age. I also purchased the shooting sticks and the Pole cat expediton sticks that work as Mono, duo,and Tripod. This has been a boon for me a poor shooter for years with the Kids always coming first. I've waited a lot of years to spend a little money on my shooting wants. I beleave the shooting sticks will be a great help with the coyotes and the bench with the squirrels.

[skb2706]

Has anybody shot for groups off the bench with shooting sticks or on the bench with only a front rest? I did and my groups went from about .500" to just over 1" @ 100 yards. I always see groups shot off bags but none under hunting conditions. Anyone care to share some? You can't take the bench out coyote hunting

With any luck ...and decent shooting you will not need to shoot a group at a coyote. Groups of one count when hunting.

[Elmer Fudd]

With any luck ...and decent shooting you will not need to shoot a group at a coyote. Groups of one count when hunting.

I guess that would be a 1 hole group!

[janneuf]

I read an article about this very subject, I think Plaster wrote it. He suggested one should use the bench as a means of sighting in your rifle and then "GET THE HECK OFF OF IT" He suggested practicing sitting, kneeling, shooting from the prone position and yes even the dreaded offhand shot. He also suggested shooting with a buddy and having the buddy "time" your shot. For example, picking out a target, getting into a sitting position and then squeezing off a shot in less than X seconds.

I must admit to being prideful myself. I get a charge from one-hole groups at the range but I'll readily admit it does practically zero to hone your shooting skills for "hunting" shots.

[Rick in Oregon]

True enough, and Plaster knows his stuff. BUT this assumes either a deer or man sized target in his thinking.

Every try to pop a prairie dog at 400 yards from one of the "field positions"? Good practice to be sure, but hardly practical when shooting a dog town or squirrel infested field. Hence bipods, shooting sticks, portable benches.

We all should practice field positions to become good riflemen, but for small varmints/colony shooting, a good bench or rest is best and does develop your long range shooting skills for deer, elk, pronghorn, etc.

What we learn from bench/rest shooting translates into good experience come deer season. After shooting pasture poodles all summer, a deer at 400 yards is like shooting at your truck!

[majcl5]

I my Short exp. in centerfire sage rat shooting you need a bench to zero in on them little buggers. I think i am decent shot but 400 yrds without a solid rest not practical and not near as fun. My personal best 420 yrds laying down with bi-pod one shot but probaly lucky. With a bench you cant be anymore solid with some dog on good bags or a mech rest. To me it is a lot funner to have deadly precision and accurcy rather than hunting conditions. With pd hunting you really consentrate squeezing the trigger it cant help but make you a better shot. Thats my 2 cents

[skb2706]

For sheer fun and excellent practice shooting in hunting situations, shooting jack rabbits that are in high concentrations in deep heavy crusted snow is top of the line. Going this weekend to shoot up a bunch more and it doesn't get much more fun with a rifle. Everything is offhand at ranges from 15 yd. to 300 yds. Some are moving some are stopped.