Shooting Prone VS off the bench

F

fatboyz

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
19   0   0
I have been spending all my time shooting off a bench (out to 800yds)
I shot prone for the first time the other day and found I had to adjust the scope a fair bit. Also noticed I was straining my neck quite a bit. I ordered a Tac Pro adjustable cheek rest from Jerry so hopefully that will help the comfort part. If I can get a more comfortable position, which might equate to a more consistent eye position will I eliminate the dif in POI with the two positions?
Any suggestions?
 
Yes, the stock set up will be different between the two shooting positions.

Just adjust anything, everything to make yourself comfy.

POI may also be due to how the rifle recoils as you body position and 'hardness' is vastly different between the two positions.

When you are comfy in the prone position, you can try a variety of set up and recoil follow through to reduce the difference in POI between the two positions but until you are comfy, consistency is not going to happen.

Jerry
 
I've the opposite problem. I rarely use a bench. Punching holes repeatedly from a distance off a static structure has no training value. Adopting different positions and effectively hitting them does. If you can't move up a hill or walk for a click or two and hit anything seems pointless. When I'm forced to shoot off a bench it always feels un-natural. I always go out to the bush to shoot long range mainly due to the fact that most local ranges only go to about two hundred metres...and there are no benches at my sweet shooting spot or level ground for that matter.
 
There are some substantial differences between stocks designed for prone, and those designed for bench shooting. Also, people almost always use bipods that are too tall for prone shooting, meaning they need to add height to ther rear of the gun, either by arching your back or by building up under the rear bag.

Keep the gun low to the ground and use an anjustable butt plate. That is the secret to shooting comfortably from the prone position.

Also, your scope's optimal position will be further forward for shooting prone. People often adjsut their scopes on a bench, and they end up being to far to the rear.

Ergonomics in an essential part of precision shooing, and it frequently takes a back seat to crap that looks cool.
 
jamiejaf said:
Punching holes repeatedly from a distance off a static structure has no training value. Adopting different positions and effectively hitting them does.
Click to expand...

Depends what you are training for. If you're training for hunting or military, then yeah shooting off a bench definitely is only a small part of the picture.

But....... if you're a target shooter and you join in competitions where everyone is shooting off a bench, I'd say it has a lot of training value.

This all being said, I mainly shoot off a bench. This year's deer season has convinced me that I need to spend a lot more time shooting in various positions.
 
TargetNorth said:
This year's deer season has convinced me that I need to spend a lot more time shooting in various positions.
Click to expand...

That is the truth for most of us. It is so easy to be spoiled by the bench, the bipod, and rifles that aren't human portable, then miss "easy" shots when under duress, or when the conditions don't let you get into a known position.
 
People at the range always look funny at me when I move the bench and shoot standing, sitting ,kneeling and prone.I had one guy ask me why I was shooting so much standing?When I said "because it's hard" he just shrugged and walked away.Some people will just never get it.
 
Certainly those that do not hunt, or have never shot Service Rifle or been a soldier have trouble "getting" it.

Since the only way I can hit the broadside of a barn (in any other position than prone) is by shooting from inside the barn, I tend to limit such practice to times when there is nobody around to laugh at me. Thank god for shotguns.
 
TargetNorth said:
This all being said, I mainly shoot off a bench. This year's deer season has convinced me that I need to spend a lot more time shooting in various positions.
Click to expand...

I use rimfire to practice field positions for hunting. This fall I did a bunch of load development on 3 rifles and I would spend the time waiting for barrels to cool by practicing offhand at 100yds with a .22LR. I started out trying to keep 20 of 20 on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper and ended up getting about 18 of 20 into a 6" circle at that range. I noticed a significant improvement in my field shooting because of this practice time and I intend to keep it up through the next year to stay sharp for next hunting season.

Mark
 
Obtunded said:
Certainly those that do not hunt, or have never shot Service Rifle or been a soldier have trouble "getting" it.

Since the only way I can hit the broadside of a barn (in any other position than prone) is by shooting from inside the barn, I tend to limit such practice to times when there is nobody around to laugh at me. Thank god for shotguns.
Click to expand...

Maybe, but when you uber up, you rock the free world. And with what 30gr powder?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom