tips and tricks for bipods, rear bags and prone

[yotawheeler]

Hey guys...I have been on here a fair bit trying to read and learn what I can and I just had some questions about how to make the most of a bipod and is a rear bag really needed? I have seen references to having your bipod "loaded" pretty sure that i know what it means but a real answer would be better than me guessing.

any tips or tricks for shooting off a bipod and with a rear bag would be much appreciated. right now I am just shooting with a bi pod up front...i usually shoot 2-3x 1 MOA groups when i go to the range and would love to be able to shoot 1 MOA groups or better more consistently.

also shooting prone....things never go as well shooting prone as with shooting off the bench for me, but then i don't really know what I'm doing from the prone position.

any advice/help would be much appreciated

 

[mustang979]

The rear bag made a rather noticeable difference for me, as did setting up my cheek rest appropriately and hand loading. When they talk about loading a bipod, they mean actively pushing the rifle forward with your shoulder so the bipod is under tension/load.

 

[Major Sights]

There is different positions while shooting from prone. I was originally trained with the old Military prone position which is not optimal for precision rifle shooting.

I am now in the process of trying to make the "in line" position second nature.

[youtube]udn8dVSiVvc[/youtube]

 

[J996]

Like Major Sights I also had to update my shooting position from what was taught in the military. These guys here from rifles only have some great videos on technique, it really helped me. Doing dry fires once in position on the target to check your position also helps a lot to teach you a repeatable shooting position. I do at least two before I put the magazine in and fire.

With the bipod properly loaded in the prone, you can actually let go of the rifle and it will stay up, trapped between your shoulder and the bipod. This keeps the rifle in place from shot to shot.

I never could get used to a bench so I always shoot prone. For a good rear bag look at a TAB, I like their square shape better than the round ones.

 

[693 Precision]

As others have said get straight behind the rifle. If you have a someone to help you it can be easier to have them straighten you out then you know how it feels and can try to consistently do that. Taking a video of you shooting also helps.

When shooting from a bipod a rear bag is the easiest way to get steady on target. You can use your had to hold up the butt of the rifle but I can never get as stable that way. I have been using the TAB bags for a while and really like the feel of the fill and it is nice having 3 heights.

-Steve

 

[scout]

'Loading' your Harris is to lean into it a bit ... to keep it from hopping.

Prone position - most of us were taught flat position. There has been a lot of (USA based) literature that bringing your right (strong side) leg up ("Eastonian bent right leg" - see Jim Sweet's comments on the findings from the US AMTU in "Competitive Rifle Shooting") takes the pressure off of your diaphragm, which helps breathing and reduces the transfer of vibration from your heartbeat to the rifle. Also there is an argument to made that if you need to get up fast, having a leg 'half cocked' is beneficial.