Technique

Dan Newcombe

Well-Known Member
Can anyone clear up something thats been making me wonder.

Whats the best way to shoot off a bipod?

I have seen people hold the butt (and a recent post in the reloading section promotes this as well as not actually holding the grip with your trigger hand). Does this not allow the front to jump a bit and does this affect the accuracy?

Hold the forend as with a normal shot

Have a hand on the bipod leg

How much do you actually have to hold onto a centrefire rifle up to about .308 to ensure an accurate shot. My moderated 6.5 barely moves but there is a bit of muzzle flip in my un moderated .22-250

Dan
 
I tend to support the butt. As the ground may not be completely flat it allows me to present the butt into my shoulder in a comfortable and stable manner.
 
I think it is all down to personal preferance and finding what works for you.

I tend to hold the forend as I would shooting normally because I found this is what worked best for me. My theory being that the point of impact would not change as much for different positions.
 
Dan

I presume you are primarily speaking of shooting off the bipod from a prone position?

When I do the same, I always try to support the butt of the rifle with my free hand, resting the bottom of the butt on my clenched fist. By squeezing/opening the fist you can raise/lower the crosshairs accordingly. I have my other hand on the rifle grip and squeeze the trigger in the normal way. I have seen benchrest shooters use a "pinch squeeze", with one finger on the trigger and the thumb on the rear of the trigger guard, but I seem to get on fine with the 'normal' way.

If using the bipod from a sitting position, I typically have the bipod to my left (i.e. so the rifle is across my front). I can then have my arms folded and resting on my knees, which gives a very stable shooting platform, even if I can't get my back against a tree. My right hand is on the rifle grip (I'm right handed) and the left supports the butt. It sounds more complicated than it is!

I don't touch the bipod leg/forend at all, except where I am taking a standing shot off my sticks, where I'll grip the intersection of the sticks and stock (NOT the barrel).

Like so many other things in life, there is no right/wrong answer here - the key is to find the position that's comfortable and works for you.

willie_gunn
 
Interesting, i am talking about a prone bipod shot when stalking and off a truck cab when foxing (but laid quite far forward on the cab so the whole rifle is over the roof)

I thought that just supporting the back might allow the rifle to jump more and decrease accuracy but by the looks of it the bullet is well gone.

Would it make any difference shooting off somthing hard and slippy (like a car roof) with a bi pod how you decide to grip for the shot or should it make no difference?
 
Dan

The advice I have seen before is to not to hold the stock/bipod as it brings with it a tendency to want to control the aim using the front (left, in my case) hand.

On your second question, providing the platform is stable (i.e. the truck's not moving!) I can't think it makes much difference if the surface is hard and slippy or soft and stable :oops:

That said, I'm happy to bow to those on this Site with more experience than me.

willie_gunn
 
Whatever is comfortable really.
Dont worry about the muzzle flipping, that only happens after the bullet has left so it does not affect accuracy
 
Hello,

Pretty well covered. As has been said, being comfortable is a key element - within reason!

I RCO/ Assess DSC1 shooting tests ( braced for abuse this end ;) ) and see a er... wide variety of 'techniques'. Some rarely work - eg gripping bipod, others are hit and ( no pun ) miss. But the one constant performer is to take a normal grip with the trigger hand and brace/ cup the rear of the rifle by adopting a grip at the bottom of the butt/ shoulder pocket.

It is this latter approach that I encourage for anyone struggling on the test.

In theory, the bipod is taking care of the front end. With a good position the main movement comes from your chest/ trunk - breathing, heart beat etc. Using a cupped hand or fist type hold does a great deal to stabilise things.

Standard marksman trick is to use a sand filled sock and raise/ lower aim point by squeezing the sock - just be convincing when you swear to me that you really do carry a sand sock whilst out stalking :eek:

I get to see a large number of shooters, kit and styles and as others have wisely said, there's no one specific right way to most things. I constantly learn and revise opinions from observing/ chatting with course members - most of whom seem to have much better imagination than I do!

Most recent ploy was a 4 or 5" piece of pipe insulation taped round bottom of sling. From prone bipod position this provided a chunky but flexible grip - very closely mimicking the aforementioned sand sock. Worked for the guy in question.

The main hold - and one of the most common - that seems to add very little to the equation is to use the free hand to grip the rifle anywhere from just ahead the trigger guard up toward the fore end.

In terms of jump on a slippery/ hard surface, if your hold and follow through are good, it should make little difference with a free floated barrel. Possibly a bit hard on the car paintwork though. In addition risk of clunking the roof whilst getting settled. A piece of carpet over the cab roof works well.
 
If you are doing it as you say, after the barrel has jumped, your rifle should have returned to a position allowing you to see your point of aim, (follow through/stay in the aim), . From coaching procedures. :)
 
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