Sight-in rests

[badland]

What do you guys prefer to use for shooting/sighting in your guns? Bags or some type of shooting/rifle rests. Looking at buying a rifle rest(any better that others) and just wonder if it wold be alittle more convenient than dragging the bags out all the time. Thanks

 

[rick smith]

Sinclair front rest, Bald Eagle rear bag. Once you use them, you won't go back to sandbags.Rick.

 

[big rifle man]

I agree completely with Rick. A Sinclair rest is the most solid way togo. A good rear bag completes the setup. A good addition (which I am lucky enough to have at my club) is a good solid concrete bench.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I have a concrete bench at my range, and I use a lead sled for my rifle to sit on. Cant get much more solid then that, plus it takes ALL the kick out of any rifle you bring. Can shoot 100 rounds a day through my 300 RUM if I wanted to.

 

[Asa Yam]

Shooting sling and maybe a shooting jacket.

The type of rest used depends on the level of confidence of the shooter.

 

[cal sibley]

I've been using the same thing for almost 20 years, and it serves me well. It's a Hart rest (heavy rascal) and Protecktor bags. The rear bag has a double bottom so there's no wobble to it. A few years ago I changed the top to the Sinclair side adjustable model so I can apply a bit of side pressure to the rifles. It helps. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

 

[Bigdog2n]

I picked up a Shooters Ridge gun rest this last year and it works really well. Holds the rifle nice and absorbs a lot of recoil. Even sighting in a 338WinMags was pain free-- no flinch--I'm sure other work well too

 

[Bigdog2n]

I picked up a Shooters Ridge gun rest this last year and it works really well. Holds the rifle nice and absorbs a lot of recoil. Even sighting in a 338WinMags was pain free-- no flinch--I'm sure other work well too

 

[JD338]

I use sand bags. Anyone seen or used one of the bull bags?
I have been thinking of trying one.

JD338

 

[longwinters]

I go with two different methods. The Hart frontrest or a shooting bag by Dog Gone Good. Rear bag is a leather butt bag-rabbit ear. I find that the Hart rest does not put enough pressure on the forarm to keep all the wiggle out. But it is a great rest for going to new places where you don't know what the bench height will be etc.... Otherwise the Dog Gone Good bag is what I use for best stability.

Long

 

[Guy Miner]

I'm with Asa - and I'll take it a bit farther. Asa is a dedicated competition shooter, and is required to shoot from a sling - not from a rest. When I'm sighting in my NRA Highpower match rifle I do the same thing, sling up, go prone and shoot. It's been plenty good enough to zero the rifle for high-master level scores.

With a hunting rifle, I sight it in the way I'm going to hunt with it. Often from sitting position or prone, with a "hasty" sling for support.

I've noticed that rifles sometimes print to a different point of impact, depending on how they're shot. If they're sighted in from a bench, the point of impact may not be where expected when the hunter/shooter wraps up in a tight sling for a precision shot.

Once the rifle is sighted-in, I do a lot of shooting from prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. Again, point of impact may well vary with each different position.

Regards, Guy

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Guy, good point. I have been kinda testing the same thing out. Usually when I test loads, I shoot from the bench. Even when I sight in, I sight in from the bench. When I practice, I do both. Bench, or laying prone w/bipod. I have noticed that at longer ranges, 500+ that the way you sight in your gun, does effect its zero. I will give my latest example of what I mean. I was shooting my .270 at 800 yards on my steel gong. I had to be somewhere around 80 clicks up or so to be dead on. Well, my 270 was zeroed at 200 yards off the bench. So I figured I would take my lead sled and sit it on top of the hood of my car and it would be a bit steadier hold then laying prone with bipod at 800 for accuracy testing. I fired a couple shots and hit the gong on my 2nd and 3rd, I missed the 1st. I said well now I know its on at 800, now time to lay prone w/ bipod to see what I and the rifle can do. My first shot was about 1-2 ft high. Kinda weird I thought, so I did no adjustments and shot again, still same place. I had to click about 8 clicks down to be dead on at 800 off the bipod, instead of the bench. Kinda weird I thought, but at least I know whats going on. Its amazing how little changes make such a big difference in long range shooting.

 

[JD338]

Yup, you need to sight in from how you ar egoing to be hunting/target shooting.
Back in my Hi Power competition days, sling tension could shift your POI at 200 yds by several inches.

JD338

 

[Richracer1]

I test and do initial sighting in on a Cabela's magnum rest. Saves my shoulder from just about all the recoil. Once sighted in, I then verify from my shooting sticks.