Took the 308 win out

[corbin9191]

Hey guy's, finally got some time to take the marlin xs7 308 win out today. The wind was blowing about 10-15 mph and it was about 40 degrees. But while I was shooting the rifle off the bi pod (pre loaded with a support in the back) I could not the any bullets to groups. I was shooting at 200 yards the whole time. But when I just put the gun is a caldwell tack driver shooting bad without anything else to support it I got some of the best groups I have seen with this gun. Shooting off the tack driver bag I got 3 shots into .833 inches @ 200 yards, (not bad for just being a $280 gun) but with shooting off the bi pod the groups was over 1 foot :evil:. As you can see in the picture the bullet holes with the red around them were shot from the bi pod and the bullet holes with the green around them were off the shooting bag. Can anyone explain what is going on?

 

[DrMike]

First of all, you must allow that the small sample of shooting off the bags could be an artifact. However, assuming it is not an artifact, it may be that off the bi-pod you are either compressing the stock into the barrel or flexing the barrel, or more likely, it is not sufficiently stable to get a decent group. Check to ensure that the bi-pod is stable.

 

[corbin9191]

First of all, you must allow that the small sample of shooting off the bags could be an artifact. However, assuming it is not an artifact, it may be that off the bi-pod you are either compressing the stock into the barrel or flexing the barrel, or more likely, it is not sufficiently stable to get a decent group. Check to ensure that the bi-pod is stable.

Shooting off the bag I shot a couple groups on a steel plate and it was still giving my great groups like the one in the picture in the green. I will check the bi pod again. But I just thought it was a little weird that I could not get good groups off the bi pod. I free floated the barrel a while back and before I shot I did not see the stock touching the barrel but I could be wrong. I was pretty impressed with the group off the bag though at that distance :grin: .

 

[corbin9191]

Could I be pre loading the bi pod too much?

 

[FOTIS]

Remember the the marlin xs7 and or XL7 are not free-floated from the factory. They are pressure bedded at the fore end. Basic difference from the Stevens/Savage family of rifles. Mess with the stock and you will mess with the group.

 

[nodak7mm]

Morning Corbin,

In addition to what Doc said, how firm are you hold that rifle and loading the bipod? The prob with shooting off a bipod I have found is that you cant let it bounce around, use a light load or shoot off a really firm surface well.

Preload those bipod leg with foward shoulder pressure and downward forearm pulling pressure and I think you 'll find em tightnnn up.

Rod

 

[corbin9191]

Morning Corbin,

In addition to what Doc said, how firm are you hold that rifle and loading the bipod? The prob with shooting off a bipod I have found is that you cant let it bounce around, use a light load or shoot off a really firm surface well.

Preload those bipod leg with foward shoulder pressure and downward forearm pulling pressure and I think you 'll find em tightnnn up.

Rod

I am holding the gun very firmly. But then again that might be my problem as well. I might be pulling when I am holding it to firmly? POP, I did free float the barrel and ever since then I have been getting good groups. shooting off the bi pod at too yards I pulled off a 3 shot group of .600 inches a while back and it has been shooting like that ever since at 100 yards.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Corbin. Bi-pods are not as steady as people think they are. Especially when the legs are sitting on top of a bench while the wind is blowing. The Bi-pod legs cannot dig into the bench like they can soft ground. Bags are for shooting groups. Bipods are for practice you skills under hunting conditions.

 

[Guest]

Cobin,

I found shooting my 300 Ultra Mag with the bi-pod laying prone worked well for me. I was prone with the bi-pod using shot filled bags as the rear support shooting 275 yards. I does matter how you hold / grip the gun with the bipod to achieve good groups assuming everything else is in alignment. I try to just keep the shouldered snuggly while holding enough forearm pressure to stabilize the the jump. I'm not the long range expert here, just my personal observation while shooting my gun. I find this is one area of shooting that will take range time to hone my skill level.

Don

 

[corbin9191]

Thank you everyone for the help. I did leave out one part of information though. When I was shooting off the bipod (and the bag) I was shooting out of the back end of my pickup. the bipod legs were in one of the ridges on the tale gate so the gun could not jump up in the air like it does off the bench. I will shoot some more off the bipod the same way but hopefully there wont be any wind pushing me around a little bit, and see how that does and I will also try the tricks that you all gave me and see what happens.