Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoil

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Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoil

Post by Releb » 03 Feb 2017, 10:00 am

Has anyone experimented with adding some weight to their rifle when on the bench to aid stability and recoil?

I'm thinking of something like a slimline bag on the front of the receiver.
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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by pomemax » 03 Feb 2017, 10:59 am

buy a lead slead
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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by bladeracer » 03 Feb 2017, 11:03 am

Releb wrote:Has anyone experimented with adding some weight to their rifle when on the bench to aid stability and recoil?

I'm thinking of something like a slimline bag on the front of the receiver.



I don't see the point, unless you are planning to shoot in the field the same way?
I think you'd get a better result by concentrating on ensuring the rifle recoils consistently with every shot.
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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by Noisydad » 03 Feb 2017, 11:56 am

I read a longish article from a US source about bloke doing some serious experimental shooting in a big warehouse. He was letting his rifle free recoil with only his finger tip touching the rifle. He also discovered that the bullets clearance from the lands counted for very little and other factors mattered way more.
There's still a few of Wile. E Coyote's ideas that I haven't tried yet.
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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by Gwion » 03 Feb 2017, 1:01 pm

Noisydad wrote:I read a longish article from a US source about bloke doing some serious experimental shooting in a big warehouse. He was letting his rifle free recoil with only his finger tip touching the rifle. He also discovered that the bullets clearance from the lands counted for very little and other factors mattered way more.


Not meaning to be contrary, ND, but if it is the same research as i have read, it was the other way around. He (or they) found free recoiling with the bullet touching the lands and consistent neck tension gave the best results.
To ensure the bullet contacted the lands exactly the same every time, he didn't even neck size the brass but just placed the bullet in the neck out long. It would hold in the neck, but loosely, and slide back as it contacted the lands so that the ogive was precisely on the lands every single shot. He found that even powder charge had less effect than seating depth and neck tension.

I rebuilt my computer recently and lost the link. Cant remember the name of the bloke or the article.
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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by deye243 » 03 Feb 2017, 3:41 pm

houston warehouse
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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by Noisydad » 03 Feb 2017, 3:41 pm

Gwion wrote:
Noisydad wrote:I read a longish article from a US source about bloke doing some serious experimental shooting in a big warehouse. He was letting his rifle free recoil with only his finger tip touching the rifle. He also discovered that the bullets clearance from the lands counted for very little and other factors mattered way more.


Not meaning to be contrary, ND, but if it is the same research as i have read, it was the other way around. He (or they) found free recoiling with the bullet touching the lands and consistent neck tension gave the best results.
To ensure the bullet contacted the lands exactly the same every time, he didn't even neck size the brass but just placed the bullet in the neck out long. It would hold in the neck, but loosely, and slide back as it contacted the lands so that the ogive was precisely on the lands every single shot. He found that even powder charge had less effect than seating depth and neck tension.

I rebuilt my computer recently and lost the link. Cant remember the name of the bloke or the article.

Thanks for the correction. I was hoping someone else would be able to find the link coz I couldn't either.
There's still a few of Wile. E Coyote's ideas that I haven't tried yet.
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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by Chronos » 03 Feb 2017, 3:47 pm

What are you hoping to achieve by doing it? you may get surprising results but it'll be false result because you may never replicate the result in a field situation.

plenty of rifle stocks have been damaged using lead sleds, if it's too much gun for you find another approach

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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by Ken » 06 Feb 2017, 9:01 am

Dunno why people are worried about 'the field'.

He said he wants the info for the bench, so....
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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by bladeracer » 06 Feb 2017, 2:38 pm

Ken wrote:Dunno why people are worried about 'the field'.

He said he wants the info for the bench, so....



Sure, and that's fine if he's only ever going to shoot from the bench.
By "field" I mean anywhere other than the bench.
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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by Chronos » 06 Feb 2017, 2:52 pm

Ken wrote:Dunno why people are worried about 'the field'.

He said he wants the info for the bench, so....


Because hunting rifles are used in the field and target rifles are generally built to the weight class they compete in and don't need to be weighed down.

I've been to a few comps and never seen anyone weigh a rifle down, usually the only people that have an idea like that are people who are shooting too much gun for them and can't shoot it reliably on the bench so go searching for shortcuts

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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by Gwion » 07 Feb 2017, 9:30 am

Buy a second, heavier stock for target use and keep your hunting stock for hunting. You will most likely have to re-zero whenever you change stocks, though.

I have a home made test rest that i sometimes strap my rifle to when developing ammo; just to eliminate or reduce influence from my end. I do not do this when zeroing the rifle for normal shooting,
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Re: Weighing down rifle on the bench for stability and recoi

Post by Lorgar » 10 Feb 2017, 9:49 am

Chronos wrote:I've been to a few comps and never seen anyone weigh a rifle down, usually the only people that have an idea like that are people who are shooting too much gun for them and can't shoot it reliably on the bench so go searching for shortcuts


Ditto.

The idea comes up a lot but I've never seen anyone do it I don't think.

New shooters get used to their rifles and the idea fades away I guess.

Or people who bit off more than they could chew swap the rifle for something down a step in the recoil table.
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