Rifle Rest

[fanievb]

I’ve had my license for about a year now and finally found a reliable gunsmith who can fit a rail-mount to my rifle (at a reasonable price).

My question however relates to rifle rests (for sighting in), I’ve seen a few on Google but I’m not convinced that they will do the job, because most of them are made from steel and common sense tells me that you will lose accuracy and line-up after every shot as a result of recoil, i.e. the rifle will move and bounce off the hard surfaces of the rest. And it’s not worth buying one to use once or twice a year.

Is it worth making one or sticking to sand/bean bags?
Does anyone have any plans ideas to make a rifle rest?

 

[Simen]

Fanie, regardless of what you use, the steel one, plastic one, bean bags, sand bags, etc, all have one thing in common:

They help you keep the rifle steady for your shot. The shot YOU have to make. And YES after each shot you have to re -align the rifle again, not one of them keeps it so still for 2 shots in a row.

When sighting a rifle, or scope they help you place the sights or scope on target and TAKES AWAY the human natural movement.

Some people pull to the left when squeezing the trigger for example.

On any of the above it stabilizes it enough so there is no movement when making the shot.

Make the shot from this stable position -- see where the bullet hits --- re align --- shoot again -- and so on -- untill your rifle is sighted.

Dont spend money on these fancy gadgets, just fill some socks, small bags, panty hoze with sand -- it does exactly the same job.

Try set whatever you are using up to a natural as possible position to your body as if you are actually shooting.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[Brett Jacobs]

oom Simen had the same rifle when he was in the bats

 

[fanievb]

Thanks Oom.

This was exactly my concern re: a stable rest to ensure that you don't have to adjust and re-align the whole time.

I think I'll stick to the tried and trusted sand-stuffed bank bags.

Regards
Fanie

 

[uliman]

Fanie...hope you not going to modify the Lee Enfield .303 that you have there...

Nice rifle in original condition....keep it that way...

 

[fanievb]

Only mod is the 4 small holes for the rail mount.

(I know it's a sin but my eyes are to bad to shoot with open sights)

I left the stock as is, just lightly sanded and re-oiled.

 

[fanievb]

double post.

seems my pc wants to go on holiday

 

[ThefishinMagician]

I found that when using the rests, I tend to do the most weird things. I could never get consistent groups when shooting off the rest. Decided it was a bad idea and shot as if I was in the bush.

Immediately, things started to improve. I, personally think that to sight in with a fancy rest etc it a bit of false hope. Those same conditions could never be replicated in the bush. Best is to sight in with what you would have to your disposal in the bush. Small things like body position, clothing (padded jacket vs T-shirt) and breathing etc, can all affect your rifle position in relation to your body/eye and eventually your shot.

I must admit, I find it funny on that first day of the hunt whilst sighting in the rifles before setting out, the guys that say... "at the range I was getting perfect grouping"...

 

[Go fish]

Always a good idea to sight in a rifle on a dead rest, eliminate all human factors.

After the rifle has been "sighted in" this way you can shoot it off the preffered "rest" of your choice, where human elements come into play such as breathing,trigger squeeze etc. But if the rifle shoots true off the dead rest and it doesn't when it's on the shoulder, you cant' blame the rifle.