question for you expert shooters

[familydc]

I have noticed that the location of my groupings when using a benchrest and free standing are different. Obviously this is a hold issue. My question is two fold. 1. Should I be getting groupings that are similar and just keep practicing? 2. Do you hunters out there have to sight the scope on your rifle different for free hold ( hunting) ? I feel like I need to do this at this point because I hate nothing worse then not getting a clean kill. It almost makes me want to stop hunting whenever that happens. Thanks for your input.

[TCups]

Describe your bench rest technique precisely, please.  What is your front rest?  Are you using a rear bag?

[Gene_SC]

Good question for Shadow and Longislandhunter..  I would think with enough practice you should be able to shoot the same groups standing or on the bench rest. But I do not know for sure because when I stand and shoot, I generally fall down, so I use the bench rest...

[familydc]

Benchrest technique.  Front bag, no rear bag and artillery hold.

[Tpatner412]

I personally have sighted all of my rifles in on the bench and tweaked them as necessary for hunting.  My RWS 48 I sighted in sitting down shooting at a knockdown target.  I was simply resting the gun on my hand which was on top of my knee.  It took a little time but it has served me well.  I haven't had any issues shooting my .177 bench sighted rifles in the field.  Maybe that's just me though

[arathol]

Of course they are different. A spring gun thats rested on a bag handles recoil differently than when shot offhand. That why so many don't get it when they zero off a bag then can't hit anything when they take the gun outside and shoot it using the artillery hold or whatever. Two different holds will produce two different results. Even placing the gun on the bag in a different position can change point of impact. If you want to zero your gun and have it shoot well you really  need to do it using  whatever hold you normally shoot with. The most important thing is practice practice practice.  If you can't shoot the gun straight it won't do it for you.

[longislandhunter]

I sight in all my rifles while sitting at the shooting bench using a front rest that has adjustable elevation as a support for my left hand.  My left hand cradles the rifles forearm and I  use the rest only as a support for the back of my hand, never to directly support the rifle and I make it a point to gently lean on the rest.   I never  lay the forearm directly on a bag, towel or anything else, the forearm is always supported by my hand just like it will be while I'm hunting.  This practice works well for me when I'm in the field hunting as I will always take advantage of a tree or anything else that I can lean on when taking the shot.  Using this technique I find that my groupings, whether sitting at the bench or free hand, are basically the same.... however while shooting free hand you have to expect the groupings to open a bit.  

Jeff

[familydc]

The answer for me is obviously clear.  I just need to buy more air rifles and scopes!   Rifles for hunting and rifles for plinking.  Now I just need to convince the better half.

[shadow]

My rest just has a small sandbag to rest the forestock on and I'm barely resting on the cheek rest and holding the shooter with the other hand, lite on the trigger. A lot of it is learning how your shooter shoot's off of different rest and like Jeff I'm always shooting off of tree limbs etc. or free standing. I've learned through trial and error in the field what the shooter likes and doesn't like and most of my shooters like a loose hold. I just finished up a Whisper tune, my new baby and I'm still breaking her in along with trying to find a pellet she likes. She still need's some lead through her to break her in but seems to like the Crosman Destroyer pellet's and a solid hold but that may change after she's broke in. Ed

[jay morgan]

I use the same tech. as longislandhunter front supported by hand resting on a bag & then off hand shot's seem to stay the same(at least as close as I can come)& MR.SHADOW it seem's that a whisper does like a little back pull into shoulder(I think it give's it more impulse time) at least mine does too.

[PeakChick]

Virtually all rifles shoot a  bit differently from a bench rest and shot off hand.

I use the same technique Jeff (Long Island Hunter) uses. I have an adjustable height front rest. I have a folded towel on top of the rest. I always cup the forestock of the rifle in my left hand and the buttstock is unsupported on my shoulder. I sight all my air rifles in this way and find that I don't have any significant issues with differences in zero when shooting off the rest. Like Jeff, I too will use any type of rest available when shooting offhand in the field. A tree, a fence rail, anything to provide a steadying rest for my off hand. If an impromptu rest is not available and I have to take a long shot my favorite field shooting position is plopped on my butt, my knees up, resting my elbows on my knees.

PS: I certainly wouldn't lay any claim to being an expert shooter. Just passing on what works for me.

[Larry]

I use the same method as the LongIslandHunter and other forum members. I use a bench rest with the front of the rifle laying on my hand (never touching anything else). The rear of the rifle is tucked in to my shoulder lightly only enough to support the gun (very simular to standing). So a modified bench rest position can closely match the hold of the standing/standing supported position. My groups standing are not as tight as the bench, but they are decent, and the rifle zero is pretty darn close.

[djmyers]

When i sight mine in or am shooting long targets for fun I shoot off a camera tripod with a sock full of rice on top. Works great. My 350 gets a little more pull into the shoulder and grip on the stock with the trigger hand. I try to hold hem the same when shooting in the feild and they hit pretty close. If I can I'll put my front hand on a tree and stick my humb out like a shelf for the forend of the rifle to sit on. I have hit paint balls at 25 yard hat way. In the off hand a 25 yard shot is a good one. Groups open up but  still kill zone shots.

[tjk]

Ditto to Arathols post!! If you're  going to hunt off a bench rest, be prepared to haul it around  in the field. NOT!! Springers are just too sensitive and tempramental to exact the same POI with two different holds.  From my experience, I get it close from a picnic table, then tweek the kill zone as needed off-hand.  To maintain consistant and acceptable groupings, set your range (zero) at a constant,... Ex: like 25 yards, and learn to adjust your shots at 20 and 30 yards. Mil-dot scopes really help out a lot in compensating over or under holds for farther or closer shots. But like stated before,...Practice, practice, practice!!!!  I rarely if  ever use a rest when hunting,.... why?,....because with patiences, I let the game come into my "field of fire". Off balanced, hurried, un-disiplined, and fatigued shots rarely take game in an efficient manner. Precision plinking as I call it,  from different distances, target elevations, and target sizes  is the best way to practice. No quary will ever set itself at the exact distance  to your zero scope set up anyways. In all fairness, I rarely try a shot much passed 40 yards. And like Jeff says, if it were easy, it would be shopping. Be Patient and Practice Often. A Starlings death depends on it!!!! LOL's, tjk