Rear Grip Shooting Technique

[cchastain]

Most of my sp experience has been with center grip XP's but my latest endeavor is a rear grip XP chambered in 243AI sitting in a Lee Six 3inch benchrest stock. I'm using a Sinclair front rest and a brick bag in the rear. So far I am very unhappy with this setup. I was wondering how you Guys with similar sp's shoot from the bench. Any advice will be appreciated.
Chris

[Blue Avenger]

small bag under grip I can pinch or release for elevation and what ever bag height under forend to get on target.

[RCE1]

Based on the photo, I think I'd like to have a longer bag so the grip would tend to recoil straight back. Also, I would want somehow to rest my elbows on the bench for stability

[Dan L]

I am differnt than most
I do not like a sand bag in the rear, I feel the gun settles in too much and you have to constantly adjust
I use a block of wood with a mouse pad
This way the pistol just slides back and forth
I use a one piece rest and am able to adjust windage and elevation from thr back


Dan

[cchastain]

Appreciate the replies. Dan I saw a picture of your setup and have been thinking about trying a more solid piece under the grip. I agree completely about the sandbag settling too much . I'm getting occasional shots going high and left and I'm sure it's in my technique. How much grip pressure do you use ? I feel like that is where my problem is. Even though I have a break it's not a free recoil gun .
Chris

[Iowa Fox]

Chris your rear bag is holding you back. Like Blue Avenger mentioned a squeeze bag is the way to go. Good ones are not easy to come by in my experience. Protektor was good enough to make me three of them from paper drawings I emailed them. Each one was less than 20 bucks shipped. I filled them myself. When you squeeze them up they get solid as a rock, I filled mine with steel cut oats.

Here is a little clip of a rear squeeze bag getting used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5gvQgMo2NA



Dan thats a beauty of a set up. I've got one of Cayles standard steel rests but I wish I would have had him make me a aluminum extendable like yours along with the steel one for the TC's.

My Savage PTA has a flat bottom rear grip that I use the squeeze bag with and my Remington is in a McMillan rear grip hatchet grip so that one uses a bag with ears.

[cchastain]

Iowa Fox thanks for the video. I have a friend who has bag similar to that , I will get it and give it a try. I wonder how many rounds the young man shooting in the video has sent down range ?
Chris

[Blue Avenger]

How much grip pressure do you use ? I feel like that is where my problem is. Even though I have a break it's not a free recoil gun .
Chris

Let the gun move as it wants to. Don't fully brace yourself. Only use enough to keep it from hitting you or flying away.

[jimreed1948]

I use a similar setup to yours. Since this photo was taken, I have added a Lothar Walther barrel and an arca rail. The arca rail is really nice since it is flat on the bottom, the rail prevents it from rolling from one side to the other.

Hunting I use a tripod setup for the rail.

[Dan L]

Let the gun move as it wants to. Don't fully brace yourself. Only use enough to keep it from hitting you or flying away.

Great Answer
Too much pressure will push the bullet in that direction

Dan

[cchastain]

Well I've decided to try and sell this gun and if it doesn't sell I'm gonna rebarrel to 6br . Honestly I bought it expecting the barrel to be toast but to my surprise it's in great condition .

[Mjshell]

What set up are you using for your center grips?

[cchastain]

I use the same setup for the centergrips with the exception of the bag in the front rest . I use a sporter type bag and the muzzle just flips up and it works well .

[Mjshell]

I have had very little experience shooting center grips. I did not like the way the muzzle flips. i.e. flip breaking more at the wrist versus the arm and elbow in conjunction with a rear grip. I position my front rest way forward on the bench to allow me to get totally behind the gun a rest my strong side elbow on a bag. I generally use a 2 handed grip

[61Knuckle]

I use a flat bag [don't remember what Protector calls it] about 5" square that is pretty firm under the grip. Sometimes I need a wood block under it to get alignment, depends on the pistol / scope combination I'm shooting. As to the hold, pretty much as Blue Avenger described, except on the LoudenBoomers, some of them require a modified 'Taco Hold' to prevent eyebrow injury. A plastic placemat from Wally World can help with the elbows on rough bench tops.

[Bob Roach]

cchastine I have a Wichita Rest for the front that looks about like your set up. Your Head is nicer than my factory one. For the Rear Bag I am using a 2" x 3" x 4" Brick Bag made of OD Canvas Military Tent Material. I also have a second larger Brick Bag that I believe is 4" x 5" x 6". I have the bag's filled with Beaney Baby Fill. I have used other Craft Pellets as well as Air Soft Pellets over the years. Most are to large to work well for a rear bag. I ended up ordering a box of the Beaney Baby Pellets on line. They squeeze very nicely, and consistently, and will hold position well when you get on target. You may need to do a little trial and error getting the bag fill exactly right. Too much fill and the bag is to rigid. Too little and it is sloppy. The lady that I had make mine years ago was a shooter and her husband was a shooter. She got the fill density right the first time. No adjustment required. I have worked with other bags over the years not made by her, and discovered the percent of fill was important.

If I were to get into serious Benchrest with a handgun I would look into one of the Rests with the Gear Shift Lever to move the front bag Up/Down and Side to Side like the big boys use. Then work out a Leather Bag for the Butt that let the gun slide straight back. I am using a Harrel's Precision Tactical Four Gill Brake as sold by Hunts Long Range on my Nosler M48 in 6.5CM. His version has Four Holes in the top of the ports that seems to keep the muzzle down pretty well.

Bob R

[61Knuckle]

Bob, I'm using a Wichita Rest as well, think I acquired it in the late '80's or early '90's. The head assembly is definitely simpler than cchastine's. It has held up well and is steady.

[cchastain]

Bob , my rest is a Sinclair varmint rest with an old Hart windage top . I am really considering a joystick rest .

[rickiesrevenge]

If you have a gun that tracks straight back its pretty easy. If your gun hops or twists dramatically then it changes things. For a benchrest type setup I'd want something for the grip to track back on.

https://youtu.be/2BvK-VsYyV8

[BobT]

Bob , my rest is a Sinclair varmint rest with an old Hart windage top . I am really considering a joystick rest .

I have an SEB Mini-X and really like it, it took almost a year to get here after I ordered but it was worth the wait.

[Iowa Fox]

Holy Smokes! I'm one of the three guys in that video.