Show your bench rest set-up.

[SWshooter]

I would like to see pictures of your bench set-up. Especially you guys that seem to consistently get 1 moa or better groups. I use a pretty simple set-up with a caldwell rest with a contoured bag in front and a bunny ear bag at the rear. Next time I shoot I'll try to remember to take a pic with the gun in place. What seems to cause the most trouble for you and how do you correct for it? MY gun seems very sensitive to cant and I mounted a bubble level on my gun and try to remember to use it. Also, I don't like the round float tube as it seems to cant one way or the other every shot. My gun also seems very sensitive to any side pressure on the grip, ie if you press to the left to center the vertical cross hair the round will strike to the left.

[imschur]

Hey SWshooter, not related to your question but can your range accommodate 200 yards? I read on some of the sniper sites that many .308's start to show there stuff at 200yds when the bullet has had more time to stabilize.

Have you tried prone with a bipod? Thats how I shoot my best. i can loan you a Harris.

[SWshooter]

I shoot on two ranges. Jamestown Rifle Club has a 100 yd outdoor high power range with covered firing points and nice wooden benches on a concrete pad. This is where I do my initial load development. It is very comfortable to shoot from and is closest to my house. Once I have a couple loads that look good I go to the Carol Rod and Gun club range. They have backstops at 50, 100, 200, and 300 yds. They have a covered firing point but because of the way the range lays it is on wooden posts and has a tendency to bounce around if any one is moving around while your shooting. For real accuracy work you need to be there alone. The next closest ranges are Ridgeway PA with a 600 meter silhouette range, and Dubois PA has a 1000 yd range. I've never been to either as they are a couple hours drive away. They are both long established ranges with a great history of both early varmint and bench rest shooting going back to the early 30's and 40's. If you live any where near them you should check them out. I have found that long heavy bullets often are not fully stabilized at 100 yds and maybe more. I have a 350 Rem mag that seems to shoot 1 1/2 inch groups at 100, 200 and 300 yds with 250 gr. spitzers. I almost threw out the load because it didn't seem that accurate at 100 yds. I happened to try some at 200 one day and shot the same inch and a half groups as I was shooting at 100. I moved back to 300 and shot an inch and a half group and that load has been my go to load in the 350 ever since.

[imschur]

hey would you be along my path to Pittsburgh enroute from CT? (sorry for the off topic)

[SWshooter]

I have a love hate relationship with bipods, especially on varmint guns. I have one Harris bipod that has been on and off, on and off, on and off the same guns. I hate it when I'm walking around and it looks ugly, but I shoot better, especially the long shots, with it. I've been looking at the swiveling Harris units, especially the longer ones you could use while sitting, but they are kinda pricey and I'd rather spend the money on a trigger right now. As I get older I find my guns keep getting lighter and lighter, so I am loath to add anything not absolutely necessary. My LR-308 weighs about ten and a half lbs.after some trimming, but I would remove another two lbs if I could. Unfortunately I can't figure out how to do it except trim the barrel back 8" to 16". I am not a fan of 16" barreled 308's however, too much muzzle blast and too much velocity loss. I keep hoping someone will come out with a titanium bolt carrier, not that I could afford it, that should get rid of at least a pound.

[SWshooter]

I don't think so, I live in Jamestown NY which is really close to Erie PA, about a 45 minute drive. You'd have to do a little map work and see how far out of your way it would be. I drove to Mass. one time and would not want to do it again as it is the full length of NYS east to west. If your ever in Erie though, that would be an easy drive.

[imschur]

I don't think so, I live in Jamestown NY which is really close to Erie PA, about a 45 minute drive. You'd have to do a little map work and see how far out of your way it would be. I drove to Mass. one time and would not want to do it again as it is the full length of NYS east to west. If your ever in Erie though, that would be an easy drive.

The people I visit in Pitt got married in Erie  ;D . We also head to Franklinville, Olean area of NY

[SWshooter]

Olean is about an hours drive from me. I've worked there quite a bit and I am familiar with Franklinville and the surrounding area too. I worked as a service tech for about 13 years covering the whole Jamestown, Buffalo, Erie area. I became a union electrition about 10 years ago and we cover pretty much the same area.

[draco41]

This range is at Bath NY, they have a 150 yrd berm and a 200. They have a covered shooting line but the tables kind of suck. This is me shooting the 50 cal at 150.

cant seem to figure out how to embed here?

[imschur]

I dont have youtube embedding enabled at this time. I fixed the post for a direct link

[draco41]

I dont have youtube embedding enabled at this time. I fixed the post for a direct link

No Problem Thanks,

[SWshooter]

What kind of rifle was that? I thought about getting a fifty but without a good long range, 600 yds or so, it's not worth having one.

[Madhouse]

Dang man, that looked like real trauma to your shoulder!

:o      8)

[draco41]

Its a Ferret 50 upper w/36" bbl on a Rogue 50 lower. It's not bad at all, more of a push then a kick. The way the brake is designed it takes a lot of the recoil out. But you have to keep it tight in your shoulder or it will pull away slightly then really hammer you, learned that lesson shooting the Barret in the USMC.

[SWshooter]

Here are some pics of my bench set up. The near rifle is my LR-308 resting on an old Hoppe's rest with a flat bag and a contoured bag under the butt. The far rifle is a Ruger 1022M rebarreled with a Butler Creek barrel to 17HMR and a Hogue stock. It's resting on a Caldwell rest with a contour bag and a bunny ear bag under the butt.

Closer view of the 17HMR.

This is a view of the firing line on the 100 yard range. What looks like sand is just sun on the grass, It was a really bright sunny day.