What am I doing wrong?

[6shooter]

I shoot F-Open with a 7mmWSM (3" forearm on stock), used to use a .308. I have a front tripod with a Protektor 3" leather bag filled with heavy sand (sand blasting media) and an entry level Caldwell rear bag also with heavy sand. Apon recoil the rifle always ends up pointing high and left. What am I doing wrong? Could my front bag be too firm (I have taken some sand out of it but the problem remains) and should I maybe go back to a softer filler (rice?). I lie on the mat at about a 35 degree angle with my left leg straight and my right leg bent at the knee. My left elbow is just north of level with the rear bag and my right elbow is away from the rear bag by about 4 inches. The stock has a thumbhole and a cheekpiece. I know the rear bag is not quite suitable and have a better one on order from Sinclairs, a Protektor with grab handle and cordura ears. The recoil pad is against my shoulder with a small amount of pressure, as is my cheek on the cheekpiece. I had the same issue with my .308 so it is not the rilfe or stock. While setting up the rifle slides freely front to back on the bags. I am using a dry stick lube on the bags and the stock is finished in carnauba wax.
Any advice greatly appreciated.

[Barry Davies]

If you had the same issue with your 308 then it comes down to that probably you are doing the same wrong things.
Suggestions.
Shoot free recoil ie get your cheek off the stock ( remove the cheek piece ) and get the butt away from your shoulder. The rest of your position does not matter really -- for F Class
If you recognize a potential problem with your rear bag -- wait until the new one turns up, make the necessary changes and start again.
Don't go to the soft filler -- use the heavy sand and fill reasonably tight.
All this assuming the rifle is performing to it's best -- but how would you know if there are problems in other areas?

Regards,
Barry

[IanP]

Hey 6shooter, how heavy is your rifle/scope combination? Its a good idea to get you rifle as close to the legal limit as is possible. In FO you can shoot a 10kg rig off a front rest so add weight and get your rifle nicely balanced between the front rest and rear sand bag.

Torque on the larger cals with 180gr plus projectiles is quite noticeable and generally with RH twist rifling the stock tends to lift on the LHS of front rest. Extra weight will definitely help reduce torque and recoil. I disagree with BDavies and would not shoot free recoil, use the method you describe and it should work well. I agree with BDavies about bag fill and sand weight, good advice!

Ian

[6shooter]

Not exactly sure on the weight but I have a Richards Thumbhole Cheekpiece Benchrest stock in Black widow laminate, a MAB Heavy palma 31" s/s barrel and the action is a new Zastava M70 Magnum action originally for .375 H&H. Weight would be very close to max. I used to own a gunshop and now work part-time at my friends gunshop accuracy testing rifles, sighting in rifles, testing scopes and handloading ammo. I don't usually have a problem with accuracy. I know it is my "style" that is the problem, also the rear bag which will be replaced in feb. I am the only F-Class shooter at my club so i don't have anything to go on with regard to other styles of addressing the rifle.
Much appreciate the input so far.

[IanP]

6shooter, you state your rifle slides freely backwards and forwards, thats good but if you take hold of the top of the cheek piece and try and wobble the rifle sideways what happens?

The rifle should ride the bags smoothly fore and aft, but should also be quite stable and resist sideways wobble. The rear sandbag has a a job to play in preventing the wobbles and if you use spirit level on your scope like most of us do, then once the rifle is riding the bags level and relatively wobble free then thats as good as it gets. Get a rear bag that fits the base of the stock well with enough ear height and sand fill to keep the wobbles under control.

If your rifle is at max weight (top priority) and is riding the bags as it should, then regardless of your style, (shoulder against recoil pad and cheek on cheek piece) it should be repeatedly accurate. I have shot with and without cheek piece and it made no difference to my score. I shoot with my shoulder holding the rifle against the front rest stop pin and Paul Janszo (a shooter of some acclaim) shoots with the rifle pushed against the stop pin and then pulled back off it just a fraction.

Final question for you, is your front rest using spikes to secure it to the mound? Spikes (as per rules) really do help stabilise the whole rifle setup and if your not using them, then make yourself a set and try them out.

Ian