Rifle stock keels??

[DenisA]

G'day All,

I've been noticing lately some Bench rest shooters running adjustable keels on the toe of their butt stock.
I don't quite understand why you wouldn't just adjust your rear bag for great tracking. I'm sure there's good reason to it since BR is basically the F1 of shooting. I could understand an adjustable keel being fitted if the stock wasn't straight.

Has anyone or is anyone using adjustable keels on their F-class guns or BR guns. What's the advantage?

[Brad Y]

Watch the video where Tom puts the camera upnto the scope and moves the gun. Then watch him rattle down a detail. Pretty impressive but not practical for f class where mounds differ in shape and angle and consistency. Would take a long time to set up back and forth, we can’t shoot that quick anyway.

[Gyro]

[argh]

I saw that video a year or so ago, and made a few adjustments to the broom handle screwed onto the bottom of my stock
Effectively I shimmed the rear bag rider so that it was perfectly parallel to the front of the stock, and that under recoil the rifle comes back in the bags straight, and doesnt track left/right or up/down. Under recoil i pretty well stay within the 6 ring. Makes ensuring your follow through is consistent (you can tell quickly when you put sideways pressure or too much shoulder into the stock) and easier to correct your technique. It also makes it far easier to get back onto target quickly and get the shots away quickly when the conditions are good.
Brad, Slope of the mound makes no difference as you are setting up the rifle with parallel front and rear bag riding surfaces. On a steep mound your drop your front rest down so that the rifle stick tracks straight back.

[Brad Y]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lyPQydfKdb8
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1kXR2rIk1ZU

[Brad Y]

[Gyro]

The whole point Brad with an "adjustable keel " is you can correct the angle variations that may exist between the front and back bag-riding sections. Even a very small amount of misalignment between the front and back will compromise the way the gun tracks. The scope cross hairs position relative to the target while pushing the gun forwards and backwards will tell the tale as I'm sure you're aware of.

But does any of this matter ? Does to me. Hence I've shimmed my rear bag-rider to correct some left to right error.

I guess everyone who has an adjustable keel will maintain it helps !!!

[DenisA]

[Gyro]

Because the gun is still gonna track wrong Denis until u get the bag-riding parts of the gun in line.

[DenisA]

[Brad Y]

I agree there will always be things to make it all better, but unless your on a dead flat bench, with plenty of prep time, I dont think adjustable keels will be feasible for f class. I think better results will come from wind reading and load tuning.

[Gyro]

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/201 ... 600-yards/

The gun has an "adjustable metal keel". Have a read.

What some may not realise is it takes very little misalignment to be present and the gun will not track straight.

I would suggest if all else is equal then how could it not help you.

[Brad Y]

If you read the article, Bart said it took 15 minutes to adjust so here was no movement in the scope when sliding the gun back. In f class you don’t have 15 minutes prep time. You get 15 minutes to shoot the string. I’m not against the idea, it’s great innovation, but it’s not practical for most f class shooting.

[Gyro]

It's a set-and-forget thing Brad. You only do it once. This is ALL ABOUT making sure the front and rear bag riding sections of the gun are in line. Some stock makers have been concerned about this since forever. Whether it matters or not is another story. Get with the plan lads !!!

[Gyro]

Notice what the man reckons about pointing bullets in that article ? Now THAT'S interesting I say !