Palm Swell
 

Why the heavy palm swell on varmint rigs?

I have had em on my 700pss, and others with HS stocks. Can't say I ever got used to em.

Is it just that it puts your trigger finger in a place that pulls straight back?

I have a mcmillan stock coming with a semi palm swell. Not as bad as the tactical types. Guess I will give it another try.

Never really payed much attention to palm swells on rifles in the past. However this past spring I picked up a Browning X-Bolt. It felt odd at first but now I hardly notice it, that is until I pick up one of my rifles that do not have a palm swell.

Not sure what it exactly does but I have definately gotten used to mine.

Seems to me when I use a standard stock on the bench, my hand isn't even on the grip. With a5/similar shape stocks, I love how they feel in my hands, and how the shape is easy to wrap my hand around. Personal preference and trigger-pull style I suppose is probably most of it.

Reason, I’m not sure but I had a CZ 527 Kevlar that had a palm swell that was a little more then what I liked. I do like them on the Sako hunting rifles. I guess it’s just personal preference...

The idea is that your hand is more open and relaxed and rest against the swell, instead of clinching to "choke" the rifle. More and more competitive shooters are using the "free recoil" technique, so the pressure against the gunstock at ANY POINT is minimized. The large palm swells, thumbholes, etc etc are designed to help put the shooter in a relaxed, nearly anatomically neutral position. The nearly vertical, enlarged pistol grip with the large palm swell puts the shooters trigger hand in a nearly neutral, relaxed position, and allows the trigger finger to be limited to the horizontal plane, letting the trigger pull be drawn perfectly straight rearward.

Keeps you from torquing the rifle. Tom.

Well, makes sense. Just not comfortable. But niether is a skinny grip on a bow but it also keeps you from torquing.

I will give it anther try.

Like VAhuntr never really "wanted" one, but got one when I purchased my X-Bolt.

It's on a .338 WM, so it's the rifle I use the least.

I notice it most when I'm shooting off the bench.