bronko22000

This post is mostly for the younger less experienced guys. But the other day I decided to try shooting my Marlin 1895 Cowboy (.45-70) with some reloads using my own cast 405 grain RNFP bullets. The load was 49 gr of IMR4064. Not a very hot load but one with a pretty stout recoil.
OK to get to the point. With my friend spotting, the first shot hit the 3" bull at 50 yards, the second 1 1/2" left of the first and the 3rd about 6" left! I was flabbergasted until I realized what I had done - or should I say had not done. I loaded and fired the next 3 shots and all 3 hit inside the 3" bull.
What had I done differently? I had laid the forearm directly on the sandbags for the first 3 shots. A definite no-no when shooting heavy recoiling, light rifles and fairly slow moving bullets. The second 3 shots I placed my hand between the forearm and the bags and held it as though I was shooting off hand. So this simple change turned a 6" group into a 1 1/2" group at 50 yards.

Big Uncle

That is also the way I shoot rifles with heavy recoil. 375 H&H and larger really have a lot of bag jump. I can shoot the 375 - 416 rifles from a seated bench position without too much discomfort but on the even bigger ones I use a standing bench to help with recoil. Either way I grip the rifle's forearm to control the jump.

TN Lone Wolf

Yeah, those slower moving bullets really show the effects of barrel motion since they're in the bore for longer.

hunters_life

I even do that with my smokers. Especially when I load up 300gr or more bullets. Big Uncle, not many use a standing bench these days. It's nice to see someone other than me uses one. I've never been that recoil shy but I do like to reduce the soreness factor after an extended range session with some of my heavy hitters.
Mr. Bronkoski, do you use palm up with all fingers on forearm or do you use palm down with the rifle between thumb and forefinger? With my thinner profile forearms on most of my smokers I tend to use the latter. I seem to get better control that way. With that Marlin you may find the same if you haven't tried it already.

bronko22000

Well Dan I use palm up just as if I were shooting offhand.
When I'm shooting off a bench I try to sit as erect as possible for the same reasons you mentioned. With that 1895 and a stout load of 405 gr bullets combined with a rock hard butt plate and you have a shoulder buster. I shot 460 WMs that didn't wallop you as much as this rifle.

Nomercy448

I use my sling to reduce my bag jump on heavy hitting, light rifles. I put both elbows on the bench, with my stock cradled in the web of my off-hand thumb and index finger (which rest against my shoulder), pulling the sling down and back with the pinky and ring finger of that hand.

A rear bag also helps reduce that muzzle bounce, oddly enough. It gives a little support to stop the butt from dropping and guides the rifle back into your shoulder. When using a squeeze sock, I pull the sling up against the sock instead of my shoulder. Planting my off elbow out in front of me gives a lot of stability, plus a lot of tension against the sling.

I used to mess with resting my wrist on the bag, holding down on top of my forend, or holding down on top of my scope, but somewhere on 10-12yrs ago I started using the sling, and it's worked well for me.

One of the biggest advantages - I can use the same position no matter what rifle I'm shooting, or even my specialty handguns, and even translates down to prone. It does require a solid bench, of course, since I'm making so much body contact with the bench. My support structure for my frame and my rifle all stays the same whether I'm shooting free recoil, holding down the sling, preloading the bipod, using a squeeze bag, or not.

Kinda like giving myself a hug whenever I go shooting.