Question about recoil

[William Davis]

I seldom shoot a rifle off a bench but when I do use a very high front rest and “muzzle and elbow hold. Put my left hand on the rest rifle in my hand same way as if shooting offhand. Buttplate in the shoulder pocket elbows on the bench. Wear my old small bore prone coat with padded elbows.

Worst prone or bench recoilier I shoot is a Trapdoor with full power 500 gr bullets. Lot of drop to the stock and a Cresent buttplate. It’s OK muzzle and elbow.

However rifles zero different off a hard rest. More they recoil more off the zero will be bench to offhand. Best zero same position you plan to use hunting or in competition. Shoot a group from position calculate center of impact and make adjustments from center of impact. When I Shot a lot of small bore prone we never tested or adjusted bench rest, always sling and coat prone just like in competition. Considerable difference in zeros, considerable meaning scoring rings on a very small bulls eye target. Inches not much.

If the shooting will be from a stand with a rest zero from a hard rest. Other wise center up a group. It’s more pattern than pinpoint. 375 I bet will shoot 3 or 4 minutes low offhand vs bench. 30/06 sporter it’s at least 2 moa different

William