Suggestions on AR-15 cheek weld

[swamp2]

Having a ball with my first AR-15. I am having problems with my technique used with iron sights. The amount of side pressure I apply in my cheek weld varies a bit. That variation causes a tremendous amount of parallax and thus variation in POA vs POI. I certainly understand consistent cheek weld is important and this demonstrates it quite clearly. I just don't see how to easily get the consistency required for any level of accuracy with irons. I caught this by noting to was continually adjusting the rear sight as my cheek weld became less firm laterally during the session.

Red dot of course nearly eliminates this effect...

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: Suggestions on AR-15 cheek weld



The stockweld anchors sight alignment. Sight alignment is made consistent when the full weight of the head is rested on the stock. The head should remain upright and vertical. The stockweld is sometimes called a chipmunk cheek, since that's what it looks like when excess skin is rolled over the stock.

 

[swamp2]

Re: Suggestions on AR-15 cheek weld

^ Thanks. Still not quite sure I understand your recommendation. The "chipmunk cheek" makes it look like significant lateral force is being applied from between the stock and head. I can't imagine that kind of bulge is created from simply resting the weight of ones head on the stock. For me it does not.

Not sure if it is entirely relevant but I am talking more about tactical style shooting rather than benchrest but heck either way with irons one must have a very consistent stockweld for irons to be useful and repeatable.

 

[Sterling Shooter]

Re: Suggestions on AR-15 cheek weld

I'm not talking about bench-rest, I'm talking about basic marksmanship. The key is to REST the full weight of the head on the stock. This better assures a consistent perspective of aim, as well as maintenance of alignment. There's nothing lateral about it. When shouldering the rifle bring the stock to the head, not the head to the stock, and place the cheek over the comb, not along side of it. You'll get it. And remember, for results with irons like you're getting with magnification you must begin to see the target/front sight relationship as a unique picture, which you want to memorize to be able to create over and over again, perfectly. With picture memory development along with motor memory development, shooting small groups with irons is possible; and indeed; high level shooters participating in NRA LR competitions prove there is little necessity for a scope in most conditions even when a scope is allowed.

Break your shooting exercises down to five steps: first, shoulder the rifle and align sights cognisant of the 5 factors of a steady position but without looking at the target down range, then, adjust natural point of aim for the hold or relationship between target and front sight which you are seeking. Next, pull your focus back to the front sight and pull the trigger without disturbing aim. Make it smooth. Lastly, follow-through.

 

[eracer]

Re: Suggestions on AR-15 cheek weld

Hover your face above the stock's cheekpiece, so that it contacts you right where your upper and lower teeth come together. Settle straight down so that the flesh bunches up and your cheekbone rests on the stock. Due to the nature of the AR-15 design, you may have to 'hover' your face in order to get a good sight picture. This is not optimal, but the only option I know of is to low scope rings (which may not be practical for some optics, or use a Magpul PRS stock, which has an adjustable cheekpiece.

A solid shooting position comes from a relaxed opposition of forces. If you have problems 'pushing' the rifle with your cheek, then you probably have a poor grip and/or poor elbow position.

I'm no expert, but like Sterling Shooter said, it's really basic marksmanship techniques we're discussing here.

 

[10ringping]

Re: Suggestions on AR-15 cheek weld

Practice throwing her up on your shoulder and aiming at a specific point. Over, and over, and over.

 

[Woj8541]

Re: Suggestions on AR-15 cheek weld

AR-15's do present inherent problems with maintaining consistent cheek weld while using a magnified optic. The first piece of this puzzle is proper weapon set-up for the shooter. Sometimes it's necessary to build up the height of the stock where the shooters cheek is placed with strips of foam and tape. Stocks like the Magpul PRS allow the shooter to mechanically adjust the cheek piece height. "Floating" as I like to call it, is the shooter not being able to maintain proper cheek weld while maintaining sight alignment. This of course degrades accuracy severely as accuracy is directly related to consistency of all aspects of the fundamentals.

To start, shoulder the rifle and place your chin on the stock. Slowly allow your face to slide down the stock, stopping the movement at the point where your face is supported in an upright position while completely relaxed. At this point, check to see if you can obtain a sight picture. If you can't, the height of the stock needs to be adjusted so that you can obtain a sight picture while your face/head is fully supported with no muscular tension.

This simple process is crucial to establishing consistent sight pictures. Hope this helps you out a bit.

 

[Graham]

Re: Suggestions on AR-15 cheek weld

I used to use a crush cheek-weld, until I got talking to Caylen at Rifles Only and he described to me how he gets his face into position behind the rifle. I tried it his way for a bit, and now I use a modification of his method and a much lighter stock input. I'm not sure whether it makes me shoot better, but I do notice that I am more relazed behind the rifle. Thanks, Caylen.

 

[JeffinTX]

Re: Suggestions on AR-15 cheek weld

To the OP: what position are you having problems in? I presume prone? With a sling, bipod, neither? I think there are subtle and not so subtle differences shooting with sling/irons vs. bipod/scope, especially if scope is mounted on carry handle. I like shooting sling/irons and when I bring the right elbow down after I load, its almost like a cam locking the gun down and into me. Very stable position. With the service rifle, there is obviously no adjustable cheek piece so you have to adjust to the gun. With the gun firmly into the right shoulder, I put my cheek up against the stock and "drag" my face down until it sits against the cheekbone with my neck fully relaxed. This creates the "chipmunk face" the SS referred to. What you strive for is a consistent and comfortable position every time. If there is different amount of pressure from the head onto the stock shot to shot, there will be a change in POI (verticle) even if the sight alignment is the same. Lastly, relax your jaw once the cheekbone is on the gun so that your jaw is just a smidge apart. This will allow you to get the cheek firmly against the stock. If you clench your jaw, it will change your head position. If you don't believe me, then get on the gun and see how the sight picture changes depending on the amount of tension on the jaw muscles. Then its breath control, sight alignment, and trigger control that will determine the shot. "Calling" the shot is a critical aspect of the shot. Can't call the shot if you're blinking or flinching when the shot goes. Can't properly adjust the sights if you can't call the shot(was it me or the wind?). The cheekweld on the AR is different than the M1a or MR with adjustable cheek piece.

 

[tullius]

Re: Suggestions on AR-15 cheek weld

With irons:

The full weight of your head should rest on the stock. No more (don't push it down), no less (don't hover). You want the muscles in your neck to be relaxed, and they can't be relaxed if you're pushing or hovering. You should not be putting any side-to-side or lateral pressure on the stock. You want absolute consistency in your cheek weld. The weight of your head (8-10lbs) on the stock will minimize recoil and allow you to call shots.

This goes for all positions. In shooting offhand (standing), most will find they have to modify the position of the rifle in the shoulder pocket, by raising the rifle so that only 1" of the stock remains in the shoulder pocket. Again, the weight of the head works to minimize the recoil impulse.


Good stock weld in the prone position:

Good stock weld in the standing position (note the altered position of the stock in the shoulder, but the cheek weld remains the same):

The "dragging skin" method of acquiring proper cheek weld that Caylen and others mentioned is a good one.