New to ARs here. I have 64 shots thru my new SP10 in 6.5 CM. I intend to primarily hunt with this rifle and have private land to shoot on. I can shoot out to 250 yds on a fire break into a hill, so it’s safe. I want to be able to shoot 3/4 MOA and it looks like I can do that. I typically shoot 3 shot groups and my group sizes range from 0.46 MOA to 1.2 MOA with majority in the 0.55-0.70 range mostly at 100 yds. My best group was a 3 shot at 200 yds (0.46 MOA). I’m shooting Hornady 140 ELDMs. I’m pleased with that. I have been shooting off a wooden bench using Caldwell from rest (3 legs, leather sand filled support, height adjustable, pic attached) and a rear leather bag with rabbit ears. I purchased a Harris bipod, rubber feet, 6-9”, no panning but swivel motion. I shot off the bench using the tripod for 8 shots at 100 yds. The shots were fairly tight vertically all within 1/2”. The lateral dispersion was horrible spanning 2.5” left to right. I have never shot off a bipod before. I experimented around with “loading the legs pressing forward” or not during the shooting string. I also was shooting kind of quickly between shots compared to the Caldwell rest groups. For someone new to bipod shooting , what is the main thought process? Always load the legs? Does inconsistent leg loading lead to lateral dispersion? Should I be laying on the ground shooting prone vs bench? My first experience with the bipod was negative. I already shot a deer using this rifle (Hornady 140 ELDM) Jan 1, shooting off a deer tower rail with sandbag under handguard, very confident position. That simulates the Caldwell front rest. I expected the bipod to be more likely to have vertical shot dispersion vs lateral. I summary, the Seekins SP10 is functioning flawlessly; no feeding failures, no ejection failures, all brass in the 300-500 o’clock direction about 8-10 feet away. Always locks back on empty mag. I have used a Magpul 10 round Pmag and 20 round Pmag with no issues. I have shot some SIG Elite Hunter 130 tipped and it seems every 3 shot group is 0.55-0.65 MOA. The ammo seems great, nickel case but I’ll probably settle on Hornady 140 ELDMs. I intend to shoot some Hornady 143 ELDX and hunt with that Fall 2024 but have not bought any yet. Still breaking in the rifle.
- Thread starter rmiked
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I never had/have consistency "loading" the bipods. This technique works for some, but I apparently fuck it up. I've gone to a more/modified free recoil technique where my mind says fuck the bipod, "straight back linear pressure". Meaning the trigger finger is 90 degrees to the trigger face, is pressed in an imaginary straight line following the stock into the shoulder. The support hand is on the rear bag and bottom of the buttstock "pressing" the stock straight back into the shoulder. Now, this press is only thought about. It's not an active movement, but your body will subconsciously make the inputs your mind is thinking, like looking where you want to go on a motorcycle and it just tracks that way.
The butttock is placed firm in my chest (More chest than shoulder, in line with the nipple) before the rear bag touches it. I settle the fill in the rear bag with some compression with my body weight and some quick back and forth slides. You are looking to have the crosshairs settle a little low to the bullseye, then when you make firm cheek weld, the crosshairs rise and hold center. (All this is in addition to the core shooting fundamentals; Natural Point of Aim, major muscle relaxation, bone support breathing to fire in natural respiratory pause, follow through, etc.)
This is a system goal of recoil management, where the rifle and body move the exact same way each shot.
The butttock is placed firm in my chest (More chest than shoulder, in line with the nipple) before the rear bag touches it. I settle the fill in the rear bag with some compression with my body weight and some quick back and forth slides. You are looking to have the crosshairs settle a little low to the bullseye, then when you make firm cheek weld, the crosshairs rise and hold center. (All this is in addition to the core shooting fundamentals; Natural Point of Aim, major muscle relaxation, bone support breathing to fire in natural respiratory pause, follow through, etc.)
This is a system goal of recoil management, where the rifle and body move the exact same way each shot.
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I just focus on pulling the rifle with the bipod into my shoulder as well. I don't try to load. Some surfaces are easier or better for loading, so I would see inconsistencies based on amount of loading. I agree, I might very well have a poor technique. With certain AR platform rifles I've seen shifts between bipod and using a bag off a barricade. So I try to shoot both ways for a group and see how much/if there is a shift. My AR 10 is a GAP Gen 1 with a Hogan or POF monolithic receiver and a heavy barrel. I haven't seen a shift with that rifle. With my seekins irmt upper on my 6 ARC, I see a couple tenth mil shift. When I was using a different upper, and the same barrel and same SP3R hand guard and the "normal" mounting system I saw .6 mil shift. When I started playing more with gas guns, one of the good shooters at Quantico's Quantified Performance matches told me to check this as he did it for all of his rifles and every one had a consistent shift.
My advice is practice and try to zero based on how you are most likely to use it. Also, based on the type of wood how tight the bench is you could try to put padding under your bipod to try to see if you are getting bounce from the wood. Learned this lesson years ago. A friend and I were shooting in WV. We were connecting like we should. Then we decided to shoot from in the barn off the barn deck floor. Everything started missing. Back outside and everything was fine.
My advice is practice and try to zero based on how you are most likely to use it. Also, based on the type of wood how tight the bench is you could try to put padding under your bipod to try to see if you are getting bounce from the wood. Learned this lesson years ago. A friend and I were shooting in WV. We were connecting like we should. Then we decided to shoot from in the barn off the barn deck floor. Everything started missing. Back outside and everything was fine.
Very good point about the bipod substrate. Ski feet sure help on concrete and smooth surfaces, even grass for a heavy gun. Spike and rubber feet seem to work better for a lighter gun. I think a gun can be too light and the ski feet don't track straight back.
I wouldn't recommend doing the rubber mat under the bipod. That might cause more bounce. Rubber feet on solid wood, concrete would be it.
