Advanced Marksmanship Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

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DamnYuppie

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Jan 9, 2011
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#1
My question is should the butt be on the collar bone or under the collar bone touching the upper pectoral?

I have been putting it on my collar bone, the reason for this is that when it is placed there I get my perfect sight picture. Yet I get a terrible scab on my collar bone after a day of shooting when I do this. I am insuring that I am gripping the rifle firmly and pulling it into my shoulder/collar bone and then loading up on the bipod; which in theory means the recoil isn't getting a running start at me.

I have not seen anyone else have this issue so I am pretty sure I am f'ing it up some how. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
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#2
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

More experienced shooters will chime in, but where I put it is under the collar bone close to my shoulder on the meaty part. After shooting all day I get a little bruising but that's it. That scab on the collar bone has gota suck. Try adjusting your scope and cheek weld height to remedy that problem and still have your sight picture.
 
#3
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

Holy shit...what are you shooting that it breaks skin after a day of shooting?

The answer is that it depends on you and your body type and your position.

Mine recoils against my collar bone, others may be different.
 
#4
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gugubica</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Holy shit...what are you shooting that it breaks skin after a day of shooting?</div></div>

Sako TRG-22. It seems that the top of the center indentation in the butt sits right on top of my lower collar bone.

I will adjust the butt vertically and lower the cheek raisers to get a better sight picture with it resting below my collar bone.
 
#5
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

Just me but I learned froma better shot than myself that it is best not to overgrip the weapon. you want it firm against you yes but you dont want to be exerting you muscles in gripping it or holding it to tight. Doing so causes fatigue. which causes the shakiness to occur. As for stock placement, what ever you have to do to get the sight picture where it needs to be and as long as you are behind the rifle. different shooters like different things though, this is what works for me
 
#6
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

Place the rifle butt firmly into the pocket formed in the shoulder. Bring the rifle to the head, not the head to the rifle. The higher the position the higher the butt is to the shoulder. I'm describing a position where the non-firing hand is initally placed on stock fore-end.
 
#7
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DamnYuppie</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gugubica</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Holy shit...what are you shooting that it breaks skin after a day of shooting?</div></div>

Sako TRG-22. It seems that the top of the center indentation in the butt sits right on top of my lower collar bone.

I will adjust the butt vertically and lower the cheek raisers to get a better sight picture with it resting below my collar bone.
</div></div>

maybe a basic padded shooting jacket is needed, I understand as I am boney also
 
#8
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

i place the butt right on my collar bone when prone. bassically take the rifle and put it in your shoulder while standing now rotate the rifle vertically so its pointing up at like a 80 degree angle... the same location left to right just rotates up as i get lower.
 
#10
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VAJayJayPunisher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i place the butt right on the tip, just the tip, just to see how it feels </div></div>


HA..!
 
#12
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

I know what you're talking about and it can be fixed somewhat by getting the rifle a little higher off the ground. I shot prone as low to the ground as I could get and it was very stable but I had the same collar bone issue. By raising the bipod up some it will force you to raise also. That will bring the stockdown under your collar bone.
 
#13
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

However, you then run into the age old "get as low as you can"

Having to raise the gun, as well as yourself to get the butt on meat instead of bone is going to create points of added pressure on your body, which may result in fatigue, resulting in movement, resulting in lost accuracy...

But, I am dealing with this same damn problem, last week I shot with the butt on my collarbone and it looked like someone hit me with a bat the next day...

Seems to be the only way when getting straight behind and in line with your gun, I guess the question becomes more about trading off initial stability and imminent bruising(keeping the butt on the bone) vs. raised height creating pressure and ultimately fatigue thus lost accuracy potential.

However, bruising the collarbone isn't going to help accuracy, may even produce a flinch.

So, are we stuck between a rock and hard place here?????
I'd like to hear/read what Lowlight has to say on this, because we know he is a believer of being in line and behind the weapon, exposing this conundrum...
 
#14
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

For a moment, forget the bipod and build a prone position with your elbows. Remember to bring the stock to the head rather than the head to the stock. The butt should go in the pocket formed in the shoulder. Practicing this will give you a feel for it all to where you won't be wondering if you're doing it right.
 
#16
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

Shot f class today.

By the end of our second round(40-50rounds) my arm was going numb because my collarbone/shoulder was getting so beat up...

I'm pretty sure I'm going to find a comfortable position, regardless of whether I am straight behind the weapon or not.

I saw someone using a pad like was linked to, perhaps that is a way to go, just not ready for that myself.
 
#17
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

Also, if your LOP can accomodate it, look into a Limbsaver slip-on butt pad. Just be sure your scope's not set up with the eye relief too close to your eye, because it will recoil a bit further. I have used the Limbsaver myself, mainly as a way to increase LOP to make a standard stock more comfortable for my above average height frame.

IMHO, if the butt is pounding you, it might pay to hold it a bit firmer (if that's not the case already) into your shoulder. Recoil can be a lot more unpleasant if the rifle is held loose enough that it can take a run at your shoulder. My experience suggests that free recoil is a BR shooting technique, not a Prone shooting technique; and works best with smaller capacity cartridges.

Lower recoil is another advantage to shooting the .260 Rem.

Greg
 
#18
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

Thinking shilen select match in 243... pipe dream for now though

Thanks for the tips/advice, I've watched the tutorial on here about being straight behind the gun, loading the bipod, guy ends up shooting a group that could fit in your pinky nail...

I'll keep at it, another match this weekend for me.
 
#19
Re: Butt Placement of Rifle In Prone

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gugubica</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Holy shit...what are you shooting that it breaks skin after a day of shooting?

The answer is that it depends on you and your body type and your position.

Mine recoils against my collar bone, others may be different. </div></div>

Mine does too. the buttstock gets tucked into my collarbone, and thats just how it fits me. standard length of pull PSS stock. with medium rings and a tacops cheekpad, sight picture is perfect. its a .308 and ive never even had a bruise.

+1 to asking what the heck are you shooting that its breaking the skin? ouch!

-Paulus
 
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