I cannot get the rifle to...

[PKT1106]

Recoil straight back. I have been up one side and down the other of this site and found numerous threads and links to youtube videos about how to get the rifle to settle back on the target. I have tried different shoulder positions, aligning different ways, different hand holds, and different grip holds and still, the rifle jumps and goes to the left. All I read is about getting the stock in the "pocket of your shoulder". Is there a video with what that actually means? Is there a diagram showing where the "pocket" is on a medical sketch?

Is there anything else I am missing before I pay for some instruction? I can shoot decent groups, but always have to readjust the rifle.

Thank you

 

[Darkside-Six]

Are you loading your bipod? are you lining up strait behind the rifle?

As far as the "pocket" of the shoulder.....best way I can describe it is that it is where the end of your pec muscle meets your shoulder muscle.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Get the first DVD from Rifles Only, it's on Fundamentals. Jacob walks you through setting up for a prone shot. Worked for me.

 

[Steel head]

One of the biggies for me was finding the right spot in the shoulder pocket and consistently get into that spot.
I have pretty broad shoulders and tend to bring the rifle in too close, I try to envision getting the rifle in a spot perfectly perpendicular to the barrel and in that spot the rifle does not bounce/glance left or right in recoil but comes rearward cleanly.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

Is your follow through as consistent as your shooting? Remember it takes time for that round to travel the barrel, and I have seen many people who have issues with recoil not being nice to them simply because they pull the trigger and dont follow through with the shot. A really simple question here, can you tell where the sights were when the round broke the end of the barrel. You should be trying to hold the shot on target through the recoil so you can call your own shots (as much as possible of course).

 

[DeadSilence]

Recoil straight back. I have been up one side and down the other of this site and found numerous threads and links to youtube videos about how to get the rifle to settle back on the target. I have tried different shoulder positions, aligning different ways, different hand holds, and different grip holds and still, the rifle jumps and goes to the left. All I read is about getting the stock in the "pocket of your shoulder". Is there a video with what that actually means? Is there a diagram showing where the "pocket" is on a medical sketch?

Is there anything else I am missing before I pay for some instruction? I can shoot decent groups, but always have to readjust the rifle.

Thank you

Paying for instruction costs money but saves you time.
I had a very similar issue about a year and a half ago.
After much trial and error, I had a trusted better shooter watch me shoot.
I was muscling (flinching) my shoulder muscle right as I broke the shot.
All I mean is that I was tightening my right shoulder just as I was breaking the shot.
You have a choice as I did. 1) Move the stock weld further towards your collar bone ( this could create other problems with your technique), or 2) dry fire until you cure your self of the issue. The larger shoulder muscle should be relaxed not tense as you break and right after breaking the shot.
Your body and body weight pressure only should be holding (slightly pressing against) the stock.
I picked this incorrect habit of muscling my firing shoulder from firing benchrest. I wasn't aligning my body behind the rifle when I sat at a bench. Then the habit invaded my prone technique as well. First I didn't want to admit it but after taking the step of coming out of denial I was able to correct it with plenty of dry fire practice. Now I watch for that jump to the left and know what causes it and that I need to relax the muscle in my shoulder. You can also use snap caps mixed in with normal rounds to check on your progress and to prove to yourself that is the issue. If you break the shot and feel your shoulder muscle is tensed then you are causing the issue not the equipment

 

[jtclarke]

I too had quite a bit of trouble with this when I first started shooting. Getting someone who knows what they're looking for to watch you set up is probably one of the best things to help find a trouble area. If you can't do that try to record you shooting a couple of rounds to watch later. I had a problem with pushing my left shoulder forward more so than the right and not creating a perpendicular line to the rifle, so every shot the rifle would hop right. If you get nice and square behind the rifle it makes it easier to find the shoulder pocket. Being relaxed before during and after the shot breaks is also a big help with recoil. If you tense when the shot breaks you may be moving off target yourself, that's where an onlooker really can help. Are you trying to push the rifle forward with your shoulder to load the bi-pod? That can cause a hop to the left as the rifle rolls on your shoulder when it recoils. One good way to check for proper alignment is get on target, then close your eyes, take a few breaths to relax and open your eyes, if you're off target you're muscling the rifle.

 

[DocUSMCRetired]

Paying for instruction costs money but saves you time.
I had a very similar issue about a year and a half ago.
After much trial and error, I had a trusted better shooter watch me shoot.
I was muscling (flinching) my shoulder muscle right as I broke the shot.
All I mean is that I was tightening my right shoulder just as I was breaking the shot.
You have a choice as I did. 1) Move the stock weld further towards your collar bone ( this could create other problems with your technique), or 2) dry fire until you cure your self of the issue. The larger shoulder muscle should be relaxed not tense as you break and right after breaking the shot.
Your body and body weight pressure only should be holding (slightly pressing against) the stock.
I picked this incorrect habit of muscling my firing shoulder from firing benchrest. I wasn't aligning my body behind the rifle when I sat at a bench. Then the habit invaded my prone technique as well. First I didn't want to admit it but after taking the step of coming out of denial I was able to correct it with plenty of dry fire practice. Now I watch for that jump to the left and know what causes it and that I need to relax the muscle in my shoulder. You can also use snap caps mixed in with normal rounds to check on your progress and to prove to yourself that is the issue. If you break the shot and feel your shoulder muscle is tensed then you are causing the issue not the equipment

For issues like this, have someone behind you either load or not load the rifle, without you knowing your being given a loaded or not weapon. Then fire like you normally would, trying your best to hold the sights on target. If he hands you an unloaded weapon, and you pull the trigger, then find that you flinched, anticipated or anything you know your problem. You should do this at least 20 times, not knowing if your being given a loaded rifle, or empty one. It helps to show you problems.

 

[PKT1106]

After reviewing the responses so far, there is one thing I do not recall trying to gauge and that is shoulder tension. I am a big guy and I don't think I have ever noticed if my am applying tension from my shoulder on the chassis. I will have to get behind the rifle and make sure I am not imparting pressure from my shoulder. I just never noticed it before, but that may be part of it, if not all of the problem. Everything else, I have made very relaxed. I will try it and see if that works. Thank you.