Relaxing with a bipod

[Ledzep]

I've spent the last several days trying to get this bipod shit down and I'm coming up short. A few days ago I went to the range and tried everything that I've read/seen on the internet about bipod shooting position and recoil management. I'm a right-handed shooter and shot company high in an Infantry company in the USMC last year (got free a month ago and now get to play with my toys). I understand NPA, relaxation, sight alignment, and trigger control. I also shot 386/400 on the USMC pistol qual.

Rifle is a Remington 700 in a Manners MCS-T. Harris BRMS 6-9" bipod and a green rear bag (I've seen all sorts of colors, black, brown, coyote, etc. I'm wondering now if green was the best decision [humor]).

I was straight behind the rifle, my spine was parallel to the barrel, feet spread shoulder-width, toes outboard, feet flat, I tried with my support shoulder and elbow in a bunch of positions, from behind the shooting shoulder, to in front of it (obviously even with it, too). The result was the same, regardless. Upon firing, the rifle was redirected 40-50 mils left, and was canted about 15 degrees clockwise. Groups were 1.5x as tall as they were wide.

From that point, I moved my body out of alignment with the barrel axis to see what would happen. I went to the right about 20 degrees, still wound up 40-50 mils left and canted. Then I went 30 degrees to the left, it bounced 35 mils or so left. Then I went 70 degrees to the left (like how you'd shoot prone if there was no bipod)-- this resulted with the reticle returning to the target more or less (I think maybe 5 mils or so left). Then I struggled and went 90 degrees left of the bore axis (uncomfortably). This resulted in the reticle being 20-30 mils right of the target after firing. Not surprisingly, this 5-6 shot group was 2-3x wider than it was tall. This kind of left me confused.

For the last 2 days I've spent quite a bit of time on the floor seeing what I can come up with. I think my problem is relaxing my shoulders. If I go completely relaxed, the bipod slides forward and the butt-pad slides down to the ground (or bag). I also can't completely relax my head/neck without canting the rifle clockwise or lying my face on the rifle sideways.

For a sanity check, I rigged up an old web sling in the loop fashion and attached it to the rifle, removing the harris bipod. I assumed the usual USMC table 1 positions and was able to get completely relaxed. Arm falls asleep, and I feel like I could, also.

I remember shooting M249s and M240s and never having a problem with NPA or them returning to target after firing a burst. I'm starting to think it's the Harris not having any slack, but really I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

 

[ShtrRdy]

It sounds like you have way more experience behind a rifle than I do but I'll throw in my 2 cents of what I experienced the last year and a half with my harris bipd.

I've been using a Midway shooting mat which has a mesh strap across the front. I've placed the legs of the harris bipod behind these straps to give it some resistance. (Supposedly, if you're shooting on the dirt, the feet should dig into the loose dirt to give you resistance). I've pointed the rifle at the target by sliding the mat. I then get square behind the rifle, which is square with the mat, and lift the butstock into my shoulder pocket. Then I just settle down and let my weight provide the forward pressure on the bipod. Then relax as much as possible, closing my eyes and just working on feeling relaxed. When I open my eyes, hopefully the sight is still on target. If so, I'm ready to fire. If not, I reposition myself and the rifle to point to my NPA.

If you're shooting off a hard surface, you're probably not getting enough resistance on the bipod legs.

YMMV - good luck!

 

[CharlieNC]

You have described a cheek weld issue. I use a high cheek rest and place a lot of cheek pressure for comfort. For good cheek-eye alignment I cannot get square behind the rifle, but consistently angled.

 

[Ledzep]

I'm going to go back out this week some time and try a couple of things. I removed a flat spring from the Harris that pushes the cant of the rifle towards the center of the bipod'd orientation (so if I'm on any kind of uneven ground, it's pushing rotationally towards the downhill if the scope is leveled), and I'm going to try to shoot it with the mount a touch loose, to allow slack. I'm going to try a group or two slung up with a front bag rest and compare to my bipod groups, also to see if that makes any difference.

The cheekweld issue... I am using triad tactical stock pack. I have a strip of iso mat underneath it to get me to the correct height for my scope, but I'm wondering if it's not pushing my face to the side too much. Like I'd be good with the iso mat and duct tape or and adjustable cheek comb, but the padding on the stock pack requires more pressure to the side to get my eye lined up behind the scope.

Nonetheless, on the same range day described above, I did try removing the stock pack and came up with the same results. Left and canted.

 

[wilwith1l]

Have you tried loading the bipods, and I mean really loading them? I don't prefer Harris or the KAC knockoff, but it is what most of our weapons systems come with, so I do have plenty of experience. I like to lean in until the springs are creaking. I give the gun no slack. I put it in a vice. I usually dig the bipods in, or this last week, I put 2 knives in the ground for my shooter to brace against. I do the same with the Barrett bipods, and I find it to be the best for me, especially when dealing with rapid engagement exercises.

 

[MarinePMI]

What Wil said about loading the bipod. It is a must for consistency.

Shooting with a single shot rifle (i.e. not semi-auto) with a bipod is not like shooting a rifle with a sling like they do in the 'Corps. When the rifle recoils, often times it hops (even when loading the legs), leaving you pointing slightly off...usually to the left in my experience.

I have no concrete evidence, but I have always suspected that it is just that most rifles are right hand twist rifling, so torsional resistance is going to cause the rifle to rebound counter-clockwise (to the left) as well as the normal up and back recoil action. With a sling and in a sitting position, the body tends to cradle the rifle, so when recoil happens, your body returns to it's natural position. When shooting off a bi-pod, there is no "natural position" to return to, since you're relying on the bipod for most of the support. Once recoil changes how the bipod sits, it isn't going to return right back to where it was; it will almost always be slightly off.

I am by no means an expert when it comes to shooting off a bi-pod, but this has been my experience (and deduction) when going from sling/positional type shooting, to shooting off an bipod.

YMMV...