Free-Recoil Benchrest Shooting Demonstrated
In our Shooters’ Forum one member asked for an explanation of the free recoil shooting method. This style, or some variant thereof, is used by many successful short-range (100/200 yard) benchrest shooters. However, we must point out that there is a difference between “pure free recoil” and what you may actually see on the firing line of a registered benchest match. Different shooters may employ a slightly different style — perhaps shouldering the gun a bit, or maybe laying a thumb lightly behind the tang. Technically speaking, that’s no longer free recoil. Remember, there is no “best” technique for every caliber and every gun. And to shoot with a “pure” free recoil method, i.e. touching only the trigger, and not contacting the stock in any way, requires a well-balanced rifle and a highly optimized set-up of front rest and rear bag.
Tony Boyer Video
In the video below you’ll see Hall of Fame shooter Tony Boyer shooting his gun at the Shamrock tournament in 2009. Tony only touches the trigger, but he does index his right hand on the side of the stock. Note: there are some audio problems with this video when you view it at 360p resolution and the playback speed seems slowed down slightly. If the audio cut-outs bother you, try viewing at 720p (HD), or just turn down the volume and focus on Tony’s technique. The slight “slow-motion” effect actually makes it easier to see what Tony is doing. The video does seem to run best at 720p, if you have a high-speed connection.
Introduction to Benchrest Video
In this second video, Birgir Runar Saemundsson of Iceland demonstrates free recoil technique near the start of the video. If you watch carefully you’ll see that only Birgir’s index finger touches the trigger. The rifle’s butt is not contacting Birgir’s shoulder when he pulls the trigger. This 11-minute video is part of an introduction to benchrest shooting that Saemundsson offers through his BRS Custom Rifles website. Birgir is a skilled shooter who set a 10-shot 200-yard IBS world record at the Kelbly Range in 1988. At right is Birgir’s 10-shot record target.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9194636798795391569
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Tags: Benchrest, Birgir Saemundsson, Free Recoil, Tony Boyer
If I may, there are several things worth observing on the video of Tony Boyer shooting, besides how he shoots free recoil. The cartridges in the white loading block are undoubtedly reserved for his record shots, while the others are used as sighters. If you pay some attention to the flags that you can see, and correlate them to when he shoots, and that he replaces a round that he had taken from his record block, you can figure out that he probably changed his mind about what would have been his first record shot, went to the sighter, then replaced the round that he had taken from his record block, all of this to help decide what condition to start his group in. You may also notice that he seems to prefer a slight condition to one where some of the flags are motionless. A serious shooter would be well advised to watch this video several times, looking at different details each time. For instance, you may notice that when he opens his bolt, that he does so in a manner designed not to rock the rifle on the front bag.
Wonder what that was he had in the bottle used on the front rest
The squeeze bottle he uses is identical to a ‘puffer’ bottle of powdered graphite that I’ve had for years (a little goes a very long way) – very slippery, but messy.
I’ve never seen it used to lubricate bags though. Down my way, baby powder is the norm.