short range accuracy technique?

[kenndapp]

the purpose of this range trip will be to determine what ammo is the most accurate in my rifle as well as determine which ammo has the most effective range ( expansion/fragmentation threshold).

before i dive in to what i am trying to accomplish here let me give you all the specs.

- bcm 14.5" mid-length cl 1/7
- 2 moa aimpoint comp ml3
- shooting from bench using rail mounted bipod ( due to range rules this is not really optional.... i would go prone if i could)
- 50 yards and 100 yards
-5.56 ammo to be tested- ssa-70gr tsx, ssa-64g ppt, swa-70gr tsx, federal ab49 mk318 sost.

now here is my problem. i want to test the accuracy of my ammo and my weapon as well as crono data, NOT my ability (which is moderately experienced and more than sufficient). what can i do to put as little influence on the weapons system as possible? all i want to walk away from the range with is crono data and accuracy data which pretty much means i have to be consistently perfect. so of course i know, a consistent cheek weld, constant and proper trigger control...ext, ext. but what advise do you have for me that might not be so obvious?
also what i really need help with is:

- how long should i wait between shots (allow barrel to cool) for accurate crono data and consistent bullet performance?

- is there a "proper amount of weight" to put on the bipod? should i just let the rifle rest on the bipod and keep my self entirely on the rear end of the rifle? i have heard the term "loading the bipod" what does that mean?

-you can see the experiment. i just want accurate data from my weapon alone, so i can select the ammunition best for my riffle. how do i do this with out ending up collecting data from my skill instead of my equipment?

-help me out here guys. thanks

[Evil Colt 6920]

Im new to using a bipod myself but Ill try to explain what I believe to be "loading the bipod". Once you are in a proper shooting position, "inch up" slightly forward on the rifle, this will put some slight pressure on the feet of the bipod causing the stock to rest firmly against your shoulder. This allows me to keep the rifle quite sturdy for shooting groups.

As far as how long to wait between shots Im not quite sure. When Im shooting for groups no more than a minute goes by between shots when shooting a 5 shot group. I usually allow the rifle a little cooling time between groups while I check the target with my spotting scope and set up a new target (maybe 10 minutes)

Id like some input on this as well since this is just what I do. Not sure if it is the correct way or not but I shoot some decent groups.

[Evil Colt 6920]

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1177781

Just found some info on loading the bipod. Theres a video in there too. Gives some info on the techniques used to get the bipod correctly loaded.

[kenndapp]

hey thanks for the fast response. so that's loading the bipod huh? makes sense to me. now i just have to be sure i give a consistent load every single time. as you can see i am pretty stressed out on this little experiment. i am really trying to take myself out the equation entirely so can get accurate data.

[seb5]

If you wait a minute between shots you will have to relax between shots and get back up on the gun every shot. When I'm shooting for precision I usually shoot about every 5 seconds or so for 3 or 5 or 10 shots and walk up and look targets, walk back and shoot some more. Use a rice bag for rear support. I don't want to discourage you but with your equipment you may be overthinking this.

[Surf]

Removing as much of the human element as possible and consistency in test conditions / controls is key to really understanding what a rifles inherent accuracy is. Unfortunately the human element is the big factor and the less capable the shooter the larger the variance in human error. Of course the better the shooter then we can start minimizing the human influence. As for the human factor and depending on shooter skill levels you may need to increase sample sizes for the lesser skilled shooter in order to start obtaining more accurate results over larger sampling sizes to be able to start to see a pattern or to start eliminating the human controlled variations better. If you are not a very good shooter than this can really be difficult and your results may not be reliable.

I only get into this much detail because you seem to be over thinking the issue or wanting to obtain results that you might not be able to achieve given your situation to actually perform the tests to get the type of results that you are speaking about. In reality a vised action is what you really need.

[kenndapp]

thank you for your response. i guess i am over thinking it a bit. i am a pretty experienced shooter. and i know my weapon very well. i would call my skill lever good but not breath taking. i just want to do as well as i can so i can collect fairly accurate and true data. a vise might be going too far for what i want to determine. just trying to not screw this up. is there any aspect of obtaining consistent accuracy that i may have over looked?

[markm]

i guess i am over thinking it a bit.

I think so. I have that barrel and it's a 2-3MOA shooter at best. Great gun and all... just not meant for stacking holes.

I wouldn't get too assed up if you don't see anything amazing.

[davidjinks]

OP

If all you're doing is shooting for accuracy and chrono data and you're trying to remove as much of your error from the equation as you can...

How about a lead sled? It ain't the most uber cool thin in the world, but it'll give you some really good support and stability while shooting.

[wahoo95]

I think so. I have that barrel and it's a 2-3MOA shooter at best. Great gun and all... just not meant for stacking holes.

I wouldn't get too assed up if you don't see anything amazing.

^This^.....he'll most likely find that all those ammo choices don't really group all that much different.

Couple that with using a red dot. While one an achieve pretty good accuracy with one, you will never find people doing true accuracy testing with one. When I want to accuray test a load I'm working up I use a magnified optic and shoot from bags.

[CarlosDJackal]

An inexpensive Shooting Sled like this might fit the bill: NRA Extended Magazine Shooting Rest (http://www.nrastore.com/nrastore/ProductDetail.aspx?p=SA+24329&ct=e)

[Axcelea]

What kind or rails? If not free floating you will have to be careful of not using consistent pressure on the bi-pod, how much so may be negligible at these ranges.

Anyhow I tend to agree that to eliminate human error as much as possible it comes down to a rock solid rest, vice, or similar system where you don't have to hold or brace is at all.