Unloading The Bipod

[T2C]

A lot has been said about loading a bipod in lieu of using the free recoil method to stabilize your shooting position for shooting long distance. Have any of you long range shooters experimented with "unloading" a bipod? Have you tried this with lighter calibers, such as a .308 Winchester? What were your results?

[kevN]

Do you mean shooting with a reverse load, pulling the rifle back to flex into the bipod?

[T2C]

Do you mean shooting with a reverse load, pulling the rifle back to flex into the bipod?

Yes sir that's it. Or at the very least pulling the rifle back to take the slack out of the bipod legs.

[kevN]

In order to do that you have to exert a lot more influence into the rifle physically than just putting some (mild) forward pressure as you would just loading it and it usually isn't as conducive to managing recoil to pull away like that. I have done it just to play around, but never owned a rifle that shot better that way (or maybe I just couldn't do it as repeatably. You will notice a poi shift from a rifle that was zero'd under forward load.

[orkan]

You definitely won't be accomplishing anything productive by doing this. You'll just wear your arms out.

[T2C]

In order to do that you have to exert a lot more influence into the rifle physically than just putting some (mild) forward pressure..........

I may be using too much forward pressure when I load the bipod. I haven't found a reference point that I can use to consistently load the bipod the same amount each time I shoot and I was looking for an alternate technique.

I read somewhere that some military personnel are using an "unload" the bipod technique when firing larger caliber, higher recoil, rifles and I wanted to find out if anyone had used this technique for smaller caliber rifles.

[Boxerglocker]

I may be using too much forward pressure when I load the bipod. I haven't found a reference point that I can use to consistently load the bipod the same amount each time I shoot and I was looking for an alternate technique.

I read somewhere that some military personnel are using an "unload" the bipod technique when firing larger caliber, higher recoil, rifles and I wanted to find out if anyone had used this technique for smaller caliber rifles.

I'm a novice in regards to precision rifle shooting so excuse my ignorance if wrong.... however my understanding of the loading the bipod forward is that you do not necessarily need to have a specific amount of pressure, but a consistent amount from shot to shot.
I have great results since learning to load my bipod forward. I gauge the amount of pressure based on the relative movement forward with the buttstock on my shoulder.

[T2C]

I'm a novice in regards to precision rifle shooting so excuse my ignorance if wrong.... however my understanding of the loading the bipod forward is that you do not necessarily need to have a specific amount of pressure, but a consistent amount from shot to shot.
I have great results since learning to load my bipod forward. I gauge the amount of pressure based on the relative movement forward with the buttstock on my shoulder.

Thanks. I am trying to gauge how much is enough forward pressure and how to get consistent pressure every time. I can shoot 1 MOA at 300 yards with good ammunition, but I am shooting not much under 2-1/2 MOA at 1000 yards. I think a lot of it has to do with the way I load the bipod.

To put things in perspective, I shot high power rifle for years and recently started competing with scoped rifles equipped with a bipod. I had a habit of slinging in my high power rifles a lot tighter than most people and you could hear wood and leather creaking and popping when I settled into my shooting position. Shooting with a light touch is going to take some getting use to.

[domestique]

Are you getting directly behind the gun or the "older method" of having your legs off to the left side (i.e. think 1960's green army man in prone position)?

I have always found that using the "old" method makes loading a bipod much harder with your weight being off to the the side instead of directly behind the gun.

New method:


Old method:

[domestique]

Have you checked out Magpul's precision rifle video? They go into great detail on getting into position behind the gun and loading the bipod the same way every time. I believe they even talk about "unload and loading" method.

FWIW, loading method is what is preached... less fatigue on the shooter (use your body weight not your arms) and is more consistent.