Place reticle, pull trigger while looking at flags?

E

EdLena

New member
I saw a video once of a benchrest shooter in Finland I believe with a different shooting technique. He aligned the rifle through the scope on the target and held it firmly in place.
He then watched the flags with his head up and when the flags where in a certain position he pulled the trigger. Do any of you know what that method is called?
 
When I have done this, it has been with a rifle and rest setup that would shoot totally free, aiming it using the rest, without touching it, and only touching it with the trigger finger when firing, except for stopping its recoil with my shoulder. I refer to this as shooting heads up. It becomes a significant advantage when conditions are switchy, and the shooter is picking, rather than running, but only if your rig can shoot it best when shot totally free. I have seen others do this at matches. It is just a variant of shooting free recoil.
 
Are you sure that he "held it firmly in place"? I shoot heads up, but only by shooting free recoil. I can't pictures holding it in place and not moving the aim point.
 
Thanks all. Knowing it's called 'Head Up' I was able to find it on youtube and it is a 'free recoil' setup.
Now I can look into 'free recoil' rests. Any recommendations if I want to use 'head up' shooting?
I'm shooting an air gun so there isn't much recoil.
 
Free Recoil Rests

The Club I belong to, hosts Air Gun Competition matches. I've seen some of the same front and rear bags that are used in short range centerfire Benchrest. Front rests, Farley,Randolph machine,Hart,Bald Eagle,etc. Rear bags appeared to be a personal choice marketed by the popular makers.

I have never heard of a free Recoil Rest. Any two piece set up can be used to shoot free recoil. Just my personal observations.



Glenn
 
Generally, for CF rifle, there are rear bags that are not suitable for free recoil if you are not holding the bag. One fellow that was doing well shooting free, with state of the art rifle and rest setup, told me that he went through six different rear bags to find one that did not cause an occasional problem. For this style, rear bags are critical. If I were holding point of aim manually, I would not shoot with my head up.
 
Special Bags for free recoil

I started shooting CF Benchrest 20 years ago. I shot free recoil,using a standard Protector leather rear bag with rabbit ears, and a second hand Hart front rest. I kept handy, a supply of baby powder to help the rifle slide smoothly in the rear bag. Back then, the 3M slick material was not being installed on bags from the sellers. Frank Wilson gave me some pieces of the 3m material and I glued it on my protector rear bag. I can't say if my aggs improved with the addition of the slick material. It was a cool idea at the time. Wish I had known about the rear bags that were more suitable to shooting free recoil.

My advice to the OP is to check with some of the veteran Air Rifle Competitors for suggestions regarding Shooting rests and bags.




Glenn
 
I have tried it and still cant get it just right. It takes practice to learn that technique. There is a few shooters that shoot heads up. There is one individual that has it down to a Science, the mans name is ed adams. I seen ed shoot this style at the cactus, it seems to work for him, he won both light and heavy grands.
 
Clark Shen

from Long Island used to be a regular IBS score shooter. He shot totally heads up and was very tough to beat, was always at or near the top. He had the technique and setup mastered..Once he had his rifle aim point, he did not touch the rifle other than pulling the trigger.
 
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Heads up and free recoil

Ed Adams kicked butt at the Cactus in Phoenix this March with his head up off the scope watching just the flags. You have to have the correct bag set up and technique... and trust your equipment 100%. Good article about him a while back in the NBRSA magazine explaining why he went back to shooting like this.
 
EdLena said:
Thanks all. Knowing it's called 'Head Up' I was able to find it on youtube and it is a 'free recoil' setup.
Now I can look into 'free recoil' rests. Any recommendations if I want to use 'head up' shooting?
I'm shooting an air gun so there isn't much recoil.
Click to expand...


This is an example of what some of the Air Rifle competitors use for front and rear bag. Saw these at the range.

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I shoot heads up, no part of my body involved but my finger laying on the trigger.

I can shoot fast when I want to, but most of the time I take my time and watch the flags with my left eye while glancing through the scope with my right. Flag setting is very criticle.

If you saw my bench set up, you would laugh. I bought the rear bag, used, from a fellow shooter 20 years ago. The front is a old Hart with a top I made from a small Lathe compound we scrapped out years ago. I have owned two joystick test through the years, never cared for them.

Here is my long range Rifle sitting in my bench setup.

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22349&stc=1&d=1557241228

This is my new Scoville Stocked LV sitting in the same set up.

http://benchrest.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22351&stc=1&d=1557252601

I win my share, and certainly loose my share. I tend to shoot Score better than Group, mainly because I shoot more Score. I just put together a new LV so I am trying to get back into more Group.

My best advice is shoot the way that feels comfortable to you and gives good results.
 

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Article

Hunter said:
Month and year?
Click to expand...

Hunter, it is on page 19 of the April Precision Rifleman at the tail end of the Cactus recap. Sorry for not getting back sooner, was out of town on business and then helping get ready for a club match this weekend...

Thanks,
Scott
 
hayscott said:
Hunter, it is on page 19 of the April Precision Rifleman at the tail end of the Cactus recap. Sorry for not getting back sooner, was out of town on business and then helping get ready for a club match this weekend...

Thanks,
Scott
Click to expand...

Scott, I saw the following after searching for the article you mentioned https://www.nbrsa.org/wp-content/up...view-with-Ed-Adams-2019-Cactus-Classic-2.pdf; however, after reading it I thought you might have been referring to an older article. Thanks for following-up on my question. BTW, I called Ed and talked with him about that subject, and he graciously took time to discuss.
 
If you are right handed and right eyed put the flags on your left.

You can keep both eyes open and see the target with your right eye through the scope and the flags with your left eye.


It takes practice.
I do the same thing when shooting varmints but often have to watch the crops in the field for wind.

I also use a rangefinder on the critter.
 
EdLena said:
I saw a video once of a benchrest shooter in Finland I believe with a different shooting technique. He aligned the rifle through the scope on the target and held it firmly in place.
He then watched the flags with his head up and when the flags where in a certain position he pulled the trigger. Do any of you know what that method is called?
Click to expand...

I dont know the name but the technique is used by a lot of 22 benchrest shooters, quite successfully I might add.
 
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