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Posted: 4/23/2017 7:15:59 PM EDT
The only decently close range I have has a great 600 yard setup but no place to shoot prone. The way the range is set up shooting prone is impossible (due to terrain and how the benches are built)
Anyway I don't get the bench obsession... I don't shoot as well from a bench. It's uncomfortable, I can't load a bipod, it's completely unnatural and doesn't happen in the field. I can understand their appeal to the older crowd or if the ground is wet, but why don't more ranges have areas for prone or positional shooting? |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 7:20:07 PM EDT
[#1]
I hate shooting off a bench.
I shoot: Offhand standing Kneeling Sitting Prone Against barrier, logs, coolers, camping chairs, etc I shoot like shit off a bench. Id rather shoot doing the slav squat and resting elbows on knees. Shooting off a bench seems like a waste of good ammo to me. YMMV ( a lot) |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 7:41:23 PM EDT
[#2]
Build a prone platform that you can lay on the bench so it has some back legs and a place to lay and front is on the bench.
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Posted: 4/24/2017 9:49:14 AM EDT
[Last Edit: popnfresh]
[#3]
Luckily nobody complains about me shooting prone/sitting/kneeling next to the bench at my range.
I always get there the second they open so I can get my spot at the end. |
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Posted: 4/24/2017 6:25:01 PM EDT
[#4]
Must be Briar Rabbit,
I avoid shooting off a bench as much as I can. |
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Posted: 4/24/2017 7:29:56 PM EDT
[#5]
I detest bench shooting. I also strongly dislike any sort of shooting at an established range. The two overlap a lot.
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Posted: 4/24/2017 8:28:45 PM EDT
[#6]
How about one of those huge tripods? Is that like a "bench for the field?"
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TX, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2017 8:46:40 PM EDT
[#7]
I don't mind a good solid bench that doesn't move around when the shooter next to you farts. Prone keeps a more stable sight picture FOR ME. Prone can irritate my back to no end at times. Makes for a short day from time to time.
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TX, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2017 9:21:14 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By lew:
I detest bench shooting. I also strongly dislike any sort of shooting at an established range. The two overlap a lot. |
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MO, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2017 9:45:51 PM EDT
[#9]
I hate bench shooting. It does not provide useful training, is uncomfortable, and increases felt recoil if shooting large-caliber rifles. I far, far prefer shooting prone with a sling if accuracy is the goal.
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Posted: 4/24/2017 10:24:44 PM EDT
[Last Edit: BuckeyeRifleman]
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By TeeRex:
Must be Briar Rabbit, I avoid shooting off a bench as much as I can.  Also hate the downward angle you have to shoot at 100 yards due to how high on the hill you are shooting. Super awkward from a flat bench and a bipod... last time I was there I just said fuck it and layed in the dirt off the left side and shot way better. The two old farts on the other end looked at me like I was nuts.
Great facility but that is my one big gripe, that and the fact it needs to be closer to Columbus... that hr drive just to do load development is getting old. |
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Posted: 4/25/2017 7:26:04 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By BuckeyeRifleman:
Nailed it. Also hate the downward angle you have to shoot at 100 yards due to how high on the hill you are shooting. Super awkward from a flat bench and a bipod... last time I was there I just said fuck it and layed in the dirt off the left side and shot way better. The two old farts on the other end looked at me like I was nuts.
Great facility but that is my one big gripe, that and the fact it needs to be closer to Columbus... that hr drive just to do load development is getting old. me so I still hate driving out fornload development if something doesn't go right. Briar the angles are what really kills you. |
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Posted: 4/25/2017 7:53:25 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Click2Boom:
/... I'd rather shoot doing the slav squat and resting elbows on knees. .../ "Rice Paddy Prone" was the term of choice back in the day. I'm just trying to determine if I'm just showing my age or not. |
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Posted: 4/25/2017 8:03:27 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By popnfresh:
Luckily nobody complains about me shooting prone/sitting/kneeling next to the bench at my range. I always get there the second they open so I can get my spot at the end. One of the local ranges has concrete floor under the benches, so I'll use a shooting mat and let the bipod sit off the front edge where I can load it. The major problem with that is that the concrete block benches tend to block the view when a shooter is prone between the benches, so you lose the ability to use peripheral vision to see what the idiots on the range are doing. The other problem common to public ranges is that most folks can't seem to get organized enough to go even 20 minutes before going cold. It makes practicing a slow prone stage difficult without offending the Fuds. |
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2017 8:18:13 AM EDT
[#14]
my first experience shooting off the bench was with a 300 WM. needless to say it ruined the experience.
I too will just go prone if I go to the range that has benches. if I remember to bring shade our 300 yd range also has a bare slab beside the covered benches. there is actually steel that setup 800yds from the far edge of the slab. ends up being in the ~740yd range from the opposite side ( you shoot slightly off right from the back stop up the hill.) |
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TN, USA
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Posted: 4/26/2017 11:50:33 AM EDT
[#15]
My worst groups are always off of a bench. Having some shooting lanes for prone shooting would be nice! Laying down between benches often gets weird looks or is too tight.
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Posted: 4/27/2017 4:22:54 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Click2Boom:
I hate shooting off a bench. I shoot: Offhand standing Kneeling Sitting Prone Against barrier, logs, coolers, camping chairs, etc I shoot like shit off a bench. Id rather shoot doing the slav squat and resting elbows on knees. Shooting off a bench seems like a waste of good ammo to me. YMMV ( a lot)
 AR15.com PSA Challenge Slav Squat Except for my 18lbs Mauser, I have difficulty shooting less than 1.5 MOA from the bench. Scope, irons, whatever, shots aren't on call. For a while now, I've load tested prone from sling or bipod. |
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Posted: 4/27/2017 9:26:03 PM EDT
[#17]
I loathe using a bench and prefer shooting from the ground.
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Posted: 5/20/2017 6:38:25 PM EDT
[#18]
We're fortunate to have a great public range facility. I enjoy using it but the design of the concrete benches (not cinder block) utilizes iron supports underfoot that, along with the heavy bicycle cable & padlocks they use to lock the shooting stools to the bench, so they don't get stolen, leaves very little foot room to work with. I get a little more aggravated with the setup every time I use 'em and really need to use the tripod and hog saddle I bought a while back instead.
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Posted: 5/22/2017 1:18:32 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Poop3rscoop3r]
[#19]
The bench I normally (farm range) use is nice to shoot off. I can get the gun more in front of me than beside me. The benches at the local range suck. I have to tilt my whole body to the right to get behind the gun. I just shoot prone there.
Bench shooting is good for working up loads and just punching paper, but I'm trying to get away from that. I'm going to start shooting more off of my hunting pack, both sitting and prone. I shoot long range steel for fun, but in the end it's all about hunting. And I don't have a bipod when I'm hunting. |
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Posted: 5/22/2017 9:14:04 AM EDT
[#20]
Why don't you have a bipod when hunting? It would be a very good tool to have. Doesn't add much weight.
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Posted: 5/22/2017 1:02:12 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Rob01:
Why don't you have a bipod when hunting? It would be a very good tool to have. Doesn't add much weight. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 5/22/2017 1:05:47 PM EDT
[#22]
Benches never feel very comfortable or stable to me. I'm either leaning/tilting one awkward way or another. Being relatively short doesn't help, I need taller chairs/benches than what most ranges provide.
Prone is my goto preferred position. |
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Posted: 5/31/2017 10:00:55 AM EDT
[#23]
Originally Posted By BuckeyeRifleman:
Anyway I don't get the bench obsession... I don't shoot as well from a bench. That's why I shot High Power Service Rifle for several years straight and nothing else. |
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Posted: 1/10/2019 1:20:51 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By TeeRex:
I know how you feel. I'm on the other side of town and my club goes to 300 and is 45 minutes from me so I still hate driving out fornload development if something doesn't go right. Briar the angles are what really kills you. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By TeeRex:
Originally Posted By BuckeyeRifleman: Nailed it. Also hate the downward angle you have to shoot at 100 yards due to how high on the hill you are shooting. Super awkward from a flat bench and a bipod... last time I was there I just said fuck it and layed in the dirt off the left side and shot way better. The two old farts on the other end looked at me like I was nuts.
Great facility but that is my one big gripe, that and the fact it needs to be closer to Columbus... that hr drive just to do load development is getting old. me so I still hate driving out fornload development if something doesn't go right. Briar the angles are what really kills you. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love Briar Rabbit. The yearly membership may be the best bang for your buck in the central-ish Ohio area. Used to go to Dillon. The guys who run the place were always fun to shoot the shit with. And, they’re pretty laid back as long as everyone is being safe. But it could get crowded quickly and a max range of 100 yards gets old after a while. Switched to Briar Rabbit a couple years ago and have been extremely pleased. Well, except for the freaking angle on the rifle range
It’s not horrible outside of 200 yards. Inside of 200, and it makes bench shooting pretty awkward. I’m already kind of “meh” on shooting from a bench. I’d rather be prone, kneeling, or standing. But I wish they’d find some way to mitigate that angle, and/or add some stations specifically for shooting from the prone. |
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Posted: 1/10/2019 9:55:29 AM EDT
[#25]
The public range here, all you can shoot is off a bench or standing. The club I belong to you can stand, bench, sit, squat, prone or whatever.
I don't mind bench for certain things, but it's not a preference. I prefer others, but shooting prone or something else is tough sometimes. Both knees have serious arthritis from an accident years ago that had one cut open to verify nothing had been torn and the other a titanium screw driven through it to keep a titanium rod in place. It can make things hard. At that times, I'll take shooting off a bench instead of not shooting. |
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TN, USA
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Posted: 1/10/2019 10:17:31 AM EDT
[#26]
Originally Posted By BuckeyeRifleman:
I can understand their appeal to the older crowd or if the ground is wet, but why don't more ranges have areas for prone or positional shooting? I suspect they the bench was designed to sight in your rifle, then take it to whatever venue for actual use, hunting, high power matches, etc. I agree they aren't really practical, but some of us are stuck with them. Like your range, prone is not possible at the range where I shoot. If I'm the only one there, I'll set up multiple targets, 15, 50 and 100 yards, then lean over the bench and engage them. |
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 1/10/2019 10:48:21 AM EDT
[#27]
Noob question here.
At my range, the bench and targets are equal in height. If I zeroed on the bench at 100 yards, how much, if any difference will my POI be if I shoot prone? Is it not enough to notice? Thanks! |
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Posted: 1/10/2019 2:26:10 PM EDT
[Last Edit: popnfresh]
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Rifleguy81:
Noob question here. At my range, the bench and targets are equal in height. If I zeroed on the bench at 100 yards, how much, if any difference will my POI be if I shoot prone? Is it not enough to notice? Thanks! The rule of thumb is to zero how you will shoot. If you are going to be in the field shooting from a tripod/bipod/pack, I wouldn't recommend zeroing with a Lead Sled(for that reason I recommend the Lead Sled stays at the store). |
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Posted: 1/10/2019 4:16:19 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By popnfresh:
You might see a difference but it won't be due to the slight angle change. The rule of thumb is to zero how you will shoot. If you are going to be in the field shooting from a tripod/bipod/pack, I wouldn't recommend zeroing with a Lead Sled(for that reason I recommend the Lead Sled stays at the store). I crack up everytime an old bugger comes by and I'm shooting MOA or less. They'll say not bad for the type of rifle or some other comment.They have smaller groups on their targets... but they also have it locked in a sled/rest and are cranking fine adjustments on a knob while barely putting a hand on for grip and a finger on the trigger. 
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