[Russ]

... what do you use for mounts? On the 300-grain loads I'm working up (Cast Performance and Hornady XTP), I keep getting whacked. (Thank God I wear safety glasses when I shoot.) If I want elk with this gun, I want some "warm" 300-grain loads. However, if I back off to keep from getting whacked, I'm not going to feel real confident in my load. I'm using a late-model Weaver K6 Classic in standard Weaver rings. I'm thinking of getting the extension rings Weaver sells, if it will keep me from constantly (and I mean CONSTANTLY) getting whacked with my 300-grain loads. And my God, guys, these are just "book" loads, I'm not doing anything crazy with powder charges.

"Help."

Russ

 

[Contender]

Russ,

How far is your eye from the scope? What is the scope's eye relief rating? Do you have it as forward as you can go in the rings?

Did you try changing you shooting stance/positioning? I'm assuming this is happening shooting off-hand? Or from a bench?

Can you elaborate a little further?

Thanks,

 

[Russ]

I don't know the eye relief, I ballparked it at a couple of inches or so.  I'm sure the actual specs are on the 'Net somewhere.  This is happening at the bench; I'm working up loads.  Yes, the scope is as forward as it can go.  Like I said, I'm contemplating extension rings.  I just wondered what everyone else is doing for mounts.

Russ

 

[Contender]

Russ,

From the standpoint that you are having this problem on the bench, you might try a "sissy" bag between your shoulder and the buttplate to soak up some of that recoil. Try to hold your head as far back as possible and still have a good sight picture through the scope.

If you don't have this problem shooting off-hand, I'd hesitate to make any mount changes as you will be shooting this way in the field anyway.

It sounds like you are getting a little to up into the scope from the bench and maybe not supporting the butt in recoil well with your shoulder from the bench like you would if shooting off-hand.

Try to make some changes in the way you mount the gun at the bench. Heavy recoilers are a bit tough to shoot from a bench. I even had some trouble myself shooting a 280 Rem with 170 gr. full up loads from the bench. The key is to keep the gun into your shoulder and supported well. Instead of resting the forearm on the front bag, rest your hand on the bag for support and hold the forearm with your hand. This can help prevent the barrel from coming up and back so far shoving the scope into your face.

Just some thoughts.

Regards,

 

[Russ]

Well, true... but it's hard to "get away" from the scope.  I'm 6'5" tall and, with my long arms, hands, and fingers... there's only so much backing away I can do.  I'm pretty sure I'll get whacked in off-hand shooting, too.  We'll see.  I'll be hitting the range next week for some load development.

Thanks for the ideas.

Russ

 

[MikeG]

Tried a slip-on recoil pad?  At 6'5" the buttstock is surely too short for you.

What base are you using?  Some of the Weaver-style bases have several cross-slots so you can move the scope around.  Also, sometimes the scope itself is the limiting factor in how far forward you can move it - things like the distance from the turrent to the eyepiece, etc.

But I'd bet anything that length of pull is your biggest enemy.

 

[mike bal]

I rest my left hand on a bag then firmly grasp the forend when shooting full power 45-70's(Marlin 1895).  This appears to help as i have never been hit by scope yet.  Also firmly plant butstock in shoulder.  When shooting anything else up to & including 7mm mag, i usually just rest forend on bags and only have right hand on rifle.  I'm not a big guy just 5'10' and about 180#.  If possible, when at bench use double hearing protection --- both muffs and the foam style that you insert in ear -- this will do more to reduce felt recoil than you would think.  Much of recoil is your ears telling your brain that "this hurts".

 

[Contender]

At 6'5", length of pull is your trouble most likely. I'm 6"4" and virtually every gunstock is too short. Some I can get away with and others slam me good.

As Mike suggests, try a slip-on pad and see if that helps you as it will effectively increase the stock length. If it does, maybe you could consider having a thick recoil pad mounted. I have done this and it has made a world of difference. I just put it right on the end of the existing stock without removing any wood.

I've even seen some guns with a 1" or so piece of "blonde" wood added on to the end of the walnut stock to increase length. Looked really sharp, actually.

FWIW,



(Edited by Contender at 10:20 am on July 7, 2001)

 

[Bill Lester]

Russ,

It sounds like you may be a good candidate for an Ashley Scout Mount if you want optics on your Marlin.

 

[Russ]

I'm going to get a longer buttstock, I've decided.  I checked things out again last night, and it's just way too short for me.  I played "what if," pretending the stock was two inches longer, and... there's NO WAY the scope could come anywhere near my eye!

Now, I just need to find someone who does custom buttstocks for Marlin guns and who can match the type of wood and color of the forearm, which has been worked on a LOT to accommodate the barrel and magazine.  I'd need the tang sight installed, too.  My guy is pretty busy with two other gun projects of mine, I'd rather not bother him with this.

Russ

 

[Jack Monteith]

Hi, Russ:
 A few tips from someone who's only 6'2" and whose thumb regularly met my nose when I was shooting Dad's Remington Model 10 12 gauge back when I was a pup. They were Magnum loads of course. Why was I using Magnums for Mallards? Because they were there.  A recoil pad and sensible loads made it a different gun.

  Without seeing you, I'd guess you'd need about a 14 1/2" length of pull, measured from the trigger to the centre of the butt plate. I can't see how Jeff Cooper can shoot with a 12 1/2" stock, even though he's got a sturdy build.

  The `97 Weaver catalogue lists the K6's eye relief at 3.3".  Leupold's have an honest 4" in the fixed powers and some variables.

  Your bench could be too low, making you lean into the gun, rather than sitting upright. Raise your bench with some 4x4s and a top of plywood, if necessary.

  Push your shoulder ahead and up, giving your body room to flex and pushing the gun away from your face. If you're shooting offhand, raise your elbow as well. This makes the high shoulder position easier and helps keep your head upright, which keeps the balance mechanism in your inner ear happy.

  A length of pull that's right for shooting off the bench in summer will be 1/2" too long for offhand shooting with winter clothing. It might be an idea to fit a thin rifle pad at the same time as you fit your recoil pad.

  Try stacking a few of those black 1/4" spacers between the wood and the pad. Just be sure you've got your grubbiest coveralls on when you grind them down flush.

  The other fellows gave you good advise too.

Bye
Jack

 

[Contender]

Jack,

Now that you mention it, I think this is the problem up at my club. The benches are all too low.

I constantly see piles of rolled up rugs, big 12x12's, boxes and everything else being used to raise the shooting position.

I have some half blocks that I think I'm going to drag up there next time myself and shove them under the legs to raise the whole table.

I would imagine table height should be about chest high to just under your arm pits when seated am I correct?

Thanks for the suggestion.

Regards,

 

[jack1]

  I am putting a scout mount on my 444, I have this set up on my 44mag it sure works good.

 

[IDShooter]

HI, I sure agree that shooting benches too low is a common problem. The club where I currently shoot has picnic table-type benches and they are too low for me. My 30-30 even bites because of the angle with which it meets my shoulder due to the short stock and low bench. The best set up I've ever seen was at the range at which I shot when I lived in Utah; it had concrete benches with seats that adjusted up or down. It makes a lot of difference on the eye relief with a hard-kicker. You've GOT to set it up for hunting, but then it can be difficult from the bench.... Oh well, if only our resources were infinite!                   ID

 

[Jack Monteith]

Hi, Guys:
   FWIW, my chair is 17" high and my bench is 35" high. This puts my armpit about 4" over the bench. My "Bench" is an old table and a blocked up 3/4" plywood top, cut to shape. I use 4x6s on edge for blocks. It's easy to flip them over to drop the top for a shorter shooter, or use 2x4s for a kid. It's not as steady as it should be, according to my neighbour Rick. Maybe that's why he has a Precision Shooting Magazine Screamer Patch (0.168" 5 shot group at 200 yd.) and I don't.

   Building contractors that use pole frame construction often have a pile of short pieces of large dimension lumber, hopefully for sale cheap. <!--emo&--><img src="http://beartoothbullets.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''><!--endemo-->

Bye
Jack

(Edited by Jack Monteith at 9:51 am on July 10, 2001)