Shooting away from the bench

[rlewpolar]

I recently posted about a new AR I picked up that I paired with an Acog. I've been using M855 ammo (before the run up in prices) and was getting so-so groups from the bench at 100 yds (about 3")

Since it was clear that this set up is not ideal for precision shooting, decided to shoot away from the bench exclusively. Standing, kneeling, prone.

Quite honestly, to me it's way more fun and challenging. I'm happy to report that I can get pretty good results, especially kneeling with an elbow on the knee. Prone is course is good also. Standing at 100 yds is still hard but I'm getting better at it. Everything is in the black now.

And then it occurred to me, that shooting an AR from the bench, doesn't quite make sense. For home defense, SHTF scenarios, hunting, etc, when are we ever going to find ourselves sitting in a nice chair, with the gun perfectly lined up and still?

Anyone else have gotten away from bench shooting?

At my range, I see no one doing it and it is a large range with large number of shooters and in my close to 100 visits there, I think I've seen one guy shoot prone, once.

Thoughts?


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[BigPimping]

Many ranges do not allow that. USI Multipurpose does.

[rlewpolar]

Ahhh, that might be it. But this range does allow it and I never see it.

An interesting side note, I like to shoot pistols long distance and was shooting it standing at the 100 yd line. I was told no, if you want to shoot a pistol at that distance, you need to be seated.


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[HighWildFree]

Varmint hunting allows one to use a bench rest. But I hear where you are coming from op. But remember not everyone at the range is training for shtf. Most are just having fun.

Just like on the trap/skeet range I like to use (hunters carry), why? Because I've never yelled "pull" and had game come flying out of a bush, although I've tried.

[CSACANNONEER]

I recently posted about a new AR I picked up that I paired with an Acog. I've been using M855 ammo (before the run up in prices) and was getting so-so groups from the bench at 100 yds (about 3")

Since it was clear that this set up is not ideal for precision shooting, decided to shoot away from the bench exclusively. Standing, kneeling, prone.

Quite honestly, to me it's way more fun and challenging. I'm happy to report that I can get pretty good results, especially kneeling with an elbow on the knee. Prone is course is good also. Standing at 100 yds is still hard but I'm getting better at it. Everything is in the black now.

And then it occurred to me, that shooting an AR from the bench, doesn't quite make sense. For home defense, SHTF scenarios, hunting, etc, when are we ever going to find ourselves sitting in a nice chair, with the gun perfectly lined up and still?

Anyone else have gotten away from bench shooting?

At my range, I see no one doing it and it is a large range with large number of shooters and in my close to 100 visits there, I think I've seen one guy shoot prone, once.

Thoughts?


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Many varmint shooters use portable benches and shoot ground hogs at +400 yards with their ARs.

[Fjold]

[TheExiled]

I try not to use the benches unless Im with others and teaching them

[pipboy]

Depends on which AR I'm using and where. Lightweight AR I try to stay off/away from bench shooting. Heavy @$$ SPR tends to get shot from the bench.

[j15w]

Not a big bench guy myself either when using the AR. I find shooting offhand from different positions very challenging.

[Mitch]

Been a long time (years) since I fired a rifle from a bench, but I can often be found shooting prone or kneeling. Does that count?

[Merc1138]

Many ranges do not allow that. USI Multipurpose does.

I have yet to find a range that doesn't allow that. Even metcalf with the crappy benches(there's no way you're shooting prone/kneeling/seated(on the ground, not the bench) has an area at the far left that allows you to sit/stand/kneel/lay down/whatever.

I know there's a range somewhere in the bay area that only allows you to shoot through stupid little portholes in a wall, but I've never been there and it's the only one like that I've heard of(can't even remember the name).

[someoneeasy]

I first learned to shoot in the Marines, bench rest was the most unusual think I ever witnessed when I first saw it.

To me, shooting from a bench is awkward, but it works for others.

O yea, iron sights for the win!

[RandyD]

I agree, it is true, shooting from a bench will not train you for hunting, self defense or how to shoot from a position, but you can accomplish a lot from shooting from a bench. You can verify zeros for various ranges and loads. You can also determine the level of accuracy for your rifle and loads. You can practice trigger squeeze. A bench has a useful purpose, but it is not applicable to 100% of shooting applications.

[rlewpolar]

^^ Agree with this.. For zeroing, and other things needing the most stable platform, not sure how else I would do it. Guess my original point was that once you have stuff dialed in, seems a bit of a waste to shoot endlessly from the bench. But of course, I've done it myself as a relatively newish shooter trying to get the fundamentals down.


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[rlewpolar]

On a slightly different note, is anyone here good at snap shooting? How far can you shoot accurately and how can I learn this black art?


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