You will not stop the recoil. The energy produced by the shot must go somewhere. So it's a case of trying to better manage your recoil. The issue you have is the .270 packs quite a punch. Also as hunting rifles are designed for, well, hunting it's likely it's a light set up meaning you have more felt recoil.

Here are a few tips i have used over the years to try and get the best from my rifle (when testing for groups).

Equipment / position.

• Use a proper front rest. No sandbag, or log, or harris bipod. A proper, heavy and solid rest that will not move or shift when firing.
• Use a good quality and solid rear bag. Even a second rest if you like. Something that allows you to have the rifle held as firmly as possible without compromising on your ability to fire the gun. Also something that does not take any of the recoil. It's important that you are the one to do this as you need to "get the feel" for it, and be able to work on your recoil management.
• Have someone watch you. I've seen the most experienced hunters flinch when shooting some guns. In some cases it's so subtle you wouldn't notice it, and from a shooters perspective you don't know you're doing it. So having someone watching you is always a help.
• A rifle should not jump or lift when fired. The recoil comes directly back. If you were to put a gun on the ground (pure hypothetical of course) and tie some string to the trigger and pulled the rifle would fire and fly straight back. It won't jump up off the ground. This is where your recoil management comes into play. The harder you push against the gun (via your shoulder) the more the gun wants to lift because as said above the recoil energy has to go somewhere. So if it cannot go back it'll "use" your shoulder as a "pivot point" and the muzzle will lift up. This is called muzzle flip and a suppressor or brake can help reduce this.
• With the above in mind if you have a mod, use it regularly, then use it. It'll aid in recoil management and obviously it's pointless testing a gun in a format it's not normally used in.

Technique.

• With the rifle on a solid front rest and solid back rest/bag you need to have good cheek placement on the stock, length of pull on the rifle, and be comfortable. Any straining in LOP, cheek placement, lying/sitting position, etc. will result in tiny pressures you exert on the rifle being amplified when fired.
• Make sure the butt of the stock/butt pad is securely and tightly nestled into your shoulder. You want good and comfortable contact between the butt pad and your shoulder. The pad may need to be adjusted if it sits too low or high. This can cause muzzle flip if it's too low on your shoulder.
• Don't have a death grip on the stock. The natural tendency for anyone holding a rifle is to hold it with a cant. It's the natural hand position. To eliminate this i use the "three finger grip" method. I use the baby, second and middle finger on the grip. I don't squeeze, but rather i use the inner part of the fingers (nearest the palm and centre on the grip) to pull the rifle back, firmly into my shoulder. I can leave the fingers sticking out or wrap them around the grip, but at no point do i put pressure on the tips of the fingers that would encourage cant.
• My thumb is not across the back of the grip/stock but rather up along it. IOW it would be "pointing" at the back of the bolt. This also prevents or reduces cant.
• My cheek position is vital. It must be securely on the stock, but not with so much pressure that it pushes the stock in any way. I need clear target picture and no issues with eye relief.
• As to the issue of what to do with the left hand (assuming you're a righty, or right hand if you're a lefty). I've seen people hold the foreend, lay it flat on the table, wrap is around the rear bag/right arm/elbow, etc. It's really personal choice. As said above it'll have no advantage in trying to hold the foreend down. Recoil will come back first so any downward pull from your non shooting hand may have an impact on the rifle in terms of cant/twisting the rifle immediately after firing. I prefer to wrap my left arm/hand around the rear bag, and grab the elbow/back of my right arm. No pressure it's there for extra stability but not so much that i put off my right arm.
• Breathing is key. You need to time your shots and only fire on exhale. Do not fully breath out but rather half way through your exhale. If it feels wrong, stop, don't fire, and start again. Only fire once you are calm, and focused on the target. IOW do not rush a shot. Don't try and fire before you can no longer hold your breath. So from the point you begin to exhale, you should pause about 1.5 seconds into it, fire, and then continue to exhale.
• When the rifle fires allow the rifle to come back. DO NOT try and stop it. The rifle and your shoulder should move directly back in one fluid motion. After the recoil is "spent" the forward pressure should move the rifle directly forward. The way to check this is you should be back on target after firing. If you have to search for the target then you need to practice the recoil management.
• Trigger finger. DO NOT snap the trigger. It's not hot and won't bite you. When you fire you need to purposely hold the trigger in the fired position for about 2 seconds. Any snapping/snatching of the trigger may result in you accidentally pushing or pulling trigger, and hence the gun, in a direction other than straight back.
• Use the middle of the pad of the finger. Not the knuckle or the tip of the finger. The pull should be constant, smooth, and one motion.

Groups

Most people fire 2 or three rounds and consider this a group. It's not. I'm not getting into semantics, but to truly find out what your rifle and you can do you need to try this.

• Place out a target with 4 distinct and separate bulls/targets.
• You'll need 4 sets of 5 rounds & 2 fouling shots.
• Fire the two fouling shots to warm up the barrel
• Wait about 2 minutes
• Move onto the grouping shots
• Fire each batch of 5 rounds at a separate target.
• When firing you need to allow the same amount of time between shots. I usually allow 30 to 45 seconds.
• Between batches allow the rifle to stand for between 3 to 5 minutes. If the barrel is still excessively warm, wait longer.
• Watch for wind, and other factors.
• Count everything. Even flyers as there is no point in fooling yourself that a shot does not count because it's a "flyer".
• Take down the target, measure each group from the two furthest shots in mm, and then subtract 7mm. This will give you your true group size.

Sometime i do the fouling shots, sometimes i don't. I like to see where the cold barrel shot will go compared to the others. Also note if the gun fires better when hot or cool. Also check if the groups tighten as the barrel becomes fouled or when there was little to no fouling at the start.

Record everything. Bring a pad and pen and write down everything you do. This way you cannot guess or forget what you done throughout.


This will not guarantee perfect shots or even an improvement, but it's a starting point.

HughF wrote: »

Interesting to hear that it is using my shoulder as a pivot point.

As i said above you cannot stop or "nullify" the recoil. It has to go somewhere. So if you are pushing hard (with your shoulder) against the rifle in an attempt to stop the recoil then the muzzle will flip up. What you need to look at is adsorbing (not really the right word) the recoil and allowing it to come back directly into your shoulder and allow your shoulder and rifle to move as one. The key point being under control rather than the rifle kicking your shoulder back.

I guess not is the answer if I manage to get the recoil to move straight back.

Basically, yes.

Also interesting to see you don't consider the Harris bi pod solid enough for a rest. I would have though it was fine but delighted to hear a different view.

In the context of what you want to do (get the best possible groups) the harris is not a stable platform. There is "give" in the legs and most people load the bipod. This means when the rifle is fired and the recoil/rifle is coming back you are fighting against the natural, rested, position of the bipod as well as the recoil. For the purpose of getting the best groups you want a stable, solid and almost unmovable rest. This eliminates any possibility of the rest being a factor in the grouping.

Now in a field, rough group check, or a quick zero check situation the bipod is perfect. If you eliminate every possible outside factor then the only reasons left for poor grouping are:

• Your technique
• Ammo
• Rifle
• Scope
• Weather conditions

If you know your scope is perfectly set up then it leaves:

• Your technique
• Ammo
• Rifle
• Weather conditions

Picking a good day eliminates weather conditions

• Your technique
• Ammo
• Rifle

Knowing what ammo your gun likes eliminates ammo

• Your technique
• Rifle

Knowing your rifle is properly zeroed, all screws are tight, the trigger is not heavy, and it's clean eliminates the rifle

• Your technique

This can only be improved on with practice.