I have to confess firstly, that I am not a bench-rester. My interest is in finding the most accurate ammo for my CZ455. Using a Caldwell front rest and a Bigfoot/Jumbo rear bag with ears. Concrete benches at Belmont. The trouble starts when the rifle is touched with my hand. It will flick horizontally and the groups are rubbish.
Tried pinching the trigger between thumb and fore finger to eliminate as much rifle-contact as possible. Scope is a Weaver T-36. Tried firm grips with the hand. Tight grips while pulling in to my shoulder. Nothing eliminates the horizontal flicking.
I have used this rest and rear bag to record 4 consecutive groups of 3/8" (about) at 100 at Belmont with a 223 range rifle, so I like to think I'm not a novice but this gun is making a monkey of me. It is a vastly different to the 223, having a plastic stock and 161/2" barrel.
I have wondered if its lack of weight is a problem. Cannot recall "the flick" with the 223 which must have weighed 10 pounds.
Tried squeezing the fore end of the CZ between the ears of the front bag, hoping it would slow down the flicking but there was no change in the rifle's behaviour. I have bedded the CZ's action myself and made a crude, stiffer, floorplate/trigger guard which I also bedded.
Well, I'm stumped. Can any of you help please?
Try putting a plate under the forend and holding it on with a screw in the front sling hole. I did it with a hunting rifle and it worked a treat. You can bed it to the stock too. Just put release agent on the stock so it comes apart and can still be used normally.
Kim
If you are not in benchrest, just take the action out and clamp it on a sturdy vice clamped to a bench, like the way Eley does the testing.
Google Eley testing, and on images, you can find what I'm saying.
Thanks
PedroS
Thank you Kim and PedroS. You both have given me some ideas and I will try it out this a.m.
I have made many benchrest stocks for hunting rifles that the shooters bolt in and bolt out depending on what they want to do.
I make stocks that a hunter can unbolt his Lithgow .22 drop into a bedded benchrest stock and shoot rimfire with the same gun .
chrisjon65
That's interesting mate. So, you are saying that I need a benchrest stock for my 455, to shoot benchrest. I would never have known that. Would one of those eliminate or reduce the horizontal flicking that I am getting?
Yes , a 3 inch wide target stock would stop all movement if it sat on a 3 inch bag at the front .i have made stocks that are 75mm wide at the front comes back about 120mm and the rest of the stock is same as a hunting stock .
The blokes I made them for shoot targets and hunt with the same stocks
Im no expert but are you trying to shoot the CZ, the "free recoil" method? If you are unless you have a 2oz trigger you won't group well. I have a CZ 453 with a lightened set trigger, i cant fire it free recoil because it pulls to the right, i have to grip the stock with my right hand as you normally would hold a rifle, my left hand does not touch the rifle. If your trigger is heavy, the action of you pulling the trigger with one finger will pull the rifle to one side and your groups will open up. You could try positioning the stock more forward or rearward in the front bag. If all else fails ask another shooter there to have a shot and see if they can do better.
michaeljp
Thanks for your reply mate. I tried free recoil and "pinching" the trigger at the same time in an effort to avoid touching the rifle, as much as possible. Trouble is, any amount of touching induces the horizontal flick. And yes, the trigger has had work but it not a 2oz. jobby. I also tried higher rings so my cheek pressure would not induce the problem but I cannot seem to stop all contact. I am sure it's just my pulse but there's no way I want that to stop.
I have just bedded a CZ and must mention it would be better with a hold down screw closer to the barrel. I'm yet to check it for accuracy or use a bedding gauge. If touching the stock produces a flyer then bedding is usually the problem. A stock with a wider straight profile will certainly help bench technique to shoot it better. Check your follow through, a projectile travelling at around 1000 ftsec takes a lot of time to exit the barrel
mushroom