Shooting form question?

[TR1Hemi]

Velocities are higher 500FPS higher or more with MZL compared to the fastest sabot slugs, but when they build a bench at the bottom of my tree and parade a deer in front of it, I will zero off the bench. My own personal observation is hunting and bench shooting have about ZERO in common with each other. My muzzle loaders "used for hunting" and slug guns, get zero'd holding the forearm, even if said hand is resting on a bag, to imitate the same rate of muzzle climb. I have zero'd a gun not holding the forearm off of bags, then taken forehand supported (tree, pole, rock) shot and been low, EVERY shot. More so with slug guns, and was enlightened. It is surely less noticeable as velocity goes up, but I assume, most have not come from a "shotgun slug only firearm state". I have shot 3 shot 12 gauge sabot slug groups at 100 yards with all holes touching from a cantilevered barrel Simmons scoped Remington 1100, I converted a lot of old schoolers shooting smooth bore saddle clamp scope mounted hunters to the cantilever scoped/rifled barrel/ sabot slug gun that day (early 90's), when I took a deer at a laser measured 127 yards with 1 shot, I converted my father, a man who NEVER admitted he was wrong, just started doing things differently. At the end of the day, you believe what you experience, after you try multiple options presented.

 

[tpcollins]

Right, wrong, or indifferent - I don’t believe in clamping the firearm down. It’s going to recoil so I let it do it’s thing - forearm sitting on on a front BR rest, rear of stock on bunny bag with my left hand underneath.

I remember seeing some old codger put some oil on his front rest, settled the rifle into place and then slid it back and forth to lube it up. Don’t know what caliber or the distance but the shells were the size of carrots and he was shooting key holes. The video showed considerable recoil. Since then I just cradle my firearm and let it do whatever it wants to.

I watched a tactical show on the proper way to shoot off a tripod. They said put the front leg in the middle and the rear 2 legs in the exact middle. When the rifle recoils it goes straight back instead of to one side or the other. Made sense to me.
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[Confederate rifleman]

As you mentioned slug hunting, a couple things come to mind.
If we're talking break open single shot ( including that type of muzzleloader)or pump/autoloader with removable barrels, then there are mechanical issues that come into play.
The break opens have some flexibility in their lock up that is exaggerated when shot with forend only on the bag. The pump/autoloader have quite a bit of play in the barrel/receiver joint and this is why the best scope mounts for them are the cantilever type. The strains applied when shooting off bags is quite different and while not universal, can have a serious effect on point of impact in the field.
For these weapons, the best rest is with your hand supporting the forend as it is closest to the strains placed on them when shooting in the field.
Additionally, there's knowing how to shoot, and how to shoot THAT particular rifle. I once had a Marlin 336 .30-30 that would put the first 2 shots close at 100 and flip the 3rd shot a bit high and right. Hold a bit low/left for #3 and I could cloverleaf with that rifle because I knew how to shoot THAT one. I could put it in the hands of the best shot out there and she'd be a 2 inch rifle at best.
As always, your rifle will tell you what load to shoot AND, if you look for the patterns in groups over time, HOW to shoot it.
It can be freaky fun!

 

[michiganmuzzy]

As you mentioned slug hunting, a couple things come to mind.
If we're talking break open single shot ( including that type of muzzleloader)or pump/autoloader with removable barrels, then there are mechanical issues that come into play.
The break opens have some flexibility in their lock up that is exaggerated when shot with forend only on the bag. The pump/autoloader have quite a bit of play in the barrel/receiver joint and this is why the best scope mounts for them are the cantilever type. The strains applied when shooting off bags is quite different and while not universal, can have a serious effect on point of impact in the field.
For these weapons, the best rest is with your hand supporting the forend as it is closest to the strains placed on them when shooting in the field.
Additionally, there's knowing how to shoot, and how to shoot THAT particular rifle. I once had a Marlin 336 .30-30 that would put the first 2 shots close at 100 and flip the 3rd shot a bit high and right. Hold a bit low/left for #3 and I could cloverleaf with that rifle because I knew how to shoot THAT one. I could put it in the hands of the best shot out there and she'd be a 2 inch rifle at best.
As always, your rifle will tell you what load to shoot AND, if you look for the patterns in groups over time, HOW to shoot it.
It can be freaky fun!

Agree 100%. I dont shoot my mossberg 500 the same way i shoot MLs. I customized the crap out that gun. Ported, rifled cantilever barrel. Blackhawk recoil absorbing pistol grip. 1" pachmeyr pad. Hours spent tweaking the trigger til its perfect for me. But i dont ever shoot it from bags. I reload for it too. I dont miss deer inside of 120yds with it.

 

[Buttonbuck]

Agree 100%. I dont shoot my mossberg 500 the same way i shoot MLs. I customized the crap out that gun. Ported, rifled cantilever barrel. Blackhawk recoil absorbing pistol grip. 1" pachmeyr pad. Hours spent tweaking the trigger til its perfect for me. But i dont ever shoot it from bags. I reload for it too. I dont miss deer inside of 120yds with it.

What slugs do you reload for it? I tried casting 1 oz lee slug did well out of rifled 870 with 31 gr herco I was told 7/8 better but curious about Slugs R us

 

[michiganmuzzy]

What slugs do you reload for it? I tried casting 1 oz lee slug did well out of rifled 870 with 31 gr herco I was told 7/8 better but curious about Slugs R us

I've tried a lot of dif setups. I am trying to duplicate the Hornady sst performance. Not perfect yet.