bipod bounce?

huntsd

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I have a tikka t3 6.5 CM that shoots lights out with factory ammo. I run a Leupold with a moa turret and my MOA chart is spot on out to 500. I've shot 300,400,500 many times with gun.

I added a bipod to the gun, and zeroed the rifle with my bipod on. Then 3 groups at 300 are all about 3-5 inches low. Same ammo, same moa adjustments. Has anyone else seen a bipod cause this? Any recommendations?
 
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huntsd

huntsd

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What were your shooting off of before the bipod? What were you resting your rifle on and what part of the rifle was on the rest?
I was shooting off a led sled pre the bipod at the range.

Also took two deer shooting off a pack. 400 and 425
 

fholdburg

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Oof! I would stay away from the lead sled as they can ruin your scope and mount. A quality bipod and good positioning will help with your bounce you are describing.
 
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I have a tikka t3 6.5 CM that shoots lights out with factory ammo. I run a Leupold with a moa turret and my MOA chart is spot on out to 500. I've shot 300,400,500 many times with gun.

I added a bipod to the gun, and zeroed the rifle with my bipod on. Then 3 groups at 300 are all about 3-5 inches low. Same ammo, same moa adjustments. Has anyone else seen a bipod cause this? Any recommendations?
Is the ammo factory? If so, is it from the same lot you were shooting before?
 
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huntsd

huntsd

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yes factory barnes vortex ttsx. I doubt from the same lot? However, I have run this ammo for years (bought years apart) and have never had an issue before pre bipod
 
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Was your bipod resting on a hard surface? Also, depending on how it deploys, was it properly “loaded” before the shot?

Try resting it on something soft like dirt or maybe even a blanket. Then, try to set up your shooting position where it eliminates movement in the bipod during recoil. Mine require me to set the feet and push into it.

POI changes from different rests isn’t totally uncommon. Especially if you have a flexible forend.
 

XLR

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If your barrel channel isn't free floated and you load the bipod differently every shot, then you are going to get inconsistent accuracy. When it is on a front rest or bag there is not really a way to load the rifle with different pressures so you might be a little more consistent. Just some food for thought as I am not sure if you are free-floated or not. If you are not though I would get it done and u will probably see better accuracy.
 
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huntsd

huntsd

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If your barrel channel isn't free floated and you load the bipod differently every shot, then you are going to get inconsistent accuracy. When it is on a front rest or bag there is not really a way to load the rifle with different pressures so you might be a little more consistent. Just some food for thought as I am not sure if you are free-floated or not. If you are not though I would get it done and u will probably see better accuracy.
could be why. It's a stock tikka barrel (plastic) and no it isn't free floated.

I appreciate your feedback!
 
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Sako300

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I believe there is a YouTube video with Aaron Davidson and Gunwerks explaining Point of impact differences from bench to prone on a tripod. I believe even with their high dollar setups, they were seeing 1 moa drop differences at a 1000 yards (10 inches) LOW when comparing when they shot of a nice bench with bags and a front rest.
 
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Lawnboi

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I believe there is a YouTube video with Aaron Davidson and Gunwerks explaining Point of impact differences from bench to prone on a tripod. I believe even with their high dollar setups, they were seeing 1 moa drop differences at a 1000 yards (10 inches) LOW when comparing when they shot of a nice bench with bags and a front rest.
This is a problem and exactly why hunters need to shoot from different positions.

If your poi is changing from one position to another it’s a rifle problem or a shooter problem. Period.

Can things change from certain positions? Sure but a minute change from any position is completely unacceptable, and I’d be looking to change my rifle or shooting style to eliminate it if at all possible.

OP… get rid of the lead sled and forget the bench (unless you hunt from one). Shoot and confirm how your going to hunt. Utilize something like a Kraft drill to find weakness and shifts in you and your rifle in different positions then work to eliminate them.

On top of that tikka factory stocks often have poi shift when shooting different kinds of rests, one of the downsides to a flexible stock.

Bipod bounce in my experience is almost always caused by lack of recoil management and especially stock design, the sporter style stock is doing you NO favors on this one.
 

Sako300

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Agree 100% ^^^^^^^^^^. I believe it’s a very overlooked problem and is very important to practice how you would be shooting your rifle setup for your applications!!
 
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XLR

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Shoot and confirm how your going to hunt. Utilize something like a Kraft drill to find weakness and shifts in you and your rifle in different positions then work to eliminate them.
The Kraft drill will teach you a lot about your shooting abilities and what you need to work on! I always assumed I shot better from a low kneeling than high kneeling or standing but the kraft challenge taught me otherwise! As long as you are conscious of where you perform the best, you can put that to work in the field! But if you cannot get into your most comfortable position, at least you have worked on the others! As nice as it would be to always shoot prone, it just never happens!
 

Spoonman

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POI will change going from a lead sled to a bipod. In some cases not very much but in other it could change a lot. I don’t use lead sleds cause you’re not likely to take it in the field hunting. I sight in and shoot with what I hunt with.
 

OXN939

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Your rifle's recoil impulse is substantially different on a lead sled than it will be in any real world scenario. This is probably at least contributing to if not completely causing your POI shift. Also, as mentioned, lead sleds can damage scopes, rifles and or mounts.

Scrap the lead sled, zero off your bipod and shoot with a soft shoulder.
 
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huntsd

huntsd

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whats strange is I did zero off my bipod while laying on ground. Then I dropped back to 300 and used my historic moa corrections from when I previously shot (off led sled 4 moa was dead on at 300). My impacts were all 4-6 inches low while using same moa correction from the ground with my bipod. It almost seems like I lost velocity somehow?
 

Lawnboi

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whats strange is I did zero off my bipod while laying on ground. Then I dropped back to 300 and used my historic moa corrections from when I previously shot (off led sled 4 moa was dead on at 300). My impacts were all 4-6 inches low while using same moa correction from the ground with my bipod. It almost seems like I lost velocity somehow?
There’s a lot of stuff that could be going on. 4-6” off at 300 is allot.

Same ammo/same lot?
Possibly scrambled your scope on the sled?
Maybe do a tracking test or a tall target test at 100 to see if your scope is adjusting properly?
Shooting in heavy mirage? It is summer.


If all else is the same I’d suspect shooter first, scope second, and rifle third.
 
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No way is a bipod causing the rifle to bounce or jump more than a lead sled, those things are terrible for accuracy. Make sure you’re loading the bipod properly, but I’d trust the zero and accuracy off of a bipod long before a lead sled.

If the bipod is doing anything else different than when shooting off a lead sled it’s probably because you have a pressure point in the forend on the barrel that’s shifting differently between one and the other.
 

hereinaz

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Bipod bounce is largely because of recoil. Recoil is what changes POI based on what you are shooting off of and how you are holding it. You have to control many things, including your shooting form.
 
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huntsd

huntsd

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Been looking into this more. The "tupperware stock" does contact the barrel on the left side and isn't free floated. Do you guys think upgrading to a McMillian or such will fix this problem?

Gun is a shooter (off bags). I am having a hard time justifying an $800 stock for an $800 rifle.
 
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