Front Shooting Pedestals

[Nic_58]

I have been using a Bald Eagle front pedestal for a few years now and it's a fine piece of equipment.  Very nicely made and looks like it would last more than a lifetime.  I have always struggled with the "correct" position of the forend of the stock of the rifles I shoot in it.  Sometimes swivel stud position on the stock limits the placement of the gun in the rest.  I read recently to just remove the stud while shooting at the range and replace it when going hunting.  That is very good advice.....a "why didn't I think of that?" kind of thing!  So assuming a particular gun has a removable front swivel stud and can be placed anwhere in the rest, what do you find to be the optimum position of the gun in a pedestal type rest like the Bald Eagle, Hart, Wichita, etc.?  Do you have better accuracy with the rest near the forend or nearer midway on the stock?  Or is the optimum position different for every make/model of gun?  Here is the rest I use.  Looking forward to your thoughts.  Thanks!

[RandyWakeman]

Sometimes swivel stud position on the stock limits the placement of the gun in the rest.  

That has never been any issue at all for me-- I must be missing something? :?

[Nic_58]

Obviously, because of a swivel stud on the forend of a gunstock, the stock must be placed in a pedestal rest with the stud in front of the bag, because of not enough gunstock in front of the stud to allow placement of the stock on the bag with the stud behind it.  So you are limited to placing the gun on the front bag anywhere behind the front swivel stud to the area in front of the trigger guard or action screws.  Therefore my question, if on an in-line ML, front swivel stud removed as on a benchrest rifle, where would be the optimum positioning of the forend of the gun on the pedestal bag, given the ability to place the gun anywhere on the bag?  Such as, front of the stock 2" forward of the bag, or bag contacting the stock halfway between front action screw and front of gunstock?  Front bag placement can and does make a difference, just wondering if others using this type of front rest  on their ML's have found that a certain placement of the stock on the front bag yields better accuracy at the range.

[Underclocked]

Certainly no expert, but I try to position the forearm of a stock on the rest just where my hand would go if shooting from the shoulder.  Probably more voodoo than science involved in that choice.   :-)

[RandyWakeman]

Obviously, because of a swivel stud on the forend of a gunstock, the stock must be placed in a pedestal rest with the stud in front of the bag, because of not enough gunstock in front of the stud to allow placement of the stock on the bag with the stud behind it.  So you are limited to placing the gun on the front bag anywhere behind the front swivel stud to the area in front of the trigger guard or action screws.  

The limitation you speak of has been no limitation at all to me, as most inlines are quite generous in the room between the stud and the action-- 13" on a Knight Elite, 10" or so on an Encore, etc.

[Nic_58]

 most inlines are quite generous in the room between the stud and the action-- 13" on a Knight Elite, 10" or so on an Encore, etc.

That 13" on a Knight or the 10" on an Encore is the area in question.  If the front stud is removed for bench shooting, then the area is even more generous.  I have noticed on certain centerfire or rimfire rifles that I get better accuracy by experimenting with placement of this large area of the forearm onto the pedestal bag.  My T/C with a synthetic stock has a floated barrel and I haven't done much testing with placement on the rest to see if it has any effect on accuracy at the range.   But I'm just curious to know if anyone else has ever tried out this "theory".  
Underclocked's answer is what I'm looking for.  Each shooter surely has a "sweet spot" that they like to place the forearm or the rear bag for that matter.  I seriously doubt anybody who is shooting for accuracy just randomly places their rifle in the bags each time they pull the trigger and doesn't repostion the gun after each shot.  After all, repeatability means accuracy in all types of shooting.

[RandyWakeman]

After all, repeatability means accuracy in all types of shooting.

Or, "consistency means accuracy." It is the stability of the rest that makes a difference for me-- there are plenty of guns out there that are more accurate than I am, this 100 yard group being from a few days ago:



That's just hunting ammo, not match grade ammo-- the last thing I'm looking to do is to blame it on a rest. Either it is stable, or it isn't.

[Underclocked]

Randy, you seem to know about this
rifle???

Where would you position that foreunderarm?   :shock:

PS:  it's your bandwidth!   :lol:

[RandyWakeman]

Randy, you seem to know about this
rifle???

Where would you position that foreunderarm?   :shock:

I used to think this was no such thing as an ugly gun. I've changed my view on that. Position? Diesel fuel and matches.

[oneshotonekill]

With a quality in-line I would think the best place for the rest is where its most comfortable and stable for you.  As long as the rifle is properly bedded in the stock the rest position should have little affect on accuracy.  If the rifle has a poor stock fit and is not bedded well it is possible that the upward pressure of the rest could change barrel/stock contact and affect accuracy.  Some of the break action guns (like the H&R's) tend to be hold sensitive and seem to shoot better with the rest  farther back toward the action.  The only way to know for sure is to take your gun to the range and experiment.  I personally have never had a problem with sling studs being in the way I usually have plenty of room between the stud and the action to place a rest.