A new direction

[Rick Mulhern]

You gonna have a hard time beatin this method! My chest goes up against the bench, arms/elbows down on the pad, non-trigger hand goes out forward to end of forearm and hand rest atop the rolled up shooting mat which has a 2" piece of galvanized pipe in the middle to keep roll from collapsing! I don't use a rear rest...shoot off the shoulder with rifle pulled back hard into my shoulder against side of my neck! Rifle recoils straight back whereas with one of those fancy front rest the barrel jumps upward!! Just like shooting out of a dang vise!!

IMG_0891 by Rick Mulhern, on Flickr

[Eric Johanen]

Rick that does look very stable. Like the stand up rest the double rifle shooters use to regulate and work up loads. Have thought about making one of those except for the portability. With the old or the new benches at my range you still have to sit to one side. Top is large enough to rest both elbows and I do feel better supported with my off hand on the forearm but I'll see how this new method works. I was thinking....not always a good thing! that the bench cross sticks would replicate the same muzzle movement as prone off cross sticks.

[Eric Johanen]

I have been working with Cat's bench cross sticks and things seem to be going well. I am supporting the butt with my left hand and pulling back just enough to insure good contact pressure with my shoulder. Shots out of the group are due to poor sight alignment, (a few to many) and changes in light and wind. They seem to be working pretty well and my group sizes are where they were when using the Caldwell rest with my left hand between the bag and the fore end. Free recoil/muzzle rise is the same as when shooting prone off the sticks. This may just be working out. Cat's Shooting Sticks are a vey nice product!