fe7565 To try and answer your original post, It is not necessary to have a a heavy cast iron front rest. Not NECESSARY being the word, Yes I own a Bald Eagle rest that I modified the by removing that glitchy cable drive to be a direct drive. I have only used it a couple of times but I am not competing in bench rest.
Now I do use a Cauldwell tack Driver bag all the time. I compete in field target, club and AAFTA grand prix's, around the easttern US. I cannot use the bags in competition but it comes in handy when traveling, to ck the rifle to make sure the rifle is still on point before the competition.
That aside, I use it at my home range for several options. The main reason is to zero in a new scope scope. to ck the scope at each yardage, for the elevation clicks I compete at. To see how the wind effects the pellets POI. To check to see what pellet is the best per gun used, etc. To make these more precise adjustments you want to remove as much of the human factor as possible. $750 to $1000+ mechanical rest is not necessary for this..(Although it would be nice! Just not necessary)
In bench rest shooting, they really are trying to be as precise as possible to hit the little tiny holes to score. Again I don't shoot bench rest and will not say that the better the equipment the better the skill.I tried it with the Tack Driver bag and my best was a 740 8x....That score would not be competitive in a serious match.
You stated you use a "Rifle Hold"... Are you using a springer? If so you are doing something great to make those groups at 100 yards...even the 50 yards. I would think that resting a springer on rest would affect the rifle hold or Artillery Hold as it was called in my days in the USMC.
So basically it is what works for you. I personally find the heavy and long Tack Driver bag with a rabbit ear or flat bag rear, to be very stable and a useful tool. Also, you shoot indoors at 100 yards? And you are not at a clubs you stated? NICE! I wish I had that available. An old chicken house or something to cut the wind would be sweet to get accurate readings on what the gun is doing downrange. I have a concrete covered two bench setup, on a 100 yard range. The yardages are marked by asphalt cores in the ground,with the distances painted on them. But I do have the wind to contend with sometimes... Try the Cauldwell Tack Driver bag or the like. They are inexpensive on Amazon.com. Good luck
Now I do use a Cauldwell tack Driver bag all the time. I compete in field target, club and AAFTA grand prix's, around the easttern US. I cannot use the bags in competition but it comes in handy when traveling, to ck the rifle to make sure the rifle is still on point before the competition.
That aside, I use it at my home range for several options. The main reason is to zero in a new scope scope. to ck the scope at each yardage, for the elevation clicks I compete at. To see how the wind effects the pellets POI. To check to see what pellet is the best per gun used, etc. To make these more precise adjustments you want to remove as much of the human factor as possible. $750 to $1000+ mechanical rest is not necessary for this..(Although it would be nice! Just not necessary)
In bench rest shooting, they really are trying to be as precise as possible to hit the little tiny holes to score. Again I don't shoot bench rest and will not say that the better the equipment the better the skill.I tried it with the Tack Driver bag and my best was a 740 8x....That score would not be competitive in a serious match.
You stated you use a "Rifle Hold"... Are you using a springer? If so you are doing something great to make those groups at 100 yards...even the 50 yards. I would think that resting a springer on rest would affect the rifle hold or Artillery Hold as it was called in my days in the USMC.
So basically it is what works for you. I personally find the heavy and long Tack Driver bag with a rabbit ear or flat bag rear, to be very stable and a useful tool. Also, you shoot indoors at 100 yards? And you are not at a clubs you stated? NICE! I wish I had that available. An old chicken house or something to cut the wind would be sweet to get accurate readings on what the gun is doing downrange. I have a concrete covered two bench setup, on a 100 yard range. The yardages are marked by asphalt cores in the ground,with the distances painted on them. But I do have the wind to contend with sometimes... Try the Cauldwell Tack Driver bag or the like. They are inexpensive on Amazon.com. Good luck
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About 45mins away there is a new state fo the art indoor public shooting complex and became a member there. Came out much cheaper than the traditional gun and fishing clubs and no wait... So, one would say I am learning my PCP rifles and my own skills near idyllic conditions. I do miss the outdoors, but where I am near DC it's hard to find a place to hide from the politically correct anti-gun crowd and local laws.
