Using sling lower POI by 4 inches at 100 yards

[nuelkhunter]

Hi,
I am a new rifle shooter. When I use a sling, my point of impact drops about 4 inches below where the point of impact is without a sling . The range is 100 yards. The rifle is a 30 06.

Am I doing something wrong with the sling?

I don't like having to compensate for the drop caused by the sling.

Thanks

[Jim243]

Yes you are. Your pull the barrel down as you fire. Use your off hand as a rest with your palm open and just as a support for the front of your stock. If you find it hard to hold your off hand perfectly still, then tuck your elbo into your chest for additional support.


Jim

[JerryM]

I always used a tight sling for long range shots in the field. Accordingly, one must either free float such a rifle or get a stiffer stock.
I never had the problem with wood stocks, but if I had experienced the problem I would have free floated the barrel.

Regards,
Jerry

[nuelkhunter]

The rifle is a Marlin XL7. It is an inexpensive rifle but I have been satisfied with it for the deer hunting I use it for. Without the sling, it shoots about a 1.5 inch group and sometimes better. With the sling, it consistently groups about 4 inches lower than without the sling at 100 yards.

If I free float the barrel, will that be the "last" modification to make it a more accurate rifle with the sling? If I have to make too many modifications, I will just buy a new more expensive rifle.

Thanks for the help,

[MythBuster]

Assuming the sling is attached to the stock and not the barrel your impact is lower because the sling controls the recoil.

Floating the barrel will have no effect on this.

This is a common thing with using a sling on a rifle that kicks. If you were shooting a .223 the difference in zero would be slight.

[Ozzieman]

This is a good explanation for why you might be having your problem.

To Quote SHOOTING TIMES
Rather than free-floating the barrel, Marlin molded two pads into the fore-end (l.) that apply consistent pressure to the barrel during firing. The stock has two steel-pillar inserts (r.). It is attached to the action with two Allen-head screws.


http://www.shootingtimes.com/longgun...04/index2.html

[Mike38]

Assuming the sling is attached to the stock and not the barrel your impact is lower because the sling controls the recoil.

By this I take it you mean the barrel is not rising from recoil when the sling is holding it down?

If so, I have a dumb question.

I’ve seen (as many of us have) slow motion 600 frame per second film of a semi auto pistol while firing. The bullet leaves the barrel, long before the pistol moves from recoil. Recoil does not affect the path of the bullet, not one bit.

Is the same true for a rifle? Does a rifle bullet clear the muzzle before recoil comes into play? Or is the bullet still in the bore when recoil starts to move the rifle?

I’ve never seen slow motion film of a rifle while firing. Is there a clip on the internet I could view?

[tirod]

If the sling is tight, and the rifle bedded as described, it relieves pressure on the stock, allowing the barrel to relax and bend down.

Slings mounted on barrel bands do the same, move the point of impact. With the description of the bedding, the barrel is not free floated.

In this case, a precision rifle technique is being used on a gun not built to precision rifle standards. It's not free floated, and obviously changes the point of impact.

[Win_94]

Is the same true for a rifle?

Yes it is the same.

Recoil comes from the jet effect of the gasses. Muzzle breaks wouldn't work if recoil was present before the bullet left the barrel.

I've tested all my rifles with a sling, I've found no inconsistencies.

[PawPaw]

All this time, I thought that recoil was an artifact of Newton's third law of motion; For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

As the bullet starts to move down the bore Newton's physics starts making itself known.

[Scorch]

When I use a sling, my point of impact drops about 4 inches below where the point of impact is without a sling .

The tension on the sling is pulling the forearm downward, reducing the pressure of the forend on the barrel. This is a common occurence, less so nowadays with almost all rifles being free-floated, but still common enough. The solution is to float the barrel.

Recoil comes from the jet effect of the gasses. Muzzle breaks wouldn't work if recoil was present before the bullet left the barrel.

All this time, I thought that recoil was an artifact of Newton's third law of motion; For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

As the bullet starts to move down the bore Newton's physics starts making itself known.

Amazingly enough, it is possible for two people to disagree and both be right. There are two components to recoil, the initial impulse of the bullet moving down the barrel, and the effect of the gases being expelled at high velocity (the so-called "jet effect"). The "jet effect" is actually the major component of recoil, and is caused by both the acceleration of the mass of the powder to about 6,000 fps, as well as the high velocity gases hitting the stationary air of the atmosphere. This is one reason rifles that burn more powder to launch a bullet of similar weight recoil perceptibly more.

[thesheepdog]

Sounds like you aren't verifying your "Natural Point Of Aim".

That or your sling is way to dang tight and every tiny pinch of movement is drawing you forward; lowering your POI.

Once you pull that trigger, any kind of flinching or outside movement upon the rifle will cause the POI to change. Most of us know this, but despite how fast a bullet travels, you still can impose movement on that barrel before the bullet exits.

Check your NPOA, and make sure your sling isn't so tight that your arm is knumb, or that you can't effectively put your sights/crosshairs on target within moderate comfort levels.

If you feel you are straining to keep the sights on target with your sling, then change your shooting position, or loosen the loosen the sling a bit.

[JerryM]

Is the stockk plastic or wood. Sometimes plastic stocks are not stiff enough and allow the fore-end to pull away from the barrel changing the pressure on the barrel. I would suspect that a bedded stock which would put pressure on the barrel would shoot higher than a free floated barrel.
When the pressure on the barrel is reduced or eliminated the gun will shoot lower normally.

Regards,
Jerry

[wpcexpert]

It may have been asked and answered, if I missed it, sorry.

What is the shooting position that you are using? And how are you using the sling when you shoot?

There are a lot of answers here. But w/out the right question, they are worthless to you.