Shooting sling changes point of impact?

[dan1775]

Friends,

I started practicing with my 15-22 for Appleseed, and I'm darn impressed with this little rifle. It's a bit finicky with the ammunition it will shoot accurately although everything feed, fires, and ejects without stoppage - once I figured out the proper procedure for loading the magazine. However, running Wolf Match through it I'm getting ~1" 10-shot groups at 25yd. Pretty solid accuracy for what it is.

However, I've ran into a bit of a problem. Using a GI loop sling changes the point of impact about 1.5" at 25 yards, moving the point of impact left (I'm a right-handed shooter). It wouldn't be too much of a problem if I could get the same tension in the sling for each position, but that is unlikely. Also, part of the course of fire is offhand, without the sling (I think).

I have an idea to put something between the handguard and the barrel to stiffen it. Dowels, maybe? Has anyone tried anything like this? Free-floating the barrel might worsen the problem, given the rail-mounted sights.

I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[yeren]

Make some clearance between handguard end cap and barrel, so it will be ok. Make sure that end cap can't touch the barrel in any position....it turns barrel.

 

[corpulent]

I bet free-floating would make it worse, if you're using your irons.

Seems the simple fix is to put more slack in your sling, so there is no tension while you fire. Dunno if this counterproductive to your shooting style though. Isn't a sling just for carry? Or do you use it to help steady your aim? I guess another solution would be to find a mount that's NOT on the handguard, or at least much further back.

 

[WHO CARES]

It is not uncommon to see the point of impact shift as your shooting style varies - it happens with most rifles. It seem more pronounced with rifles with two piece stocks - it's like the joint of metal to wood (or plastic) acts somewhat as a hinge and the rifle flexes as pressure is applied.

You're best off to develope a consistent shooting style and stay with it all the time!

Ward

 

[Rustpot]

Mount the sling as close to the receiver as possible. It won't be as ideal, but the hasty sling and full sling setups will still work with it attached a few inches closer than your grip.

 

[glockeyed]

not sure if any of those will help with an Appleseed shoot.

How much you are willing to invest? Yankee Hill Machine makes a rail riser thats 11.25in long. maybe mounting that across the rail and receiver will help stiffen it up. there may be other manufacturers that make something long like that

 

[dan1775]

That riser just might work, but as you implied it's expensive. I've already doubled the cost of the rifle hanging stuff off of it. I'm sure I'm alone there....

For those unfamiliar, here's a quick article on the using of the shooting (or 'loop') sling.

Using a Rifle Sling

I'm former USMC, and we were taught its use in known-distance marksmanship. You'll see from the article that to be properly employed, the front sling swivel must be well forward on the rifle. That's what's causing my problem. Given the polymer construction of the 15-22 and its consequent flexibility, and the necessity of the sling placement, I'm putting pressure on the handguard and hence the barrel, changing the point of impact.

However, I actually suspect the problem might be worse that I originally thought. After shooting the rifle prone, I could see why my groups were printing to the left of my aiming point. What I couldn't understand was why they were so large. To be more blunt, why my shooting was so lousy! I'm no Gunny Hathcock, but I should be able to shoot better than 3" groups at 25 yards from the prone position with a shooting sling. I fear that inconsistent sling pressure is changing my POI from shot to shot.

 

[BELT_FED]

There is no such thing as free floating a 15-22.. the hand guard is sandwitched between barrel, reciever and barrel nut... but that does not mean you can't. Make it more ridgid which is what your looking for. Buy tacticools adaptor and put a different hand guard on it that way instead of mashing plastic inbetween metal you have 3 more solid materials then us th longest riser you can find to jump the reciever and forarm together. And lastly try some wolf match extra I got great results with it..

Start with the cheapest suggestion and work till you get it ridged enough

 

[Rustpot]

Like I said, move the sling point to the beginning of the rails so you've got less cantilever force from the handguards.

The full shooting sling and hasty sling methods will still work, you'll just be gripping in front of the stud instead of behind it. Add a forearm wrap to the shooting sling hold and shorten the overall length of your sling (yo may need to buy some sliders to take up the slack).

 

[chuck s]

Removing the front dust cap does indeed "free float" the M&P15-22 barrel. Very simple to do.

The problem is the front sight is mounted on the forearm (not the barrel) and the forearm will move with tight sling pressure with the cap in and move significantly without the cap.

Mounting the front sight on the barrel itself will cure this, but I've no clue what sight will fit. Knowing a bit about the membership here, though, I'll bet someone posts a photo of a barrel mounted front sight in a few minutes!

-- Chuck