It’s a bolt gun not semi auto, and a muzzle device isn’t a “compensator” and there’s different types for different purposes (flash suppression, muzzle rise and sound). Pretty much without fail they all cut muzzle rise to some degree….If you shot an A2 your a FOG. Now a take a muzzle device and add a suppressor and you have much less barrel whip/harmonics…but this isn’t an option for now on this one. Who TF uses a “chassis” on a semi auto that’s not a Ruger 10/22?!
ZRX1200 wrote:
Well you wouldn’t hang weights on a rifle to address muzzle flash or sound, so of course I assumed you were referring specifically to a compensator. Most flash suppressors that I have seen do not meaningfully reduce muzzle rise. A muzzle brake on a bolt action would just be downright goofy. So, if you’re not referring specifically to a compensator, what are you referring to when you say “muzzle device” in this context? If you have a real issue with muzzle rise that you’re trying to correct, a flash suppressor or brake isn’t very likely to solve your problem.
I was not military, I am merely a serious enthusiast with a particular love for the AR platform (I love a proper A2 in particular) and have become quite proficient with it over the years. I have a number of AR platform rifles, from my 20” Colt HBAR with no muzzle device of any kind that is nearly nine pounds, to my DDM4 with flash suppressor that’s six and change. The difference in weight and muzzle devices has little bearing on my ability to shoot them effectively. Proper technique makes weight a non-issue.
I can’t say I’ve ever heard of anyone attaching weights to a rifle to deal with muzzle rise and can’t see how that would be an issue with a bolt action rifle. I have, however, seen many people on many gun forums over the years that misuse terms and/or simply have no idea what they’re talking about. I did not necessarily assume that to be the case here, but your post was lacking substantially in context. Adding weight to your bipod lug isn’t going to do a thing for barrel whip/harmonics. It may very well make it worse if those weights aren’t very well attacked to the stock so they simply cannot move at all. Weights simply hanging loose off of it will almost simply make your problems worse, not better.
Whether you’re shooting prone, on a bipod or propping yourself on a rock, or have the rifle in a lead sled or something like that, your efforts to control the rifle’s movement with your support arm will make more of a difference than a couple pounds of weight will. Of course, I see many people shooting bolt actions in the prone or other positions where they have what should be their support arm tucked up under their chest instead of supporting and controlling the rifle, and needless to say I disagree quite strongly with that position. If you care even slightly about making quick follow-up shots with a bolt gun, you would never shoot in that position. Even with a bipod on my bolt guns, my left hand is as far up the stock as I can comfortably have it. Learning how to use my support arm to properly control whatever rifle I’m shooting made the biggest difference of anything I’ve ever learned in my ability to shoot rifles of all kinds proficiently. Same thing with pistols as well, in fact. Most people just lazily rest their support hand and usually have it too low to properly support the pistol or manage recoil at all. It’s just kind of “there”. Learning to use it properly for support is critical if you want to become proficient at shooting fast and staying on target.
I’d recommend giving Jerry Miculek a look for pointers on this. His teachings are pretty much all in the context of semi-auto rifles and pistols, but the same techniques apply just the same with bolt guns just the same. I think you’ll find that proper technique will take you much further than hanging weights off your rifle ever will.
