How the heck do you shoot using a bipod?

[Fang]

I went to the range yesterday, taking a Ruger 10/22 and 77/22. The 77/22 is a scoped bolt-action with a bipod mounted on it, while the 10/22 had aperture sights and used a sling for shooting support. Both are chambered in .22LR. Although I would have expected a significant accuracy advantage shooting the 77/22 from prone off the bipod with a scope, I wasn't getting groups any smaller than what I could do with the 10/22 and a sling.

Assuming it's reasonable to expect a scoped, bolt-action rifle on a bipod to shoot better than an iron-sighted semi-auto with a sling, what am I doing wrong with the bipod? More helpfully, what is the right way to use a bipod when shooting a rifle prone? Any useful tips?

[Miso Beno]

Has your scope been settled and are you returning your cheek to the same place every time?

[Fang]

What do you mean, "settled?" Pretty sure I'm getting a consistent cheek weld, but the necessity of breaking weld to work the bolt probably isn't helping. Probably just need to get some copious practice, oh darn.

[Miso Beno]

Put some tape down where you normally put your face, and make sure your scope is on nice and tight. Even on a 22 an optic can experience some 'settling' as it works itself into place.

[Fang]

Put some tape down where you normally put your face, and make sure your scope is on nice and tight. Even on a 22 an optic can experience some 'settling' as it works itself into place.

Hmm, I didn't know that about optics. I'll check it next time, and will try the tape trick.

[Miso Beno]

Hmm, I didn't know that about optics. I'll check it next time, and will try the tape trick.

It's something inexpensive scope rings like to do.

[Fang]

It's something inexpensive scope rings like to do.

These are the Ruger-supplied rings, so they probably aren't losing money on the deal.

NEW QUESTION: How do you maintain rifle stability while working the bolt? I always have to choose between keeping my hand where it was supporting the butt (letting the bipod bounce around as the bolt is worked), or shifting grip to the forearm to keep the front end in place at the cost of letting the buttstock shift.

[N183CS]

How tight were you holding the rifle? I assume you were shooting prone with both. Normally when I shoot with a sling from the prone, I hold the damned thing so tight my arm goes numb. With a bipod the tendency is to relax since the front of the gun is supported. I usually grab my rear sling stud and hook it into my shoulder. Having shot benchrest for 2 seasons and watching veteran shooters, it seems they shoot free recoil which involves a very light grip on the stock with the shooting hand. I'd play around with different tension on the grip, you may be applying different pressures on the trigger. I'll have to throw my bipod on my 77/22 this weekend and try to duplicate our results.

[Fang]

Good points. I also sling up really tightly; when I finally stand up from prone, the veins on the back of my hand look like I'm storing hawser cables under the skin. I've been trying to keep things as light as possible when using the bipod, but this always seems to work at cross purposes to loading the bipod and the trigger pull itself. As a consequence, I'm probably not doing it very consistently.