Bullseye 10m benchrest rifle sights

[shotgun]

I currently am shooting a Anschutz 8002 S2 air rifle with soft grip hardwood stock for 10m bench rest bulls eye shooting. The Anschutz bench rest air rifle has a extension for the rear sight which moves the rear sight rearward 200mm. My question is why is this being done and what is the theory behind this. I am new to air gun shooting and have not found a lot of information on bench rest air gun shooting. Thanks Mike

[Tim S]

The rearsight extension is intended for use in German domestic matches; the DSB runs a class for older shooters, where the rifle can be supported on a spring-loaded stan, and the shooter is standing. Standing this way the shooter's head does not reach so far forwards as it does in the normal elbow-on-hip-Olympic standing position, so an extension that places the rearsight at the normal distance from the shooter's eye helps maintain a normal sight picture, and easy sight adjustment.

If you're shooting with the rifle rested on a bench, and sitting on a chair, I'm not sure how much use this rearsight extension would be.

[Andre]

It is also meant for benchrest shooting, common in some European countries. It not only extends the sight radius, but moves the sights back so your cheek doesn't have to touch the cheekpiece which could negatively affect aiming. If you notice most benchrest-built guns don't have adjustable cheekpeices, because you're not supposed to touch the gun with your cheek. Also why you sometimes see very high scope rings and bases. They're just trying to eliminate variables.

[shotgun]

Thanks for the reply's. I am not sure I understand the concept of not having your check on the gun when shooting, With center firer rifle shooting your check stays on the check peace to help line up the sights. Mike

[Tim S]

Thanks for the reply's. I am not sure I understand the concept of not having your check on the gun when shooting, With center firer rifle shooting your check stays on the check peace to help line up the sights. Mike

That's the case for smallbore Prone and 3-Position shooting too. However the serious US RF Benchrest shooters (not the German Domestic Senior Class) prefer to shoot "free recoil", where they don't touch the rifle except for the trigger. The idea is not to disturb, or place any pressure on the rifle as it recoils. 'Scopes are mounted high enough that the shooter's face doesn't touch the stock. The German shooters for whom that rear extension was made do have their cheek on the stock.