Point of Impact Shift

[Mallard57]

I was out with my Diana 34 today. I started off on the bench and got the rifle sighted in pretty well. Then I started shooting offhand and noticed my groups  shifted substantially low and to the left. Anyone else have those kinds of shifts?

[superchikn]

Yup!  I re-zero when I go from bench to offhand and vice versa with my springer/gas piston guns. 

Are you using artillery hold?  This will reduce the poi shift.

[Struckat]

Yes, bench vs off hand, I find it difficult to replicate the same hold. I end up with poi shift.

[Yogi]

Where on the stock did you support it when you were bench shooting.  Where on the stock did you support it when free standing shooting?  Fore end of course...

-Y

[north country gal]

A POI shift when going from a rest to offhand can happen, and often does happen, with any type of gun, even powder burners.

For me, the POI shift from changing shooting positions is more noticeable in springers because of the hold sensitivity issue. Even when going from the bench to a field sitting position with a springer I get it more than with PCPs. Nature of the beast. 

This POI shift from change in position is something I get with my handgun shooting, PB or AG. Even a change in my offhand stance or grip can cause it.

Very typical for me, too, when moving to offhand from the bench with even a rifle for the POI to drop a bit. Since so much of my shooting is offhand, regardless of the type of gun, I only use a rest to get on paper, now, and go right to a standing position to finish sighting in with my guns that see mostly offhand duty. In fact, I don't even bother to rest my handguns, now, when sighting in.

With my springers, my lighter ones get assigned offhand duty, only, with the heavier ones that are too much for me to shoot offhand, comfortably, shot almost always from the bench. Nice to have the luxury of owning enough springers to specialize, of course.

[Bayman]

Yep. Happens all the time to me, with pretty much all my rifles. I try to sight my rifles the way I'm going to use them. While most of my rifles are sighted on a bench, I will resight any rifle offhand before using it for hunting.

[Yarddog]

When this happens to me, I break out my FAT Wrench and check the stock and scope screws.

[Yogi]

When this happens to me, I break out my FAT Wrench and check the stock and scope screws.

My first response too...

-Y

[nced]

I was out with my Diana 34 today. I started off on the bench and got the rifle sighted in pretty well. Then I started shooting offhand and noticed my groups  shifted substantially low and to the left. Anyone else have those kinds of shifts?

Same here!

I do almost all of my shooting sitting on a bucket resting the gun on cross sticks. I can use "bucket and sticks" for hunter class field target matches, still hunting squirrels, and general plinking. I do need to be consistent with the gun support position and have a consistent shooting form but that comes with practice. If I'm stalking squirrels in the early season I don't use my "bucket and sticks" but I do always find a support like a tree for shooting taking care that I'm supporting the gun similar to "bucket and sticks".

Funny thing is that I have issues even grouping well shooting from a bench along with dealing with the different poi.

[Mark 611]

Years ago I use to use a 6' ladder, I did this and used this method as an aid to help me shoot standing only supporting my fore end hand, this was a very helpful learning experience to help myself to shoot off hand in field conditions, once u get the feel of how to stand and shoot like this it becomes natural to be able to hold the rifle under its own weight and be stable to make good shots on game, one shot 1 kill! at distances ur capable of making these shots! 

[Mallard57]

Thank you for everyone's input.