Benchrest rifle

The rifle has no proper stock and its base uses adjustable feet to provide a stable position on the bench, and the rifle is finely aimed with horizontal and vertical adjustments built into the rest.

However, the goal of most benchrest competitions is to achieve a high precision, mechanically returning the rifle to the same aiming point only removes problems caused by mirage.

Indeed, since the usual practice in dealing with anticipated shot displacement cause by the wind is to "hold off" (i.e., use a different aiming point), some feel that the use of a return-to-battery rifle can be a disadvantage.

On the surface, this appears a valid argument, but based on match reports [IBS, NBRSA], it is not a particularly good one.

The fundamental purpose of a bench rest is to eliminate, in the shooting, inconsistent potential human interactions such as the push against the shoulder, trigger pressure, breathing, or heartbeat.