Stability is the foundation of precision rifle shooting. Without a stable shooting platform, it can be difficult to achieve accurate shots at longer ranges consistently. Building your confidence in your precision rifle shooting skills starts with knowing how to make and shoot from a stable platform. 

In this blog, we’ll go over different precision shooting positions, accessories you can use to build a stable shooting platform, precision shooting tips and techniques, and a sample of Savage rifles that you can use to get started in precision shooting!

How to Stabilize Your Shooting

Finding the Right Shooting Position

Achieving stability begins with the position you’re shooting from. In precision rifle shooting, your position should allow maximum control of the rifle while minimizing body movement.

• Prone: The most stable natural position, used by both competitive shooters and long-range hunters. When shooting prone, your body is lying flat against the ground, and your rifle can rest on a bipod, bag, object, or you can hold it up.

• Sitting: Offers decent stability with more elevation. Sitting can be useful when the prone position isn’t practical, such as in uneven or rocky terrain. Resting your elbows against your knees can help improve stability while sitting.

• Kneeling/Standing with Support: When terrain or obstacles prevent sitting or lying down, using barricades, tripods, or other structures can help stabilize your rifle. In competitive shooting and backcountry hunting, you will often find yourself shooting from a standing position using a rest in order to get the best sightline possible. 

Each position has trade-offs in terms of mobility and field of view, but all can be made effective with the right support and technique.

Precision Shooting Accessories

Using the right accessories can make a big difference when shooting at long range. The goal is to achieve repeatable and consistent positioning with minimal movement in your setup. There are a variety of support options available today, catering to both target shooters and hunters. 

Bipods

• Ideal for prone shooting, but can also be useful for shooting off a bench when you don’t have bags or other supports available.

• Attaches directly to the rifle and provides adjustable leg height. Most bipods have a variety of attachment options.

• The Savage bipod helps you keep your rifle stable for precision long-range shots with a solid, adjustable platform. It can be mounted to a sling stud or M-LOK slots to fit a wide range of rifles. 

Tripods

• Provide higher elevation support and are great for seated or standing shots. Most tripods have a wide range of leg adjustments to use in various positions.

• Used widely in shooting competitions, backcountry hunting, and for spotting hits.

• Add a higher level of stability than bipods, but can also be collapsed down to be mobile for hunting scenarios. 

Benchrest

• Common in F-Class, benchrest shooting, and for sighting in rifles.

• Heavy, solid rests minimize rifle movement and absorb recoil, making them ideal for getting the most accuracy possible out of yourself and your rifle.

• Excellent for shooting on the range and ensuring you are achieving as much accuracy and precision as possible.

Shooting Technique for Precision

Even the best gear can’t replace proper fundamentals. You are a part of the platform for stable precision rifle shooting, so proper fundamentals are important to squeezing out all the accuracy you can. 

Breathing

• Controlled breathing helps you time your shots when your body is most stable. 

• Breathe in, exhale gently, pause, squeeze the trigger, and finish exhaling.

• Avoid taking a shot during a deep inhale or exhale, since your shoulders will be moving up or down and cause your point of aim to move.

Proper Form

• Square your body behind the rifle to help both absorb recoil straight back and get proper sight alignment through your scope.

• Maintain a consistent cheek weld. One of the biggest detriments to accuracy is taking your head off the stock too soon or maintaining a poor cheek weld. 

• Keep your elbows grounded and comfortable when shooting in a kneeling or prone position with no support. 

Trigger Control

• Press the trigger in a smooth, controlled manner to reduce the risk of jerking the rifle.

• Use the pad of your index finger when pressing; make sure you don’t “hook” the trigger. 

• Practice dry-firing to reinforce proper technique. When dry-firing with rimfire rifles, use a snap cap or dummy ammunition. 

The AccuTrigger makes perfecting your trigger control even easier! The trigger blade ensures creep and rough take-up are eliminated, leaving you with a smooth, crisp break as you apply pressure to the trigger for a more accurate shot. 

Additional Rifle Support Options

Besides your body position and shooting surface, supporting your rifle with the right gear enhances the stability and consistency of your shot-to-shot performance.

Shooting Sticks

• Ideal for hunters and field shooters focused on mobility.

• Lightweight and portable, but not as stable as some other options.

• Allow for quick target acquisition and some assistance with stability. 

Muzzle Devices

• Muzzle Brakes: Reduce felt recoil and help maintain your sight picture for follow-up shots. Using a muzzle brake can help keep your rifle balanced and avoid sway from recoil.

• Suppressors: Reduce sound and muzzle blast, often improving shooter comfort and accuracy. Be mindful of suppressor weight, as some heavier suppressors can upset the balance of your rifle and make precision shots more difficult. The Savage AccuCan line of suppressors is built to be lightweight to help maintain the balance of your rifle, as well as providing reduced felt recoil with minimal point of impact shift in your rifle for enhanced accuracy. 

Other Accessories

• Shooting Mats: Provide comfort and grip in prone positions when you’re on the range.

• Shooting Bags: Used both under the stock and fore-end to fine-tune elevation and reduce wobble. Practicing with a reliable set of bags can help improve accuracy on the range greatly. 

• Benches and Sleds: Great for sighting in or training at the range. Using a bench rest or shooting sled minimizes recoil and rifle shift and helps you focus on your fundamentals. 

Each of these items contributes to better control over your rifle and greater consistency when shooting in various field conditions.

Best Positions for Precision Shooting

Mastering multiple shooting positions gives you more flexibility in different environments. Here’s how to support each one effectively.

Prone

• Use a bipod or front bag to support the front of the rifle.

• Place a rear bag under the stock for accurate micro-adjustments.
  Keep feet spread and flat for balance.

Kneeling

• Support the forward elbow on your knee or with a pack.

• Use shooting sticks or a tripod to stabilize the front of the rifle.

• Stay relaxed and keep your core engaged to minimize movement.

Sitting

• Cross-legged or open-leg stances can work well.

• Brace your elbows on your knees for extra support.

• A low tripod or a higher set bipod can help stabilize your rifle further. 

Best Choices for Precision Rifles

Not all rifles are created equal for precision rifle shooting. No matter if you’re just starting out at precision rifle shooting or are a seasoned competitor, we have models at every level to meet your needs and budget.

Entry-Level Rifles

• Axis II Precision: Affordable precision for entry level shooters. It’s equipped with an MDT chassis system and threaded barrel from the factory.

• 110 Tactical: Great for those who prefer a traditional rifle profile, it’s equipped with an adjustable AccuFit stock and threaded barrel for muzzle devices.

• A22 / B Series Precision: Great options for practicing precision rimfire shooting and overall shooting fundamentals. Both models are equipped with an adjustable MDT aluminum chassis. 

Mid-Level Rifles

• 110 Precision: Purpose-built for long-range shots with enhanced features including an MDT LSS chassis, threaded barrel, muzzle brake, and user-adjustable AccuTrigger.

• Model 12 Benchrest / F-Class: Single-shot benchrest rifles designed for high-stakes competition and incredible accuracy.

Top-Tier Rifles

• 110 Elite Precision: Our top-end precision rifle is equipped with a highly adjustable MDT ACC chassis, a modified Palm contour barrel, and match-grade performance.

• Impulse Elite Precision: Equipped with the same features as the 110 Elite Precision in the Impulse straight-action platform, so you can achieve faster follow-up shots. Perfect for competitive precision shooting. 

Each rifle in the Savage precision lineup is built with consistent accuracy in mind, helping shooters build confidence in their gear while focusing on fundamentals.

Above all else, precision rifle shooting is all about consistency. A stable shooting platform isn’t just about lying down and pulling the trigger—it’s a complete system that includes your position, technique, gear, and firearm. The more stable and repeatable your setup is, the more accurate your shots will be.

By mastering shooting positions, practicing good form, and utilizing the right accessories, you set yourself up for success—whether you're zeroing your rifle at the range, competing in a PRS match, or taking a long-range shot in the backcountry.