Overlooking this detail can make a big difference
Make sure you have a good rest or get comfortable in different shooting positions.
Practice different rifle positions beforehand.
When you are at the shooting range and preparing for your next rifle hunt, you probably won’t have to deal with the effects of rifle cant on your shot, especially when you are shooting at closer distances. That’s because you’re probably shooting from a bench where it is level and comfortable. I’ll be the first to tell you that you will not find that when you are hunting big game animals in the West. They will take you into some steep, gnarly and unforgiving country where most of the time you will not have a close-range and level shot. When practicing with my rifle, I try to replicate shots that I may encounter while hunting. Shots may be as close as 50 yards, but could also be as far as 800 yards. When making these farther shots, you must pay more attention to ensure there is no cant.
Rifle cant is the slight tilt of the rifle side to side when aiming at a target. While such small angles don’t seem like they would make a major difference, even the smallest cant in your rifle may cause you to miss the shot on your intended target.
Adjusting to the angles of the land may be difficult when trying to line up a shot on your target. This is where we experience rifle cant the most. We may use bipods, packs, rocks, trees or anything else available to get a steady rest to ensure an accurate shot. While these are great, we often forget to check one thing — and that is our cant. When shooting on uneven planes, leaning against slanted trees and resting on full packs, we may think that we are level, but most of the time it is hard to see with the naked eye because of the uneven terrain.
When firing a bullet, multiple elements affect its flight, such as wind, gravity and rifle alignment. When you take a shot with rightward cant, the bullet follows the tilt, causing it to drift off to the right of the intended target. At closer ranges, you will probably not see a huge effect on the actual impact location versus the intended target. However, as you move to farther distances, the effect becomes much greater if your rifle is not level.
For instance, in a GOHUNT Labs video, they did a test to see how much the effect of cant will change your impact point from your target at 500 yards. In the video they tested the variables of 3, 6 and and 12.7 degrees of cant. Between three shots at 3 degrees of cant at 500 yards, the average distance from the target was 8.42” to the right. At 6 degrees of cant, the average distance from the target was 10.5” to the right. Lastly, at 12.7 degrees of cant, the three shot group was an average of 46” to the right of the target. From this type of visual test, we realize that rifle cant will affect your shot placement in a big way.
My current rifle setup is a Savage 110 Ultralight (7 PRC) with a Salmon River Solutions picatinny rail, Hawke optics scope and Ruff’s Precision Manufacturing Scope Rings. I chose RPM scope rings mostly because the bubble level is built into the rings. Prior to these rings, I had a separate bubble level that just tightened onto my picatinny rail. While this can work, it is prone to improper torquing onto the rail, and it is just another variable that can come loose or get bumped. One other benefit to the bubble level being integrated into the rings is that they are easily visible when you have the gun shouldered. The bubble level is placed strategically on the bottom of the ring so all it takes to check your cant is a quick glance. Having these features in your scope rings may be the key to capitalizing on the shot of a lifetime.
When hunting, I want to do everything I can to be confident in making an ethical shot. To do this, I try to make sure that I have a tripod, bipod, pack, bag or any type of rest. While most of us think of the rest being under the front of the stock, rear rests can be just as beneficial. When in a pinch, I like to stuff a jacket or any other piece of gear underneath the butt of the gun to give me that solid back rest. There are better solutions for a rear rest, such as shooting/squeeze bags or a rugged ridge extreme rear support system. You can use whatever is handy, but the most important thing to remember is to have something that you can rest on so that you can make those fine adjustments to make a confident shot.
The next time you are shooting your rifle, try mimicking a hunting scenario. Set up on uneven ground, use different rests, lie down or sit or kneel, etc. The more you practice checking your rifle's cant in these situations, the more it will become second nature when it is go time.
Practicing and remembering this step is crucial for accuracy and making ethical shots. Understanding rifle cant and knowing what you can do to reduce it is something that will increase your confidence and ability to capitalize on the shot of a lifetime. By equipping yourself with proper tools, including scope rings with an integrated bubble and having a stable front and back rest, you will improve your odds when trying to decrease rifle cant in steep terrain or difficult situations. Keep these in mind when you're at the range next time so that you can be more prepared for your next hunt!
