Thread: The Forgiving Rifle

A rifle should shoot well from a variety of positions, maintaining same point of impact despite differences in technique from shot to shot.

The concept of the "forgiving bow" is well known in archery but I haven't seen it applied in rifle shooting.

I have a springer air rifle, very expensive and top of the range. I wouldn't like to admit its less than accurate but I just can't shoot consistently well with it. On the other hand, I have a 7mmo8 which shoots to the same zero from sandbag, bench, prone on a front rest or a bipod. Whether I'm prone unsupported, draped over a rock or backpack, sitting rested across a branch, or waving around standing at a post, if the cross hair is on the target when it fires, the bullet will hit it. How do you design a gun like that ?

A couple of ideas I've thought of are:
Stock design for good recoil. I have no idea what geometry is needed for this.
Good cheek weld for eye position to scope. Also, parallax adjustment in the scope.
General stock fit to the individual shooter.
Heavy weight. I'm not sure if this is essential or not. Related is moment of inertia; That airgun weighs over 4kg but its short and has no barrel to speak of.
Bedding ? Is there something that makes it stable whether the stock is held tight or free recoil or stressed by a bipod ? Would ali pillar/frame or carbon fibre be better than bare wood or plastic ?