Actually what you show is pretty good. My suggestions would be if your sled doesn’t have one yet put a V cut in the center of the front of the sled and a 1/4” pin near the front center of the platform. When you shoot bring the sled forward against the pin every time.

40 Rod

I 2nd 40 Rod. My best results were with a pin on the rest and a heavy shoulder into the rifle.  The tripod has to be well anchored or heavy enough to accommodate the pressure forward.   It is a lot different than shooting off a bag.

The rifle is an original 44.5 action that I built in 28-30. I shot it at a target for the first time yesterday with disappointing results that I blame on the rifle rocking around on the front bag. 

The strip at the back of the rest is a good idea and I will add one. I planed to make a piece with a v notch to mate with a pin but I haven't got that far yet.

I appreciate the replys

Bill

Another approach is to make something like a machine rest to support the rear of the rifle at the front of the action, forearm removed.  That with the sled will come close to the way the old timers did it.  That action flexes a tiny bit when you cock the hammer and when you set the trigger.   When I was experimenting with the Stevens-Pope, the less contact I had with the rifle, the better it shot and the more uniform the results.

This was with a "Pope Special", 44 1/2 action.  Caliber was .22 Short.

Schuetzenmiester. 

No pin or notch used with my sled. I just push it up against the flat bar at the front. It floats back and forth from shot to shot but that's what the windage knob on the front rest is for.

I use a very light touch on my rifle. I can feel the buttplate ever so lightly against my arm. Same with my cheek on the stock. I can just feel my whiskers touching. My thumb lays lightly on the side of the stock, not over the wrist and my fingers just touch the Pope lever.

That's when I'm shooting my 25-20 WCF. I need to have my shoulder into it a little more, but not much more, when shooting my 33-47, but nothing near what you describe.

JerryH

Yes, same CPA 44 1/2 action and stock. Just changing barrels.

JerryH

I found it hard to get the same pressure when pushing the sled to a pin and have gone to holding the rifle with slight pressure on the shoulder and cheek and a loose grip on the stock for the .22 and .25. With heaver recoiling rifles I use a firmer hold.
Cheers,
Laurie