Shooting a handgun from a rest?

[Nando Aqui]

I am not a fan of shooting a handgun from a rest, and the only times I have done so have been to evaluate and compare handguns and ammunition. However, I do not believe that I know how to shoot from a ‘rest’, as I end up shooting just about the same as off-hand.

Granted, from the rest I can hold the sights steadier, and I know that I don’t disturb the sight picture when I pull the trigger. But the results are just too close to the same as offhand.

How I do it (wrongly?):
I set up the bag or pads on the bench, hold the pistol the same way as I do offhand, and rest my hands on the bags. Since my left hand is sort of under my right hand, I guess it is my left hand that comes more in contact with the bag.

Is this correct? Or should I perhaps rest the frame of the pistol itself, just in front of the trigger guard, directly on the bag?

Any and all words of wisdom are appreciated.

Thanks!

Alex

 

[Infidel]

I prefer to rest my wrists on the bags, and not let any part of the gun touch the rest. It seems to me that if the gun touches anything, the point of impact changes and gets less consistent. Same thing, but less so, if I rest the heel of my hand on the bag.

Could it be that you're just very good without rests?

 

[LHB1]

Alex,
Technique for bench rest shooting a pistol depends on your objectives.

One way is your present style of holding pistol in your hands and resting only your hands on bags/rest. This will give some improvement but shooter variables are still present. It does maintain same impact point as offhand shooting. Use this method for refining sight adjustments.

Another way is to rest bottom of pistol grip on SOFT bag/padding, jam front of pistol frame (immediately in front of trigger guard) into a padded bag, AND rest barrel in a padded support. This gives minimum shooter variables to allow best testing of ammo, gun, etc. BUT may change your normal point of impact. Use this method for accuracy and group testing.

For testing S&W M629 Classic revolvers, I built a simple L shaped frame of 2x6's. Cut a large V shaped notch in upright member and attach a folded shotgun pellet bag so that it hangs down into the notch but does NOT touch the bottom of notch. For method 2 above, place a soft bag at junction of the two legs and a folded towel on bottom leg/base. Hold gun in shooting hand BUT place bottom of pistol grip on folded towel, jam front of revolver frame into the soft bag, and let pistol barrel rest in the folded sling of upright arm. May take some trial and error to get length of upright to fit your setup but once done it works great. Minor height adjustments can be made by manipulating the folded towel and/or soft bag at juncture of upright and base. Have shot some unbelievable groups at 100 yds using M629 with 6.5" barrel and 2X Leupold scope.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[Nando Aqui]

LB,

The purpose is to evaluate (compare) various ammunition, and try to match each pistol to a specific ammo or load. Then, try to see how good the handguns really are. The best way to accomplish this would be using a Ransom Rest, as I used years ago, but don't have it available anymore.

I know from experience that the POI from the rest (almost regardless of how one is used) will be different than offhand, so I don't try to get it right on from the rest. Instead, I always adjust the sights while shooting offhand two-handed as well as single handed (old NRA course?) Anymore about all the shooting I do (match-wise) is IDPA.

What you said makes sense, and I will give it a try. I saw a shooter at the range the other day and he was shooting a revolver from a rest, and was resting the barrel and his hands on bags. I has seen him before, knew that he always shot handguns from a rest, but never paid attention as to how. After seeing him I decided to ask for opinions.

Thanks!

Alex

 

[Majic]

Rule of thumb in resting any firearm is not to have the barrel touching anything. That will change the harmonics of the barrel which could change the POI of the bullet.
You can rests your wrists or hands and possibly under the triggerguard/frame.

 

[LHB1]

As a general rule I agree with Majic about not having the barrel touch anything. But firsthand experience with the S&W M629 Classic revolvers WITH FULL UNDERLUG have proven to be an exception to this rule for me as long as the barrel is resting on something soft like the forward barrel sling in my rest.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB