Shooting handguns from a rest

[Scott Tschirhart]

Guys,

This may be an odd request, but I have never really shot a handgun from a rest. The best I can do is to sit with my back against a tree and brace my arms on the inside of my knees.

For those of you who have some expertese in this area, can you give me some tips about shooting a handgun from a rest? Can you recommend a rest or let me know how you do it?

[Blaine]

IMO and experience don't let the handgun itself touch the rest...only the wrist or forearm.

[Drawdown]

I've found what Blaine said to work best for me. I don't have but a fraction of the time behind a handgun most you'll do, but quite a bit behind a couple, mostly rest shooting g for accuracy. I had a Ruger New Model BH, 357 6.5" barrel back in 80's, shot it a plenty. My best was laying prone, grip with both fist, wrist rested on anything and it was very accurate this way. In recent years I've shot my Mod 19 S&W 357 same way, but not prone, can't bend my neck enough anymore. It's very accurate resting this way, almost as good as the Ruger, especially with some 180gr loads I used. But I do plant my fist down firm, but the hands still do all the holding. I've seen some rest the barrel on something, never seemed to work for me.

[Sarge]

I have done some of my best shooting sitting with my back braced against something solid and resting my wrists between my knees. If I'm regulating (invariably fixed) handgun sights I will usually set up a folding table with a range bag on it and rest the heel of hands and/or wrists over the bag. I reserve this for fine zero at 50+ yards.

Once I establish it for a particular gun and load, I shoot unsupported or from field positions only. Your POI may be a tad different; from my hands it will be a little higher or lower, never off horizontally. But you need to learn it and adjust your hold accordingly. 'Hits on demand' PDQ is what I'm looking for, not tiny groups.

[Grizz]

i was going to recommend my recliner, but it is real awkward to try to maneuver it up the logging road turnout where we shoot . . .

[Bill in Oregon]

I've had good luck building a rest out of short 2X6 and 2X4 material and some carpet padding. Typically shoot with the front of the revolver frame firmly rested -- and of course after a couple of hundred rounds the cylinder gap flame cuts the carpet up pretty bad. With autos you just have to find the sweet spot that allows the gun to recoil consistently. You'll also want a sand bag or squeeze bag upon which to rest your wrists. I also like three points of contact between the rest and the bench, and if you get really fancy, make the front contact a bolt that is finely adjustable for elevation. Wish I had "pitchers" as it is simpler than it sounds.
A couple of T nuts make adding that elevation screw a cinch.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1- ... /204274194

[JimT]

Over the years I shot a lot with various rests. My favorite and one of my most accurate is sitting, my back resting against something solid, the gun held in both hands between my knees. If you are shooting hot loads do not be wearing polyester pants! And don't ask.

The last hunt I was on I got up inside of 100 yards on a cow elk. There were 5 of them and they started moving away. I dropped down on the ground, leaned back on my left arm, raised my right knee and laid the sixgun alongside it and was able to put the bullets where I wanted. The shot through the chest turned her and she started for the canyon. My next shot broke her neck. It was a good solid rest .. a lot of the old silhouette shooters used it.

These days on the range I use an Outers pistol rest .. the butt sets on a fleece padded "seat" and the barrel rests in a "V" that is covered with some polymer material to keep from dinging the gun barrel. It is adjustable easily and works well.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I do find that my elevation is generally identical when I sit and rest between my knees and when I shoot offhand. But I have some stringing from side to side.

For background, I am filing fixed sights on a number of guns. I have filed sights on my 94 and they have been dead on for 40years or so.

But working with a revolver, I need to get it right. Here's a recent example. When I started shooting this gun, the front sight was so high that I had to hold on the head at 25 yards just to hit steel. This target was shot yesterday with a center hold at 25yards offhand, but I have taken the file to the front sight three times.

It needs a little more to hit dead on the top of the front sight. I'm wondering if I could get more repeatable results with a pistol rest becasue I don't always shoot a good tight group like this at that distance. Ultimately, I want to be on with a center hold at 50 yards.

[Sixgun]

There's not a person alive who can hold a handgun perfectly still without help. That's why the Ransom Rest was invented.....

When doing load development work I to use a rest that's nothing more than a big sandbag with the sand being somewhat loose so I can "mould" it to the gun in question, preferring the sandbag to hold my hands/wrist and a bit of the gun such as the trigger guard. I do not like having the barrel touch anything. Even so, it's somewhat hard to get it rock steady.

After the sighting in and development over I shoot offhand with some kind of body support.....some like their backs to something and their kneees drawn up but as I'm a silhouette shooter and all shooting is offhand, I prefer to stand and lean my body against something as this will mostly represent my point of impact when shooting offhand with zero support as we are required to do.

There's no magic in any of it....just practice....hold the gun hard, but not too hard, let it recoil, but not too much..lock the elbow or just keep it straight.....same way shot after shot.....everyone is different, but that's what works for me. On a good day with a good gun, a sky that's overcast, with not too much caffeine in me, I can make a beer can dance at 100 meters and make it pretty scared at 200.----006

[piller]

No experience with handguns on a rest. Sounds as if most prefer to use some way to brace their body to get a steady hold. I just followed this thread to try to learn something. I think I have.

[Bronco]

+1 on only letting your wrist tough the bag ! I have found that the zero is the same as shooting off hand and with the wrist resting on the knees or branch or log or what ever. Let's the handgun roll from the recoil consistently .

[Drawdown]

Sixgun said it just right, and most of all, the overcast sky part, which most people give the least consideration to open sights.
Light, light direction, and how much it changes POI! An overcast sky gives uniform light, and we only see something as the light brings it to us.
And I know this sounds like a bunch of drama about a tiny subject, but believe me I learned how important it is by shooting open sights for squirrel hunting with a 22, and the 000,000's of rounds sent down range practicing all these years. And I learned for sure I can only be my best when the light is best and when the sun's bright, I proved myself plain as day that POI moved with the sun direction, but when overcast, I can be consistent! Peep sights eliminate this problem for the most part, but open sights are given to it.
I'm gonna put up a thread soon to explain what I found is for sure, and hopefully it'll help someone! I sure proved it to myself.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I find the same thing on my range. When the sun hits the sights the gun seems to shoot toward the light.

[marlinman93]

I've shot my various handguns from a rest many times. Especially when they were new to me, or when testing ammo loads. I welded up a 3 legged rest with a U shaped rest on top that's mounted to a 1/2 all thread rod so I can adjust the rest up or down. Put some sheet rubber inside the U shaped rest to protect the gun's finish.
I rest the barrel on revolvers in the channel, so the action is all behind the rest. On semiautos I rest just in front of the trigger guard so the gun can cycle the slide easily.
When shooting from my rest I set it up on the bench so I can sit behind it easily and not have to bend down, or be in an awkward position while shooting. I made my 3 legs tall enough to fit the benches at our range. I saw others shooting from commercially built rests that were too short and seemed like they were uncomfortable while shooting.
My groups shot from a rest are smaller than anything I could do shooting while resting on my knees as I've never had a good backrest while sitting, and can't get as steady. I shoot more standing, or sitting, than I do with the rest. But the rest just lets me eliminate any input or issues I might cause when trying to find the tightest groups.

[JimT]

This Bowen front sight seems to be less affected by sun glare than any of the others I have ... at least for me. Everyone's eyes are at least a bit different. Mine are much different than they were 50 years ago!

sight.JPG

[Bill in Oregon]

Vall, I would sure like to see a photo of your rest.

[Marlin2henry]

My latest style is a small bag clamped in my death grip tripod and a 3 legged hunting stool. Works pretty good for an old guy that can't bend much.

[Griff]

What Sixgun said. Knuckles pressed into the side of a soft sandbag, with the trigger guard on top. Or, if in the field, I sit leaning somewhat forward, with my forearms on my thighs... as much as my forearms in contact as I can manage and maintain a comfortable position and still get a good sight picture. Never with elbows on knees, too wobbly.

[samsi]

I've done some pretty good shooting off a rest, as well as some pretty bad. Prefer to just rest my forearms and not the gun, though if you've got a soft rest like a rolled up towel over a tool bag the gun doesn't seem to mind. I sorta favor the seated back rest position myself these days, keep a 2 1/2' x 4' scrap of plywood in the back of the truck and just lean it against one of the rear wheels for my field recliner.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Well I never got to shoot it from a rest but after three different trips to the ranch, the gun is sighted in. Now it is a hunting handgun.

[piller]

Thar is great.

[Scott Tschirhart]

It will be better in the crock pot!

[Bill in Oregon]

Darn critters are hungry here and devouring anything remotely nutritious in the landscaping at our county shooting range. Gnawing big agaves down to the root stems like beavers -- and the bark off young saplings. It is no longer live and let live. May have to put the air rifle to work ...

[horsesoldier03]

Well I never got to shoot it from a rest but after three different trips to the ranch, the gun is sighted in. Now it is a hunting handgun.

We definitely need to get a LIKE Button!

[Sarge]

Well I never got to shoot it from a rest but after three different trips to the ranch, the gun is sighted in. Now it is a hunting handgun.

We definitely need to get a LIKE Button!

Amen to that.

[Griff]

Well I never got to shoot it from a rest but after three different trips to the ranch, the gun is sighted in. Now it is a hunting handgun.

We definitely need to get a LIKE Button!

Amen to that.

And I'll second that!