How do you test the accuracy of your revolver reloads?

Ideally, nothing can replace the Ransom Rest for shot placement consistency. If you're not familiar with it, it is a device that is screwed down to a solid object, then you remove the grips from your gun and then place the gun in clamps made specifically for your gun (they replace the grips). There is a windage and elevation adjustment, and a trigger trip gizmo. The gun can recoil straight up and be returned to the exact same point of aim.

My old gun club had one available for use. Since I no longer live in that area, my current method is placing the gun on a rest, and just try to have a solid hold on my sight picture.

Solid hold on a rest, IMO nothing beats a good old fashioned sand bags.

If you have been shooting this gun with factory ammo you have an idea how it shoots. Just shoot it with your reloads and make a comparison. If you are an average shooter and want to know how your gun shoots this should be good enough. If you want to get down to the nitty gritty the Ransom Rest is the only way to go. Not many people have access to one and they are not cheap to buy. Depending on what gun you are testing they may not make an adapter for it. The sand bags already mentioned is a good idea and doesn't cost so much. Don

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"Don't worry be happy"

My method is very complicated so pay attention! I stand up grasp the revolver firmly and fire five shots double action at a target at fifteen yards, I do this five times for twentyfive rounds. For long range at fifty yards I shoot single action in the sitting position over my knees with my back up against a solid object. I then observe the results, if the load is grouping as well or better than my average ability to do this drill I am happy, if not, that particular load in that particular revolver is noted to be unserviceable. Intristic accuracy is fine but I do not shoot off a rest or have a Ransom Rest attached to my arm. In other words most any ole load in any ole revolver is intristically more accurate than I am! Dont ask me my accuracy test for a rifle, it drives my buddys nut's. By the way buckshotshorty's advice is right on.

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Stay safe people!

My Ransom Rest.

The following is what I do. It works for me. I use targets with 4-6 inch square black aiming marks on off-white or buff colored paper. I staple them at first 15 yds. to check zero then move to 25 yds. to evaluate a load. I use a 6 O'clock hold. I use candle soot to blacken my front and rear sights so that I can get a good crisp sight picture. In preliminary evaluation I fire two to three six shot groups to determine which particular loads show the most promise. These I re-shoot to further determine which load is the best. For a rest I prefer to use a heavy wood table with sandbags placed on the top to make it heavy enough to be stable. In some instances I rest the barrel of the revolver on a sandbag. Other times I rest the front bottom edge of the frame on the bag. I like the S&W target stocks. So when shooting, I commonly rest the butt of the stocks on the table top with some sort of hard cardboard underneath to prevent scuffs to the grips. I fire slowly and deliberately in single-action. I do not worry about point of impact. I simply evaluate the size and shape of the groups. I also look at the composite group size and shape. This method has worked for me.

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I use a sandbag on a bench with my wrists on the sandbag. I use an NRA B-8 repair center target and my usual range is 25 yards, except when I'm testing loads for use at 50 yards. Personally, I think it's a waste of your time and ammunition to test at anything less than 25 yards. You could load rocks and get good groups at 7 or 15 yards. In any case, consistency is the key. If you change your grip or how you rest the pistol, you're changing the point of impact. I use a 10 round group, too.

I just stand up at the range, two handed grip at between 15 and 25 yards and bang out 50 shots.

Like this:


I know if I have any fliers and this gives me a true test of me, the load, and the gun can do. Anyone can luck into a good 5 shot target but try putting 50 in a row on paper and you will test your load and skill.



Here is a gun that tends to toss the first round out of the mag each time.



here is a real tack driver with one dropped shot.

So stand up there, 15 to 25 yrds or longer and bang out 50 and see how you do is my approach.

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SWCA 1646

Sand bag rest for true load/accuracy testing. You'll have less fliers. I used to have a Ransom, it makes a day of accuracy testing easy, but a good shooter can shoot just as well as the rest, just not as many shots worth.

If you scope your gun (or use a Red Dot Sight) you can, with practice, shoot as well as with the Ransom Rest. I have access to a Ransom Rest and have used one quite a bit with a number of different calibers and different handguns.

Dale53

You really need to test at 50 yds, and at least 10 shots. The Army Markmanship Unit tests with a Ransom Rest at 50 yds for 30 shots when checking a pistol build for accuracy.