Bench shooting tips?

[Panhandler80]

I know forearms supported if possible, same grip position and tension as to be used in field, butt of grip not touch anything rigid, and barrel not on rest.

Biggest question, what SHOULD be on rest? I've got 629 .44 with 8.3" barrel. Can ejector rod housing be on rest, or should I try support gun o. trigger gaurd? Read one article that said rest on ejector rod housing can produce erratic groupings.

Rest to be used is a little tripod guy by Caldwell with bolt and wheel in middle to raise / lower rest height. Already melted synthetic casing of rest that I used for butt of rifle sight in as handgun rest. this tripod has heavier material. .. maybe it won't be destroyed by gases and heat out gap.

 

[Panhandler80]

trying to get red dot dead on then start some free hand practice.

shot on Sunday and it did pretty well 4-5 shots, but I'd have 1-2 each time just terrible. Guessing I'm doing something inconsistent at bench. also had not cleaned gun post -purchase. Rail and scope mounts tight. Put 50 American eagle 240s through it. will likely hunt with Hornady 240 xtps. Ch
leaned gun after first trip. Would like to shoot my hunting rounds on paper tomorrow and Friday before Saturday deer hunt.

 

[rockquarry]

I've spent considerable time comparing the two most effective methods I've found. Results are still inconclusive as to which is "best", likely due to my own shortcomings.

#1 - Using a Sugar Creek handgun rest (probably no longer available but a forerunner to most current designs), frame (not barrel) is rested in padded or sandbagged cradle with gun butt supported with both hands; hands rested on sandbag.

#2 - Two-handed grip over sandbag with wrists only rested on bag. No part of the gun touches bag.

Had a Ransom Rest years ago. On a good day, a non-fatigued and skilled shooter can come close to or maybe even equal 25 yard Ransom Rest groups without the headache of setting up the Ransom and getting a gun "settled in".

I first read of this thirty years or more years ago in a HANDLOADER or maybe RIFLE magazine article by the late editor of those publications, Al Miller. I was doubtful of his claims, but after trying this, I tend to agree with Miller. Here again, the important points are non-fatigued and skilled shooter .

 

[buck460XVR]

I get my best results from resting the gun where the barrel meets the frame when bench shooting my long piped revolvers. This is with a bench rest like referred to in the OP, shooting sticks in the field or the bar rest in my deer stand.

 

[Panhandler80]

As a new shooter last Sunday in think fatigue set in towards end... at least a little.

In scenario 1 above, are you NOT using your field two hand grip?

"Frame" of gun in rest... you consider ejector rod housing part of barrel, not frame, correct? Only option to rest frame on my gun is that little section fwd of trigger guard,ortrigger guard itself. neither particularly stable, but better than barrel in terms of erratic shots from barrel on rest. What you recommend.... that little poised piece of real estate fed of guard, or trigger guard itself.

Two methods you outlined above... which do you think best replicates real world (field) application?

 

[Panhandler80]

I get my best results from resting the gun where the barrel meets the frame when bench shooting my long piped revolvers. This is with a bench rest like referred to in the OP, shooting sticks in the field or the bar rest in my deer stand.

good info. 8.3" qualifies as "long pipe" I assume?

 

[diyj98]

#2 - Two-handed grip over sandbag with wrists only rested on bag. No part of the gun touches bag.

A lot of folks swear by that method, but I've generally gotten my best accuracy by resting the butt as well bottom of the ejector rod housing area on sandbags. If you don't use some sort of cover over the bags, the flash from the cylinder will eat your bags up in short order though.

 

[Panhandler80]

A lot of folks swear by that method, but I've generally gotten my best accuracy by resting the butt as well bottom of the ejector rod housing area on sandbags. If you don't use some sort of cover over the bags, the flash from the cylinder will eat your bags up in short order though.

Learned that the hard way. Had a little rest filled with saw dust or something. About 5 rounds in the cheap bag burst and the contents went flying.

seems like getting good with Method 2 above would best replicate free hand shot, and that's a rest method easily s
duplicated in field.

What type of cover for Method 1? Old hand towel or something? My little cheap bag that was burned through was old, very thin and some sythetic stuff. it didn't last long! ;-)

 

[rockquarry]

Panhandler- yes, a two-handed grip.

Secondly, an ejector housing is part of the barrel, not frame. That part of frame just forward of trigger guard is small, but works fine. I've never found it to be unstable or wobbly.

If I understand your question, neither rest position will replicate a "field" position in that a handgun zeroed from a benchrest will not shoot to the same point of impact as one freely held. A handgun should be zeroed from the position you will be most often use it in. Additionally, if you zero at 25 yards using strong hand only, then switch to a two-handed hold, point of impact is generally several inches lower.

There are exceptions to all things, but generally, a sandbagged rest is for verifying accuracy only, not for zeroing.

 

[AzShooter]

I use a two hand hold and rest the base of my grip on the sandbag. Then I shoot as if I were holding the gun without a rest. Groups are better for me.

The other option is to put the barrel into the V of the sandbag. This is for pure accuracy testing.

 

[Panhandler80]

Panhandler- yes, a two-handed grip.

Secondly, an ejector housing is part of the barrel, not frame. That part of frame just forward of trigger guard is small, but works fine. I've never found it to be unstable or wobbly.

If I understand your question, neither rest position will replicate a "field" position in that a handgun zeroed from a benchrest will not shoot to the same point of impact as one freely held. A handgun should be zeroed from the position you will be most often use it in. Additionally, if you zero at 25 yards using strong hand only, then switch to a two-handed hold, point of impact is generally several inches lower.

There are exceptions to all things, but generally, a sandbagged rest is for verifying accuracy only, not for zeroing.

Thanks. I'm not being terribly clear. From field will mean some of rest. but it will vary significantly. I guess I need to figure out what most common will be and zero in using as close to that as possible at range.

I've got some ladder stands where method 2 could be mimic pretty easily. othe stands will be shooting sticks, free hand might be necessary in lock on with steep angle.

seems like a lot to factor in... or am I making it too complicated with over analysis

 

[Fishinfool]

Good tips by Rockquarry. I usually rest both wrists on sandbags, often with the gun rested on another bag, right in front of the trigger guard bow, on the frame. Padding under the elbows helps with heavy kickers. Great for rough sighting in, and good groups, as in testing ammo accuracy, but seldom will a gun, especially a kicker, hit to the same point of aim when shot free hand. Could be only an inch or two off, could be more, it depends.

After I have found an accurate load at the bench, I sight in free handed (W/two hands) at 25 yards. Groups will be larger than from the bench, that's ok, as long as they are centered on the target. When hunting, I often brace against a tree, or rest on my knees in the sitting position for stability.

You mentioned in prior posts you planned on mostly hunting from a tree stand. If you can find a rest you can use in your tree stand, and also from the bench, then that would be a nice set up, and allow consistent accuracy. I usually hunt from ground level, and move around a lot, so tend to practice more using improvised rests. It seems any rest you use that does not involve the gun touching anything tends to more closely simulate off hand shooting.

Larry

 

[rockquarry]

pandhandler- I've used shooting sticks for rifles, have no experience with handguns and sticks. Be worth a try to see if point of impact vs. point of aim is affected.

Steep angles? I don't know. Maybe you are making this more complicated than it needs to be...

 

[Panhandler80]

Good tips by Rockquarry. I usually rest both wrists on sandbags, often with the gun rested on another bag, right in front of the trigger guard bow, on the frame. Padding under the elbows helps with heavy kickers. Great for rough sighting in, and good groups, as in testing ammo accuracy, but seldom will a gun, especially a kicker, hit to the same point of aim when shot free hand. Could be only an inch or two off, could be more, it depends.

After I have found an accurate load at the bench, I sight in free handed (W/two hands) at 25 yards. Groups will be larger than from the bench, that's ok, as long as they are centered on the target. When hunting, I often brace against a tree, or rest on my knees in the sitting position for stability.

You mentioned in prior posts you planned on mostly hunting from a tree stand. If you can find a rest you can use in your tree stand, and also from the bench, then that would be a nice set up, and allow consistent accuracy. I usually hunt from ground level, and move around a lot, so tend to practice more using improvised rests. It seems any rest you use that does not involve the gun touching anything tends to more closely simulate off hand shooting.

Larry

bench for accuracy testing. got it.

free hand to zero. got it.

then rest on knee / tree etc., in field? Don't get it. This doesn't mess up POI if you zeroed with no rest at free hand?

 

[patrickd]

Try sitting with knees bent, your forearms resting against and braced between them. I can topple small steel silhouettes way out there with My 8 3/8" 586 using this position.

 

[Panhandler80]

pandhandler- I've used shooting sticks for rifles, have no experience with handguns and sticks. Be worth a try to see if point of impact vs. point of aim is affected.

Steep angles? I don't know. Maybe you are making this more complicated than it needs to be...

down a hill, under stand etc... no rest will work then.

I just need more time.

have chance to shoot just a little tomorrow and then was hoping to hunt Sat. may just need to bring rifle. I know I'll have does all over me and they legal this weekend, and will be 30-50 yards. had hoped to ytake one with new handgun, but sure would hate to mess one up. not super confident now, and a miss /bad shot certainly wouldn't help on the confidence front.

 

[4barrel]

I hope you have a $400 red dot.

 

[steelslaver]

Here is a big part. If you use a rest in some way that arrest the muzzle rise you will have different elevation than free hand. Placing the butt of the gun on sand bags changes how the gun moves in recoil. As a hand gun recoils the muzzle comes up pushing the butt down. Therefore the muzzle is higher when the bullet exits the barrel, especially in long barrels. Just gripping the gun tighter and firmer will cause this.

I made a revolver into a 16" stocked carbine. I had to keep milling the front sight base and post lower and lower than I figured it would need to be. The stock held against my shoulder and gripping the fore arm removed almost all of the muzzle rise and I never took this into account when I made the front sight. DUH

 

[Panhandler80]

teelslaver;139390308]Here is a big part. If you use a rest in some way that arrest the muzzle rise you will have different elevation than free hand. Placing the butt of the gun on sand bags changes how the gun moves in recoil. As a hand gun recoils the muzzle comes up pushing the butt down. Therefore the muzzle is higher when the bullet exits the barrel, especially in long barrels. Just gripping the gun tighter and firmer will cause this.

I made a revolver into a 16" stocked carbine. I had to keep milling the front sight base and post lower and lower than I figured it would need to be. The stock held against my shoulder and gripping the fore arm removed almost all of the muzzle rise and I never took this into account when I made the front sight. DUH[/QUOTE]

all makes sense.

I'm thin

 

[rockquarry]

Panhandler-
Literally everything in the way of technique, firmness of hold, type of rest, etc. can affect point of impact vs. point of aim and your zero. Best to zero from whatever "field" position you choose and then shoot all the different ways you mention and see where your bullets land.

Zero at 25 yards (like me) or 50 if you're really talented. Don't waste your time zeroing or practicing at lesser distances. You'll not benefit in the least other than finding out where your bullets strike after zeroing at a useful distance.