Shooting revolver off a rest?

Prof Young · August 9, 2018, 10:14 PM

Okay, so when shooting a long barreled revolver using a rest I've always assumed one put their hands on the rest with no part of the gun touching it. Is that the best technique or . . . ?

Talk to me.

Prof Young

JohnFLand · August 9, 2018, 10:29 PM

Well, I don’t know the best technique, BUT just 2 days ago, I rested a Ruger GP100 directly on a foam block (my brother’s) and fired off 6 rounds of .38 Special. Tore up the top of the block from cylinder gap gasses. I shot better (and with no damage) resting my hands on the block.

CDR_Glock · August 10, 2018, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prof Young

Okay, so when shooting a long barreled revolver using a rest I've always assumed one put their hands on the rest with no part of the gun touching it. Is that the best technique or . . . ?

Talk to me.

Prof Young

Best way to do it is to use a range bag to support the elbows and forearms, not using a rest for the revolver.

I have put my 454 Casull, 500 and a 460 on a rest, and have blown up the rest (shooting bag rest with corn meal or something in it) from the flames.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

**Aguila Blanca** · August 10, 2018, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prof Young

Okay, so when shooting a long barreled revolver using a rest I've always assumed one put their hands on the rest with no part of the gun touching it. Is that the best technique or . . . ?

That is the accepted technique, yes.

Water-Man · August 10, 2018, 12:27 AM

^^As stated above^^

flyer898 · August 10, 2018, 12:27 AM

I like to rest the revolver frame on the rest and the barrel free from contact. A consistent grip is very important, especially with more powerful, long barreled revolvers because the recoil is moving the gun before the bullet exits the muzzle.

Steve in PA · August 10, 2018, 01:24 AM

When shooting one of my handguns (either SRH or T/C Contenders) from a rest, the barrel or forearm is supported by the front rest and the grip is supported by the rear bag.

**44 AMP** · August 10, 2018, 10:14 PM

since I am more interested in what the gun and load will do in my hands than what the gun and load will do "on their own", I hold the gun in my hands, and use the rest to support my forearms.

DO allow enough room between your hands and the bags to avoid being pinched between them and the gun. A S&W .44Mag will do a painful bite, and that's assuming the cheese grater checkering on the factory stocks doesn't remover some skin. (and yes, this is the painful voice of experience here...

)

Hammerhead · August 11, 2018, 12:28 AM

If the barrel is rested it will shoot lower than when it's not. 4" lower at 50 yards for my 357 with red dot.

I rest my wrists/forearms on my range bag.

AzShooter · August 11, 2018, 02:37 AM

I rest the barrel when testing for accuracy but use my wrist on the bag when testing to see what the gun would do while holding it an shooting from a standing position. Now I just shoot with no rest and am happy with my off-hand groups.

fourbore · August 11, 2018, 08:05 AM

I rest the frame on the front rest. I rest my hand on a rear bag. I will sacrifice something to protect the front rest material. Fire hazard and all. The front rest is a screw elevation rifle rest with a factory bag. I spend a fair amount of time getting everything lined up and me comfortable. This is accuracy testing and bragging right shooting, not necessarily how I zero the gun.

With a scope mounted you can see the difference a good rest makes and also see exactly what works and does not.

I never rest the barrel.

FITASC · August 11, 2018, 08:24 AM

I will rest my hands and a little bit of the stock on the bag, but that is it.

Bob Wright · August 11, 2018, 09:46 AM

I don't have a steady bench available to shoot from, so usually just use a good two hand hold.

If available, I at times will brace my shoulder against a sturdy tree trunk.

Here I'm using a camera, but the idea is the same:

Bob Wright

reddog81 · August 11, 2018, 09:50 AM

I've used a rest a couple of times and it's kind of a matter of figuring out what works best for you, your gun and the rest you're using. I have a smith 929 with Hogue big butt grips and you can just sit the grip on the rest which is nice. I've heard of others resting the bottom of their hands/pinky fingers on the rest, placing your wrists on rest, using a bipod usually is a matter of placing just the barrel on the rest and I'm sure countless other options.

In other words, you'll need to experiment and figure out what works best for you. It's kind of like asking what the best grips are for a gun - it depends on the size of your hands, the grip you use, etc.

Using a rest is nice for starting out with longer range shots. Lately I've been practicing at 25 and 50 yards targets and 100 yard gongs. The rest really helps when starting out with these shots.

T. O'Heir · August 11, 2018, 11:20 AM

A great deal depends on what you're doing. Not having the firearm itself on the rest isn't exactly solid. If you're testing loads it'll matter. Resting on the bag just forward of the cylinder works for load testing. Any kind of support helps with a hunting shot.
Cylinder gap gasses will do that to foam with any cartridge. Even a .22.
1200 x 675 pixels is too big.

rodfac · August 12, 2018, 09:04 PM

Never could get good grouping off sandbags; I found that I couldn't keep a uniform grip was the problem...and too, the group center was not the same as my two-handed, offhand field shooting positions. It varied from them as much as 2-3" at 25 yds.

I use, instead, Elmer Keith's old long range shooting position. In it, you sit on the ground or at most, a very low sitting beach chair, with back support. A tree or even fence post or rail will do as well. Knees are pulled up and the gun is extended between them, two-handed, finger on finger/thumb on thumb grip. Using it, I get better, tighter groups, and their point of impact coincides with my hunting, field positions.

I have used this technique since the mid-60's, and it's good enough to evaluate hand load accuracy. I'm 72 now and I can still get ~1" groups with open iron sights, from my guns when the loads right and the sun's behind me. Give it a try...it's handy in the field for deer or while squirrel hunting, and any old tree will support your back giving you the accuracy of a bench rest. Best regards, Rod

bbqncigars · August 13, 2018, 11:15 PM

I shoot my revolvers with the frame resting on the sandbag I had made in the early seventies. It's a smooth chaps leather bag that holds an old canvas 25lb shot bag which contains the sand. One side of the bag has a very thick piece of leather covering it to withstand the cylinder leaks. Best $20 I've spent.

zeke · August 16, 2018, 11:00 PM

Another one who rests the revolver on frame just in front of trigger guard, with wrists supported on bags. Am never resting the barrel, or the letting the grips touch anything. And yes, am using sacrificial leather when doing this.

August 9, 2018, 10:14 PM	#1
Prof Young Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2007 Location: Illinois - down state Posts: 2,404	Shooting revolver off a rest? Okay, so when shooting a long barreled revolver using a rest I've always assumed one put their hands on the rest with no part of the gun touching it. Is that the best technique or . . . ? Talk to me. Prof Young

August 10, 2018, 01:24 AM	#7
Steve in PA Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 1999 Location: Northeastern PA Posts: 756	When shooting one of my handguns (either SRH or T/C Contenders) from a rest, the barrel or forearm is supported by the front rest and the grip is supported by the rear bag. __________________ Steve

August 10, 2018, 10:14 PM	#8
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,820	since I am more interested in what the gun and load will do in my hands than what the gun and load will do "on their own", I hold the gun in my hands, and use the rest to support my forearms. DO allow enough room between your hands and the bags to avoid being pinched between them and the gun. A S&W .44Mag will do a painful bite, and that's assuming the cheese grater checkering on the factory stocks doesn't remover some skin. (and yes, this is the painful voice of experience here...) __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

August 11, 2018, 08:24 AM	#12
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	I will rest my hands and a little bit of the stock on the bag, but that is it. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

August 11, 2018, 09:46 AM	#13
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,989	I don't have a steady bench available to shoot from, so usually just use a good two hand hold. If available, I at times will brace my shoulder against a sturdy tree trunk. Here I'm using a camera, but the idea is the same: Bob Wright __________________ Time spent at the reloading bench is an investment in contentment.

August 9, 2018, 10:29 PM	#2
JohnFLand Member Join Date: June 3, 2010 Posts: 57	Well, I don’t know the best technique, BUT just 2 days ago, I rested a Ruger GP100 directly on a foam block (my brother’s) and fired off 6 rounds of .38 Special. Tore up the top of the block from cylinder gap gasses. I shot better (and with no damage) resting my hands on the block.

August 10, 2018, 12:27 AM	#5
Water-Man Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 2,126	^^As stated above^^

August 10, 2018, 12:27 AM	#6
flyer898 Member Join Date: May 15, 2013 Posts: 35	I like to rest the revolver frame on the rest and the barrel free from contact. A consistent grip is very important, especially with more powerful, long barreled revolvers because the recoil is moving the gun before the bullet exits the muzzle.

August 11, 2018, 12:28 AM	#9
Hammerhead Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,432	If the barrel is rested it will shoot lower than when it's not. 4" lower at 50 yards for my 357 with red dot. I rest my wrists/forearms on my range bag.

August 11, 2018, 02:37 AM	#10
AzShooter Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2006 Location: Surprise, Az. Posts: 766	I rest the barrel when testing for accuracy but use my wrist on the bag when testing to see what the gun would do while holding it an shooting from a standing position. Now I just shoot with no rest and am happy with my off-hand groups.

August 11, 2018, 08:05 AM	#11
fourbore Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2015 Location: new england Posts: 1,159	I rest the frame on the front rest. I rest my hand on a rear bag. I will sacrifice something to protect the front rest material. Fire hazard and all. The front rest is a screw elevation rifle rest with a factory bag. I spend a fair amount of time getting everything lined up and me comfortable. This is accuracy testing and bragging right shooting, not necessarily how I zero the gun. With a scope mounted you can see the difference a good rest makes and also see exactly what works and does not. I never rest the barrel.

August 11, 2018, 09:50 AM	#14
reddog81 Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2014 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,634	I've used a rest a couple of times and it's kind of a matter of figuring out what works best for you, your gun and the rest you're using. I have a smith 929 with Hogue big butt grips and you can just sit the grip on the rest which is nice. I've heard of others resting the bottom of their hands/pinky fingers on the rest, placing your wrists on rest, using a bipod usually is a matter of placing just the barrel on the rest and I'm sure countless other options. In other words, you'll need to experiment and figure out what works best for you. It's kind of like asking what the best grips are for a gun - it depends on the size of your hands, the grip you use, etc. Using a rest is nice for starting out with longer range shots. Lately I've been practicing at 25 and 50 yards targets and 100 yard gongs. The rest really helps when starting out with these shots.

August 11, 2018, 11:20 AM	#15
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	A great deal depends on what you're doing. Not having the firearm itself on the rest isn't exactly solid. If you're testing loads it'll matter. Resting on the bag just forward of the cylinder works for load testing. Any kind of support helps with a hunting shot. Cylinder gap gasses will do that to foam with any cartridge. Even a .22. 1200 x 675 pixels is too big. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

August 12, 2018, 09:04 PM	#16
rodfac Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,623	Never could get good grouping off sandbags; I found that I couldn't keep a uniform grip was the problem...and too, the group center was not the same as my two-handed, offhand field shooting positions. It varied from them as much as 2-3" at 25 yds. I use, instead, Elmer Keith's old long range shooting position. In it, you sit on the ground or at most, a very low sitting beach chair, with back support. A tree or even fence post or rail will do as well. Knees are pulled up and the gun is extended between them, two-handed, finger on finger/thumb on thumb grip. Using it, I get better, tighter groups, and their point of impact coincides with my hunting, field positions. I have used this technique since the mid-60's, and it's good enough to evaluate hand load accuracy. I'm 72 now and I can still get ~1" groups with open iron sights, from my guns when the loads right and the sun's behind me. Give it a try...it's handy in the field for deer or while squirrel hunting, and any old tree will support your back giving you the accuracy of a bench rest. Best regards, Rod __________________ Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.

August 13, 2018, 11:15 PM	#17
bbqncigars Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2009 Location: Iowa Posts: 525	I shoot my revolvers with the frame resting on the sandbag I had made in the early seventies. It's a smooth chaps leather bag that holds an old canvas 25lb shot bag which contains the sand. One side of the bag has a very thick piece of leather covering it to withstand the cylinder leaks. Best $20 I've spent. __________________ "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." A. Brilliant

August 16, 2018, 11:00 PM	#18
zeke Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 1999 Location: NW Wi Posts: 1,671	Another one who rests the revolver on frame just in front of trigger guard, with wrists supported on bags. Am never resting the barrel, or the letting the grips touch anything. And yes, am using sacrificial leather when doing this.