Cylinder gap is real

You use your off hand to support your head as you lay back, and kind of lean your shooting-side leg inward and rest the gun on your calf. It is really stable once you get used to it, and with Contenders and XP-style pistols shooters were hitting regularly on the ranges.

I see the revolver picture shows the guy with a leather blast-shield against his calf....Now, if only I’d known!

Stay safe.

Riomouse911 said:

I see the revolver picture shows the guy with a leather blast-shield against his calf....Now, if only I’d known!
Stay safe.

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When I shot IHMSA I made my blast shield with 1/2" of foam and a layer of lexan between 2 layers of leather. While it didn't burn it still provided the leg with a real thump. I replaced the outer layer of leather after about every 500 rounds.

Catpop said:

Durn, I only have 12 fingers so I guess it was at least 13. Close enough?

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12 or 13 times is a lot of people, you have endured much and probably had a positive influence in 100s of lives.

I used to have a Ruger Old Army black powder pistol. While shooting it one afternoon, I loaded it, and handed it to a buddy of mine. I watched as he took a rest on top of his hand, which was on top of a fence post. I remember thinking "That doesn't look right" and "STOP" was halfway out of my mouth when he pulled the trigger.

He screamed bloody murder. I thought the gun had chain fired, and he'd shot his hand off. It hadn't and he was OK, except for a strip over the back of his hand where the B/C gap flash had burned his hand with powder flash, and hot grease. Black specks from unburned powder had been driven down into his skin, and were still there months later.

Don't do that!

Some years ago when I was researching the 460 XVR I found reference to a lawyer who was suing S&W because his client blew his thumb off. He was supporting the gun with his weak hand under the frame/cylinder. I wrote to the lawyer citing the manual which specifically warns against this, and made comments about basic common sense and firearms handling. I never heard from the lawyer, nor did I expect or want to. Felt good to write a letter though. I was polite but to the point that the injury was not due to S&W or a faulty firearm which was their contention.

I have a scoped 8" xvr and it's great fun. I don't carry it, and I use Speer's "reduced recoil" loads which are quite sufficient. Sometimes I load with Trail Boss too.

I tried the laying down bracing against the leg once. Ruined a perfectly good pair of jeans doing that! The revolver was a Dan Wesson 445 Supermag. I guess I was blowing holes in blue jeans before holes in blue jeans was the style!