Scrap yard pistol rest

Rembrandt · Apr 15, 2020

For a pistol rest sand bags just aren't cutting it, been thinking about something different. While searching online "Ransom" offers a nice one.....but it only had vertical adjustment, nothing that could adjust for long and stubby guns. Time to dig through the scrap pile and see what was possible.

Needed to have both vertical and horizontal adjustment, light weight, no welding, no paint, and no tools. This is what arose from the scrap pile. Cushion for barrel rest is a replaceable high density foam. Will take it to the range and see what needs to be changed.

Gumby0961 · Apr 15, 2020

That's a very nice & clean job. Let us know how well it works.

doubleh · Apr 15, 2020

Nice.

9mmepiphany · Apr 15, 2020

That looks really nice...well beyond my capabilities

Rembrandt said:
While searching online "Ransom" offers a nice one.....but it only had vertical adjustment, nothing that could adjust for long and stubby guns.

The Ransom rest doesn't need adjustments to accommodate "long and stubby guns". It retains guns by the grip, as you would when holding it...barrel length is irrelevant

Duster340 · Apr 15, 2020

Very cool!

Rembrandt · Apr 15, 2020

Should have been more clear, this is the Ransom rest I was referring to. It's their Multi Cal Steady Rest.

9mmepiphany · Apr 15, 2020

Rembrandt said:
Should have been more clear, this is the Ransom rest I was referring to. It's their Multi Cal Steady Rest.

Ah, sorry I was referring to their original rest

doubleh · Apr 17, 2020

Your scrap bin has some nice "scrap" in it and you used some of it well. I'm curious about one thing though. Why no foam on the rear rest? My hands are old and tender and like to rest on nice padded things.

hdbiker · Apr 17, 2020

Good job !!! hdbiker

earlthegoat2 · Apr 17, 2020

Very nice work.

It would appear I may need to be schooled on handgun rest shooting. I was under the impression you did not want to support the gun by the barrel but rather the frame in some way.

This has always been a problem for me revolver shooting since I would like to rest the revolver on the frame just in front of trigger guard. This is where the flame likes to blow out at and destroys the stitching on bags.

I made an Ipe block with heavy leather on it for revolver shooting to deal with this problem. However from your photos it appears I may be overthinking or am just plain misguided in my thoughts.

doubleh · Apr 17, 2020

"This is where the flame likes to blow out at and destroys the stitching on bags"

Zip lock bags slipped over the bag helps with this. Just double, triple, or quadruple them depending on the intensity of the flamethrower you are shooting.

Rembrandt · Apr 17, 2020

doubleh said:
Your scrap bin has some nice "scrap" in it and you used some of it well. I'm curious about one thing though. Why no foam on the rear rest? My hands are old and tender and like to rest on nice padded things.

We work with a lot of extruded aluminum and polymers, the scraps are extensive, varied, and unique. Reminds me of looking at cloud formations and seeing different shapes....sometimes you see things in scrap that provokes an image of a possibility.

Thanks for the rear padded suggestion. May try to mill a cavity recess for the rear and filling it with the high density foam. :thumbup:

earlthegoat said:
It would appear I may need to be schooled on handgun test shooting. I was under the impression you did not want to support the gun by the barrel but rather the frame in some way.

Don't know what the correct protocol for resting of a barrel is....I could understand that being an issue for a rifle. I'm open to further suggestions.

earlthegoat2 · Apr 17, 2020

Rembrandt said:
Don't know what the correct protocol for resting of a barrel is....I could understand that being an issue for a rifle. I'm open to further suggestions.

I can only offer anecdotes. I rest the gun on the frame and have problems with my rest disintegrating but still get satisfactory accuracy. That's all I have. Im open to suggestions too.

We might need to find some handgunners more experienced than me to help. @MaxP @CraigC are a few I know of.

You seem to be as well with that fine assortment of handgunning hardware.

glove · Apr 17, 2020

Very nice. So when will these be for sale?

WestKentucky · Apr 17, 2020

You have a killer scrap yard... where did that T slot track come from? And did you paint it or was it already painted that color? It’s awesome. Btw, I have a length of t slot rail myself and now I’m copying your layout. The tension screw arms are nice too.

Rembrandt · Apr 17, 2020

Milled out a pocket and added some padding to the rear block, only had foam in 1" wide strips. Thanks doubleh for the suggestion!

The gold anodized horizontal piece was part of a larger shaped extrusion, cut off what I needed and threw the remainder away. You can get similar rail thru 80-20.net, maybe even something better, like this ( https://8020.net/3075.html ). The front vertical mount is a scrap of 80-20, (1.5" X 3") .

Rembrandt · Apr 17, 2020

There are limitations, as with the Boberg, no barrel or frame to lay in the cradle....probably just use the rear only.

MaxP · Apr 18, 2020

earlthegoat2 said:
Very nice work.

It would appear I may need to be schooled on handgun rest shooting. I was under the impression you did not want to support the gun by the barrel but rather the frame in some way.

This has always been a problem for me revolver shooting since I would like to rest the revolver on the frame just in front of trigger guard. This is where the flame likes to blow out at and destroys the stitching on bags.

I made an Ipe block with heavy leather on it for revolver shooting to deal with this problem. However from your photos it appears I may be overthinking or am just plain misguided in my thoughts.

I have found no discernible difference in POI testing the frame versus the barrel. Grip tension needs to be consistent for consistent results.

Ironicaintit · Apr 18, 2020

You have a nice scrap pile!
Mine would look like something Mad Max might do

doubleh · Apr 19, 2020

Rembrandt said:
Milled out a pocket and added some padding to the rear block, only had foam in 1" wide strips. Thanks doubleh for the suggestion!

The gold anodized horizontal piece was part of a larger shaped extrusion, cut off what I needed and threw the remainder away. You can get similar rail thru 80-20.net, maybe even something better, like this ( https://8020.net/3075.html ). The front vertical mount is a scrap of 80-20, (1.5" X 3") .

View attachment 909122

You are welcome. What adhesive do you use for your foam? I've found Goop to be about the best of the things I have tried and also does a pretty good job with neoprene sheet plus leather. Thanks for the link for the rail. I was surprised at how reasonable the cost is. I think I see a similar type rest in the works. I have some left over 3/4"x3" aluminum bar that need turned into something useful. I'm jealous of your scrap pile. I retired 24 years ago which brought my scrap pile mostly to and end. Now it's just leftover's from what I've bought for some projects.

As to the Boberg: Would resting it on the trigger guard work as that's about the only thing available.? Just a thought that popped into my mind when I saw your picture.

doubleh · Apr 19, 2020

MaxP said:
I have found no discernible difference in POI testing the frame versus the barrel. Grip tension needs to be consistent for consistent results.

Same here. The main thing about resting revolvers on the frame to me is it cuts down considerably on the mess and also damage to leather sandbags used as a front rest.

Rembrandt · Apr 19, 2020

Got a chance to test it out this weekend. Repeatable stability was quite noticeable and contributed to smaller group sizes. Having the vertical adjustment lever on the left turned out to be convenient and handy for right hand shooters. Glad I went with only one adjustment lever rather than two. The rear support worked well unless the guns grip was shorter than your hand....then the gun was supported on the pinky finger rather than on the gun itself. Might need to widen the "V" in the front support, worked well for 90% of the guns, couple were a little wider.

The foam padding I used already had an adhesive backing installed. Trying to rest the Boberg trigger guard into cradle didn't work well, not enough room for the guard and trigger finger to fit comfortably in the "V". Resting the Boberg's grip and hand on the rear support did work.

Raised the possibility of making something similar only longer for rifles.

horsemen61 · Apr 19, 2020

@Rembrandt that is Spectacular! Great work!

Trashyshoots · Apr 25, 2020

I love rested pistol shooting.

When my father in law passed I inherited his reloading stuff and his pistol rests. My fil was known for nuclear handloads he used in his super blackhawk, theyre lovingly referred to as "denis loads" (180gr Sierra with im assuming a very heavy load of h110 under it touched off with magnum primers. I havnt been able to reverse engine his load as he left 0 notes) :safety squad edit: I'm not interested in shooting his nuclear loads but I am curious to figure them out. Her grandfather on the other hand was a 45 colt shooter that was his polar opposite. Heavy lead bullets going so darn slow you could watch them in the correct lighting.

Anyways my wife and I were going through his gear when we found a pistol rest. I told her,
"im pretty sure this was your grandfather's rest not your dads"
"Why?"
"Its never been on fire"

Scrap yard pistol rest

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