Bench shooting

[deadeye dick]

What is the difference between shooting off a sand bag or a bench rest? Are they the same?

 

[rcmodel]

Pretty much the same thing.
You use bags on a bench.

They also make solid pistol rests, but you use them on top of a bench too.

rc

 

[deadeye dick]

Thanks rc I have been using the MTM red "y" shaped adjustable pistol rest for some time now with great success.

 

[98Redline]

One thing to keep in mind is that the gun will recoil differently off of a bench/sandbags than it will when shot offhand. This will normally result in a change in POI between the two. The heavier the recoil, the bigger the difference, usually.

Other than that...blast away!

 

[il.bill]

Rather than placing the handgun's frame on the bag or rest, I like to place both my forearms on the rest using my normal two-handed hold on the pistol or revolver. I feel that using the 'rest' to steady my arms and not the firearm eliminates just one variable and lets me see how well the handgun can shoot in my hands. YMMV.

 

[JohnBT]

I use my range bag or a sand bag or two to support my forearms. Not the gun. I've tried the gun on the bag or the sand bags - touching the butt or the barrel - and it's hasn't been pretty. Maybe it works for others.

I keep meaning to buy a pistol rest, but 20 or 30 years later I still don't have one.

 

[98Redline]

The forearms thing works if you are looking to best simulate offhand conditions.
If you truly are trying to judge the accuracy potential of a particular load (grouping) and the POI is of somewhat less importance, supporting the barrel and butt will give the steadiest and most repeatable grouping.

 

[pendennis]

The recoil effect on your arms is a bit stiffer when shooting off a rest. Because of the sandbags, the recoil tends to go a bit more straight back. A long session with a stout-recoiling handgun can be punishing.

 

[41 Mag]

I use a nice adjustable rest to develop accuracy loads, once I know the revolver or pistol will do good groups from the rest I go to field positions and practice, practice, and practice some more.

A long session with a stout-recoiling handgun can be punishing.

No doubt about that. I ran 80 rounds through my 454 one afternoon setting behind it on the same adjustable rest, checking loads at 50 and 100yds.

The next morning, I thought I was having a heart attack when I woke up I hurt so bad through my shoulders and down to my wrists. Just recoil induced pain was all it was though.

 

[pendennis]

I use a nice adjustable rest to develop accuracy loads, once I know the revolver or pistol will do good groups from the rest I go to field positions and practice, practice, and practice some more.



No doubt about that. I ran 80 rounds through my 454 one afternoon setting behind it on the same adjustable rest, checking loads at 50 and 100yds.

The next morning, I thought I was having a heart attack when I woke up I hurt so bad through my shoulders and down to my wrists. Just recoil induced pain was all it was though.

Amen to that! I was shooting some .357 Mags, doing essentially the same thing; accuracy, etc.

The next four days, even with aspirin, my arms and wrists ached like he!!.

I surely minimize it now.

 

[deadeye dick]

Thanks for all the good advise. I will be using the rest to check reloads for accuracy and groupings. Howie

 

[gmaster805]

May I suggest after a multi round session just before you go to bed take 3 advil, tylenol ... When you wake up you wont be as sore. then brake out the horse liniment and have a good day.

 

[Hangingrock]

Thread drift on my part. I haven't shot a handgun from bench rest since some time in the mid nineteen-seventies. Basically a standup and shoot, shooter. But then again its paper targets at 50yds, 25yds and under.

Maybe its in part my military service experience flop down in the mud or stand up and shoot with what you've be issued.

Come to think of it the only bench's I've see have always been on rifle ranges as opposed to dedicated handgun ranges.

One load I've used for more years than I care to remember is 5.6Grs of W231, 230Gr-FMJ, LPP and mixed Head Stamp cartridge cases for the 45ACP that's always been sufficient.