What's the proper way to use a handgun rest?

[BCRider]

If shooting to test sights or for developing loads for accuracy and consistency a lot of you apprarently use rests for your hands or for the gun. Short of getting a Ransom rest and clamping the gun in place what is the best procedure for using a common bag rest when sighting in or accuracy testing handguns?

The one time I tried a rest very early in my shooting I assumed that the barrel lug (it was a revolver) had to sit in the padding. But I now know better and that the recoil of the gun needs to be able to lift the gun naturally to allow the bullet to leave the muzzle at just the right time. So I'm guessing now that the idea is that the wrists should be resting on the bag or perhaps the butt of the grips?

 

[dawico]

The key is consistency. I prefer to rest my wrists as that is how I would shoot from a makeshift rest in the field. I think for developing loads though most guys have the butt and barrel on rests.

 

[CraigC]

Nestle the crook where the barrel meets the frame into the bag. Other than your hands on the grip, no other part of the gun should touch anything. Never rest the butt. You can rest your forearms, anywhere below the wrist, on another pair of bags. As was stated, consistency is the key and it takes some time to develop a good bench technique. Especially if you're testing hard kickers. When testing revolvers, you definitely want a leather bag on top. The blast from the barrel/cylinder gap will destroy cloth bags in just a few shots. I make my own out of sheets of suede procured from the craft store.

 

[BCRider]

Craig, with your barrel and wrist setup I'm assuming that the idea is that the barrel should be resting only lightly on the bag? The idea being just to lightly steady it rather than actually support it Otherwise if I were to push down to "plant" it firmly then the muzzle can't rise the same way as it would later during freestyle shooting without support.

All in all I like the idea of both barrel and wrist bags though. Seems like used well the gun and sight stabilty would be more steady.

 

[CraigC]

You want a firm plant but against the crook between the barrel and frame, not really against the barrel itself. This is really for steadiness, because unlike a rifle where you'd use a rear bag, the only rear support is you. So you want it resting closer to the balance point. Still, you really don't have the same concerns as a rifle. It's not gonna throw a wrench in the works to put some pressure on the barrel. What you don't want to get into the habit of doing is resting too far out on the barrel. Because when you go from a 7.5" gun to a 4", your bag may suffer.

 

[BCRider]

OK, I think I see now. So the bags are more about grouping and not for setting the sights up for later freestyle shooting. Once I get a load that groups nicely then I go ahead and set the sights using freestyle holding without the bags so the pressure on the bags doesn't affect the muzzle rise.

I'm a ways from being so fussy that I need to bag rest a handgun at this point. But the thought came up in another thread so I thought I'd ask so I could file it away for later. thanks for your thoughts on the issue.