There's no other way to test the accuracy of a load/handgun than rested shots and the standard is 25 yards. If you don't test your loads for accuracy, you won't know where the gun shoots with them or how well. In addition, when I work up a load, I'll set the chronograph up, shoot over the screens from the rest and at a 25 yard target for velocity and accuracy verification. Saves time and effort. I have to test any handload I'm working up and shooting off hand tells me absolutely NOTHING about the gun. I know I can shoot off hand, been doing it for 40 years. That's not a problem. What the gun does is the variable and I have to take all shooter error our of the equation to quantify that.
It burns me up when someone does a semi serious test of a handgun and doesn't either shoot it off a rest or from a ransom rest for accuracy results. I even want to know how POCKET PISTOLS shoot intrinsically. I don't give a nit if it's not a target gun, I wanna know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, I've shot all my guns, from snubs to cannons off the bench for groups and all the loads I've worked up for them and all the bullets I've cast for them in the molds I've bought for them and even sometimes with different alloys of lead in the bullets. I wanna get just at least a little bit scientific in the testing.
I ALWAYS shoot from a rest in the field at game if I have the option. NEVER EVER shoot off hand when you can get to a rest. You owe the game a well placed shot. If you cannot take game cleanly, then don't hunt. Just that simple. My grandfather taught me ALWAYS to use a rest when I could in the field with a rifle and it is triple important with a handgun. I frankly don't know anyone that can take a deer at 150 yards off hand with a handgun. Now, using a rest, I've done it. My contender shoots 5 shot 3" groups at 200 yards dead on and is only 3" high at 100.
Okay, there are many more reasons to shoot handguns than self defense. I guess you understand that self defense is important to me, but I actually get to kill things with my Contender and my Blackhawks, so yeah, I take rested shots in the field, let alone at the range and if I get that choice in a shoot out, I'm going to be resting over cover or barricade or something and not standing out on main street at high noon shooting from the hip. That ain't smart. Yeah, I practice off hand, el presidente timed, that sort of thing. I also practice shooting from cover and prone and using a barricade. I shoot from my body point shooting close range. I shoot moving both directions, in and out from the target. I do reloads behind barricades, all sorts of stuff I dream up that's fun and good practice. I also plink at plates and pepper poppers. I don't really have a routine. IDPA is a fun way to practice. I did that for a while.
Oh, I left out creedmore. I used to shoot a LOT from creedmore when I was shooting IHMSA. I also shoot the contender off shooting stix a lot simulating field shooting at game at 100 and 200 yards. If you hunt with a handgun, much as with a bow, you NEED to practice.
BTW, how do you regulate sights and find a load that shoots to POA if you don't shoot from a rest? You HAVE to use a rest to do that are, pardon the pun, you're shootin' in the dark.
