Attn Target readers

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Experiment. See what works. See how small changes in grip changes point of impact.
It MUST be repeatable. Not just where but how hard you hold. Where is forearm on rest? Just lying there or pushed down some?

This is the ultimate in bench shooting. Rick does this in his sleep.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I use bags under my forearms. A rest under the forend but not towards the muzzle, nothing under my shooting hand, possibly use the left hand to adjust the bags but not touching the gun, nothing under the grip. Doing all this is not something that you just go out and do, takes practice to get muscle memory for grip and follow through identical on each shot.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
Mac.
I do so much of this casting and shooting stuff wrong it's a wonder I, well it's a wonder I even hit the paper sometimes.
the only real good thing I got going for me is I constantly screw up the same way each time.
my bench technique is goofy, my equipment is pretty sketchy, I change 2-3 things at a time sometimes, I will shoot 5 different powders and not do any real ladder techniques, I don't have a PID, I bottom pour almost everything.
I don't own anything that even looks like an M-die, nor a micrometer, I never slug a barrel unless I can't get the gun to shoot first.
heck I don't even put my front hand under the forearm when shooting a lever gun off the bench.
and yet I still manage to muddle my way through and shoot some pretty respectable groups.
except with a hand gun I suck with a handgun I'm pretty happy tipping a 4" plate over or rolling a tin can around at 25 yds, and hitting a pie plate at 50 is iffy at best.
I can hit that same 4" plate at 300 yards with a rifle no problem, heck throw it up in the air at 75 and I can hit it with a shotgun all day long.
but give me a revolver or a pistol and I can shoot holes in the dirt all around it.
 

S Mac

Sept. 10, 2021 Steve left us. You are missed.
Words of encouragement . Seems like I have to learn most things the hard way. Glad you guys put up with me.
 

S Mac

Sept. 10, 2021 Steve left us. You are missed.
Following Rick's grip recommendations, marked improvement, room for more with practice.IMG_20180602_132039210-3936x2214.jpg
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
that IS better, and definitely good enough for deer hunting.
you can see how working on the grip would tighten things even more.
 

S Mac

Sept. 10, 2021 Steve left us. You are missed.
Thanks. This is the first handgun scope use for me as well. Takes some getting used to. I have two other barrels, 223 Rem, 7x30 Waters so I could be busy for some time.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
My best SWAG is the two low shots where a slightly tighter grip, the three high shots were a slightly looser grip. That's all it takes to open up the group. But yep that is definitely an improvement. :) It takes time but before ya know it you'll know before you look at the target if your grip was "right" by the feel of the recoil.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
I tend to shoot my best groups a little low and to the left with many handguns.
I think that's a trigger pull thing with them, because the one revolver I have with a scary light trigger will throw it's groups where they should go, except the ones that 'surprise' me and go wherever the barrel happens to be pointing at the time.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
In addition to identical grip is where you place your hand on the grip. Place your hand just slightly right on the grip and the shot goes left, place your hand slightly left on the grip and your shot goes right. The same is true for high or low on the grip. Can't be said enough, if your goal is long range handgun grouping an identical grip and follow through on every shot is everything. Anything that even slightly changes the way the gun recoils will change where the muzzle is at on bullet exit. Where the muzzle is on bullet exit is where the shot placement on the target is.
 

S Mac

Sept. 10, 2021 Steve left us. You are missed.
I guess dry firing practice with the Contender would be beneficial?
 

KHornet

Well-Known Member
Target reading is in many ways an acquired art form, learned
only via experience. Add to reading targets is the knowledge
of sight/scope adjustment, and the fact that adjustment for
different loads/bullet weights, powders, charges etc. are all
variables. A bit of luck is often nice particularly with a new
rifle.

Paul
 

John

Active Member
If you want to hunt with it start to shoot as you will where you hunt. IF you stand hunt use the same rest, if you hunt timber shoot with your off hand against a post or tree. Use a glove unless you are really tough. If you are going to shoot offhand I would sling it and shoot with the sling pressure aiding your grip. It looks like a nice round group so it should improve with technique.
 
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S Mac

Sept. 10, 2021 Steve left us. You are missed.
IMG_20180704_102337703_HDR-3936x2214.jpgNot a great group but I think it's still the shooter and not the load. Still need to work on consistent technique. Maybe some day I can shoot a Ben's kind of group.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Older thread but . . . Three shots with the grip a bit too loose and two shots with grip a bit too tight. Correct that and odds are good they are all in the black. Practice practice practice. Handgun shooting from the bench and grip is almost everything. If the grip isn't identical on each shot you see the result clearly on target. The bullet will go wherever the muzzle is on exit and grip effects recoil/muzzle position profoundly.
 
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S Mac

Sept. 10, 2021 Steve left us. You are missed.
Still working on it Rick. Maybe I can get too shooting more soon, going to ease into retirement a week from Monday, three days a week!!!

It's funny, I used the search function to look at this old thread, and then you posted on it.
 
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Intheshop

Banned
S Mac,back in the 80's,early 90's I was hard after handgun hunting. For almost 10 years,that's all I hunted with. As far as "benchwork" goes.....

The rest first.... then optics..... then cross training.

Optics; I know you're using a scope but try the blacked shooting glass's lense trick with the little peep hole. Just like a baseball cap brim,pulled down,tight to the top of sight picture in the field,the aperture increases depth of focus. Get it right and its magic.

The rest is only limited by your resources and willingness to try different setups. In the field; this is where I first started using two arrows lashed together,with surgical hose over the top 5" or so. Which then lead to a different bench setup. A welded up, Y with the lowest vert piece made from 3/4" section of allthread. The upper legs are 5/16" covered with...... wait for it.....surgical hose. Jam nut top and bttm of the center post as it passes through a heavy wood base. More than a "2X10" here.... it needs to be flat. 3 layers of 3/4" ply is about right,make it 12" wide. As long as it takes to serve as a rifle cleaning station when you aren't blasting handguns.

Cross training is the doodoo. The problem is grip and eyesight. Chopping wood with a maul is one very good method. Many excersizes can be worked into your daily routine that has or pays,benny's for handgun work. This is what separates OK shooters from guys who can really wring out a handgun. Welding skills translate well here too. Holding an extremely tight Tig "bead" makes holding a pistol,uhhhh easy? Many approaches to this that don't involve sending lead down range. In my prime,from a bench.... could rival,and beat ransom rests on occasion. A python,series 70 Colt GC, DW 744,and a #14 Smith.... all with highly tuned loads,was plenty of "tell the truth" (your skill test) weaponry. Good luck,try the Y post thing,it's magic.