Hunting with a handgun........

[asquires2]

I have a Encore 243 pistol that I'm wanting to hunt with this year. I had it out earlier in the year , shooting off a bag , it was awesome. I took it out this past weekend with a tripod and couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. My question is do I rest the barrel, frame or trigger guard on the shooting sticks to steady up and gain some accuracy? I'd really like to hunt with it this year but I'm not for wounding a animal either. Any advise would be appreciated and thx.

 

[nova512]

barrel

 

[kludge]

I'd do one of two things:

1) Two handed pistol grip, rest wrists on the shooting sticks.

2) Put the forearm in my non shooting hand and the rest the non shooting hand on the sticks. Works with single shots, but not revolvers.

Alternative: a really long bipod mounted to the forearm

 

[redneckmedic]

Are you hunting off the ground, out of a stand? Blind? Practice the way you hunt. My first deer with a muzzle loader was from the sitting position. I used my knees drawn up as forearm rests. I had never practiced this, but since it was only a 30yrd shot it worked.

 

[John224]

What are you hunting?

 

[redneckmedic]

What are you hunting?

7 posts & that question....are you serious

 

[John224]

Yes

 

[Hoosierdood]

How far are you trying to sight it in for? I would rest the barrel in the shooting sticks, right around where the barrel meets the "stock" (if thats what you call it on a pistol?)

You don't want to to force your arm or wrist to hold it steady, rather cradling it somewhere just forward of its center of balance would be better.

 

[Hoosierdood]

What are you hunting?

He is going snipe hunting. You can only shoot them with a rifle caliber pistol in Indiana.

 

[John224]

Hey, that there is really funny. I must have missed the part about hunting in Indiana. Some people actually leave the state from time to time.

 

[EPD1102]

Do NOT rest the barrel on your rest. Depending on slight changes in grip, pressure, etc. you will dramatically affect the harmonics of the barrel and, therefore, your accuracy. Only rest the frame of the gun on your rest and it will help your accuracy.
That is why good rifles put so much emphasis on free-floating barrels and such.

 

[Slow Hand]

I've always rested break open guns as close to teh hinge as possible. Also I don't know what kind of shooting sticks you have, but it's a good idea to cushion the hard surface of the gun from another hard surface. The gun tends to jump away froma hard surface more than a soft one. So, put your hat, glove or hand between the two. Might help tighten up the groups some. Practice, practice, practice. I've always heard that you should shoot at least one round for every yard you set as your maximum. Double that with a handgun and max range is whereever you can hit 100% on a paper plate. I set my max with my 4 5/8" .45 Ruger Blackahwk at 35 yards. I'm sure I could stretch that, but like you, I've got no desire to wound a deer!

 

[NealWright]

Yeah ... hunting or not, typical practice is not to rest any gun by it's barrel. You want to rest on your forearm (gun forearm). Just forward of the hinge pin seems to work good ... all the way out to the end of the wood.

Just a side note ... tackling hunting with a single shot pistol seems to be pretty advanced if you've not done it before. Chance of using a bipod or shooting sticks are slim to none in Indiana ... more typical is sitting, and using your legs to rest ... or much more likely, a tree/fence/etc. If can't hit a barn practice shooting, it's not going to get easier hunting. That's one of the biggest reasons I've been using rifles.

Neal

 

[Newbomb92]

What are you hunting?

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