I have repeatedly seen people at the range shooting their sidearms from a bench or lean.  Someone help me here...Do people actually do this thinking their going to become more proficient or are they target savers?  I personally don't see the point in primarily shooting a pistol from a position where you are least likely to defend yourself.  If you can't shoot it standing,  let alone moving and in other mobile positions then what is the point?  Has anyone else seen this?

I agree with you completely.  I saw this all the time when I had a membership to the 'Field and Stream'(a local shooting range, not the magazine) which I stopped shelling out $40 per year for when I discovered that my house was outside of town limits(yes, town not city).  People would fire off hundreds of rounds from a bench, and then decide that they were expert marksmen because they could hit a 25" x 25" piece of paper.  Some people shoot for no reason other than to hear the gun go bang, and some shoot because they think its fun to cut paper.  These types will use a rest, if its more enjoyable for them(I think its unfair that you lumped these together with the next kind, since they're not in it for defense but rather the enjoyment of shooting).  BUT, then there are the people who hunt and/or use firearms for defense, and feel that firing from a rest counts for shit when they see an animal or are attacked while walking.  This last kind are foolish(or too lazy to stand).  One thing to note, however, is that sighting in a firearm from a bench is perfectly acceptable(or training to defend yourself while using a metro system ).

You have a good point about the fun factor.  I didn't even think about that crowd.  In my mind a sidearm is for defense in close range.  It boggles my mind to see people shooting paper sitting down with sand bags at 7 yards.

Uh, I hate to point out a completely obvious and likely reason for using a rest with a pistol....

You want to hit what you're aiming at.

Seriously, if you're trying to work out loads, see what ammo shoots the best, testing POI, or just trying to make small groups, you're SUPPOSED to use the gun off of a rest or eliminate human factor as much as possible.

Not every range session is combat training, not every pistol shooter is practicing for SHTF, and sometimes you're just there to see what the damn thing will print on paper.

Quoted: Uh, I hate to point out a completely obvious and likely reason for using a rest with a pistol.... You want to hit what you're aiming at. Seriously, if you're trying to work out loads, see what ammo shoots the best, testing POI, or just trying to make small groups, you're SUPPOSED to use the gun off of a rest or eliminate human factor as much as possible. Not every range session is combat training, not every pistol shooter is practicing for SHTF, and sometimes you're just there to see what the damn thing will print on paper.

+1.  We have bags and tables at my pistol club just for this reason.

I use a pistol rest to see what a new weapon
is capable of , or if I make major changes to
an older one to check results .

Other the that , I practice as I expect to use it .

One handed from behind cover !! .

Yup, bench it with a couple different loads....save the targets......proceed to human deviation testing.  Practice, practice, practice and try to match those beautiful benched groups.

I could see testing loads for a precision rifle.  But it's a freeking sidearm.  I'm sorry  if you can't shoot a tight group at 10 yards to test your loads,  then you need to spend more time practicing than loading ammo.

Quoted: I could see testing loads for a precision rifle.  But it's a freeking sidearm.  I'm sorry  if you can't shoot a tight group at 10 yards to test your loads,  then you need to spend more time practicing than loading ammo.

You have a lot to learn about firearms.

Knowing alot about firearms won't make you a good shot.  You may have taken offense or misunderstood the topic.  I was just wondering why people shoot a sidearm PRIMARILY from a lean/bench.  I think it is retarded as do most.

Quoted: Knowing alot about firearms won't make you a good shot.  You may have taken offense or misunderstood the topic.  I was just wondering why people shoot a sidearm PRIMARILY from a lean/bench.  I think it is retarded as do most.

No, most experienced shooters do not think shooting a pistol from support is retarded. Only inexperienced, arrogant commandos think and talk as if only their way is worth doing.

Again, you have a lot to learn. Some people shoot for practice, some shoot for marksmanship, some shoot to see what their loads and guns are REALLY capable of. There are all types of shooters, and each has a reason for his methods and is allowed to enjoy his firearms as he sees fit.

I respect the guy sitting there shooting his gun for a purpose more than the judgemental shooter sneering at him.

I didn't mean to hurt your feelings there swing.  If it's any consilation I only sneer at the guys that primarily shoot sitting down that aren't in wheelchairs.

The point swing is trying to make is that these people aren't there to practice defensive pistol shooting.  They're just out there having fun and there's nothing wrong with that as i doubt they have any illusions.

Personally, the only time i shoot from a rest is when that rest is the ground, and the only reason i do that is to hit my target at some rediculous range or if cover necessitates shooting prone, but i'm shooting my pistol for a different reason than these guys.

Actually sometimes I wish more people would shoot from a rest.  At my local range target stands are made of 2x4 frames with cardboard stapled over them.  Over time virtually every target stand has become so shot up as to be unusable.  This isn't people maliciously shooting at the stand, but  people that are such poor shots that at 7 or 15 yards, they are repeatedly missing the bullseye by 3+ feet and hitting the stand.  Again, we're not talking about one wild flyer because a bee bit you on the ass, I'm talking about people  who only need to change the target every couple of hundred rounds because so few of their shots actually hit the paper.  Sometimes you gotta learn to crawl before you can walk.

That's a shooter related problem.  you shouldn't have to rest to hit the target at those ranges.  They need instruction.

I personally don't care what the other guys at the range are doing as long as its safe. What's fun for them may not be fun for me.

Just my $0.02  

Personally, I prefer the Jed Clampett technique, backwards with gun over shoulder and a mirror.

Yeah! and anyone who even knows what a ransom rest is is a wuss!!!




Seriously, there are different types of shooting for different situations. I shoot pistols off of sand bags when I do accuracy testing. I also shoot from behind cover, single handed and even off handed. Ever seen how accurate a XP100 or a S&W 629 can be from a rest? I seriously doubt many if anyone could perform to the pistols capabilities shooting from a weaver stance or one handed.

heck, I practice shooting from prone and lots of postions. barricade , standing , weak hand , one hand ect.  I guess it depends on what you are trying to accomplish in your shooting.

sometimes its fun to sit in a couch and pop coke cans.

I use a rest to figure out where the gun is shooting, and then after that its much more fun to shoot offhand.