First I'd like to say thanks for all the feedback from my previous question "Raging Bull vs. SBH". Over Thanksgiving I had the opportunity of doing some distance (50 yards) handgunning at my friend's range for the first time. My question is, in practicing these shots does everyone shoot from a braced/rested position? At my gun club I am limited to 20 yard shots and I am standing in a normal, unbraced position. In preparation for next whitetail season, should I be mainly shooting in field positions? Also what distances do you .44 shooters practice at? I am practicing with iron sights now but will soon be getting a scope, probably 2x. sorry for the lengthy question.

I generally use a bench and rests for sighting in, fine tuning, and load development but then I go to field positions, for me that's shooting sticks,rests of opportunity such as a tree or fence posts. With my contender I use a sling to support the gun while I shoot off hand and with my revolvers I will shoot off hand to about 30yds but with a scope shooting offhand will drive you nuts as it magnifies your unsteadiness. With a 2X I'll shoot out to 100yds but the target isn't very big, I would suggest if your going to be shooting past 75yds or so very much consider a 4x scope.

along with what wapitirod said but you should shoot all the ranges and positions and see what is good for you it may be 50yds or it maybe 100yds only you can tell what you are happy with.
larry

Welcome to HH. Experiment and see what works for you. However, the main way to become DECENT SHOT with a pistol is to SHOOT and SHOOT ALOT.

Safe shooting
Doug

I'm like Rod, load development and site in off the bench. Then I practice in all kinds of field positions. I use a pair of homemade shooting stix, a small sand bag filled with rice, and bipods on some of my guns. Rests of oppertunity are also very handy. Large rocks, tree branches, round hay bales...ect. I also like to do a good bit of freehand shooting at 50 yards. During winter league some of the course is freehand at reactive targets and that helps alot.

I have used a couple 2X scopes and they were fine but I have switched most of them over to 4X on my revolvers. It takes a bit more practice but target acquistion can be quick with them. I shoot with both eyes open and it helps to bring the gun into the sight plain with out loosing the target.

Man you are getting good advice! I would expect nothing less from this group!

Welcome to the forum!!!

Practice every way you can. 90% of my shoot have been off hand. I would MUCH rather have a nice rest, trust me, but I just have the tendency to see deer and hogs while walking around. Shooting instincts kick in and the next thing I know I am tagging game. For that reason I have to say practice like you plan to shoot and then some!

Duane

off hand and sitting on mt tail using my knee as a rest for my arm

If i'm not backpack hunting i use a customized soft-sided stadium seat that gives excellent back support from the sitting position. What i do is reattach the female part of the side strap buckle (the 1 u tighten) closer to the seat so it gives me as much back support as possible. I then attach another Fastex snap on the ends of the side straps so i can carry it around my waist hands-free for miles out here on the high plains of CO.

When i sit in it i raise my knees and use a tall Harris bipod off the front of a specialty pistol, and brace my hands gripping the pistol behind my knees. This is almost as steady as a bench, and i have made shots out to 1000 yds. using this system (the seat also dbls. as an excellent 3/4 shooting mat when unsnapped).

Tho i've never tried it i bet using this sytem a guy could get about as accurate as possible with any handgun with a little practice.

Recently i've discovered another use for these seats. When i get 1 i also buy a burlap bag, to slip it into. They fit the bag perfectly and u can cut slits in the fabric for the attachments, and sew it all up. IMO, burlap is one of the best natural camoflage there is. I was stalking a pair of coyotes just last week and i found that if i unbuckle the side straps i could let the seat dangle in front of me and by crouch-walking in the open prairie with no cover, i got within 300 yds. of them, and neither 1 saw me, since the burlap blended in so well with the prairie. IMO, this sytem is 1 of the best shooting aids i've ever seen.

Burton302,

I decided you had a very worth while question, one we've seen before, so I wrote up an article on shooting positions. I still have a couple more photos to shoot but this should get you started in addition to the other great advise you've gotten from others.

Gary

Field Shooting Positions That Work

The field position that works best for me is sitting on the ground,both knees up with the "straddle" type sandbag on top of my knees to give me a steady hold and protect against any cylinder gap blast.