best pistol rest

i am sure most of you have seen the late season cow hunt post. after that hunt, i am try to figure out what is the best standing handgun rest that is light weight and solid. i made one on a trigger stick and they are heavy but not heavy enough not to carry them on a stalk, but wandering for critters is different. does anyone have a better mouse trap. I know about the bogpod psr but they cant be found anymore. lets see what you are using in the field.

I just use my Trigger Sticks. I can get these things quickly deployed when necessary.

Max,
i know you shoot mostly revolvers, do you have a system for longer ranges that gets you rock solid? i am looking for something that will give shooting hand support
thanks
dave

For longer ranges I will find something stable to rest on (a rock, tree branch, etc. I won't use the sticks typically.

I always have at least 2 different types of rests with me when I'm hunting & I always use revolvers. Since I always have my walking stick with me I've learned it comes in handy quite often, mostly in the mountains, not so much on flat ground.

In this case you'll see it did come in handy on flat ground but that's unusual. It was a depredation doe hunt in very open country, much like hunting white tail deer. I was easing along an old fence line & 5-6 deer were sneaking out ahead of me. I set the walking stick up on the foot board of my 4 wheeler & ran my left wrist through the leather thong, that makes for a very steady hold, then I grip the gun with my right hand & then I took the shot at 58 yds using my bisley 45 & a 260 gr Keith slug.

In the second photo I used another method using my backpack & going prone. I always have a small piece of heavy leather & I throw it over my pack so it doesn't get a hole burned in it from the revolver. The 4X4 buck was shot with my 10.5" Ruger 44 magnum at 94 yds while I was laying in a grain field.





Dick

MY PREFERRED WALKING AROUND HANDGUN REST IS THE 3 LEGGED AFRICAN STYLE SHOOTING STICKS. THEY ARE ALWAYS IN MY TRUCK. THEY ARE LIGHT AND EASY TO SET UP FAIRLY QUICKLY BUT ARE HARD TO USE IN UNEVEN TERRAIN. THE 3 LEGS KEEP THE REST FROM MOVING, THE "V" WHERE THE 2 LONGEST LEGS CROSS LOCKS IN THE BARREL. WILL TRY TO TAKE AND POST A POSED PICTURE OF ME USING THEM. DO NOT KNOW WHO MAKES THEM IN THE USA ANYMORE. YOU NEED 2 LONGER LEGS AND A SHORTER LEG. THE GUY I GOT MINE FROM USED RUBBER VACUUM CLEANER ROUND BELTS (LIKE A BIG RUBBER BAND) TO PUT AROUND THE 3 LEGS. NO HAND REST, BUT VERY STEADY. WHEN I HIT CAMP IN AFRICA THE FIRST THING I WOULD MAKE SURE THEY HAD FOR ME WERE SHOOTING STICKS, THE AFRICAN GUYS WERE GREAT AT MAKING UP A SET IF THEY DID NOT ALREADY HAVE ONE.

Over the years there's not much I haven't tried for rests.
1) Bipods attached to the forend of SPs. Made by several companies. All the same problem- a whip of the barrel when shooting off hard surfaces, exactly where do you put the butt of a revolver?, short ones for prone, long ones for standing-very unstable.
2) For 40+ years it's been a backpack filled with firm pillows. Use it on the ground, hooked to a fence post. wedged between fence post and top wire, or hooked to a tree with a bow hanger.
3) Stoney Point tripods with a short arm attachment. Put the forend of a SP or barrel of a revolver on the front rest. Place the short arm at the mid point of your forearm. Pretty good out to 250, but legs are a touch wobbly. Regular tripods don't give you a good place to put your butt hand.
4) Bog Pod with PSR. This was a game changer. I use it for semi autos, revolvers, SPs. Yes, they're not made, but if we gripe enough Battenfield make get it. I'm not ashamed to say I have 3 PSRs and 3 Bog Pods. The PSR is a little fragile, but a friend has found a way to make it "new" again and more sturdy. I've done .22 shots to 80 yds., revolvers to 140, and SPs out to 581. A bonus to the BP is that it can be used as a walking stick. I do this all the time at home, US hunts, and Africa. I keep the PSR attached and have no problems with it. My arthritis knee has no complaints.
As great as the BP is, I could live with only my back pack like I did for 40 years.

thanks all, they all seem to work for the intended purpose. I was hoping someone had stumbled upon the perfect set of field sticks. I know there is alot more talent at fabricating on this site than i have. seems the solution could be I just need to practice more from the standing position so i can be proficient with what I have.

The same as I do with rifle hunting......my shooting sticks (homemade). I try to practice the way I will hunt! My sticks are pretty lightweight, stiff enough to aid in maneuvering over ?deadfall?, and feel my way across snow covered rock fields. At 40? at the cross point, they?re tall enough to get over most small brush. Not y?all enough for standing use, but easily from a kneeling or seated position. If more heigh5 is needed, likely there is some form of natural rest available! Simply stated, if I?m hunting ......I have my sticks! memtb

Anyone mind posting more pics of their hommade shooting sticks? May make some in the garage this summer for fun

I use homemade sticks from seated or kneeling. If I need to shoot standing I'd use a tree or suitable rest. I used to a cheater string around my neck and put the barrel thru with the string against the trigger guard, worked pretty good.

I have tried that method in the past. I never found it was any more stable than just holding the revolver. There seemed to be less "bouncing" of the sights but that was replaced with a longer slower waving back and forth.

I try and use what ever is available locally, IE tree trunk, log, back pack, rocks. I hate carrying anything extra on a hunt?
Steve

The hood of the pickup and your buddy's rolled up jacket.

i like it. used to do alot of shooting from the hood when i lived in the black hills back in the 80's.
had a hunting buddy shred a foot tear in a nylon/vinyl bed cover on my pickup trying to shoot a coyote with a 270. wished he used the hood that day.

Especially if it's your buddy's jacket - hahaha!

A friend of mine grooved and split open the hood of his truck by shooting off of it. Just remember that the bore is 2 inches below the scope center line even though you can see clearly to the target. It was an expensive groundhog shot !!!!

bulli1911, Sorry I didn?t respond sooner....just saw your request. First a description: My sticks are made from 1/2?x48? fiberglass rod. These rods have the fibers in a linear pattern and not a random blend/mix, meaning they shouldn?t get fiberglass ?fuzz? with age and use. The tips are rubber chair leg boots, with a copper rivet inserted through the boot. The rivet helps prevent the stick from sliding on a slick surface, example....hard smooth dirt. The only negative with these rods, is the slick surface. I had to put electrical tape on the rods where I wanted my leather string, as the string kept sliding on the surface. I?ve been wanting to experiment with ?castration bands? that veterinarians use. They my be more flexible than the tight leather strings, while ?not? sliding on the rod! memtb

I like to shoot off my pack or rolled up jacket, but i carry a 10x10" leather patch with a hole in one corner to strap it onto my pack.

I lay it on the pack under the cylinder and barrel and don't suffer burn holes in my stuff.

As a tripod I use my trusted Spartan Sentinel tripod for standing shots. Use it as a bipod or tripod.
SnT

The PH I hunted with in South Africa made shooting sticks from bamboo and tied them together with a 1 inch wide strip of rubber inner tube. I shot 5 of my 6 animals off of these sticks. They worked great. I made a couple sets when I got back and they work well too. I use them for groundhog hunting. I think the rubber would stick to the smooth fiberglass. Just wrap it around each stick a few times when you join them together. the gun rests well on it also. Take at least One wrap between each juncture to let the sticks form the tripod - or bipod if you prefer.

I've got a Bog-Pod, but all my more impressive shots have been off a large round hay bale. Of course, this only really works if you make sure the muzzle is clear of the hay.