James's thread about pig hunting got me thinking about this one.

What do you guys do regarding firing your revolvers out of a box blind? One of the outfitters I go to has blinds with very short windows. (sort of looks like a WWII German pillbox) Pillbox Blind

Shooting a rifle out of the window is not a problem, the barrel hangs out the window and the muzzle blast is pretty much all outside the blind. Shooting a revolver out of the window, I don't think would work so well. The window is too short to permit the muzzle to stick through without hitting the top of the frame on recoil. Pulling the muzzle back inside of the blind would essentially put ALL of the muzzle blast inside the blind with me. I have tried sticking both arms through the window but that results in a rather awkward shooting position. Other than doubling up on the hearing protection, do you have any recommendations other than "Don't shoot a big boomer inside the blind".

I recall years ago when I shot IPSC competitively, there was a stage where the shooter had to lay prone and shoot through a 55gal drum laying on it's side (head and shoulders inside the drum). With nearly every shooter there was a significant delay between the first and second shots as they tried to regain their composure from the muzzle blast bouncing down off of the top of the drum. I think shooting a 44mag or 480R inside one of those box blinds would be a similar experience.

98, I`ve shot deer from box blinds and remember putting a glove or hat on each widow sill to rest my muzzle-braked 454 for any approach shooting. The front of the barrel was outside the blind but the cylinder blast was inside. One shot, for me, was OK. I used one of the small leather rests that are filled with sand that made for a pretty stable platform. Shooting a handgun inside the blind will be extremly loud and protection should be worn......What was that you said???

Wear ear plugs plus muffs and no problem. When shooting out of blinds that have no shelves I put my backpack filled with medium hard pillows at a 45* angle in the corner of the window. I put a small piece of leather(6x6") on top of the pack and the revolver on top of that. Sturdy rest, no damage to the pack from cylinder gases.

I have shot out of these boxes with short barrels, If you have the room setting up sticks infront of you makes for easy set up. As far as noise get some plugs that are easy to stick in your ears before the shot. peltor maks a double sides style that work really well even with the 50's.

Take a glove like James mentions and push that frame on it in window ledge. Wears plugs and muffs :). I have found that if I have room, I use a set of folding bipods and open them up, extend legs and push them against front wall with the deadly under my shooting hand forearm/elbow. Mated with the glove, makes a rock solid rest

all very good and valid options.

I will just say yes, use hearing protection! I made that mistake in a blind kinda like that once, and will never do that again! I was even shooting at a big buck, and it rung my freakin bell!

The blind I started the morning in was open enough and would have been fine, but moved that afternoon to an inclosed one without ear plugs

I had to remodel a couple of our elevated box blinds when I started handgun hunting for this reason. The concussion from shooting within a hard sided, covered blind was more than I wanted to deal with, plugs or not.

Perhaps you could sit on top of the blind?

Perhaps but some of the other ones are a bit higher. Not that I am afraid of heights, but they are a loooooong way up

I would look like a weather vane sitting on top of that baby.

I think I will stick to spot and stalk when I hunt with that outfitter. I always seem to have better luck on the ground anyway.

My blinds all have window sills and bags in each window. One bag has a leather sleeve on it [an old welding sleeve]I always wear muffs when I shoot and have had no problems with my 4 5/8th Blackhawk in .45 Colt .This year it will be the .480 so we will see what happens. I am sure it will blow some dust off the walls.
Just be sure to use the bag with the leather cover and have the muzzle past the bag or you will get a big suprise with the shot.
Be sure to wear muffs!!

I shoot mostly with the gun inside you just have to be careful and not shoot the blind. As high as that one is though that might be hard if the critter is close.

98Redline, I've had the situation you are talking about as well, and I think you talking about banging the gun on the top of the sill, not just the noise. (For the record, mine was off a barbwire fence and I hit the strand above it with the scope causing the scope, a 2x leupold, to be way off) I would imagine that the only fix is to open the sill to a larger window or back away from the window and not shoot the blind. I don't know if I have good advice, as the one time I tried backing away from the blind, it was mesh and I put a nasty hole in it. It was mine though, so no harm done other than the embarrassment when a buddy used it two days later.

Good luck.

PH

PH, you are right on the money with my concern. The noise is not "really" an issue...one shot one kill....right? The issue is the shooting position. The ledge around the window is so narrow that I don't have a rest if I back the gun up enough that the muzzle will not poke through the window and whack the upper sill.

I suppose I could use my shooting sticks standing up in the blind but I would be concerned that the muzzle blast would shatter the plexi window that slides up.

I guess I will stick to spot and stalk. I find it more fun and productive anyway.

This is what I have been doing for 30 years. My pack has a leather bottom. I often use a shooting stick to prop up my pack then put the barrel out the window and rest either my arms or wrists on the pack to steady the shot. Earmuffs for sure.

I hunted in a blind in TX similar to what you are referring to. The stand was def not set up for shooting a 358 JDJ out of it. I took a 1x6 board from one side window to the other side window. This brought the entire gun in the stand. with a sand bag it was rock steady with pigs and javelina dying out to 200yds...LOL Hope this helps

I've never hunted from a box type blind but the easy solution (this only works if you're building your own blind) would be to make several vertical windows on each wall instead of one horizontal. This would solve the barrel/window frame collision on recoil. Just my thoughts.

jeff

I shot my first deer with a handgun last year from a ground blind 4 3/4 475 linebaugh. I don't remember the noise of the blast but it happened so quick my muffs were on the top of my head and had to shoot from inside the blind with no support I left my sticks in the truck. I was in a friends stand 700 miles from home the windows weren't built to shoot a handgun from as you said the recoil would have left a mark on something. I tried prior to the shot resting my arms on the opening my vision was very limited didn't like it at all.

I would suggest (as every knowledgable hunter knows) wearing ear protection. Any noise above 75 db I think it is, damages your hearing, permantly. I wear this now. They even make ones that enhance your hearing while huntin while deadening sounds over their limit.
Steve