Guys, I am going to be moving from XP type pistols to revolvers for this seasons hunts and wanted to see what you all would recommend as some of the best field positions to use and practice when shooting a revolver. If you had pictures that would be helpful but most of my xp shooting has been off a sandbag and i would like to go a bit more "freestyle of body supported but anything that you think works well with a big bore revolver would be helpful.
Thanks and all the best,
Don

About 75% of my handgun hunting is out of ground blinds, so I always carry a bipod or tripod to shoot off of out of necessity. I place the base of the barrel of the revolver on the rest, and if possible I'll place my left elbow on my leg for further support. I shoot an X-frame, so accurate unsupported shooting is pretty close to impossible.

There's a good article about this in the member articles section

I am far from an expert as others on here can probably attest to, but I my opinion you can't really predict what type of shot your quarry will present, there are exceptions of course. I would practice and become comfortable and familiar with all scenarios you can think of. Better prepared than sorry.

Hey bud,
From the ground, I'm very fond of my backpack with a leather blast shield or a bogpod CLD with a PSR rest on it for stability. Lightweight and very stable. If in a stand whether enclosed or not, I like to have a leather glove to place between stand and the front of the frame for "cushion" when the gun goes off. Helps to keep it from shooting high when you shoot off the hard surface in my experience. I am certain that my barrel is never touching a rigid surface/bipod at the shot for sure and make sure that the frame has some sort of cushion like the leather glove.

Also have found very odd ways to use a standard stoneypoint polecat bipod. In a box stand, I will put the leather glove on the window and then place the feet of the bipod wide against the front wall and lean the "cradle" of the bipod back into my shooting elbow. With the frame on the window/leather and the cradle in my elbow, its as steady as any bench. If on the ground, you can do the same except use the bipod on the frame and the shooting elbow on the knees. Works great with a little practice.

If none of those are available, I use the trees or my knees to help support from the ground....whatever works I guess

Don,
I recommend a lot of practice shooting offhand, and perfecting a proper grip that will allow you to shoot heavy recoiling revolvers with consistency. I believe in using an isosceles stance or a slight modification thereof, rather than a Weaver stance, because it allows the same type of hand hold in other positions that I recommend using.

I also recommend that you practice shooting from a rest across a tree limb, along side a tree, or resting over bushes and shrubs when possible, using the same finger position and hand tension that you perfected with your offhand shooting. Revolvers are not as forgiving of variations in grip and tension as the heavier single shots.

Do NOT let your gripframe/ stocks touch a hard surface. The shot will go high and any laminated grips will be cracked or chipped.

I also like shooting sitting, preferably with a back rest, and with my knees drawn up, and the hands, gripping the gun, held on top of, or between those knees ... once again with the same tension and finger position as you mastered offhand. With practice, you will be able to determine the proper amount of tension to apply with your knees,to duplicate the same POI that you have when shooting offhand

From time to time, I like shooting across a mound of dirt, laying in a rather elevated prone position, arms extended in front of me with the bottom of the hands touching the ground, thus keeping the grip from touching the ground. The old silhouette shooter's favored creedmoor position is pretty well useless when hunting with a revolver due to blast from the B/C gap, and obstructions from grass and brush.
Mounds of dirt and such, on the other hand, are found in many places when hunting.

Glenn mentions shooting from a bipod or tripod, and this is also good practice, but shouldn't be used exclusively, because there will be times when many of us don't have one available. Usually, when I use one, I shoot kneeling on two knees, because one knee is very unsteady for me ... although perhaps not for others.
As also mentioned, a backpack can make a great rest. Just be mindful of that cylinder gap, or you'll need a new pack every time you go hunting.

One other cautionary note when using the side of a tree for a rest: be mindful of the B/C gap and Magnaport slots, or you may get a cheek full of cedar splinters. Don't ask me how I learned this lesson many years ago ... but it made a lasting impression.
Ken O'Neill

500we I thought I was the only one to be attacked by tree bark at the shot. It definitely is a lesson you only need once.

Ha! I "almost" learned that same lesson shooting a doe with a Smith 686 about 20 years ago! I had bark embedded in my eyebrows. Fast forward a few years and I didn't pay attention one time in college and blew a hole in both knees of my pants shooting from the sitting position and didn't realize the cylinder was so close until the 44 went off. Warm way to learn a lesson but I haven't forgotten it after the SECOND time, hence the leather on the backpack

Thanks a lot guys much appreciated. Ken and Glenn i cant seem to get away from you guys this week and as always thanks for the advice. Ken your other letter went out today.

Don,

I'll echo what the others have said - I use and recommend the Bog-Pod tripod with PSR attachment and without. In addition, I keep a pair of sandbags in my hunting pack: both window-style bags, one from Outdoor Connection and the other a ledge-style bag from Dog-Gone-Good shooting bags. You'll find all kinds of ways to use them

And ditto on being "barked" and scorched by the gap blast - BTDT, both. There's a deer on the Bragging Board that I swore I had shot myself my upper shin hurt so bad. Revolver hunting, ain't it fun?!

As an aside, stay away from Ken and Glenn - they're bad influences and enablers of the highest degree.

I prefer sitting on the ground back to a tree shooting with a support.
I like a mono pod under one arm (right gun arm)
I use other hand to support and stablize.

If I"m hunting on the ground, I have a Summit Trophy seat that straps to the tree,sometimes I use a tripod, but the last couple of years I have actually been using a T,V tray, I put a bag on it and it keeps the single shots steady.

I tend to agree with TM and 500WE. Practice different positions. When on the ground still hunting, you never know where that deer will show or turn up. Practice in at least two positions, i.e. brace your hands or forearms against a tree (not the gun - see bark blast above :))with a two hand hold, try using the non-strong side arm against your chest as a brace.

When in a tree stand with a rail, I place a 1x4" board across the rail and use a small sand bag to sink the .44 Ruger trigger guard into. This will allow you to shoot left, right, straight ahead, up or down. It's been very successful for me. Hope that helps, and good luck.

Tell me about it.... I think I just bought a cars worth of guns from ken and Glenn encouraging the habit too much with all sorts of good info to make it easier... Big trouble

Had a buck bust me last year when I was putting a stalk on him. I just couldn't steady my encore pistol enough to make the shot when he stood up. Going to try out the Bog-Pog shooting sticks this year and see if I like them or not. Shot a doe years ago using the bill of my hat as a rest. Worked great.