Sighting in a handgun

[Maccool]

I have a MTM front rest like this http://www.mtmcase-gard.com/products/shooting/shooting-rests-frr.html
and was wondering if I sight in my handgun using it would that mean I would have to use it when hunting to get the same POI?  I do use a  table and a shooting bag for my rifle in my ground blind and can just bungee the MTM on to it instead of the bag if I need to.  This is the table I use http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100618242&N=10000003+90401+530616
Oh I have a Ruger SBH 7.5 with iron sights and a S&W 629 Classic 6.5 power port with a 2 power leupold , both are 44 mag.

[SHOOTALL]

I find letting a bag or what ever support my fore arms and not let anything touch my hands or gun works best to insure bench work transitions to field use with the least changes in POI . Also with open sights light can have as much effect as anything effecting POI.

[MePlat]

Here is a subject in the same vein:   http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,231416.0.html  it would enlighten everyone to read it.

[Maccool]

Thanks, I will do like you guys are saying and just rest my wrists/ forearms on a rest, I can take the table and put it side ways and put a rolled up towel or old pillow on it and rest my wrists on it. I tried to do a search for info like that but it came up with a bunch of stuff that didn't have anything to do with sighting in a handgun. Thanks again.

[gjdykeman]

I sight my 2X scoped S&W 657 using the front of my rifle rest. Fire for group and zero at 25, 50, and 100y. The pistol shoots like a laser. I then practice, free hand, forearm on a post, and rested in the woods. I then know what I am capable of, and hunt within those limitations. Practice in real world conditions is where the skill is developed. I have enough confidence to shoot at deer at 100y or less. I have expended a lot of ammo to develop this. Practice is the key.

[Doublebass73]

I sight my 2X scoped S&W 657 using the front of my rifle rest. Fire for group and zero at 25, 50, and 100y. The pistol shoots like a laser. I then practice, free hand, forearm on a post, and rested in the woods. I then know what I am capable of, and hunt within those limitations. Practice in real world conditions is where the skill is developed. I have enough confidence to shoot at deer at 100y or less. I have expended a lot of ammo to develop this. Practice is the key.

Well said^^

[Catfish]

What gjdykeman said. When you zero from a bench and then shoot off hand your hold will change alot and the amount of barrel jump will also change. Longer barrels tend to jump more and your point of impact will tend to be higher. The more recoil the higher, but the higher the velocity of the round the less your point of impact will go up. Practice for every shooting position you will use when hunting, as your poing of impact will change alittl with everyone. For that reason I rest my forearm on trees or post instead of my hands. That way I get closer to the same barrel jump on every shot.

[Fire Fox]

I have found that many times a handgun zeroed off a rest will shoot a little higher freehanded. This seems to be to holding down harder off the rest than freehanded or in hunting conditions. It would be a good thing to try and practice both ways to get the same POI. Hope this helps.

[bilmac]

I like to sight a new gun in in a sitting position with my back against a solid object like the front wheel of a vehicle. Knees drawn up and forearms on your knees. This is a solid position that lets you shoot a good group, but also lets the gun recoil pretty normally. This is also similar to a position you might use when hunting.

[Lloyd Smale]

every gun and load reacts a bit differntly between rest shooting and off hand. The biggest variable is how you grip the gun and your trigger contol. Most guys shooting heavy recoiling handguns have the tendency to grip the gun tighter and not control there trigger pull as well shooting off hand. Its much easier to keep those things in mind when squeezing one of on bags. Only way to find out is to actually shoot your gun and load both ways. when i bench a gun i only rest the frame on the bag. I keep the barrel off the rest and keep the but of the gun off of bags. If my gun benched like that shoots different then it does off hand its time for some trigger control practice.

[Flash]

I haven't seen the barrel harmonics mentioned yet. The barrel must vibrate the same way from shot to shot for the best accuracy. That's the whole idea behind floating a rifle barrel. When you rest your handgun and the barrel touches the rest, it dampens the vibration and effects the impact point. It's possible to rest it in the same spot everytime and with the same pressure but very unlikely.

[irold]

I'm with Lloyd , I do adjust my sights off of sand bags ,resting the frame on the bags....not the barrel. Normally, I only shoot around 50 yds or less . Honestly , I don't notice any significant change of poi when shooting off-hand.  And I do shoot a lot off-hand....not at targets, but at deer silhouette targets.  I'm not that good a shot to worry about 2 inch groups ,  I'm looling for lung size goups 
 
regards , irold