What is available to steady my pistol

[peteswright]

I have been looking for something I can use to steady my Webley Alecto pistol whilst shooting but I am not sure what is available and suitable.

Dave

I think it would help you to watch the videos on precision shooting on youtube by a guy with the user name "Gunblue490". He explains A lot about learning what good shooting is all about. Hes a great source of info for the inexperienced beginner. I would recommend watching over and over to let things sink in. You'll find he mentions this fallacy about holding perfectly still. Its not possible. If you can keep your eyes on the sight alignment and NOT on the target, the movement of the arm isn't as much of a problem as you think. Please watch the videos from segment one (precision pistol and rifle marksmanship) through to the rest. Hope you get some help from my suggestion. ATB. Pete.

[Binker]

When I first began with rimfire pistols I was advised to bring the sights to the horizontal level (left or right of the target - whichever is most comfortable) then slower let the pistol "drift" to the target. When that front sight is on target, pause and then fire. The pistol is still only for a short time.

Sounds a bit Zen I know but it works - with practice.

[Binker]

ah! this proves your a novice pistol shooter, you think your targets are stationary, they do move, especially when you point a pistol at them! (wouldn't you move if you had a pistol pointed at you)

Quite right. Typical shabby target behaviour.

[davethepitch]

Don't hold the sight picture too long if you can't get the shot off in about 8-10 secs - put the gun down, recompose and try again.

I was taught to do something similar to that when i did Archery for many years and if we were not comfortable with the shot we were to lower the bow point the arrow at the ground and as you say recompose and try again.

I also should have mentioned i have a 2.5 x 32 scope on the Alecto and i am not looking for absolute perfection just general ten minutes of plinking when i get chance.

It is a pity i cannot put a picture up on here as an attachment or i could have shown the hits on the card target which i did at about 8 metres.

I really appreciate everyone's advice and i will endeavour to try my best but i do have medical restrictions that do not help with shooting (hence i had to give up Archery on the advice of an Orthopedic surgeon after two lots of surgery) and this brings me to where i thought that if i had a rest i could place my Alecto on i would reduce the chance of further damage or other issues.

I do not want the above paragraph to sound like "Oh here comes that old injury chestnut" and neither do i want to come across with the sound of a violin playing all i am doing is trying to give you the facts as they are.

Dave

[Aimstraight]

Whilst the basics of sight picture etc... are detailed above, you might find the link below of interest.

The link refers to a type of free standing rest, to help take the strain for those having for example shoulder injuries. There is a detailed spec for the rest at comp level, but in it's most basic form it is a T bar, easy to do a DIY version (imagine a small broom un-ended...without the bristles...well you get the picture!). Not sure how practical it is, having to man handle that as well as the pistol. I suppose the principle could be extended to those that shoot seated at home. Because only the heel of the pistol is supported, the pistol is free to move and still requires a good technique to hit the target, but some of the load is taken off the body.

http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....istol-Shooting

[Rickenbacker]

Ah well, shooting like that with a scoped pistol, I guess sitting at a bench with a beanbag. Or if standing, you'd want something chest-high to shoot off. Like a handy wall, fence post, tripod, something like that.

There's always the option of fitting a small rifle scope on the pistol, which allows you to hold the pistol much closer to the eye. There are branches of HFT pistol shooting where they set their pistols up like that. Shooting them like a mini rifle.

Enjoying the sport is all that matters, hey?

edit: And the new rested style of match shooting, as detailed above

[jcf1966]

We do three rounds of 10 shots

First on bean bags. Very easy
Second on shooting sticks, not as easy
Third free standing, were the fun starts

James