Ransom Rest

[Jammer Six]

Has anyone bought or used a Ransom Rest?

I'm seriously considering buying one, and I'm curious about their use.

Are they large? Heavy? Hard to set up? Hard to use?

What benefit did you get from using one?

 

[DaleA]

One like this?
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/25...chine-pistol-shooting-rest?cm_vc=S014ID735286

I've never used one.

I've often thought it would be neat if gun clubs had one for their members to use. Also if they had grip inserts for some popular guns.

It looks like mounting one would be kind of tough but hoperully you'd only have to do it once.

The gun magazines use them a lot but many times you hear they have problems getting inserts for new guns.

All-in-all I think one would be too pricey for me to own by myself. Just the inserts alone at $55 a pop would make me think hard about it. Guess I'll stick to the sandbags until I win the lottery.

 

[Jammer Six]

Yup, one like that.

Seems like it would be a lot more on point than a chronograph when it comes to working up loads.

 

[MarkDozier]

Jammer, you are mixing apples and potatoes.
Chrono's are for speed
Ransom Rest are for removing human variables from the firing equation for maximum accuracy.
Both are needed to build the most accurate effective pistol load.

 

[Jammer Six]

Yup, that's what I mean.

Since I probably have to choose one or the other, (money, you know...) I'm thinking I'd rather have the human variables removed than measure speed.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

You can remove the "human variable" for a lot less money than a Ransom Rest....

http://www.amazon.com/Caldwell-Steady-Rifle-Pistol-rest/dp/B000VZ1IJG

Is it perfect? Nope, but it's $25 and we're talking handguns here, not 600 yard rifle groups.

The rest in that link, and any of dozens of others like it, will do everything you need for load development.

Think of it. People use sandbags and bipods to shoot sub-MOA groups at hundreds of yards but we need a MACHINE to test handgun rounds at 5, 10, 25 yards? A machine that costs $400?

No thanks.

 

[springer99]

Jammer, I've used a Ransom rest for developing target loads for 45ACP and 9mm, and nothing else comes close. I think everyone serious gun club should own one for their members to use. The key things to remember when using it are that:

1 - You must have a "rock-solid" bench to work on.
2 - The Ransom rest must be mounted rigidly to that surface.
3 - Use the remote trigger actuator so you never touch the gun.
4 - You will need a set of fixtures for each gun you want to test; 1911, Ruger, High Standard, S&W 41, etc.

If either the shooting bench or the pistol rest moves even a little between each shot, you're not removing all the variables.

It's a pretty large expense for an average shooter and isn't used too often. But when you really want to know how your gun and loads perform, it's invaluable.

 

[brickeyee]

And if you want to use a ransom rest and not solidly bolt it down to a large solid bench it needs to be mounted on a platform that has a scope attached.

I nbo longer have a Ransom Rest, but when I did it was mounted to some 2x lumber with a vertical piece of 2x to the left.
A scope was mounted on top of that.

Select an aiming point (anything that does not move) that gets the bullets on paper.
Fire the gun.
Put the scope back on the aiming paint.
Fire the gun.

Repeat as desired.

Examine group size knowing that the only thing varying is the gun itself.

 

[DaleA]

If I had to choose between a Ransom Rest and a chronograph I'd pick the chronograph every time EXCEPT for the fact I realize I'd inevitably blow the screens away some day and that kind of undeniable public demonstration of dumbness would be pretty hard to live with.

PS - Hope the Preposition Police are not out today.

 

[243winxb]

What springer99 said.

 

[Jammer Six]

How heavy are they?

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

If I had to choose between a Ransom Rest and a chronograph I'd pick the chronograph every time EXCEPT for the fact I realize I'd inevitably blow the screens away some day and that kind of undeniable public demonstration of dumbness would be pretty hard to live with.

No body that's ever owned a chrony could pick on you.... we've all shot our own alrady.

Oh, and your prepositions are all screwed up.

 

[TXGunNut]

If you're interested in rifles the chrono is the better choice. Back before my belly was a factor I could nearly equal the Ransom rest with a good solid sitting position. I once put 6 rds into the X-ring of a B-27 @ 50 yds with a stock (sorta ) 586 but didn't know it until the guy calling the match told me-he was watching my target with binocs. I couldn't do that with a Ransom rest.
Ransom rests don't remove all the human variables, they just minimize wobbles.

 

[springer99]

Jammer, I'd guess the weight of the Ransom rest, including a 1in. plywood base, would run around 15lbs. or so. Not difficult to setup at all

Here's a link if you want more details.

http://www.ransomrest.com/index.html