Ransom Rest

Jammer Six · Jan 9, 2012

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?

deadshot2 · Jan 10, 2012

They're great if you have about $400 or more just sitting around doing nothing and that's just for a basic rest.

They are useful when setting sights for someone else such as in a gunsmith's shop with range. They are designed to duplicate the action of the shooters hand under recoil as much as possible. If you're getting one for your personal use then the only benefit might be in working up ammo loads to remove the variable of a hand getting tired after a few dozen rounds.

If you really want one, look for one used. They tend to sit around a lot doing nothing and every once in a while there are used ones for sale. The Gun Club I belong to has one for member's use but it's rarely used.

XSubSailor · Jan 10, 2012

I'm not a big fan of Ransom Rests...only for the reason that the results obtained rarely simulate actually holding the gun yourself....i,e,, groups shot from a ransom rest may indicate the precision and accuracy capable of a given firearm, but they don't at all reflect "shootability" of a pistol.

For example, a S&W .500 with full-power loads may shoot groups under 1 inch from a Ransom Rest, but what does that mean to the user...especially if the user is a 5'2" 100 lb female? Not much unless the shooter is able to duplicate the Ransom Rest (and if that's the case, why do you need one in the first place).

They have their place as a comparison standard when comparing one firearm to another or different ammo in the same pistol, but once again, the results rarely mirror what happens when you perform the same comparison's holding the gun in an actual human's hand.

mjbskwim · Jan 13, 2012

Sailor,that's the whole idea of the rests of any kind.To take the human element out of it to see what the GUN is capable of.
Not the shooter,the GUN
The rest of the equation is the shooter's problem

Like the 'one hole group' targets you get with a high dollar Cooper Rifle. The GUN is sitting in a vise to shoot the one,.220 sized hole from the .204 caliber
This shows what the action and barrel are capable of.
The rest is up to you to make the same group.

You seem to be missing the whole idea of the rest.

XSubSailor · Jan 13, 2012

mjbskwim said:
Sailor,that's the whole idea of the rests of any kind.To take the human element out of it to see what the GUN is capable of.
Not the shooter,the GUN
The rest of the equation is the shooter's problem

Like the 'one hole group' targets you get with a high dollar Cooper Rifle. The GUN is sitting in a vise to shoot the one,.220 sized hole from the .204 caliber
This shows what the action and barrel are capable of.
The rest is up to you to make the same group.

You seem to be missing the whole idea of the rest.

Perhaps, but if the gun has poor ergonomics, improper balance, or excessive recoil, I disagree that it is "the shooter's problem." These are important design attributes of a quality firearm that are essentially masked by a Ransom Rest. It is the "firearm manufacturer's problem" to design the gun that performs to it's maximum potential in the hands of as many shooters as possible. In the case of a defensive handgun, unless use are going to shoot your attacker from a Ranson Rest...it doesn't matter. For a hunting rifle, unless you're going hunting lugging a Ransom Rest on the opposite shoulder from your rifle...it doesn't matter either.

I'm just sayin'...

mjbskwim · Jan 13, 2012

Apples and oranges

I agree with you the manufacturer needs to make the gun with good ergonomics and the rest doesn't tell you how good of a "shooter" it is.
And 'good ergonomics' is relative to you and your preferences.They may be bad for you and great for me.
BTW I'm pretty sure a 500 S&W wasn't designed for a petite framed shooter.
For instance,my G20. I shoot it pretty well but my 120#,small handed niece doesn't.
Ergonomics was made so the gun was controllable IN THE RIGHT HANDS,not by my grandson.

But again,that's not what any rest is for .A rest is to check the accuracy of the gun.
You bench rest a rifle to sight in the scope or check your new hand loads.That takes most of your human flaws out of the shot.
Same with a ransom rest.To show what the pistol is capable of.
Then YOU need to see if the ergonomics is right for you.
Not really the manufacturer's problem if the gun is too big for your girlfriend

deadshot2 · Jan 14, 2012

I still hold to my position. They may be useful for many reasons but to the average shooter they just become another "toy" that sits on a shelf, unused except for the first couple of range trips. If one has the money for one, and really wants one, go for it. If they are in the business of building or accurizing firearms, or developing ammo, then one is just about a requirement. It's too bad they aren't available for rental. Kind of like the tractor you don't need but once every 5-10 years.

Jammer Six · Jan 14, 2012

MJB is right. I would be buying it to minimize human error, and test the load.

mjbskwim · Jan 14, 2012

deadshot2 said:
I still hold to my position. They may be useful for many reasons but to the average shooter they just become another "toy" that sits on a shelf, unused except for the first couple of range trips. If one has the money for one, and really wants one, go for it. If they are in the business of building or accurizing firearms, or developing ammo, then one is just about a requirement. It's too bad they aren't available for rental. Kind of like the tractor you don't need but once every 5-10 years.

Maybe a gunsmith ,barrel maker,magazine writer?

For personal use I agree with sailor and just use a regular rest so you can see what the gun is like.
$400 y'all said? Not that important to see what my gun is capable of.
Besides my hands make a vise.

MarkAd · Jan 14, 2012

$400 y'all said

NO. the machine is 400. Then you have to get the correct inserts for the pistol(s). in my research for my personal needs I would be spending almost 1000.00 dollars.

jrprich · Nov 6, 2012

Wish someone had one for rent by the day.........

Swedish K · Nov 7, 2012

I know a guy who has one down south - not a fun thing to set up. His is attached to a concrete block that weighs about 170 lb. Has an axle cast into the block and a handle so he can roll it over to the line then remove the wheels and its stationary. The fun part is watching him load/unload it from the back of his subaru wagon and scraping the snot out of his bumper. It is nice to see what the possible grouping is but not worth the trouble for me to buy one and have to move/store it for rare use of dialing in a new load to see if brand x projectile is more accurate with + or - .25 gr of powder.

Sheldon · Nov 14, 2012

The range I used to go to before they were shut down by the city had a concrete pedestal base set up specifically to mount a Ransom rest to. I think I only saw it used once the many years I went to that range. A gunsmith was testing a pistol or ammo for the pistol. If you are a competitor or gunsmith I can see using one, otherwise it seems like money better spent on other things....to me anyway. I think it would be one of those toys you could obsess on or tire of quickly.

Sgt Nambu · Nov 14, 2012

Poor ergonomics, improper balance. Maybe it's because I'm old but I've got that about a millisecond after I pick a gun up!

AMProducts · Nov 15, 2012

The primary use of the ransom rest is specifically for 1) Proofing a gun (this is where you fire a blue pill out of it) 2) working up gun specific loads trying to squeeze every bit of accuracy out of it.

I largely agree with the sentiment among most of the people here, that unless you are doing gunsmithing, or very serious load development, it's not required. I do a lot of load development, however I use a test barrel, because I don't tailor loads to a specific gun.

Jammer Six · Nov 15, 2012

I don't see the point of developing loads without tailoring them to a specific weapon. Might as well buy commercial.

AMProducts · Nov 15, 2012

Jammer Six said:
I don't see the point of developing loads without tailoring them to a specific weapon. Might as well buy commercial.

Umm... I am a commercial manufacturer.

Jammer Six · Nov 16, 2012

I see.

Velzey · Nov 17, 2012

They are great for sighting in a customers gun. My Ransom takes all the human error out of the picture! I machined a 1" thick alum plate for mine to sit on, and I just use C clamps and a couple sandbags on a folding table I got from costco. Works fine! The spring in the rest takes all the recoil. I have machined a few of my own grip blocks...

People hold guns differently, the Ransom doesnt!