The bench rest is a distinct obstacle to the understanding of the art of the rifle.
The bench rest is a device intended to eliminate human error, and relates to the rifle the way the dynamometer does to the motor car. It is properly used to evaluate output of machinery – not of man. A shooter’s expertise is always measured from a field position, and usually under time limitation.
Unfortunately, most public ranges are confined to the bench rest for reasons of administrative safety. Sometimes I think that if safety is all that important one should give up shooting and take up the frisbee.
– Jeff Cooper
Firearm User Network 
Jan 25, 2015 @ 16:09:18
Indeed.
His General Rifle class was quite illuminating and enjoyable.
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Jan 26, 2015 @ 08:02:56
The article said,”[M]ost public ranges are confined to the bench rest.”
I did not know that. Virtually all my shooting has been done either on military or police ranges … or on my own.
I knew some places had restrictions on targets (no human images; no human silhouettes, etc.), but restrictions on positions?
Sure, I preach dry fire. But eventually the rubber has to meet the road. How is a person ever to learn real shooting?
This country is going downhill fast.
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Jan 26, 2015 @ 08:13:23
I’ve been on one range that flat refused position shooting of any kind and required use of a bench rest for all shooting “because of safety.” I don’t know how prone, sitting, or kneeling slow fire is unsafe, but there it is.
Most public ranges aren’t this stupid (thankfully) but benches are common. I just throw a mat down beside the bench and do my thing without problem. The director of my current home range has benches for “shooter convenience.” He does compete in CMP rifle matches occasionally but felt most casual rifle owners prefer to stool shoot.
I don’t know when American rifle owners lost the ability to support and fire their rifles without a crutch, but then I don’t have to sit down to pee either and don’t pay attention to men that do.
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Jan 27, 2015 @ 09:04:32
The first range I used to go to when I lived in South Florida was a seated range only. Rifle had to be resting on concrete bench, and could only be fired as one shot per five seconds (not that they were that strict on this rule, they usually only called you out if you started quick double taps). I never paid mind to it, because I wasn’t into positional shooting at the time. And, in hindsight, most of the people who went to that range did not look as though they could safely do positions.
Every range I’ve been a member of since then, though, has pretty much been “anything goes” as long as you are being safe.
Still, I think most gun owners aren’t particularly interested in learning the fundamentals of solid marksmanship. Rather, they just want to feel their toys go bang and poke holes in paper.
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Jan 27, 2015 @ 13:33:49
>> in hindsight, most of the people who went to that range did not look as though they could safely do positions.
Which is detrimental to their shooting and overall health.
>> Still, I think most gun owners aren’t particularly interested in learning the fundamentals of solid marksmanship. Rather, they just want to feel their toys go bang and poke holes in paper.
True. My definition of a good gun owner is anyone capable of keeping and bearing arms without causing vandalism or undue injury. A good gun owner is not the same thing as a skilled gun owner/firearm user.
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Feb 01, 2015 @ 15:01:13
Agree with all the above, in spades.
E.D.M. and Sgt Buol, the last comments of your first comments are spot-on. Especially yours Sarge. I’ll have to remember that one for future use.
As Cooper wrote in one of his commentaries, he thought the AR10 in the hands of a fellow who once showed up to a Rifle 270 class was just too heavy and clunky to be wielded on a practical course with the requisite amount of “panache”.
There is NO panache from a bench.
I’ll try not to dwell too much on my own age-induced reduction in same.
;-)
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Feb 02, 2015 @ 04:10:22
Confining oneself to the bench eliminates the opportunity to develop skill, panache, or anything else. Something that clunky rifle owner would have known if he bothered attempting timed field shooting prior to attending Gunsite 270.
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