smoothly. This use favors low sights or scopes, and a shallow pistol grip angle. Rounded forearms are well suited for firing from offhand, while a square-bottomed forearm provides a stable base for shooting off of a sandbag or other rest. Recoil is also a key issue in rifle stock design. Heavy recoiling rifles should have wide butts, with a good recoil pad to absorb the force of recoil, and a comb that is straight or slopes down towards the action, so that it does not push into the shooter's face under recoil. Some target shooting disciplines allow the use of various devices to help support the rifle, and these are often mounted to an accessory rail beneath the forend. Target slings, unlike carrying slings, are used just on the off hand, usually with a hand stop, and provide stability to the shooter's hold. Palm rests are another device that can be attached to the rail, to allow a shooter to lower their off hand and place their elbow into their body for support. Target stocks also are available with a large degree of adjustment, including length of pull, drop, comb height and angle, and buttplate angle and curvature. Time considerations The bullet does not leave the barrel as soon as the sear releases; rather, there is a delay between the release of the sear and the bullet exiting the barrel. During this time, any movement will move the firearm off target, and so this time should be minimized, especially for firearms that will be fired from an unsupported standing position. This delay can be broken down into two sections, the lock time and the bullet dwell time. Lock time Lock time is the time between the release of the sear and the ignition of the cartridge, and depends on the design of the firing mechanism. A lengthy lock time gives time for the shooter to drift off target, and so it is advantageous to minimize the lock time and reduce the window for error. Reductions in lock time are generally performed by lightening parts that move as part of the firing operation, such as the hammer and firing pin or striker, shortening the distance that parts, moving as components of the firing operation, have to cover, and using a more powerful spring. A short lock time is particularly desired when shooting with high precision at small targets. The lock time