Ray Jones bagged the R's winner
A fortuitous winner from Ray Jones sealed an otherwise drab affair at The Priestfield Stadium.
Jones bagged the only goal of the game on 70 minutes, in a match disrupted by wholesale changes from both sides in the second period.
In truth, the R's did just enough to warrant victory, on a day when Nick Ward made his first start for the Club and Marc Nygaard and Dan Shittu made their first appearances of the pre-season campaign.
Despite decent chances for debutant Ward and skipper Kevin Gallen, it was goalless at the break.
Gallen went closest to breaking the deadlock just after the half hour, rifling a powerful shot in to the grasp of Gills keeper Raymond Homoet.
And in a half in which Rangers enjoyed the majority of possession, Ward forced Homoet into a terrific diving save at his near post.
Earlier, Ward had to wait just one minute and 42 seconds for his first touch in a QPR shirt, cushioning a neat touch into the path of Damion Stewart.
But it was Gareth Ainsworth who provided the first moment of magic, turning his marker on a sixpence with an outrageous piece of close control on the right touchline.
Rangers were calling the shots early on, and after fine interplay between Gallen, Marcus Bignot and Lee Cook, Martin Rowlands dragged his right foot shot well wide.
The visitors continued to enjoy the lion's share of possession and when Ward found Cook with a fantastically disguised left footed pass, the wingers' cross narrowly evaded the onrushing Nygaard.
The returning Shittu came to Rangers' rescue when Dean McDonald broke through the last line of the R's defence on 18 minutes, and from the resultant corner, Paul Jones gathered safely.
Ward was improving as the half wore on and after being involved in a fine Rangers counter-attack, he shot wide from the edge of the box.
The Aussie midfielder seemed certain to open his account for the R's on 22 minutes, but after a perfectly weighted through ball from Cook, his cushioned right footed drive from eight yards forced Raymond Homoet into a fantastic full length save.
Gallen was unlucky not to put the R's ahead on 32 minutes, when from a long punt forward by Jones, he shot straight into the grasp of Homoet.
The half ended on a sour note for Bignot, who just moments after picking up a yellow card for a rash challenge on Clint Easton, was forced from the fray with a suspected hamstring injury.
Stefan Bailey replaced him at right back, as the half drew to a quiet conclusion.Waddock rang the changes at the break, with Ward and Shittu among the seven players replaced.
The substitutions seemed to disrupt the R's pattern of play, with Gillingham creating the first chance of the half on 49 minutes courtesy of Clint Easton's in-swinging cross which narrowly evaded the Gills front-men.
Gary Mulligan's volley on the turn awoke a poor home crowd, before Gills boss Ronnie Jepson made a double substitution on the hour.
Buoyed by the introduction of fans' favourite Brent Sancho, Gillingham created two chances in as many minutes soon after, both of which were cleared to safety by Pat Kanyuka.
Rangers' first opportunity of the half arrived on 65 minutes, when from a quick throw in on the right flank, Gallen combined well with Ainsworth.
His back post cross seemed destined to find Ray Jones, but Homoet plucked the ball from the air and left Jones pole-axed by the far post.
Jones soon made amends though, seemingly getting the last touch to Rowlands' wide free-kick on 70 minutes, as the R's finally broke the deadlock.
As the ball tricked goalwards, the entire Gillingham defence seemed to go AWOL, and Homoet was powerless to prevent the ball from squeezing in at his far post.
There was certainly an element of luck to Rangers' breakthrough, but few can deny Jones deserved it, after another heartening display from the teenage striker.
Shabazz Baidoo should've put the result beyond any doubt on 80 minutes, but with the goal at his mercy, he shot straight at Homoet, when a more accomplished finish would surely have reaped greater dividends.
Undeterred, the pacy striker kept knocking on the door and was unlucky not to beat Homoet with a piercing left footed drive from an acute angle.
Gillingham: Homoet, Jackman, Flynn (Karim 72), Cox (Sancho 60), Bentley (Crofts 60), Mulligan, McDonald (Ndunbu-Nsungu 46), Easton (Pouton 72), Johnson (Stone 87), Clohessy, Jarvis (Collin 82).
Subs: Beckwith.
QPR: P Jones, Bignot (Bailey 44), Howell (Rose 46), Stewart, Shittu (Kanyuka 46), Ainsworth, Rowlands (Baidoo 72), Ward (Donnelly 46), Cook (Tchakounte 46), Nygaard (R Jones 46), Gallen.
Subs: Cole.
Bookings: Bignot 41
Goals: R Jones 70
Attendance: 1,472
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