100 yd handgun

[5of7]

I was shooting my Blackhawk 5-1/2" 45 long colt today at 25 yds and just as I was about done, I noticed my 100 yd. target that I had put up to sight in my slug gun for deer season.

Just for the hell of it, I took 4 shots at the paper plate shooting offhand 2 hand hold. I was surprised to find 4 holes near the bottom of the paper backing that were in about an 8 inch group.

Would you think this is the usual thing, or was I just lucky?

 

[flatgate]

No big deal. You're just a good shooter! :D

Been there, done that. I shot a 12 oz pop can at 100 y. the other day.....

flatgate

PS You oughta see a really good shooter shoot!

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

My experience is that was typical. I have a cut down to 5 1/2" Superblackhawk (originally 7 1/2") and from a rest I used to do that, fairly regularly. I've had several eye surgeries in the last few years and not sure I could do it now but the gun can. I do need a rest to do that. Lots of guys out there can do it and better all it takes is practise, the guns are certainly capable of it with good ammo. All you really have to do is shoot enough at various distances to know how much drop you are going to have so you can adjust based on the standard sight in distance.

 

[Bucks Owin]

I'm not as keen eyed as I was even 5 yrs ago, but "back then" the 10" avatar .44 would keep all it's shots on a paper plate at 140 yds from sandbags just by holding up a little front sight. I guess my 7.5" .45 LC might too if I could do my part... :cry:
Yes, that's fine offhand shooting amigo, luck or not! :wink:

 

[5of7]

Interesting.

I will have to try it again on some paper plates.

 

[45Colt_Man]

My old eyes won't even let me see a paper plate at 100 yards. Let alone let me hit one. (I'm only sixty one but blind as a bat and have no sonar). The targets I use keep getting closer and closer for me to focus on them. Gave up hunting a few years ago as to not being able see well enough for a one shot kill. Close in paper is all I can do anymore.
Good job on hitting at a hundred, and yes the real shooters are amazing to watch.

Dana

 

[Bucks Owin]

My old eyes won't even let me see a paper plate at 100 yards. Let alone let me hit one. (I'm only sixty one but blind as a bat and have no sonar). The targets I use keep getting closer and closer for me to focus on them. Gave up hunting a few years ago as to not being able see well enough for a one shot kill. Close in paper is all I can do anymore.
Good job on hitting at a hundred, and yes the real shooters are amazing to watch.

Dana

I hear that pal, At 140, a paper plate is just a white speck perched on the front sight!
Doubt I can do it anymore without some kinda help for my eyeballs... :cry:
Been pondering a trial of those aperture "one ragged hole" sights just for kicks.... :?

 

[Hugh]

You're a better shot than I am Gunga Din. For that kinda distance I use a shoulder weapon.

 

[Bucks Owin]

You're a better shot than I am Gunga Din. For that kinda distance I use a shoulder weapon.

Doubt that I'd do too much better even with an open sighted rifle these days! :lol:
There's something to be said for sight radius though, that's a fact... :wink:

140 yds:

BTW, I was "in the zone" and having one of those too rare magical/lucky days. In my view, this target is more of a tribute of what a fine sixgun the old .44 FT was than any special skill on my part. That was a helluva a firearm IMO... :wink:

 

[Calthrop]

I say experiment. At least try. What is it going to hurt? I practice barricade and other drills combat drills with a single action a Vaquero at that. I keep it under control. One shot at a timed fire.
I have cleaned the leads of too many messed up GP's let it happen to my sixgun.

So I say I your rang has a hundred yard gong or spray paint a paper plate orange if your eyes are poor. Try six shots the walk will do you good JMVVHO.Calthrop

 

[deac45]

As Bear Paw said, the guns are certainly capable. All it takes is practice to learn the gun and the load and where to hold the sights. I have a little S&W M60 with the 3" full lug barrell and adj sights that's a real hoot trying for water filled milk jugs 100 yds out.

deac45

 

[tacklebury]

I have had pretty much the same thing. I consider mine a 75 yard max with iron sights, because I always seem to get a few fliers at 100, probably just me. At 75, I can ring the 10x10 gong on the range I shoot at pretty consistently. 8)

 

[bogus bill]

8"s at 100 yds, is techinaly 2"s at 25 yds.
50 yds = 4"s
Pretty durn good!

 

[GP100man]

5of7

SaaLooot to you sir !!!!

When I was younger my cuz`s would bring down there big 29s & me with Redhawks & shoot at a car rim across the feild 150-200 yds ??? did`nt know & did`nt care ,I just wanted to clang it more than they & did !!!!

Cuz would say darn shot thru the hole again !!LOL, LOL !!!

Hard to believe that was close to 30yrs ago !!!

My 8" plate shootin with iron sites stops at 75yds , any futher & I clamp on the Burris !!

Practice & ENJOY it !!!!!

 

[mattsbox99]

I shoot my 7.5 NMSBH .44 out to 200 yards, off hand, although I'll freely admit that I'm not setting any group size records. I'm just shooting steel plates. I shoot with a group of guys every saturday morning that do amazing things with their Lever guns, all off hand, on steel out to 500 yards. One guy regularly shoots a softball at 150 yards. Not exactly easy with a .45/90 from a takedown '86 offhand.

 

[GhosT]

5of7,

Kudos for "about an 8 inch group" at 100 yards.

Not surprised a Blackhawk did this....
But as ya used a 5-1/2" 45 long colt,for the first time at 100 yards offhand....impressive!

JUST FOR FUN, suggest ya use the same gun,same loads at 100 yards
from a rest....and bring a camera.


I suspect ya will be pleasantly surprised! ;)

 

[Three44s]

Back when I had more time to practice, I drilled a ground squirrel with a K22 Smith at a measured 101 yds.


Three 44s

 

[contender]

Just like any other skill, shooting a handgun at 100 yds nowadays is very doable. The modern firearms are very capable,, and once you understand ballistics,, bullet drop, energy etc,, it can become a great way to 'wow" your friends,,!
PS; I've shot many a deer past 100 yds with a handgun!

 

[M'BOGO]

Practice and have fun with it. If you can, put up some steel targets at longer range, and work it out, even if only with a .22. If you're in an area with dry, dusty conditions that will help.

BTW, is 5 of 7 a reference to Star Trek TNG?

 

[5of7]

I am intrigued by this and I will be doing more of it.

I also have a supply of human silhouette targets without the scoring rings, that a friend who works in a paper mill gave me. I am going to hang one of these up and try that too.

 

[Thumbcocker]

Try the sitting backrest position. With a good Ruger and good loads its not hard to bounce soda cans all over the 100 yard berm.

 

[maxpress]

last week i kept shooting bowling pins at 25yrds with my OM 44 Vaquero and a bean can (tall as a coffee can but smaller diameter) at 150yrds with a new marlin 44 lever action i had bought that day. Soon i started taking standing shots at the can (hanging off a wire between 2 metal fence posts) with the Vaquero and full power 240gr loads. once i figured i had to cover half the front sight i hit it pretty consistent. the 900fps loads just wouldnt get out there without totally holding over though.
I think someone filled it with charcoal cause when you hit it you were rewarded with a little black poof.

 

[Jeepnik]

I used to make beer money at the old South Coast Gun Club hitting a gong an 100 yds with a 1911A1. Of course, I never did tell anyone that I had a spot on the berm to aim at. If I held there, I hit the gong. Oh, I think it was an 18" gong, so it wasn't really that small.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Hardest thing with LONG range handgunning is holding up the same amount of front sight every time accurately. I can see why some who, say varmit shoot with a handgun, have a visible mark down on the front sight to align for a certain range...ie, a thin strip of gold wire etc...

 

[Three44s]

The "Keith backrest" position and a big open (dusty) field are your best friend to learn what a handgun can do.

Get your self a white plastic jug and set it out at a fair range.

Assume the backrest position.

Wear old pants without holes in them.

Prepare for a few powder burns .....

Reap the rewards

Three 44s

 

[dleong]

I was working the 100 yard line at our club's annual Deer Rifle Sight-In event yesterday. I had my 10.5" SBH .44 Mag with me as I intended to head to the pistol range later in the day to shoot it. It occurred to me that I had never tried shooting the SBH at 100 yards, so during the lunchtime lull, I broke out the gun, securely benchrested it on some sandbags, and proceeded to lob some of my usual "light magnum" target handloads (240 gr. JHP projectile with 19.5 gr. of WC820 powder at an OAL of 1.64") downrange.

Not knowing what the bullet drop would be at that distance, I "guesstimated" and aimed above the bullseye, about a quarter ways down from the top edge of the target sheet. The first shot landed 3" to the right of the bullseye; subsequent ones formed essentially a horizontal line level with the bullseye, but the shots seemed to be randomly going left and right, exhibiting a windage spread of nearly 15", with no adjustments to the rear sight blade.

Upon closer examination, I noticed that there was a small but noticeable amount of sideways play in the entire rear sight assembly, which I suspect was responsible for the windage variations. When I was cleaning the gun last night, I removed the assembly and put a few tiny drops of JB Weld on the left side of the pivoting arm, let them set, then filed them down with a fine jeweler's file until the rear sight assembly could fit into its slot on the top of the frame without any sideways play.

Hopefully, this will reduce the windage variations at 100 yards. I'll test this out on my next range outing later this week.

 

[M'BOGO]

leong,

I don't know what your situation is, but you might want to consider a Bowen rear sight. It is a thing of beauty/work of art. http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/parts_Rug_Rough_Country_Adj_Rear.htm

 

[5of7]

Today I tried it again.

At first, I had a problem because I had no real aiming point on this man target. Then after putting some white pasters on it to make a 3" square, these are my last 8 shots. The missing shot is just where the right ear would be.

Sitting, back supported, forearms on knees. 5-1/2" Blackhawk iron sights 250 grain cast bullet and 10 grains of Unique.

I am amazed. :shock:

 

[deac45]

Good shootin' 5of7! I'd be happy with that at fifty yards.
And, I agree...It is amazing when one discovers a gun's long range capability.

deac45

 

[Buckeye Bill]

I enjoy taking long handgun shots with all types of handguns. In the desert, I shoot at rocks on hill sides and I can call the shot based on the sand that goes flying. I adjust and fire again. I can get good hits at distances well beyond what I would expect. Most of the time not on the first try. I have to walk them in. Fun!