[Karl Hungus]

Lately I've been getting into shooting metallic silhouette with my Dan Wesson .44mag. I can knock down the rams at 200 yards pretty well. Then a few days ago I saw a Savage Striker chambered in .260 Rem at a shop. Rifling/chamber/crown looks good. I've heard that the triggers are pretty heavy and creepy, but that it's curable. I really like this handrifle and want to buy it and build up a rig that can blast rams at 600 yards. Is this a bad idea? I'd be handloading for it (any suggestions welcomed) and I'd of course throw a scope on it (again - any suggestions welcomed).

Anybody here have experience with long-range handgunning? I regularly shoot rifles (my .308 and my K-31) past 600 yards, but my limit with the Dan .44/2x Nikon scope is really about 250 yards and I don't know a whole lot about shooting pistols past that but I'm very intrigued by the concept.

[sonier]

If you shoot handguns at 600 yards please send pics, cause that would be a quite a feat. Id love to see it done :) im new to competion world so i find this stuff very interesting. how large are the steel rams?

[speaksoftly]

To the OP, awesome name!

"The Dude abides"

-Marcos

[EddieNFL]

I really like this handrifle and want to buy it and build up a rig that can blast rams at 600 yards.

Here's another option: http://www.eabco.com/BFPistols01.htm

I've cleaned the turkeys at 300 meters with an XP-100 chambered in 7BR (iron sights). Never had an opportunity to go farther.

[BCRider]

If you're enjoying that style of shooting and reloading and if buying the gun won't take food out of your kid's or wife's mouth or clothes off their backs then go for it. Life is far too short to not indulge if you can do it without financial grief.

So says the hedonist with 4 motorcycles, 6 bicycles and over 30 firearms bought in less than two years since getting up enough intrest to get into the sport...... :D

[SharpsDressedMan]

I had a Browning Hi Power with tangent sight that allowed me to wang shots of a big flat rock at 420 yards. My sight was set at the 350 meter mark on the sight to do it. I have also shot .44 Magnums at 600 yards (the measure set by the famous Elmer Keith shots at deer) with some friends of mine when coming up dry (no animals seen in the basin we were in) when hunting elk in Colorado one season. My friend John used a Ruger Bisley Vaquero 5.5" in .45 Colt, and he was astounding with it at long range. I was shooting a .44 Mag Ruger Vaquero 4 5/8", but apparently didn't have the practice that John had (he lives out there). We both got hits on "deer sized" rocks or patches that we picked to shoot at. He just got more than I did. It was great fun, and perfect substitue for NOT getting any "hunting-shooting" in that day.

[robhof]

Bob Mundon(TV trick shooter) had a show where he used a 44mag with a 3" barrel or maybe 2" shot balloons at 600yds just to show it's possible and there's a few youtube videos of looong range pistol shooting. It's possible, not necessarily practicle, if I had the space, I'd try it.

[Zack]

If you shoot handguns at 600 yards please send pics, cause that would be a quite a feat

Haha me too! :P

[jbkebert]

Well a Savage striker is a fine firearm. The .260 rem is a great cartridge certainly capable of long range work. So i would say go for it if you can swing it and get a good deal i don't think you will be sorry. I use a T/C Encore handgun chambered in .308 win. I have never had a opportunity to shoot past 300 yards with mine. It will however hit a 4" clay pigeon at 200 yards and a canteloup at 250 yards. the gun is capable of more but I just do not devote the time into practice.

[Shadow 7D]

Don't forget the widely's and AMT automags, they were designed for distance hunting.

[MrBorland]

Check out TexasFiveGun's vids on youtube. Here are 2 vids from a 5-part series. Not quite 600 yards, but they seemed very good to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKZzyFCLQsY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31EEgrQOh04&feature=channel

[Friendly, Don't Fire!]

Does hitting a basketball-sized small boulder at 100 yards count?

I was doing it freehand, standing and once I got the range, was hitting it EVERY SHOT.

The gun I was using?
Ruger LCP .380 Auto with factory everything and my own loads shooting Meister 92g hard cast round-nose lead pills!
It does have a Crimson Trace on it, which I wasn't using.

[Taurus 617 CCW]

There's only one gun for you. A .50 BMG pistol! :neener:

[cisco11]

Long range pistol shooting is always fun.The striker trigger would have to go, mine is worst trigger in handguns I have. I like the old Contenders with long barrels , very accurate . Cals. from .223 to .35 rem.
Cisco

[Geno]

Karl Hungus:

Look into T/C Arms. The T/C Arms' Contender stills holds the world record at 500 yards: 0.75" X 3.5" using iron sights.

Geno

[xphunter]

We shoot beyond 600 yards quite a bit, but it is fun to start newbies from 400-500 yards on steel: First pic is just a tad beyond 600 yards. REm XP-100 chambered in 6.5-284
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j4/xphunter_2006/McReeXP636-1.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j4/xphunter_2006/IMG_3160.jpg
This was at 500 yards-6x47 Lapua. MOA Maximum (Falling block action is pictured below.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j4/xphunter_2006/IMG_3167.jpg

Elk at 666 yards:
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j4/xphunter_2006/IMG_0099-1.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j4/xphunter_2006/IMG_0102.jpg

This is an article I have written on 1500 yards prairie dogs:
http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/1500-yard-prairie-dogs-1.php

Recently 775 yards, Two first shot connections: 7mm SAUM XP-100
http://www.handgunhunt.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/69272/Board/8/page/7/fpart/all/gonew/1#UNREAD
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j4/xphunter_2006/humanoid7SAUM.jpg


This should get the discussion started:D

[xphunter]

http://www.moaguns.com/
Here is a comp where you can shoot out to 1000 yards.
I am on the shooter's committee for this match

[jem375]

My Savage Striker in 308 has a very good trigger at 2.5 Lbs... my T/C SSK Contender in 375JDJ has a 1.5 LB trigger and you have to be careful with that one..lol

[Karl Hungus]

Xphunter - those are rifle scopes on those pistols, right? Looks like an SB, Leopold and a Nightforce. So I should be looking at a higher magnification rifle scope instead of a long eye relief < 9x pistol scope?

Very impressive photos by the way. That's kind of what I was wondering with this thread - if it's stupid/pointless to try doing rifle-type stuff with a pistol. Your photos pretty much answered the question.

[Drail]

Referring to an cut down rifle as a "handgun" seems a bit of a stretch. Of course hitting a small steel plate at those ranges with any firearm deserves a lot of respect.

[sonier]

those are AMAZING PICS!!!!!!

[DoubleTapDrew]

My dad has a Remington XP-100 in 7mm-08 for long range silhouette shooting which should do the job, but I hadn't heard of the Savage Stryker before, looks to be the same concept. They have a pretty in-depth article of a stryker long range build up on 6mmBR you may want to read if you haven't: http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek083.html

[LHRGunslinger]

~watches my own brain explode in slow motion~ I had no idea this kind of stuff was even possible......

[xphunter]

Karl,
Yes, they are all riflescopes:
NF NXS 8-32, Leupold Mark 4 6.5-20 FFP, Leupold VX-3 8.5-25, and a S&B PM II 5-25.

Sometimes I even compete against rifle in 1K matches or even in tactical matches.
http://dlsports.com/npage7a.html (International Tactical Riflemans Championship)
http://dlsports.com/itrc_2009_video.html
Post I made that Dave Lauck put on his site http://dlsports.com/itrc_2009_article.html

The Rem XP-100 has always been a handgun action. Some of us just take it to a place that the boys at Remington never dreamed of.
Like a center-grip XP-100 in 338 Lapua Improved (338AX)... shooting a 300 grain SMK at over 2650 fps
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f29/aps-big-boy-49233/
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f29/aps-xp-100-338-ax-group-52896/

The point of this is, yes, you can shoot at the same distances that rifles do and be competitive with them.
These are large specialty handguns, but if you look at rifles that shoot LR tactical matches or 1,000 yard rifles you will quickly notice they are much heavier and have longer barrels than your typical hunting rifle.
It is the same way with specialty handguns set-up for LR shooting

[xphunter]

Karl,
What goals do you have for your specialty pistol as far as distance and the type of shooting you will be doing with it.
Pretty much all of my SP's have riflescopes on them.
Primarily Leupold, but I also have NF, Sightron S-3, and a Huskemaw.
Will likely get a Vortex Razor HD in the future.
I typically run the 6.5-20/5-22/5-20/6-24 or the 8-32 or 8.5-25 as far as magnification goes.
I shoot a lot of distance and typically start newbies at 400-600 yards on steel, so most of my scope are 30mm tubes, side focus, that have a lot internal MOA in the turrets.
A good 4.5-14 will do most people everything they want.
If you are used to higher magnification when hunting or competing, then the X's a 6.5-20 is hard to beat.

[LHRGunslinger]

I know this is a stupid question but I'm the sort of inquisitive idiot who's gonna ask it anyway. Is it harder to get these shots with these sort of handguns or rifles with similar capabilities?

[jbkebert]

Even though the barrel length of these types of handguns are pushing short barrel rifle lengths. The fact that there is no stock does make them harder to shoot or at least harder to get used to. I sometimes shoot mine off of a bi-pod other times with steady stix. A handgun scope is a typically a touchy little bugger. They require very steady hands and very consistant eye relief. Sounds easy but since there is nothing to lean into and pull back into your shoulder to lock that position you'd be amazed at how much your body moves. Not so hard that anyone with a little practice could not master. They are far from what people think that since its a rifle caliber it must shoot exactly like a rifle.
http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww241/jbkebert/parker020.jpg

[LHRGunslinger]

Well after reading this thread I gotta say I REALLY want to try this sometime.

[XxWINxX94]

500 S&W 8'' barrel, add a scope & stock no problemo?

[jbkebert]

That is the attraction for me to the T/C guns. Now there is a law that says you can't turn a rifle into a pistol but you can turn a pistol into a rifle. Don't know how much this rule is enforced but why take a chance. I can go from pistol, to rifle, to muzzle loader to shotgun all in the same package. The barrels are kinda pricey but I am willing to pay for them. I have only bought 9 so far. Same gun as pictured above now in .243 win long gun.
http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww241/jbkebert/keigansdeer001.jpg

[xphunter]

No such thing as a dumb question.
I am not sure exactly what you are asking.
Since you don't have a buttstock, or the capability to sling them, it is more difficult in that way.
I am shooting prone when making these long shots first of all.
A specialty handgun will shoot about 300 fps (give or take) slower than the same chambering in a rifle length barrel.
I typically use a Harris BR bi-pod (Swivel version with notched legs) and add a pod-loc to it. I use a small leather bag filled with either sand or corncob media.
I cannot make an off-hand shot much beyond 75 yards, but kneeling or sitting I can shoot as far as most rifleman if I have a bi-pod and something to rest my back on or a stadium seat.
Hope this answers your question.


"I know this is a stupid question but I'm the sort of inquisitive idiot who's gonna ask it anyway. Is it harder to get these shots with these sort of handguns or rifles with similar capabilities?"


I also have 14" and a couple of 15" barrels.
I also will shoot these barrel lengths out to 1000 yards and further.

Typical cartridges I use:
6x47 Lapua, 243 Win, 6-284, 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.5 Swede Improved, 6.5-284, 6.5 SAUM, 6.5 WSM, 7mm SAUM, 7mm Dakota, 338 Lapua Improved.
I use riflescopes on all of these chamberings (all of them have muzzle brakes as well:D).

The 6mm's and 6.5's are 1-8 twist barrels, while the 7's are 1-9 and the 338 is a 1-10 twist.

[xphunter]

"Well after reading this thread I gotta say I REALLY want to try this sometime."

It is a lot of fun. Rifles got boring for me. I don't own a center-fire rifle.

[LHRGunslinger]

Reason I wanna try this is everybody and their sister has a rifle that is potentially capable of shots at that distance. I just love being the odd man out.

[xphunter]

Sounds like a specialty handgun is in your future.
If you have any questions: ernieemily@yahoo.com
Ernie Bishop

[nyresq]

I can ring plates pretty easily at 500 yards with my S&W PC460 mag with a burris scope. I have to almost max out the elevation turret, but once on, its as simple as a steady pull on the triger if thereis not much wind.
I have never tried anything further since thats the limit of the field I have access to, but I would bet 600 would be easy once you have the hold over dialed in.

[xphunter]

That is good shooting with a revolver

[nyresq]

I wish I could say thats free standing double action... but its not even close. 500 yards is seated shooting off sand bags with a single action pul of about 3 pounds on my performance center custom.... action as smooth as wet glass and breaks clean. I dont think I could even get close with my box stock 686....

[xphunter]

Like you, I don't live in a fantasy world, believing you can hit small targets, off-hand with no support.
The closer I can get to the ground or a solid rest, the better it is for me.

[kd7nqb]

I have never done handguns out past 100yds but I know that Cope Reynolds at SW Shooting authority in New Mexico teaches a class where he shoots at 500yds with SERVICE style handguns. He may have a dvd on it, might be worth a phone call.

[nyresq]

now if I was using my Glock 35 I could ring 4" plates at 900 yards with a strong cross wind... off hand... with open sights.... one handed...:D

[xphunter]

FWIW-I know of 30 people that shoot SP's beyond 600 yards.

[xphunter]

Little better than pictures.
This is a video clip of some medium or long range shooting.
Range was over 500, but under 600 yards.
FWIW-this was the first time this man ever pulled the trigger on one of my specialty pistols, and his first shot downrange was a hit:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Msh4RSXts&ytsession=jgfQHXkjI3_ig6oOuiwVQe1UL2y2FcUBOxcCSogrkSPoETNMZNcotD26aRUuJXpGevRb-dDUhT4QEGjsMmi_jUuqdZw6HZ2uFeU1O9Q2zWBkKsa9hAAtQPUoRcZBxg1s8aJ9ZFYAlAqzo6BsYy31GWvvcevJfOd7ggT1Q-OEeB9RvZXG8jZx8g_ZSaUdL5QQ0Ns_V83AlSnni8f_NSZcEYpJ18u-__knciJaZCjivevgf7K6WHCrTLUe5IZ1kP8bp2iP4iXhdno7GOGR4U4BPiUW_a7cIY3j1e5SQcCg3T90xMl5uheNGTjSGNjXdlm1g7RP82lCwMXMJjNVEUbDwnftrKpQhdeDc0RZcDwi49k9ASz6Sfcztct4w8sEMBZYYqiOcbhQX60O6o_9MVMDZZcx1zOG0_foxjND_piLTn_beiBak-xeDaT4RoQH9Ko8

[sscoyote]

I swear Ern--everywhere u go u have converts. I am also into the long-range SP game mainly because of XP's influence. Here's an article over at longrangehunting.com about long range coyote shooting with SP's--

http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/coyotes-specialty-pistol-1.php

Here's a couple more pics to wet some appetites maybe--

435-yd. coyote/XP 6.5-WSM/6.5-20x Leup./Darrell Holland's HUMR reticle--

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/sscoyote1/066_66.jpg

Ray Prager's world record contender PD shot--2 with one shot on the ~9th shot (after he cleaned his gun)--

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/sscoyote1/HPIM0215.jpg

Ernie's longest handgun shot on game ever made (probably) on the 9th shot--

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/sscoyote1/img012.jpg

My latest 600-yd. prairie dog gun-Sav. Tgt. Action 225 Win./8 twist McGowen/Neallum stock/Unertl BV-20/TK Lee reticle--

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/sscoyote1/IMG_0626.jpg

This rig will probably net me 600 yd. in only the most ideal conditions--Sav. Super Striker 22-250/8 twist McGowen/NF 3.5-15x with NP-R1 reticle. (3.5" gp at 425 yds.)--

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/sscoyote1/IMG_1015.jpg

Buddies stock Striker 22-250/4.5-14x Burris FFII. This is a 3-shot group at 425 yds. at 2.5", dead center for calcd. zero from Exbal, and the worst trigger ever designed, i swear!--

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/sscoyote1/028_28.jpg

[sscoyote]

"I know this is a stupid question but I'm the sort of inquisitive idiot who's gonna ask it anyway. Is it harder to get these shots with these sort of handguns or rifles with similar capabilities? "
__________________

YES IT IS harder! But there are tricks. I hunt mostly coyotes with my SP's and the 906-yd. coyote in the 1st picture of my article link was shot sitting using a tall Harris bipod with 3-12x Burris LER Ball. Plex reticle and turrets. I use a customized soft-sided stadium seat for back support that is the secret to shooting accurately from the sitting position with 1 of these rigs. A couple days after i shot that most unlucky 906 yarder i was out with the wife on a nice late afternoon hunting coyotes. Nothing around so i decided to take a shot at a dirt clod on an embankment at 1000 lasered yds. Got set up with the calcd. (only) dope and shot. Took a long walk down and dug the bullet out of the bank that impacted 4" left of dirt clod.

[xphunter]

Video link of me shooting today at 1K. Not a great video, as it only shows me me shooting.
There were 5 other people besides myself watching, two of which were doing some wind calling.
You will see how little the recoil is on the 7mm SAUM, shooting 162 A-Max's at 2759 fps.
This is what a great brake does (Holland's Radial).
Scope is a 6.5-20 on 20x
http://drop.io/8ctxa6l/asset/video-2010-07-31-14-04-45-3gp?ref=yahoo

Yesterday morning I went out to Chuck's (Mac's Gunworks) to confirm my drops out to 1200 yards.
Chuck has steel targets every 100 yards, from 200-1200 yards.
He has some 7", 8" 10" and 12" circle targets and then some square ones.
Using my center-grip XP-100, chambered in 7mm SAUM, with 162 A-Max's @ 2759 fps.
Shooting was prone off of a bi-pod.
Optic is Leupold's Mark 4 FFP 6.5-20 with ART reticle.
I started at 300 yards and made all first shot connections except at two distances. I missed at 1200 yards (wind) and at 800 (I think). Had a weird wind going on at 800. Found out later there was a stream bed that was fooling me.
My main goal was to confirm my drops for the International Tactical Riflemans Championship.
Most pleasing shot of the morning was at 1100 yards, where I made a center hit-first shot.
Target is a 7" circle. (Just my morning to look good:) )
I plan to go out a couple more times and make sure everything is fine tuned.
Match is 3 weeks from today.

[thorazine]

Bah.

I thought I was going to see pics of someone shooting a glock at six hundred yards.

Not baby rifles. =P