100 yd Handgun Shooting

[David E]

I was giving a lesson to a fellow wanting to improve his skills. He was jerking horribly, so we went to the long range area.

At 100 yds, there is an IPSC "classic" (amoeba) steel target. I drew my G-34 and said "you can do this if you pay attention to the fundamentals." Bang! Clang!

He fired a few and was hitting at 50, 75, etc. I decided to try his gun....in case it was the problem. It was an M&P Compact with no work whatsoever done to it. Bang! Clang! Nope, it's not the gun.

I gave it back and he missed a few more times. The dirt allowed us to see where the misses went.

I had him hold the gun while I pulled the trigger. The bullet struck very close, then slide lock. "Aim like that," I said.

He reloaded and I could tell he was mad enough to finally focus hard enough on the basics. First shot after the reload: Bang! Clang! His eyes lit up, because just 3 minutes before, he believed the task to be impossible.

He'd also brought an Ortgies .25 vest pocket auto. It's very well made but like most guns of the 20's-30's, had extremely minuscule sights. Undaunted, I tried it on the 100 yd target. It hit left, but had the proper elevation. I made a slight adjustment and Bang! Ting! I hit it on the second shot. He fired the rest of the magazine and came very close, but he'd brought no extra ammo. If he had, I'm sure one more mag would've been enough for him to hit it.

His eyes opened ("I didn't think the bullets would go that far!") he now has no excuse to miss at 10-25 yds now.

If you have the opportunity, try shooting your handgun, ANY handgun, at longer ranges. You just might be surprised at what you can do.

 

[mavracer]

His eyes opened ("I didn't think the bullets would go that far!")

that's kinda scary and he's not alone with that thought.

 

[bikerdoc]

Good work Dave. quite satisfying to here.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

If you have the opportunity, try shooting your handgun, ANY handgun, at longer ranges. You just might be surprised at what you can do.

An excellent drill that I've seen in several classes. Backing the students up to 100 yards really helps when you bring it back in close.

 

[[email protected]]

We have a 100 yd 10 shot pistol match at the NMLRA National shoot at
Friendship Ind. Wife won it back about 1992. Standing using one hand.
Score 78.This on a NRA standard pistol target. Her group was about a foot
in dia. This shooting round ball and Black Powder.

 

[osprey176]

I received a similar lesson many years ago.My buddy and I were attempting to sight in a surplus mauser,his first centerfire,with little luck.After shooting all his ammo under the watchful eyes of a couple "old guys",we started to leave.One of the "old guys" drew a Model 10 snubbie and proceded to bounce a tin can next to our 100 yard target with consecutive shots.As we stared,mouths agape,he reloaded,chuckled,and started bouncing the can again.All at 100 yards.A short time later,I ran into the "old guy" at another clay pit,and we started talking.He was a 27 year retired Army vet,named Frank Pearse.We soon became very close friends and I learned much more about shooting,and life in general from this true gentleman who was my father's age.We shared many hunting and fishing trips together,and countless trips to the clay pit.We lost Frank about ten years ago to cancer,but the lessons I learned from him have been passed down to my kids,and anyone else I can.

 

[VA27]

Very few things more satisfying than seeing a student 'find' his front sight. Good job!

 

[osprey176]

I received a similar lesson many years ago.My buddy and I were attempting to sight in a surplus mauser,his first centerfire,with little luck.After shooting all his ammo under the watchful eyes of a couple "old guys",we started to leave.One of the "old guys" drew a Model 10 snubbie and proceded to bounce a tin can next to our 100 yard target with consecutive shots.As we stared,mouths agape,he reloaded,chuckled,and started bouncing the can again.All at 100 yards.A short time later,I ran into the "old guy" at another clay pit,and we started talking.He was a 27 year retired Army vet,named Frank Pearse.We soon became very close friends and I learned much more about shooting,and life in general from this true gentleman who was my father's age.We shared many hunting and fishing trips together,and countless trips to the clay pit.We lost Frank about ten years ago to cancer,but the lessons I learned from him have been passed down to my kids,and anyone else I can.

 

[coolluke01]

This has become one of my favorite things to do with handguns. We don't have any steel at the 100 yard range, so I have to use paper there. The 200 yard range has steel and that is a great challenge.

I didn't think this was really possible earlier this summer. Then I saw someone shoot a bowling pin at 100 yards. Since then I have seen that as a challenge.

I tried that shot this last summer. Got it on my first try!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIQtqIEX1W4&feature=share&list=UUBK7LEa6jcmFKuDfeMlEgOA

 

[Cesiumsponge]

Elmer Keith wrote that they routinely shot 300+ yards with their wheelguns. I've only taken my sidearm to 50 yards and it definitely forces everyone to focus on fundamentals.

 

[David E]

Some self righteous folks would call us all "Tactards" for shooting handguns at 100 yds, but you guys know that it's fun, do-able and requires proper focus and execution of the basics.

What's wrong with any of that?

 

[Hangingrock]

Quotation taken from Smith & Wesson advertisement: It is the revolver used by the famous “long shooters” of Kentucky and by the greatest shot of all – Captain A.H. Hardy. With it he keeps his shots in the Army silhouette target at 300 yards! (Model Military & Police 38 Special)

 

[aarondhgraham]

Several weeks back,,,

I read another post at The Firing Line,,,
This was about long distance handgun shooting.

So next trip I used my 4" Model 63 at 100 yards.

The target was a 16" circle,,,
From a bench using a range bag as a support,,,
I put 17 out of 24 shots into that 16" circle and felt good doing it.

It's not that difficult,,,
We've just convinced ourselves that it's too hard.

Aarond

.

 

[David E]

I once shot a cardboard IPSC target at 50 yds using my .25 Beretta Model 20

I couldn't spot the misses and didn't know when I hit the paper, but it had 4-5 hits (can't recall which now) out of the 9 I fired.

But I've been called a liar most times I recount the incident by folks who've never even tried it.

Now, I'm inclined to take it to the 100 yd range next time....

 

[Remllez]

Good on ya David...he may just pass that lesson on to someone one day!

 

[22-rimfire]

I may have to try that approach. More than anything, you have to teach fundimentals and the shooter has to develop confidence that they can and will shoot well.

First I am going to teach myself or at least refresh my memory.

 

[27hand]

100 yd handgun

I was at a Turkey shoot quite a few years ago. Myself and a retired chief of police from a local municipality were waiting for the other shooters. The only targets up were at the 100 yd line.

I asked him if he minded that I throw a few rounds down range at the targets. His response was that I was just throwing away money as it would be next to impossible to hit with my Glock 23. He manned the spotting scope and was amazed that I hit all my rounds into the target.

I told him it wasn't actually that hard with proper sight alignment and trigger manipulation.

He had his duty weapon, a Sigma .40 and with a couple mags was also making hits. Before that, he didn't think it possible.

 

[David E]

Before that, he didn't think it possible.

And there it is...most people don't think it's possible. Or, if they see it done, think it was either a fluke or the shooter has practiced the feat many times.

All of that goes away when THEY make the hit within relatively few shots.

 

[Ehtereon11B]

Yup. I couldn't believe how accurate my commemartive 1911 was when I shot it the first, last and only time. Tried it at 7 and 15. Spot on. 50 was the same story. 100 and I was putting a .45 right where I aimed. Might buy another of the same model just so I don't wear out my nice one.

 

[22-rimfire]

If you hunt with a handgun, you will shoot at 100 yds in all probability. It's fun. It also demonstrates how poorly many of us really shoot and it is often because we don't pay attention to the fundamentals as closely as we should.

 

[David E]

If you hunt with a handgun, you will shoot at 100 yds in all probability. It's fun. It also demonstrates how poorly many of us really shoot and it is often because we don't pay attention to the fundamentals as closely as we should.

Which is one reason I took him to the long range bay.

A couple weeks earlier, he was yanking the rounds completely off the target placed at 20 yds.

Now, of course, he has no excuse to miss anything closer than 100.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I do a bit of shooting with my .45 Colt handguns.

Think of the tops of the rear and front sights as a dashed line "- - -". For .45 Colt zeroed at 50 yards, you'll be about 6" low at 100 yards. To allow for drop you don't aim over the target -- because you can no longer see it if you do that. Instead, you break that dashed line "_ - _" If the break is just noticeable, that's the right hold for 100 yards. Noticeable and a bit more is 125 yards.

If you have a red insert, as some guns do, use the top of the insert for 150, like this "- _ -". So the top of the red is noticeably and bit more below the rear sight tops. Just a bit below is around 165, even is around 175, and a bit high is 185.

 

[coolluke01]

I think the biggest reason people don't think a handgun is capable of 100 yard shooting, is that they think the barrel is too short. Many still think accuracy comes from a long barrel and that short barrels are inherently inaccurate.

I explain that a longer barrel gives you a longer sight radius and more velocity but not accuracy.

While shooting 100 yards or longer from a rest with a handgun may be seen as possible, shooting off hand with one is "impossible". This is what I like to do the most! You feel like you really did something skillful when you shoot a 18"x24" steel target with a subcompact at 200 yards, off hand. Sub MOA off a bench with a rifle just isn't as impressive to me. Not that I'm an expert rifleman or anything. It's just cool to see a weapon pushed to it's limits and do so with no aids or crutches.

 

[David E]

Some of the myth that a bullet can't hit anything past 15-25 yds stems from the movies.

In the Eastwood classic, "For a Few Dollars More," Clint and Lee Van Cleef have it out in the street at High Midnight. Clint shoots Lee's hat off his head, sending it down the street. Each time Lee tries to pick it up, Clint shoots it again, sending the hat further away each time. Until it's about 6 feet too far for Clint's bullets to hit. Never mind the loud ricochet sound effect indicating the bullet still had plenty of velocity to spare.

So, do you believe its possible or not to hit with a handgun at longer range on purpose? It's hit or myth.......

 

[hq]

If you hunt with a handgun, you will shoot at 100 yds in all probability. It's fun. It also demonstrates how poorly many of us really shoot and it is often because we don't pay attention to the fundamentals as closely as we should.

Coming from silhouette background, the myth of handguns being solely short distance weapons is amusing. All too often you see people practicing at 15 yards or even less, shooting 8" groups. There's nothing wrong with familiarizing yourself with your handgun, quite the opposite, but I'd imagine that a combination of Bisley pace and IPSC accuracy can't feel very challenging for long.

I picked up handgun hunting a few years ago only now I've realized that ability to hit targets consistently and accurately at longer ranges is a very important and rewarding skill to learn. You can't get away with sloppy technique or poor sight picture. I'm not nearly as good at it as I'd like to be, but 100-150m / 110-165yd range doesn't feel intimidating anymore. I once thought that'd require creedmore position or equivalent, and a silhouette race gun. It's amazing what a stock 6" Anaconda can do when the shooter puts some effort in actually trying to hit the targets.

You really have to respect pistol competition shooters of early 20th century when 100 yards was the norm and longer shooting distances anything but unheard of.