guyfromohio, I would agree that a new to me handgun, in the hand of a new handgun shooter, is stretching things a bit if they are getting 2" groups at 25yds. Have I seen it happen, nope, and I have seen plenty of shooters who have years of experience also not do it as well. Are there folks who CAN do it, absolutely and many who have never shot competition can do it very easily, but it doesn't come without plenty of practice.
I have been shooting and hunting with my revolvers for over 30yrs. In that time I have made plenty of discoveries in technique and load development that have increased my proficiency. I found that I shot the Ruger Redhawk very well early on. So as time went by that is what I basically centered my collection around. I now have them in 41,44, and 45 Colt and shoot them all pretty darn well. When I started hunting with a handgun I did not do so without makeing sure I was good and ready to do so. I shot if not, close to 400rds a week for close to a year or more before I even thought I was ready. I practiced at 25-50yds for most of that shooting. Even with a scoped 44 when I was practicing out to 100 from a solid rest, it took me nearly a year to get my groups within 2" and my longest self imposed limit was only going to be 25-50yds.
I purchased a IAI Javelina years ago in 10mm and another dozen or more years later picked up a 1911. There is a world if difference in the two recoil wise, but I still shoot the 10mm better. Not that it is any more accurate, just I have developed the load for it and hunted with it plenty of years. It is fully capable of 2" gorups at 50yds from a rest and not much bigger standing with a two hand hold.
Nowadays however, like others, my eye's are the limiting factor in most cases being far sighted with astigmatism isn't a good thing when drawing a fine bead on a sight post up close is involved. I can still bear down and hit what I am aiming at out to 50 or 100yds with all my handguns, but after all the years of practice, and load development it is still a chore to do so, and past around 35-40yds my groups are closer to patterns unless I really bear down.
I can still hit, or hit at least within a few inches of a crow sitting in the pasture at 200yds however with my bigger revolvers. My grandsons take great plesaure in pointing them out, and taunting me doubting I am able to hit them while we're at the farm. For them however, I think even a close miss is a cool thing.