Long Range Handgunning

[Dave R]

How many of you shoot your handguns at long range?

I had read some stories about long shots from handguns. Elmer Keith and his .44 mag. Saw the 600 yard balloon pop on the cable show.

First time I tried it, I shot my lowly Kel-Tec P-11 at a discarded 2' X 3' real estate sign at 100 yards. Hit it 8 for 10. I was pretty surprised. Granted, that's about 24-36 MOA, but from a 2" barrel and shooting offhand...

Saturday, at the range, I ran out of rifle ammo and targets. Waiting for the cease fire to retreive my targets. There was an 18" steel plate set at 225 yards. I had the 9mm Hi-Power (clone) with me so I tried to hit the steel with it.

Took me 5 shots to connect the first time. I was holding high and didn't need to. My pistol shoots about 4" high at 25 yards, and that's just about right on at 225. Who woulda thunk it.

Even with a significant crosswind, most shots hit within 6" or so of the steel, when I missed (windage). There was a lot more variation in elevation than in windage. Some shots several feet low. I was shooting Winchester "White Box" 9mm. I wonder if they have a problem with inconsistent powder charges. Couldn't be my sight alignment.

I have heard stories about snbbies hitting paper plates every shot at 100 yards, etc.

What about you? Have you tried your handgun(s) at long range?

 

[pale horse]

I was shooting my .22s and was running low on ammo and wanted to see how well I could do with my 1911A1 .45acp. I started to hold high and let loose one of my reloads and it hit where I was aiming, about 1 foot high at 125 yards. I was simply amazed. So I loaded up 3 mags and continued to unleash the beast and all of the rounds...well most hit where I was aiming or right around the target.

I never would have thought that I could hit at 125 yards with my pistol to a area target.

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

oh i try it all the time..... try it....

we were shooting paintballs yesterday with the 10/22's at 50yds ....

needless to say i tried ....

 

[s&w 24]

I used to shoot 357 mag and 44 out to 300 yds often. I moved from that gun range so I haven't been able to lately. With good sights and ammo you can hit out to 300 yds regularly, just practice often.

 

[Rembrandt]

....I've hunted Antelope and Mulies with a .44 mag Desert Eagle (14" barrel)...best shot was 200 yds....

 

[Johnny Guest]

Yep, for many years - - -

Can't figure how much lead I've put into a tank dam at my late Uncle Weldon's place in Oklahoma. The red dust marked the hits well, showing even .38 strikes well from 200 yards.

Once you learn your pistol and the load, it is quite possible to make regular hits on 2' x 4' cardboard with a .45 automatic. With a .357 revolver, there is little challenge to this. I enjoy it most, though, with the .44 and .45 revolvers.

I've never put a scope on a handgun, so I don't even contemplate handgun hunting at such ranges, but it is interesting to know the firearm's capabilities. Once, on a private lake, a friend winged a mallard drake and it was steadily swimming away from us. I had a five-inch S&W in .45 Colt and killed the duck at about 85 yards, with one shot. This was my longest "live shot" with a handgun.

Best,
Johnny

 

[Jason Demond]

The steel ram I shoot at, is at the 300 yard line. I do this with a S&W .357, .44 Mag, and .45LC, without a problem.

 

[Waitone]

I end my outdoor range sessions with 30 rounds of .38 spl from a SA 2" revolver at 75 yards into a 10" gong, free hand. I practice target acquisition in a hurry but carefully. Nothing to write home about at 75 yds, but I am pretty effective at 7 years.

Long range handgunning is challenging !!!!!

 

[Dr.Rob]

Most of my fixed sight pistols don't get played with at further than 25 yards.

However my Ruger mk 2 makes mincemeat of bowling pins at 100 yards, and I've shot a few prarie dogs with it, rolled a jackrabbit at 75 yards (was resting on a fencepost for that shot).

I've tried my Vaquero at 100 yards just for grins.. looked like somebody fired at the target with buckshot and no choke. Need to work on that, at 50 yards I'm a pretty good shot with the .44.

Now the 357 maximum is another story.. 100 yard bullseyes are no big deal to this firebreather.. just don't sit beside me when I'm shooting it.

 

[John Ross]

Long range handgunning is one of my absolute favorite shooting pastimes.

A box-stock magnum revolver from S&W, Taurus, DW, or Ruger will almost always outshoot an autoloader with $2000 worth of accurizing because of sights on the barrel and the integrity of the barrel/frame union as opposed to the inherent design of an autoloader (exceptions are .22s, the original AutoMag and a couple others.)

Scoped, off sandbags, with good ammo, a good Model 29 or DW will stay in 3" @ 100 yds. I have shot sub-10" groups off sandbags at 200 yds. with open sights. In no-wind conditions my 4x scoped Buckmark Silhouette .22 off sandbags shoots under 1" @ 100 yds. with some types of ammo. I've won some money with this combo.

Kent Lomont swears by the Taurus .454 for long range plinking; accurate and easy to stay on target with the heavy barrel. I have no experience yet with this gun.

The bore-riding SSK bullets designed by JD Jones in .357, .41, .44, and .45 have proven the most consistently accurate cast bullets at long range in my guns. The 265 Horady JFP is also excellent though I have much less experience with the various jacketed slugs that are out there now. My Redhawks have oversized bores and throats but the 310 SSK shoots well in them.

I have been experimenting for 3 weeks with the new S&W 500 and it looks like it will set new standards for long range use. 60% hits on an oil drum at 505 meters (laser rangefinder) once I figured out how much front sight to hold up. S&W needs to get rid of the full underlug and make the .500 legal (64 oz. max) for silhouette competition.

Get a good magnum revolver and practice. Soon you will be hitting things you never thought possible.

JR

 

[Jeeper]

S&W needs to get rid of the full underlug and make the .500 legal (64 oz. max) for silhouette competition.

I dont think it would be very popular even if they did. Everyone uses 357's basically. For a little more money you could get a FA 357 which is what usually occupies the top 20 spots at nationals. Isnt the barrel to long anyway?

 

[Zak Smith]

Just for the heck of it, I tried shooting our 100 yard rifle plate with a 1911 and a CZ. It's 10" square.

Without much practice, I could hit it about 30-40% of the time, offhand.

The hardest part for me is the sight picture.

-z

 

[sm]

I admit, It's fun and addictive. I don't have scopes/dots on any of mine, have shot others that do. I get a kick out of iron sights the best.

Revo , or semi, from .22 on up. Mostly standing, getting serious-I sit and use knees. Shooting sticks really make a difference (kneeling/standing).

About to leave the range one day, gunsmith says, " hey draw your P-11 from concealemnt and just for the heck of it go for the steel 75 yds downrange". I did, first try...Ding. We left, best to quit while ahead...others at range...leave'em guessing.

Yes -I believe in luck.

 

[10-Ring]

Yeah, I've tried few times, but since I don't do alot of outdoor shooting, I don't get enough practice at it. There is a pretty high degree of satisfaction when you hit your target

 

[Majic]

WE used to shoot at the 10" 300 yard steel plates with our .357s and my .41 all the time. It will surprise you at how flat the trajectory really is. Once we did this with a 2" J-frame and a 3" Dick Special. Now that was a real challenge, but plenty of fun.

 

[arinvolvo]

I like to plink 100 yard bowling pins with my ruger 22/45 pistol....strong hand supported, weaver stance.

Takes a few shots....but then again, Im not that good.

 

[Desert Dog]

Out in the desert west of Albuquerque on the side of a canyon is a big white rock. It has gotten smaller over the years, but it is still about 6' by 6'. From where we shoot at it, it is 385 yards.

With my .45 Blackhawk I can usually hit it 5 out of 6 times if the wind isn't blowing too hard. My best friend can usually do the same with his S&W 610 or 657.

When you manage to hit this rock, the white dust cloud is very noticeable against the reddish rocks behind it. Very satisfying.

Mike

 

[Watchman]

Everynow and then when we are done shooting at 9" steel plates at 600 yards with our rifles, we'll pull out the handguns and give it a try.

Shooting on a gaswell, we can see the bullet strikes kicking up dust so we can "walk" them into the plate.

Ive hit the plate with just about every caliber at one time or another.

Ive also been called a liar for claiming to do it. A guy at worked basically told me I was a lieing SOB for claiming to hit it with a .45 long Colt.

A few days later I challenged him to go with me and see. He went. He was silly enough to bet one of my firends that I couldnt do it. One of my firends that shot with me ocassionaly. He lost 10 bucks.


I cant do it everytime, but once one figures out where to hold its not all that hard. It sure is fun trying though.