Need some revolver shooting tips....

[chaseguitar]

I just bought a new Ruger 50th Anniversary "Flattop" Blackhawk in .44 mag, both for fun and for some hunting of whitetail deer here in MS....But I won't be doing any hunting with it if I can't shoot it any better that I am now...I am only looking to get 2-3" groups at 50 yards with open sight, but right now off a rest I'm nowhere close...I was wondering if anyone might have been through this process and could offer any advice...I am new to revolver shooting, but not new to shooting by any stretch of the imagination. I shoot rimfire and highpower rifles, sporting clays and skeet, and have done plenty of self defense practice with my other handguns....I just seem to be struggling with this gun...It keeps wanting to shoot to the left and I'm wondering if its the way I'm sighting the gun...I'm setting the gun the the rest and then basically sighting down my right arm, which is the arm that holds the gun. I'm using my left hand as a support hand, and using my right eye to shoot with....And I'm just real inconsistent....any suggestions....?

 

[def4pos8]

I believe that you understand the basic idea that your "strong" arm is the "rifle stock". All the usual basics of sight picture, sight alignment, breath control and trigger control apply. Handguns just don't forgive ANY error.

If you don't already reload, learn now. Load .44 SPECIAL or Magnums loaded to 900 or 1,000 FPS -- training rounds -- in lots of 500 each. Shoot at least 500 rounds/month. Start at 25 yards and move to longer distances in steps.

Discover and shoot in handgun silhouette matches if available in your area. Knocking down steel at 50 to 200 meters is good training, especially regarding wind. A whitetail at 50 yards will be simple by comparison.

The "work" is addictive. You'll enjoy it.

 

[Jimmy Newman]

2-3" groups at 50 yards is bordering on the mechanical accuracy of the gun and it takes a lot of practice to get to shooting that accurately - not a lot of shooters can do it (even from a rest).

Pulling shots to the left tends to be a symptom of jerking the trigger or clenching your hand when you pull the trigger, and a lot of the problems people have with accurate handgun shooting stems from trigger control issues. Try loading five cartridges and an empty chamber, move the cylinder around with your eyes closed, then close the cylinder, open your eyes, and start shooting. I bet when you pull the trigger on the empty chamber, the muzzle of the gun will jump left a bit. (Normal dry-fire training doesn't really address this issue because you know the gun isn't going to go off. It is still useful for learning to pull the trigger without moving the gun, though).

The best I have ever shot was at a training event when I held the pistol and aligned the sights and the instructor pulled the trigger. This way, the trigger pull was very smooth and I couldn't anticipate recoil. The resulting groups were tiny. It convinced me that I needed to stop worrying about the sights and start worrying about trigger control and flinching.

Also, not being able to shoot 2-3" groups at 50 yards doesn't mean you can't hunt with a pistol, it just means you need to get a little closer .

Oh, and if you're resting the barrel on anything hard while you're shooting, that'll mess things up because the gun will tend "jump" away from the hard surface. Pretty much everyone I've talked to has said to rest either the bottom of your hands or your wrists on the rest, and have the gun free.

 

[campbell]

I am only looking to get 2-3" groups at 50 yards with open sight

Heh, "only". That size group at 50 yards isn't casually done for most people. What Jimmy and def4pos8 said. Practice with low power loads, try not resting the gun on a hard surface, etc. Big bores are tricky to shoot well. Not flinching and/or anticipating the blast is easier said than done when that size of an explosion goes off near your face.

 

[aka108]

Have someone load two or three chambers, spin the cyl, close it, hand the piece to you and and you do the firing. Will help tell you if you are pulling off target or flinching. If you shot with the right hand, use the left had to cock the hammer or vice versa. This way your grip will remain the same.

 

[RON in PA]

Get off the bench and stand on your hind legs, do you think that you'll have a bench while hunting. Start at a closer range and as you become more proficient extend your range. Your maximum range is the range that you can keep all your shots inside a 9" paper plate, that's approx. 4-5 inches. Are you shooting one handed or two handed? Your post isn't clear, but you should using two hands and for a 44 Magnum I recommend the isosceles hold as it's better for absorbing recoil. Others have advised low powered loads to learn the gun, good idea. Concentrate on the front sight. Practice! Practice!

 

[Jim March]

Wait...I believe that one SHOULD bench-test revolvers so as to find out what the gun mechanically can do, separate from "what are your skills".

The moment the gun's mechanical capabilities are established, absolutely, get off the bench as your skills aren't going to progress.

Thing is, once you KNOW the gun can shoot with a given load, your "psychology" improves and you'll progress faster.

 

[Neophyte1]

good assessment

Jim March: Sir; I agree.

 

[Sistema1927]

I would also recommend that you perform a Poor Boys Trigger Job on your new Ruger.

 

[qbpc]

44 mag can be really picky about the ammo you use mine hates Federal usa stuff. I would recomend reloading to find a sweet load.
BB

 

[Brian Williams]

Get some shooting sticks or a walking stick with a v support on top,
then verify the accuracy of the gun on the bench then get away from the bench. I like to say that when you can keep 100 shots from your revolver on the inside of a paperplate at the desired yardage, then you are ready to hunt up to that distance.

 

[huntershooter]

Even if you're capable of 2" @ 50 yds. you'll find that ammo/load developement is crucial to the accuracy you want. As a high power shooter (or rimfire) surely you went through a load developement process? Same deal with handguns. You might check your chamber throats. Ruger has been known to be undersized, oversized and even out of round. Are you shooting cast or jacketed bullets? What do plan to hunt with the revolver? If you're a novice "big bore" revolver shooter I would shoot at 15-20 yds. initially. It's easier to diagnose problems with technique at closer range. You should be capable of a large ragged hole at 15 yds+. Good luck.

 

[chaseguitar]

thanks for the tips, I'm looking forward to trying these out and getting ready for hunting season....if I have enough time....

 

[Rexster]

Make sure your trigger finger is not touching the frame! This is a common beginner mistake with SA sixguns, even among guys who do know how to shoot other handguns well. If necessary, hold the grip so your pinky finger is under the frame; this also helps in other ways with SA sixguns.