Open sight revolver accuracy @ 50yds.

[gomer]

Every fall I go to Texas hog hunting and this year I have made my mind up to take my 45 Colt blackhawk only. I try to shoot 50-100 rds atleast once a week and have improved greatly.. but I'm still disgusted with my accuracy at 50yds. I have a scoped Contender in .44 and I know the blackhawk with open sights isn't going to shoot as good, but at 50yds with the blackhawk.. it is all I can do to keep 6 shots on a piece of notebook paper. At 25yds I can generally keep all 6 shots in about 2.5 inches, but it REALLY opens up at 50.

What kind of groups do you usually get at 50yds with open sights? Any tips for using the stock blackhawk sights? I know the revolver has more in it and the problem is my shooting. It is a 45 blackhawk with 4 5/8in barrel, reamed cylinder throats, wolf spring kit, trigger/action job, and I'm shooting a 280gr WFN GC with 22gr of H110 and WLP primers.

 

[Walkalong]

When I could still see open sights crisply if I could hit a pie plate at 100 yards 8 out of 10 times (standing/two hands) I felt like I was doing well. I used to shoot 1 gallon paint cans at 50 yards with my 1911 .45 and would be ticked if I missed. I have a 10" plate I shoot at these days at 50, 75 and 100 yards. It's a lot of fun, despite my old eyes and the fact that I can't shoot as well as I used to because the sights are fuzzy. Real fuzzy.

Keeping all your shots on a piece of notebook paper at 50 yards is not to shabby. That will take a deer all day long. Practice at 100 and it will help you at 50. It REALLY makes you concentrate.

 

[tipoc]

2.5" at 25 ain't bad that would bring you to around 5" at 50. This is well within the kill zone of a hog(heart/lung area) . With a clean shot of course and that gives you a bit of room for a flyer. Since you've taken hogs before you'll know the load and gun better than I. Also if you are getting 2.5" groups at 25 seems you already know how to use the sights.

One thing to keep in mind, or at least I try to, is that this shot oughta be from a standing position, or braced against something and not off a bench. My best shooting with my Ruger BH in .45 Colt comes when I rest my back against something and have my arms braced against my knees. I shoot better this way than off a bench. Unfortunately I can't always carry a tree around with me to lean against.

A bit too may depend on on what type of hunting you plan on doing. If you plan on shooting from a stand or over bait you can pretty much pick where and how you'll be shooting. So some practice from shooting as you plan on hunting will be handy. If you are planning a stalk, than practice some shooting from field positions. I've had to learn my limitations on how well I shoot from various positions and adjust my shooting accordingly.

tipoc

 

[wcwhitey]

I agree with tipoc, six shots on an 8.5x11 ain't all that bad. My SBH will shoot 2" groups from a sandbag rest at 50 yards. Two handed standing unsupported I can keep my shots on a 9" paper plate but it takes work. I always felt that 50 yards was my max shot unless I could utilize a rest anyway. I don't have much experience shooting hogs and don't know much about their anotomy but the pie plate is always used to simulate the kill zone on deer. So, I would say that your results are similar to mine. I don't consider myself an expert shot, however, I am a decent shot and can hold my own. Bill

 

[JohnSilver]

Back in the early 70's we did some handgun shooting at 300 yards. My model 29, a friends Gold Cup, and another friends Super Blackhawk all grouped into 8 inches off the bench, repeatedly. How did we do it? We made the bullseye big enough to where it looked the same as if we were shooting at 25 yards. So to find out how it shoots at 50 yards, use a target twice as big as the one you shoot at 25. If the sight picture is the same, your groups should be no more than twice what they are at 25 yards.

 

[Slamfire]

I can keep most of my shots on a 12" gong target offhand using an iron sighted pistol. The barrel has to be 4" or more. I am doing good if ten out of 12 hit. There are folks who put shots into very small groups, like 4" at 50yards, but I am not one of them.

Hitting a target at 50 yards seems to be four times as difficult as 25 yards. As the distance increases the harder it gets with a pistol.

One thing to check, touch your rear sight blade and see how much movement it has. If it bounces around freely your accuracy is going to be awful. It is not unusual for a rear sight blade to have a lot of movement in a factory sight. Bowen makes some dead nuts tight sights, and I used his on my SuperBlack Hawk and Ruger MkII .22LR. http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/

I have no idea how I would do in a hunting situation where the foliage interferes with the shot, and you are trying to shoot quickly. I would think my effect range would be somewhere between spitting distance and a softball pitch.

 

[deadin]

If you can hold 2.5 inches at 25 yds, you should be able to do 5 inches at 50. If you can't, it's you, not the gun or sights. However there is someting mental about the jump from 25 to 50.
---The 4 5/8ths barrel and shorter sight radius isn't doing you any favors either--

 

[Deanimator]

Every fall I go to Texas hog hunting and this year I have made my mind up to take my 45 Colt blackhawk only. I try to shoot 50-100 rds atleast once a week and have improved greatly.. but I'm still disgusted with my accuracy at 50yds.

1. What ammunition are you shooting? Factory? Handloads? Some loads will shoot very well at 25 yards, but fall apart at 50 yards. Is there any sign of keyholing? Have you tried shooting from a rest?

2. Assuming that your ammunition is good, are you concentrating on the front sight? Especially at longer distances, if you concentrate on the target or the rear sight, you will get erratic groups.

 

[tipoc]

The 4 5/8ths barrel and shorter sight radius isn't doing you any favors either--

Good point this.

1. What ammunition are you shooting? Factory? Handloads? Some loads will shoot very well at 25 yards, but fall apart at 50 yards. Is there any sign of keyholing? Have you tried shooting from a rest?

Useful as well.

We made the bullseye big enough to where it looked the same as if we were shooting at 25 yards. So to find out how it shoots at 50 yards, use a target twice as big as the one you shoot at 25. If the sight picture is the same, your groups should be no more than twice what they are at 25 yards.

Another tip! Though a sheet of paper seems a good target.

tipoc

 

[Boxhead]

It is critical that you focus on getting the front sight dead center in the rear and flat across the top allowing the target to blur. From a bench a good revolver/load/shooter combo should easily stay inside 5" and dip into 3" or so when all is "clicking" well. Offhand I am doing quite well to keep a cylinder full on a pie plate at 50 yards. As stated above the shorter barrel makes it more difficult. You might try gradually moving out to 50 uards, say 25 to 35 or 40 then on to 50 yards. Lastly, be sure you are using a 6 o'clock hold on your target and that the aiming circle (or square, triangle, etc.) is at least 6" in diameter. These are 40 yard groups with my forearms resting on a picnic table from a finely accurate gun and load combo. Notice how my goups open from the bottom group to the top one as the aiming "point" on the target is becoming more difficult to "pinpoint".

 

[gomer]

1. What ammunition are you shooting? Factory? Handloads? Some loads will shoot very well at 25 yards, but fall apart at 50 yards. Is there any sign of keyholing? Have you tried shooting from a rest?

I'm using a couple of different handloads. This past session was with a 280gr WFN GC bullet, Starline cases, 22gr of H110, and WLP primers. This has been a pretty good load in the gun. My other "lighter" load I shoot in it is a 270gr Keith style Leadhead over a pretty stout charge of W231.

I really appreciate all the pointers from everyone. I'm going to try and concentrate more on the front sight at this next range session. I've been trying to focus on the bullseye at the longer ranges and I think that's keeping me from having a consistant sight picture, due to the sights being blurry. I'm also going to try a couple of different sizes of targets.

 

[deadin]

I'm going to try and concentrate more on the front sight at this next range session. I've been trying to focus on the bullseye at the longer ranges and I think that's keeping me from having a consistant sight picture, due to the sights being blurry

I think you will find a world of difference..... After all, the target isn't moving, the sights are. You can't control the sight alignment if you don't look at them.

 

[CMcDermott]

WFN bullets are known for becoming unstable and inaccurate at longer distances; it's designed for providing maximum impact shock while hunting. Try using only the Keith design bullet for your 50 yard and longer shooting as it has an excellent reputation for longer range accuracy.

 

[MCgunner]

180 grain Hornady XTP/JHP .357 Magnum, 13.8 grains AA#9, Ruger 6.5" Blackhawk. I can put my shots under 6" at 100 yards with iron sights, about 2 1/2" at 50. I try to keep my shots not much over 50 yards in the field, though, since I have no sandbags in the field. I've taken two deer to 50 yards with the gun.

I generally prefer my Contender for handgun hunting. The thing holds 1.5 moa with a 2x scope in .30-30 Winchester. In the field, I have no problem with shots out to 100 yards or more and 3" 200 yard groups at the range are the norm. It's just danged hard to justify hunting with a revolver when you have a handgun THAT accurate. But, I hunt with the revolver once in a while just because. LOL

 

[Boxhead]

I'll second the comments on the WFN's. I was shooting them out of my M29 a number of years ago at 100 yards and could not keep them on the paper. I changed to the WLN and all was well, same for a real Keith SWC.

 

[skl1]

I find 50 yards worse than 100 yards with iron sights (even rifles, muzzleloaders, etc) because I tend to chase the bull instead of focusing on the front sight post. Often, I'll go back and forth, and not even be aware of it. I try to ask myself, "Is the target blurry?" before firing the shot.

HTH

 

[gezzer]

Front sight, Front sight, Front sight, Front sight, Front sight, squeeze, Front sight, Front sight, squeeze. Works for me.

 

[timothy75]

I bet your aiming point is affecting your groups at 25 vs 50yds. But who cares, game doesnt have bullseyes. I'm happy if I can keep 5 out of 5 on a paper plate at 50yds standing. Of course I've never been known for my high aspirations in life.

 

[MCgunner]

Never take a free hand shot at game if you have a good rest to shoot from. In fact, just pass on the shot if it's much further than 25 yards. Always use a rest. It ain't cheatin'. There's no rules to the game. It ain't IHMSA.