Range accuracy of short barreled autos?

[bikerdoc]

Get some instuction.

At 63 after a carrer in the army and a LEO I found my accuracy slipping. Corrected some small things that had crept into my style. Now I am back t0 3 in or so at 20 yds and one ragged hole at 7

 

[mavracer]

Shorter sight radius amplifies small errors in sight picture. In order to maintain good groups with short barrels you must pay extra attention to sight alignment.
If your serious talk to an eye doctor and have some bi-focal shooting glasses made that the bottom of the lense focus right at front sight and the top for distance.

 

[Stealth01]

Ten rounds at 10 yards...



That "outlayer" was the first shot...

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Yes, they have much to do with the hands. The short radius makes it more difficult to register, and so control, movement in the hands.

No, that does not seem to a hands issue. That is a vision issue... unless you are telling me that you are aiming by feeling the sight radius with your hands.

If you can't visually register changes in the sight alignment, the shortcoming isn't with the hands when it comes to aiming.

The increased muzzle-flip also means that you have greater distance to return to the consistent aiming point, which is more difficult to maintain because it is less easy to observe changes relative to the sights because they are not as observable.

As noted, this would only be for quick followup shots, but this is not an issue with slow fire.

Why is it, then, that the vast majority of people shoot rifles more accurately than pistols (compare, say, a single shot pistol to a single-shot rifle) if this is not the case?

I have never heard a person claim that they could not shoot well because their hands were incapable of making the adjustments to the gun for accurate shooting. The longer sight radius is beneficial for visual alignment, not because the hands can't make adjustments.

 

[Ash]

It is still a fact that short barrelled autos are less easy to shoot accurately than long barrelled. Nothing you mention changes that.

I do not assert, nor assume, that they are less accurate. But they are more difficult to shoot accurately.

 

[floydster]

Ash is correct, shorter the sight radius the more chance for error--- common sense

 

[murf]

shinbone,

suggest you shoot without the rest. if you need the added support, rest your elbows on the bench (put a towel down, or something, or your elbows will get sore). just don't let the weapon touch the bench or rest.

the lighter guns will recoil more and quicker in addition to the shorter sight radius. just one more thing (three more things) to worry about (don't).

if you can dry-fire the weapon without moving the sights, you can shoot those guns accurately at 25 yards. imop

murf

 

[browningguy]

I would guess 95% (maybe more) of shooters could not consistantly group under 4-5" at 25 yards with a typical mouse gun under controlled conditions. That is, with a witness, measured distance.

Most bullseye shooters and the top IPSC/IDPA shooters can do it without a problem. But it takes a huge amount of practice for most people to do it on a regular basis.

 

[soapboxpreacher]

I have shot a ton of 4" barrel guns...not that 4" is a SB but off all of them the PPQ is so much more accurate it isnt funny! I did well with it...Glock 19 was also up there...a gun I used to hate and then modified my grip a ton and I am a much better shooter with everything!

 

[dubya450]

Not sure about the Taurus but the ruger isn't like it's a tiny gun you cant get a decent grip on. I have a sr9c and can shoot it just fine. Maybe you're holding it weird? How do you shoot full sized pistols?

 

[Shinbone]

Mainly been trying to get used to these two. So I haven't shot a full size in a very long time. Next time I get to the range, I'm going to start at about 10 or 15' away and work back from there.

 

[Doghandler]

Stick with it, Shinbone. Moving your targets closer is a good idea.

I agree with what has been previously said. My take is that shooting smaller guns is the same as shooting bigger guns. It's just that smaller guns are less forgiving of any deficiencies in proper technique.

 

[robinkevin]

Sight radius is the big difference. Practice will improve your accuracy but it's best like others have said start up close and work your way back. You learn the best way to line the sights which works for you. You learn your trigger control, cannot stress trigger control enough. In this day in age of light weight triggers it seems many have forgotten the trick to shooting is squeeze the trigger, don't yank or pull it. Then over time everything comes together.

Another poster many the comment it's not like the movies. He is right they miss WAY TOO MUCH. A proficient shooter can pick up just about any firearm and do well with it mainly because of training the eye to line up sights, trigger control and a little bit of timing...

Short of much much practice, another way to get tighter groups and might even transition over other shooting mechanics is the use of a laser sight. Not only is this easier to line up than iron sights you can see right off if you are pulling the pistol off target with your trigger. Great training tool just not something I would want to rely on.

 

[Shinbone]

Thanks to all for the help and encouragement.

 

[340PD]

I just left the range and shot a 10 shot group of 6" at 75' with my Kimber Ultra CDP II. Handloads 200 gr plated 5.6 gr 231 Standing, indoors, two hand hold, slowfire. I am always surprised and pleased with the accuracy of this gun.