bountyhunter
member
I'm not sure the owner of the range would let me shoot across the lobby out into the range... and I have no idea who I could get to hold the door open while I shoot through it.
Revolver vs Auto accuracy
- Thread starter doctorhumbert
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I'm not sure the owner of the range would let me shoot across the lobby out into the range... and I have no idea who I could get to hold the door open while I shoot through it.
As far as 25 yard groups, and accuracy, why are you standing so close to the target?
Well caz if you can shoot one hole groups at 25 yards off hand with an entire cylinder - then you are the MAN!
I have shot NRA silhouette where we shot up to 100 meters and with open sights. Never seen anyone use any type of centerfire semi-auto in any of the matches I participated in.I have shot bullseye where off hand shooting was required as well as one handed and , yes, used a semi auto centerfire. A good custom 1911 is a shooter - and in timed and rapid a revolver just does not cut it these days.
My own swinging metal plate is about 9" and I seldom use it these days but when I did I usually set it up at 100 yards and I found I could hit it far more often with my centerfire revolvers than with my centerfire autos - although I have hit more than a few times with a Sig P220 in 45ACP! Now when we talk rimfire pistol that is another story - with the MKII and open sights it was a rather easy target. Have fired the 45 USP and was impressed with the accuracy. Apparently some of the higher end autos can be suprisingly accurate.
PaladinX13
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Old thread, but any new thoughts, posters, or expriences?
Double Maduro
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I shoot both equally well. Better than some, not as good as others. I carry a semi auto, Ruger P90 and have no trouble keeping everything in the black at 25 yards offhand, most in the 9 and 10 ring, not many outside that.
However, the single most accurate handgun I have ever fired was a .41 mag Ruger that belongs to a friend of mine. At 1oo yards, from a rest, we were shooting tighter groups than most of the guys sighting in their deer rifles. Most groups were in the 3 inch range. I'm sorry, I don't remember the ammunition we were using, may have been factory or handloads.
One thing I learned that day. Even though the Ruger has small grips and I have big hands, it is not a good idea to put your little finger under the grip when firing from a bench, lol.
I think that the only way to get an accurate hand gun is to try several and buy the one you shoot the best. Then practice, practice, practice. That reminds me, I think I'll go shooting tomorow.
DM
However, the single most accurate handgun I have ever fired was a .41 mag Ruger that belongs to a friend of mine. At 1oo yards, from a rest, we were shooting tighter groups than most of the guys sighting in their deer rifles. Most groups were in the 3 inch range. I'm sorry, I don't remember the ammunition we were using, may have been factory or handloads.
One thing I learned that day. Even though the Ruger has small grips and I have big hands, it is not a good idea to put your little finger under the grip when firing from a bench, lol.
I think that the only way to get an accurate hand gun is to try several and buy the one you shoot the best. Then practice, practice, practice. That reminds me, I think I'll go shooting tomorow.
DM
pauli
Member
all i can say is, there's a different between shooting an accurate gun and shooting a gun accurately.
and then there's saying the heck with it, realizing that you're using a handgun to do a rifle's job, and just picking up a darn rifle
and then there's saying the heck with it, realizing that you're using a handgun to do a rifle's job, and just picking up a darn rifle
TwoGun
Member
I once read an article in some gun magazine that described everything a revolver had to overcome in order to be accurate. Its a tribute to engineering that any of them shoot worth a darn at all! That being said, my 629 Classic Hunter, (the only revolver I own) will generally hold groups about two and a half inches with my pet handloads if I manage to do my part right. So with an iron sighted pistol, I anticipat groups of about five inches at 50 yards. That's my personal limit for the rig when deer hunting.
I've got an out of the box Para P-16 Limited that's a tad ammo picky but will give me better groups if I've got the patience to get it.
Personal preference rules here as much as mechanical accuracy. A person's build, shape and size of hands, mindset, and training and historical experince tends to give us a preference one way or another. I know that revolvers can be pretty accurate, but I shoot auto's better. But then I shoot several thousand rounds a year through my auto's and only a hundred or so through my single revolver. I'm sure others have similar experince with thier perfered platform. So go with what you know.
I've got an out of the box Para P-16 Limited that's a tad ammo picky but will give me better groups if I've got the patience to get it.
Personal preference rules here as much as mechanical accuracy. A person's build, shape and size of hands, mindset, and training and historical experince tends to give us a preference one way or another. I know that revolvers can be pretty accurate, but I shoot auto's better. But then I shoot several thousand rounds a year through my auto's and only a hundred or so through my single revolver. I'm sure others have similar experince with thier perfered platform. So go with what you know.
grendelbane
Member
Physical condition of the shooter has a great deal to do with handgun accuracy, especially the eyes.
A quarter of a century ago I would have chosen my 6" .41 magnum if I had to make a tight group at a long range. Now, with eyes nearly a half century old I would grab for my 4" model 58. Same basic gun, but with less flexible eyes it is easier to shoot the short barrel at long range.
I do better with wheelguns at long range, if I can fire SA. The primary purpose of a handgun is close quarters security. All of mine, of whatever persuasion, are more than accurate at close range.
I have had a few autos over the years that would shoot with my wheelguns, but if accuracy is your main concern, it is usually cheaper to buy a wheelgun.
A quarter of a century ago I would have chosen my 6" .41 magnum if I had to make a tight group at a long range. Now, with eyes nearly a half century old I would grab for my 4" model 58. Same basic gun, but with less flexible eyes it is easier to shoot the short barrel at long range.
I do better with wheelguns at long range, if I can fire SA. The primary purpose of a handgun is close quarters security. All of mine, of whatever persuasion, are more than accurate at close range.
I have had a few autos over the years that would shoot with my wheelguns, but if accuracy is your main concern, it is usually cheaper to buy a wheelgun.
One of the biggest advantages of revovlers is the amount of accuracy you get for the money. Go buy a $300 S&W 586 or 19 and compare that to ANY $300 semi-auto. I have owned many handguns over the years and it is very rare semi-auto that can outshoot a decent revolver like a S&W.
I have never seen a stock semi-auto that could hang with a used S&W .357 at even twice the price. I had a couple that were three or more times the price that could shoot as well.
The point is, you can get a 30 year old $300 S&W 19 and it will shoot rings around a $600-700 auto. That is just the way it.
It sounds like you don't shoot revolvers as well as autos, that is fine but there is more accuracy in a revolver than most people can ever get to.
I have never seen a stock semi-auto that could hang with a used S&W .357 at even twice the price. I had a couple that were three or more times the price that could shoot as well.
The point is, you can get a 30 year old $300 S&W 19 and it will shoot rings around a $600-700 auto. That is just the way it.
It sounds like you don't shoot revolvers as well as autos, that is fine but there is more accuracy in a revolver than most people can ever get to.
unspellable
Member
Accuracy
If you want to spend the money you can get a revolver that will shoot minute of angle. That's about an inch at 100 yards. If you are serious about silhouette shooting, you have to have a revolver that can reliably hit a pigeon at 200 meters. Figure out what that group size would be at 25 yards. Less than an inch.
As for pistols, the old C96 Broomhandle and the C98 Parabellum (Luger) service pistols without any accuracy work done on them at all will generally match a fully accurized 1911 type pistol. One wonders what would have developed if the millions spent the cottage industry that developed the 1911 to its full potential had been spent on the Parabellum instead. Most people never realize the Luger's accuracy because if stock, it has poor sights and an indifferent trigger. They never bother to find out what it likes for ammo.
None of this does me any good because I can't shoot that accurately with anything.
If you want to spend the money you can get a revolver that will shoot minute of angle. That's about an inch at 100 yards. If you are serious about silhouette shooting, you have to have a revolver that can reliably hit a pigeon at 200 meters. Figure out what that group size would be at 25 yards. Less than an inch.
As for pistols, the old C96 Broomhandle and the C98 Parabellum (Luger) service pistols without any accuracy work done on them at all will generally match a fully accurized 1911 type pistol. One wonders what would have developed if the millions spent the cottage industry that developed the 1911 to its full potential had been spent on the Parabellum instead. Most people never realize the Luger's accuracy because if stock, it has poor sights and an indifferent trigger. They never bother to find out what it likes for ammo.
None of this does me any good because I can't shoot that accurately with anything.
While there is a lot variation from individual weapon to individual weapon (e.g., exceptionally accurate autoloaders and inaccurate revolvers), the revolver, as a whole, is more accurate than the autoloader (particularly when talking about service grade weapons). The rub is people can generally shoot autoloaders more accurately with less practice--it just plain takes more practice to master the revolver.
unspellable
Member
I can get a smaller group with a double action revolver in single action mode than I can with a single action revolver or most self loaders. In the case of DA revolver vs SA revolver, I'm inclined to think it's mostly which grip shape works better for me. I have no explaination for the self loader as some of them have pretty decent grips.
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