SP101, how far can it shoot accurately?
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jfh
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in what calibre?
Pistol Toter
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The gun is probably capable of maintaining better accuracy than you are capable of. Now that sounded like a smartellic answer but the SP101 comes in a 2.25 and 3.0625 barrel. The sight radius or picture is not real great with those short tubes but with a little practice a 3" to 4" circle can be held at 25 yds. Typical defensive posture will not exceed 21' to 30' anything further than that and some DA will want to know why you didn't flee, if you get my gist. I carry the 2"er and my son carries the 3"er and neither one has any problem hitting a baseball at 25 yds.
i hate to say it, i asked a question like this to an older shooter, and he said
"what kind of rest/vise is it in? have you developed the most accurate handload for this handgun or rifle? what are the weather conditions? and my favorit: how well did you set the vise, etc up so that it would be right on target?
so many variables.
"what kind of rest/vise is it in? have you developed the most accurate handload for this handgun or rifle? what are the weather conditions? and my favorit: how well did you set the vise, etc up so that it would be right on target?
so many variables.
Im283
Member
half mile, maybe a little less 
Kimber1911_06238
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4-6" groups at 25 yards is not unreasonable if you practice.
shooting on a shoestring
Member
Taking mine to the range tomorrow...
And my targets witll be 4" square clangs on chains placed at 25 yards. Firing two handed, single action, slow fire I'll hit 4 to 5 shots per cylinder. Moving out to 30 yards, probably 2 to 3 shots per cylinder, 50 yards, 2 to 3 hits per 2 to 3 cylinders. Firing two handed, double action at conversational distances, all hits on a sheet of copy paper.
I find my SP101 2.25" hits low. I like that b/c in most excited encounters, misses tend to over the target. I shoot mostly 148 wadcutters over Herco at 1050 fps and carry 158 Gold Dots over Blue Dot at 1140 fps (chronographed).
I had to put Hogue grips on mine. The factory ones bruised my thumb with the speed loader cut out.
I also keep a large gun in the vehicle for longer range works. Usually a long barrel .45 Colt Blackhawk or old 30/30 Mod 94.
And my targets witll be 4" square clangs on chains placed at 25 yards. Firing two handed, single action, slow fire I'll hit 4 to 5 shots per cylinder. Moving out to 30 yards, probably 2 to 3 shots per cylinder, 50 yards, 2 to 3 hits per 2 to 3 cylinders. Firing two handed, double action at conversational distances, all hits on a sheet of copy paper.
I find my SP101 2.25" hits low. I like that b/c in most excited encounters, misses tend to over the target. I shoot mostly 148 wadcutters over Herco at 1050 fps and carry 158 Gold Dots over Blue Dot at 1140 fps (chronographed).
I had to put Hogue grips on mine. The factory ones bruised my thumb with the speed loader cut out.
I also keep a large gun in the vehicle for longer range works. Usually a long barrel .45 Colt Blackhawk or old 30/30 Mod 94.
10-Ring
Member
I visit a range that is 25 yards max, but at that distance & some pracctice, the SP101 is a fine shooter. I have shot a buddy's sp101 outdoors out to 100 yards -- once -- it took a few rounds but I was able to hit the target easy enough
Limiting factor, as is so often is, is going to be the shooter. Take it out, and test your limits.
Well said. Barrel length has little to do with intrinsic accuracy, what the gun can do, vs parctical accuracy, what the shooter can do.
If you can't shoot any gun 4-6" groups at 25 yds:
1. You are a lousy shot.
2. There is something seriously wrong with the gun
Rarely have I seen #2 as the cause.
Well said. Barrel length has little to do with intrinsic accuracy, what the gun can do, vs parctical accuracy, what the shooter can do.
If you can't shoot any gun 4-6" groups at 25 yds:
1. You are a lousy shot.
2. There is something seriously wrong with the gun
Rarely have I seen #2 as the cause.
FourTeeFive
Member
Backup to the shotgun? Are you going to be shooting ducks with the SP101?
Sorry, couldn't resist!
Baba Louie
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I thought the same thing FourTeeFive did... you gotta really practice to knock down ducks with any kind of snubby.
With just a little practice (say one box of ammo) you can pretty near keep a cylinder full of rounds on a man sized stationary target at 100 yds. if you do your part. That's the hard part. The revolver will have no problems. It'll put the bullets wherever you tell it to until gravity or wind takes over. But them ducks... I dunno
With just a little practice (say one box of ammo) you can pretty near keep a cylinder full of rounds on a man sized stationary target at 100 yds. if you do your part. That's the hard part. The revolver will have no problems. It'll put the bullets wherever you tell it to until gravity or wind takes over. But them ducks... I dunno
ronto
Member
My only purpose for the SP101 is SD. I practice at 10 yards...I don't even try at 25 yards...If I shot a BG at 25 yards I'd have a hard time explaining in court ,and to myself, that it was "self-defense" and no other alternatives were available.
That being said, accuracy depends on you and how much you practice ,not the SP101. With the cost of ammo nowadays, I can't afford to become proficient at 25 yards anyway.
That being said, accuracy depends on you and how much you practice ,not the SP101. With the cost of ammo nowadays, I can't afford to become proficient at 25 yards anyway.
MCgunner
Member
Personally, with good loads, I can shoot my 2.3" SP101 at the range accurately enough to take a shoulder shot at a deer at 50 yards maybe, no more, and I try to limit my 6.5" blackhawk to 50 if I can, though I can hit well at 100 with that gun AT THE RANGE. Field rests don't tend to be sand bag steady and light conditions shooting iron sights can vary in hunting situations.
The best load for my SP101 for field use is my 180 grain Hornady XTP over a healthy charge of AA#9. It shoots about 2" groups at 25 yards (bullet is very accurate and standard deviation of the shot string is one of the lowest I've fired out of a handgun. AA#9 is a GREAT and somewhat overlooked powder for hot magnum loads. I actually carry this gun with me when checking my hog trap (which I need to set, been neglecting it what with all the work I've had in the shop lately). If I were to get a shot at a hog down there while walking, it likely would be under 50 yards. This load produces 1306 fps from that short barrel, pretty impressive. It ain't no nine millimeter, put it that way.
The best load for my SP101 for field use is my 180 grain Hornady XTP over a healthy charge of AA#9. It shoots about 2" groups at 25 yards (bullet is very accurate and standard deviation of the shot string is one of the lowest I've fired out of a handgun. AA#9 is a GREAT and somewhat overlooked powder for hot magnum loads. I actually carry this gun with me when checking my hog trap (which I need to set, been neglecting it what with all the work I've had in the shop lately). If I were to get a shot at a hog down there while walking, it likely would be under 50 yards. This load produces 1306 fps from that short barrel, pretty impressive. It ain't no nine millimeter, put it that way.
It'll shoot as far as the actualy threat still persists as a threat. Seriously it's a small short bbled revovler. If one is buy it as a personal protection piece is long range accuracy really a factor. Any reasonable threat isn't going to be more than a very short distance. Isn't 21 feet the general "threat" distance.
MCgunner
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I LOVE shooting extended ranges with snubbies. LIGHTEN UP, FOLKS! What's wrong with shooting at a 15" gong at 100 yards with a .38 snubbie? Might be a good skill to have some day if you're back packin' in the mountains and stumble on a marijuana patch with a determined farmer and what you have on you is a short barreled magnum. I consider the SP101 with 180 grain loads a pretty decent back packer's gun. Not everyone stays in the city, ya know. Some of us live outside any beltways out where the deer and the antelope play. When I go check my hog traps, I ride my bike down there. Sometimes I'm on the dirt bike, but often on my SV650. Beats the heck out of burning 12 bucks worth of gas just to check a hog trap and, hey, I'd rather ride one of my motorcycles. If there's actually a hog in it, I can go back for the truck and justify the 12 dollars with pork.
When I ride the bike down there, I carry my concealed SP101 because that's what I carry. Sometimes I take a sidearm, even took a shotgun on the Goldwing once, but often it's just the SP101 because on the bikes it's more convenient. Texas is not an open carry state. I KNOW that I can kill a hog with this thing because I shoot handguns at extended ranges all the time. Heck, I even HUNT DEER with handguns, though not snubbies. I sort of enjoyed a couple of years shooting IHMSA, was a lot of fun, iron sights and targets to 200 yards. I used a 10" Contender in 7mm TCU. I shot normally 33-35 out of 40 which ain't that bad for a newbie with a stock contender. The rams weren't that hard at 200 yards, was those turkeys at 150 that always kicked my butt. Go figure. LOL
Not everyone goes to the range and plays defense scenario. Some of us just enjoy shooting, plinking at stuff, long ranges, whatever. I like shooting at the pepper poppers down there and practice draw and fire on those a lot. I mean, I do some quick shooting at 7 yards, but I don't do much of it. More fun to mow down the falling plates at 25 DA with a J frame. Not everyone can handle a DA revolver well enough to hit five out of five 6" plates at 25 yards DA, but I do it a lot. Oh, I admit, I usually miss one or two out of five, but if I feally get down and concentrate, i've hit 5 out of 5. I also shoot those for speed. If I can do that at 25, what's the worry at 7 yards????
Snubbies are much more accurate than some of you folks seem to think. Yeah, they'll most likely be needed up close and personal, but hey, you just never know, especially if you spend any time outdoors. I suppose, because I'm a hunter, I enjoy extending the ranges of any weapon to their max potential. I'm just born and bred that way. I've taken a hog with a 4" K frame at 55 yards before, now if I could do that with a snub, I could brag!
Oh, yeah, duck hunting with a SP101? BWAAAA, ha, ha!
When I ride the bike down there, I carry my concealed SP101 because that's what I carry. Sometimes I take a sidearm, even took a shotgun on the Goldwing once, but often it's just the SP101 because on the bikes it's more convenient. Texas is not an open carry state. I KNOW that I can kill a hog with this thing because I shoot handguns at extended ranges all the time. Heck, I even HUNT DEER with handguns, though not snubbies. I sort of enjoyed a couple of years shooting IHMSA, was a lot of fun, iron sights and targets to 200 yards. I used a 10" Contender in 7mm TCU. I shot normally 33-35 out of 40 which ain't that bad for a newbie with a stock contender. The rams weren't that hard at 200 yards, was those turkeys at 150 that always kicked my butt. Go figure. LOL
Not everyone goes to the range and plays defense scenario. Some of us just enjoy shooting, plinking at stuff, long ranges, whatever. I like shooting at the pepper poppers down there and practice draw and fire on those a lot. I mean, I do some quick shooting at 7 yards, but I don't do much of it. More fun to mow down the falling plates at 25 DA with a J frame. Not everyone can handle a DA revolver well enough to hit five out of five 6" plates at 25 yards DA, but I do it a lot. Oh, I admit, I usually miss one or two out of five, but if I feally get down and concentrate, i've hit 5 out of 5. I also shoot those for speed. If I can do that at 25, what's the worry at 7 yards????
Snubbies are much more accurate than some of you folks seem to think. Yeah, they'll most likely be needed up close and personal, but hey, you just never know, especially if you spend any time outdoors. I suppose, because I'm a hunter, I enjoy extending the ranges of any weapon to their max potential. I'm just born and bred that way. I've taken a hog with a 4" K frame at 55 yards before, now if I could do that with a snub, I could brag!
Oh, yeah, duck hunting with a SP101? BWAAAA, ha, ha!
Nameless_Hobo
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How far does the .357 drop below POA at 100 yards out of a short barrel? I imagine it would be pretty severe.
MCgunner
Member
Pretty far, but not nearly as far as the .38. LOL I have an elevation wire (Elmer Keith technique) in the front site of my Taurus 85 I use for this and for regulating a really light handload I like to shoot. You line up the rear site with the elevation wire, then put the top of the sight on target. Actually, you have to get it a little below the elevation wire on mine, but that's the theory. I actually had the smith dove tail in a black sight blade, replaced the stainless on on the gun and had him install the wire. You can't see the wire in this pic, though, don't think.
My serious hunting .357 is a 6.5" blackhawk. It shoots a 180 Hornady XTP/JHP at 1400 fps. It's dead on at 100 yards and 5" high at 50, about 2" high at 25, so I take a "target hold" at 50, IOW, put what I want to shoot atop the front sight. At 100, I cut the bull with the sight, what I call a "combat sight picture". It works, but you have to remember the sight picture at 50 yards is a target sight picture or you're apt to shoot over the target.
I would GUESS (and this is only and educated guess) that the shorter barrel would give it, say, 7 or 8" high at 50 if sighted at 100. It's shooting 1306 fps, about 100 fps slower out of the 2.3" barrel, which is pretty good actually. With my other loads, there'd be a lot more drop. With my 158 SWC out of the Blackhawk, I hold up near the top of a sight in target to hit center, but I shoot it combat hold at 50 with the same sight in for the 180 I mention above.
My serious hunting .357 is a 6.5" blackhawk. It shoots a 180 Hornady XTP/JHP at 1400 fps. It's dead on at 100 yards and 5" high at 50, about 2" high at 25, so I take a "target hold" at 50, IOW, put what I want to shoot atop the front sight. At 100, I cut the bull with the sight, what I call a "combat sight picture". It works, but you have to remember the sight picture at 50 yards is a target sight picture or you're apt to shoot over the target.
I would GUESS (and this is only and educated guess) that the shorter barrel would give it, say, 7 or 8" high at 50 if sighted at 100. It's shooting 1306 fps, about 100 fps slower out of the 2.3" barrel, which is pretty good actually. With my other loads, there'd be a lot more drop. With my 158 SWC out of the Blackhawk, I hold up near the top of a sight in target to hit center, but I shoot it combat hold at 50 with the same sight in for the 180 I mention above.
I'm a realatively new shooter. After a little practice I can hit an IDPA sized metal target at our range 3 out of 5 shot from my sp101 2.25" 357 (using wwb 130g 38 specials) from 50 yrds. I haven't tried the 357 loads loads yet. With my GP 100 6" I can hit center of mass with 6 out of 6 from the same distance/same load. I'll bet in better hands it would shoot even better. It is an impressive shooter! I have never tried anything farther.
tipoc
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I think that's been answered. It's capable of hitting a man sized target in the chest area at 100 yards and likely more. It's do 2-4" groups at 25 yards. So from there it's a manner of training.
38Spl. ammo can be had for less money than .357 and is fun to practice with. What range should a fella practice at for home self defense? Across a room is fine but how far is it from your front door to the sidewalk? How far from your vehicle to the other side of the street?
Most of us practice to become better shots. We tend to do this irregardless of various self defense scenarios. If you are making a small group shooting da at 7 yards (and a small group is better than a shotgun like pattern at 7 yards) than try it at 10. Than 15 than onward. Why? Cuz someday you may have to shoot across a street and also because it's a challenge and comforting to know you can.
tipoc
rdaines
Member
Two good reasons come to mind as to way there are snubbies. An obvious one is concealment but another is having a long barrel affords your attacker an opportunity to grab your gun and take it away from you. If that is true, then we are talking short distances and very short distances. While shooting 25, 35 or even 100 yards shows the guns capabilities, it's real purpose use for the above two reasons (and maybe some others).
MCgunner
Member
Well, ya know, motocross bikes ain't made for road racing, either, but I took a KX80, stiffened the suspension, put 17" rims on it and GP road race slicks, and have won 8 mini class club road racing sprint championships on it.
Are you saying that because the primary purpose of a snub is close range self defense, that I should be charged with a felony for shooting targets at 100 yards with it? They always get around to outlawing fun, it seems.
(in jest, just jesting)
tipoc
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Snubbies are very good for carrying. They can also be accurate handguns. The two are not mutually exclusive. That a belly gun should be accurate enough to place the shot where the shooter wants it to go at 5 feet or fifty should cause no one trouble.
The original question was on the accuracy of the guns in general and that's been addressed. Individual guns will vary some of course.
Now a fella could decide "Well this gun is for close up fighting so I won't bother to practice with it beyond 7 yards." Well that's the shooters choice. I think it's a mistake. I think that practicing with a snubby at 7,10,15 and 25 yards helps to increase a shooters confidence in themselves and the gun, can make for a more accurate shooter, and that this will help in all situations.
tipoc
The original question was on the accuracy of the guns in general and that's been addressed. Individual guns will vary some of course.
Now a fella could decide "Well this gun is for close up fighting so I won't bother to practice with it beyond 7 yards." Well that's the shooters choice. I think it's a mistake. I think that practicing with a snubby at 7,10,15 and 25 yards helps to increase a shooters confidence in themselves and the gun, can make for a more accurate shooter, and that this will help in all situations.
tipoc
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