What is the best pistol for long range defense?

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hyattnc

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In today's age we are seeing more and more "active shooters". It wouldnt be unimaginable that you might be up against one with a compact pistol trying to make a 50-100 yard shot.

I have my own opinions which have been voiced in previous threads about my favorite pistols. However, I want to hear what you think would be the best compact carry pistol for the long range defensive shot.
 
Long range from short gun

I own 4 different defensive caliber handguns. I full sunlight my Ruger SP101 with 2-1/4" barrel can shoot as good or better than any of my 3 Semi autos with 3"-4-1/4" barrels. The difference is that the sights, although smaller have tighter tolerances, When I have the time to line them up they line up with no daylight at all between front and rear sights. I can't shoot quite as fast as I can my S.A pistols and those sights are useless in dim light though.
I'm not sure if night sights are worth the investment. It seems to me that most of the time if you can't see your sights then you can't see your target either. I haven't shot a pistol with a laser on it yet.
 
I suppose that depends upon your definition of compact.

I have a SIG P239 in 357 SIG that would probably be a good long range pistol.

I have a 4" S&W model 13 which does extremely well at long range, but might be a tad large for what you are specifying.

If I could build a custom from scratch, it would be a CCO type, Commander length slide on an Officer's frame, chambered in 9x23mm Winchester.

Years ago, back in the waning days of the disco era, I had a 3" Charter Arms Undercover which would lob wadcutters on quart oil cans at 50 yards with amazing regularity. (Admittedly, most of the bullets could be picked up where they failed to penetrate into the hard dirt). This may have been more the result of young eyes than an accurate pistol, though I could seldom do it with other .38s.
 
Tthere isn't an off-the-shelf answer, it will come down to ergonomics* and skill*.
The only off-the-shelf component is the ability to cause meaningful damage at longer ranges, a feat accomplished by pretty much any service/defense caliber**


* (personal)
** (defined by BFD's dictonary as 9x18mm and up, in a non-plinking load suitable for defense, possibly including extremely hot 9x17 loads and obviously including tokarev or 22TCM)


===

Possible altrenate answer:
A SIG1911 clone with a stand built in under the grip, so you can rest it on a hard surface for added stability
 
My choice would be a Wildey in .44 automag. with a minimum of a 7 inch barrel. Yeah I know that it is no longer made, but if you're gonna dream, dream big.
 
A member of this site, husbandofaromanian, bursts baloons at 300 yds. with a silenced .22 pistol using subsonic ammo. Of course, the "pistol" is a Thompson contender with a 12 or 15 inch barrel with a BIG scope not exactly a concealed carry weapon- still it impressed me.
 
I can pretty reliably hit a man sized target at 50 yards, and I have hit a man sized target at 100 yards, both with my CZ SP-01 Phantom at the range, but it would be a desperate situation to try it under fire.
Longer range, I want my rifle, better yet, I want to be somewhere else. :)
 
hyattnc,

"long range defence"? Just what the hell is that? You're taking "long range" offensive fire (have to assume a rifle) and you are deciding to engage with a handgun? You have posted a number of bizarre threads. I wanna stop right here and read your (detailed) explanation. The ball is in your court.
 
Where I live you'd have a hard time convincing a DA that a 50 to 100 yard shot at a human target was "defensive". I think you're seeking a solution to a non-existent problem.
 
I know a few weeks ago a guy made a shot 350 yrds to save a cops life. Chicago I think. I personally own a Kel-tec PLR16. A pistol in .223/5.56. I can hit pretty far with it and accurately. Hope that helped u
 
I know a few weeks ago a guy made a shot 350 yrds to save a cops life. Chicago I think.
Click to expand...


I guess this is how internet legends get made???

There was a shooting in TX that the shooter saved a cop... read about it here

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=670777

the last couple pages are where the distance was sort of debunked. 165 feet was more probable. Even with that said it was an offensive shooting.
 
Just a Kel-tec soft zipper pouch lay it behind my truck seat. Its just my backup of my backup. Very effective,extemely fun. At the range(indoors). Ppl jump with every trigger pull. Very loud,and u feel the air from it,and feel the percussion in your chest
 
The OP specified a COMPACT PISTOL. T/Cs, PLR-15s, AR pistols, Rem XP-100s and the like don't come close to being adequate answers.

Having said that: which pistol is far less important than how much time the shooter has put into learning to make a shot like that.

Further, it's an academic exercise, really. Longer range handgun shooting is probably worth some occasional practice, but these instances (active shooters, long distance shots) are still vanishingly rare. The odds are still well over the million-to-one range that you will ever find yourself in one. Other types of defensive shooting problem are vastly more common and practicing for them probably should occupy more of your range time.
 
hyattnc said:
In today's age we are seeing more and more "active shooters". It wouldnt be unimaginable that you might be up against one with a compact pistol trying to make a 50-100 yard shot.

I have my own opinions which have been voiced in previous threads about my favorite pistols. However, I want to hear what you think would be the best compact carry pistol for the long range defensive shot.
Click to expand...

First, let's step back into reality for a moment. Unless you're pinned down by a rifle shooter, taking a 50 or 100 yard pistol shot will be impossible to defend in court, and you'll be trading in your street clothes for stripes or orange. Now to answer your hypothetical, a 4 inch revolver or 1911 is capable of 50 yards any day of the week, and in the right hands, a 100 yard shot is also reality. My son qualified at 50 yards with his Ruger LCP last year with no issues.

LD
 
Unless you're pinned down by a rifle shooter, taking a 50 or 100 yard pistol shot will be impossible to defend in court, and you'll be trading in your street clothes for stripes or orange.
Click to expand...

To be completely fair, there is the very recent case of the elderly gentleman down in TX who shot a murderer who was setting up to ambush a Sheriff's Deputy, and he connected from about 165 feet away. (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=670777)

So it isn't IMPOSSIBLE. Just cosmically unlikely.
 
As others have noted, a .357 Magnum revolver with at least a four-inch barrel could serve well, maybe even if loaded with .38+P ammunition. But, I'd like a FNH FiveseveN, though it's not very compact.
 
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