Where does pistol range stop and rifle range begin

[gym]

I see reviews all the time with guys claiming 1 inch groups at 100 yards, with a 223, or 308, and seem to be overjoyed with that. Now I am not Buffalo Bill, but if you can't shoot a quarter sized group with a thousand dolar rifle, at 100 yards, I guess I have been out of touch. My cronies and I always shot 25 yards with our pistols, usually the lenghth of the indoor range, Now that would be with a 19, 23, or a 1911 easilly. "a good one". Now I can say that a 357 with a 6 inch or longer barrell should go way past that, even a 22 mag with a 8 or 10 inch barrell. So where is the line generally drawn. To me rifles are for over 100 yards unless an animal is what we are talking about. but paper targets, that seems like not much of a challenge or reason to buy an expensive rifle that can shoot 1000 yards. Am I wrong or has the world gotten smaller. Maybe this is just the way it is now.U tube, also has ruined the perception of what guns are for, and how they work.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I quit shooting a pistol and go to a rifle when the range gets far enough that I can't make hits most of the time...Just yesterday, I was shooting a 12" gong for 50 yards off hand with a 6" .357. I could hit it everytime. That might not be good shooting for some of the better shots out there, but I got a joy everytime I heard the gong ring.

 

[Justin]

I think it's a sliding scale that depends on the skill of the shooter, the gun, and the caliber he's shooting.

For a hard and fast rule of thumb, practical pistol distances are generally around 35-40 yards. Much beyond that, and it's going to be easier to make fast and accurate hits with a rifle.

 

[RaceM]

Too many variables here. Shooter, gun, distance, target size, etc. My measure is human torso size out to about 50 yards, rifle over that.

 

[Inebriated]

If you only have a pistol, then everything is pistol range.

If you have a rifle, why are you using the pistol?

 

[230therapy]

My AK's cannot shoot a 1" group at 100 yards with Wolf ammo. The ammo is not capable of it. It's likely gun and ammo are not capable of it either. I am testing to see what my AK gets with Hornady SST's...hopefully it will be better than the 3.5-5" Wolf Military Classic yields.

A 1 MOA AK is probably not what I want either because reliability would be affected. A bad guy isn't going to notice the difference between a 1" three to six round group in his body and a 4" group. Actually, I'd prefer a wider spread for improved bleed out. But that's just me. Others have odd notions and believe that a target gun is adequate for a fighting rifle.

M1A...different story.

Savage 10FP...3/4" all day long, even with a goobered up barrel. Clean the copper out of the bore and it shoots a bit better.

 

[Loosedhorse]

Too many variables here. Shooter, gun, distance, target size, etc.

I'd add "rest" and "bullet," too.

What does it matter if I can get rested 1/4" groups @ 100 yards with a target bullet, if the gun is for elk, and I won't be shooting from bags and bench?

As to range: Jeff Cooper seems to have believed that pistol range (even with the 10mm) ends at 50 m:

The full-house, 10mm cartridge – definitely not the attenuated 10s which are popular now – pushed the effective range of the combat sidearm out beyond that which is usually expected. But extending the manageable range of a combat pistol out beyond the ability of the shooter to utilize it does not accomplish much. The full-house Bren Ten should be able to achieve reliable one-shot stops out to at least 50 meters, but pistol actions do not take place at 50 meters. The combat pistol is best employed at distances hardly more than across the room, and the Bren Ten will not do this any better than the venerable 45 ACP, or so it would seem.

Jeff Cooper, Commentaries, Volume 11, Number 12

 

[Justin]

What does it matter if I can get rested 1/4" groups @ 100 yards with a target bullet, if the gun is for elk, and I won't be shooting from bags and bench?

If one gun is more inherently accurate than another, then it will be easier to make hits at distance, even when shooting from field positions or unsupported.

Roughly stated, a more accurate gun helps to compensate for the difficulties of making a shot under less than ideal circumstances.

 

[JoeSlomo]

Where does pistol range stop and rifle rane begin

Pistol range stops as soon as I can reach a rifle.



Seriously though...

Based on my experience shooting and watching shooters over the years, IMO, if you've got 7M on the shooter and you can move FAST, then you've got a pretty good chance of not getting shot. Your odds decrease the closer you are, and increase as you gain further distance.

 

[Loosedhorse]

If one gun is more inherently accurate than another, then it will be easier to make hits at distance, even when shooting from field positions or unsupported.

I see that.

But for at least some of my hunting rifles, I frankly don't know how accurate they "can" be. I do know at what max range for each rifle I can consistently get 4" groups with my preferred hunting loads from field positions. As long as that distance fits what I need from them, good to go.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Where does pistol range stop and rifle range begin

Depending on the gun, I think it overlaps at about 50 yards.

I like to shoot small handguns out to about 50 yards and I like to plink with some rifles as close as 50 yards.

Two days ago I was shooting a foot square steel plate at 52 yards with a Ruger Bearcat.
Yesterday and today I was sighting in a new .223 rifle at 52 and 100 yards.

I have two nice M1 Garands and thousands of rounds of 30.06 but I find I hardly ever shoot them because my range is only 115 yards and 100 yards is just too close for shooting a M1.
Wish I had a 300 to 500 yard range.

 

[mgmorden]

Great. Another "Back in mah daye . . ." thread .

People shoot how they want, and range isn't the only factor. Optical sights can take shots much farther than iron sights. Shots from a rest can be made to much farther distances than off hand. Shots against a clock (ie, when shooting QUICKLY is part of your goal) are a different critter altogether than a benchrest guy waiting 10 minutes between shots.

Why worry one's self about the way another person shoots? Unless they're actually doing something unsafe I don't consider it my business to tell another shooter that they're "doing it wrong". If they wanna shoot their scoped .243 from a bench at a target 25 yards away then more power to them.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I recently took a serious look at this in relation to my failing eyesight as age increases.

I've found that I'll usually reach for a longgun when the range gets much beyond 50 yards...I'd engage at 100 yards from a solid roll over prone position if it was all I had at the moment. Caliber has a bit to do with it as I'd be much more confident in being able to hit with a handgun at 100 yards with a 9mm or 357SIG than a .45ACP or .40

 

[armoredman]

I am no great shakes as a pistolero, or a rifleman, but this target shows what the difference is between rested and not. The taped over holes are my CZ SP-01 Phantom at 50 yards, two hand hold standing. The untaped holes are the same gun, same range, rested. The fact I can't hit center of the target is all me.



I usually shoot the other sidearms at 25 yards max, like my training, but the Phantom I feel I could reasonably make a 50 yard hit on a felon sized target. Hope I never ever have to find out.

After all that, I usually shoot handguns at 10 yards, for load testing.

Rifle, well, I shoot carbine length rifles, and yes, I am happy when I get a good group at 100 yards. I am really happy when I get semi-good groups at 200 yards.

But like I said, I make no claims to fame as a shooter, that's for certain!

 

[CraigC]

Depends entirely upon the skill of the shooter. Some folks can cleanly take game at 150yds with a scoped revolver. Along the same thread are shooters who can routinely hit inanimate objects at 500yds. Others are lucky to hit the broad side of a barn at 25yds.

 

[Owen Sparks]

I think it depends upon the pistol in question.

Does it have a scope?

Long sight radius?

Chambered for a powerful flat shooting round?

Are you shooting from a sturdy rest or off hand?

Too many variables to make a blanket statement about where pistol range ends. I have shot a Remington XP 100 that would hold 1 MOA at 100 yards and several pocket pistols that did good to stay on a dinner plate at 10 yards.

 

[exavid]

Kinda depends on the amount of damage one wants to do. My 30-06 or .338 will do the job on just about anything, the pistol not so much. On the other hand a hand gun is sure a lot handier in a building. Any pistol or revolver is mighty puny compared to a good rifle so it depends on what and why you're shooting at someting.

 

[Deus Machina]

At the range, pistol range ends at about 25 yards for me. I don't have any pistols with scopes or really nice target sights.

If I was at a point where I actually have to worry about the difference between pistol and rifle ranges, rifle range becomes "as soon as I can shoulder the rifle."

 

[Twiki357]

As previously said, it depends on the shooter, gun, type of ammunition, etc.

Forty years ago I could keep all 6 rounds from my S&W Mdl 27, 357 Mag (Open sights) in an 8" pie plate at 100 yards and 3 or 4 hits out of 6 on the 150 yard silhouettes. But that was then. Now days I don't bother with shooting more than 25/50 yards.

 

[JohnBiltz]

Its well and good to be talking about taking carefully aimed shots but if someone is shooting back at you you are not going to have a lot of time. The correct answer is not the end of your accuracy with a pistol its when it gets easier and faster to make hits with each one. To me that is probably anything outside of 7 yards. Yes, 7 yards is pretty easy, can't remember missing a man sized target at 7 yards. I can't remember trying to make that shot with someone 7 yards away with cover shooting at me either. My rule is if I have a rifle, I'm using a rifle. Hard pistol shots are trivial with a rifle. Cover often becomes concealment as well.

 

[pockets]

The pistol range I use starts to the right of the rifle range, just beside the creek.
.

 

[303tom]

All depends on the firearm if you ask me !

 

[ball3006]

It depends on what pistol I am shooting. I am a long time bullseye shooter so 50 yards is the norm. Alot of guys that claim minute of angle shooting have their rifle in a holder with sandbags all around it. The only part of the rifle they are touching is the trigger. I, on the other hand, just rest the forestock on a sandbag when I shoot. chris3

 

[303tom]

I have pistols that I can hit a dime at 200 yds. with ! Such as this one.

 

[mortablunt]

Here's my general guide:

0-2 meters: Knife distance
3-10 meters: Shotgun distance
11-50 meters: Pistol distance
51-100 meters: Carbine distance
101-700 meters: Rifle distance
701+ meters: Scowl distance