Cosmoline
Member
I agree 100% that long range handgunning is a load of fun for small game hunting and range plinking. However, I disagree strongly about its tacticality. IMHO even thinking about engaging a foe at that distance is dangerous. Let's play out the problems:
--Power issues. Handgun bullets tend to be short, fat, and have a horrible BC. Simply put they lose what little steam they had very quickly. In many cases you may find they're tumbling like a tossed stone at 100 yards. Unless you're using a proper hunting revolver, don't expect to do any sigificant man-stopping damage to a person at that range.
--Defense of another at more than 50 yards. Even with the most steady hand, the risk of hitting the innocent party is enormous.
--If the foe is engaging you or presenting imminent deady peril to you at that range, chances are he's doing it with a long gun. You will lose that fight, period. Handguns, esp. a 1911 or similar medium-power semi, has virtually no chance of winning against even a carbine at that range. That's your extreme range, but his point blank. I personally don't like those odds one bit. Your only hope is to hit the ground and scurry for whatever cover you can find. Trying to take steady aim with a 1911 sighted in at 100 yards is going to make you a very nice target indeed. And it's sure to draw the foe's attention to you.
--If the foe is engaging you with a short gun at more than fifty yards, your best chance is to run like hell and zig zag into cover. I suppose in a 100 yard duel with both parties standing still, you'd have better odds of winning if you had your pistol sighted in at 100 yards. But realistically such duels almost never happen. And again you can avoid them by running.
--Power issues. Handgun bullets tend to be short, fat, and have a horrible BC. Simply put they lose what little steam they had very quickly. In many cases you may find they're tumbling like a tossed stone at 100 yards. Unless you're using a proper hunting revolver, don't expect to do any sigificant man-stopping damage to a person at that range.
--Defense of another at more than 50 yards. Even with the most steady hand, the risk of hitting the innocent party is enormous.
--If the foe is engaging you or presenting imminent deady peril to you at that range, chances are he's doing it with a long gun. You will lose that fight, period. Handguns, esp. a 1911 or similar medium-power semi, has virtually no chance of winning against even a carbine at that range. That's your extreme range, but his point blank. I personally don't like those odds one bit. Your only hope is to hit the ground and scurry for whatever cover you can find. Trying to take steady aim with a 1911 sighted in at 100 yards is going to make you a very nice target indeed. And it's sure to draw the foe's attention to you.
--If the foe is engaging you with a short gun at more than fifty yards, your best chance is to run like hell and zig zag into cover. I suppose in a 100 yard duel with both parties standing still, you'd have better odds of winning if you had your pistol sighted in at 100 yards. But realistically such duels almost never happen. And again you can avoid them by running.