Real world average 25 yard grouping.

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Keith G said:
Well, I can walk out my front door and shoot as much as I want as well, and hand load also, and my groups aren’t approaching that. Guess I need to spend more time shooting and less time tending to our farm. I’ll try to explain to the animals that they might miss a few feedings, but it’s for the good cause of shrinking my groups. :)
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I shoot after work mostly, there's plenty of grass for the cows, the chickens get fed after dark, etc. Seriously, I plan my time to make the most of daylight so I can shoot more. Some times of the year allow more time than others. Right now there's plenty of shooting light until 8:30 or so.

35W
 
35 Whelen said:
I shoot after work mostly, there's plenty of grass for the cows, the chickens get fed after dark, etc. Seriously, I plan my time to make the most of daylight so I can shoot more. Some times of the year allow more time than others. Right now there's plenty of shooting light until 8:30 or so.

35W
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I’m curious about your practice habits if you don’t mind sharing since it’s always nice to get new ideas. How many rounds do you generally shoot per session? Distances? Etc. Whatever you’re doing is working.
 
Jackrabbit1957 said:
Very nice 35, how do you do at longer ranges, just curious. BTW love that 1917.
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Since my handgun use is primarily for hunting, I have steel targets at 50 and 75 yds. that see far, far more use than my 25 yd. target. The 25 yd. target is used mainly for shooting self defense (i.e. short range) handguns and for initially shooting handguns with which I am not familiar.
My 25 yd. shooting is all offhand. My 25, 100 and 200 yd. ranges pretty much overlap, so I have a shooting bench for them, but I just never have been very good at shooting handguns from a bench. Most of my shooting at 50 and 75 is from a seated back rested position although there's an 8" square piece of steel on my 50 that I like to shoot offhand, finding it great practice.

So to answer your question, when I've been practicing 50 and 75 yd. groups are typically plenty good for hitting a deer.



 Frisco%2050%20yds.%20RCBS_zpsrgt4dwua.jpg

Uberti%204.75%20%20RCBS%2044-250%2050%20yds.-text_zpskvvp6ixu.jpg


Hombre%2075%20yds._zps478i1iev.jpg

Uberti%20Flat%20Top%2075%20yds%20edit_zpsqq2ytyaf.jpg

I've begun shooting a little at an 18" steel plate @ 100 yds., but still have a ways to go!

35W
 

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doubleh said:
I'll be 82 years old next month. I don't even want to talk about the size groups I shoot at 25 yards. In fact I consider it a waste of ammunition unless I have a good bench and rest to shoot from and then they aren't bragging class. Oh well, I'm happy to be alive and able to shoot even if I'm not very good anymore.
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Having fun and slinging some heavy lead down range is more important than group size every day. Keep after it, doubleh.
 
What would happen if we were shooting these groups at a B-27 target at 25 yards? How many of these rounds would have been inside the nine ring? How about head shots at 25 yards. This head shot business was the criteria for a satisfactory handgun from a guru now departed. You ever visited a carry class? What did you see? Scary as hell?
 
Keith G said:
I’m curious about your practice habits if you don’t mind sharing since it’s always nice to get new ideas. How many rounds do you generally shoot per session? Distances? Etc. Whatever you’re doing is working.
Click to expand...

The number of rounds I shoot varies somewhat. I shoot .44 Special far and away more than any other caliber, so I keep a tray of 50 cases on my bench and usually load and shoot 25 or so at a time. If I've been on a long practice streak and I'm hitting my 75 yd steel easily, I might only shoot a 2 or 3 cylinders full in an evening. But if I'm off my game I might shoot 50 or so in an evening until I get "it" back. Most of my shooting is at 50 yds, but when I get in the swing of it I switch to 75. I have an 18" gong off to the side of my 100 yd. target stand and am beginning to shoot at it a little.

The most important thing is to figure out why you're not shooting as well as you want and work on that. Don't just shoot big groups over and over. If your groups are too large or POI is off, experiment with your grip and/or how you hold the handgun until you figure out the problem. After you figure out the problem, that is the time to shoot, shoot, shoot and shoot some more. This builds muscle memory which is super important for shooting handguns accurately. You'll know when you're acquiring good muscle memory because when you pick up your revolver and point it at a target, it will feel extremely natural, and will sit comfortably in your hand.

For anyone wanting to really learn to shoot well, I think it's good to start with low recoil rounds, say .357 and smaller, to develop technique. Once you get to .44's and .45's, recoil and how one grips a revolver has a great affect on where the bullet goes.

One other thing that is so little understood is a principle I learned while shooting High Power. It's called "follow through" and it is of the utmost importance when shooting handguns.

David Bradshaw explained it best- Follow through----think flintlock. Squeeze continues after hammer fall, until the bullet is beyond the muzzle. You cannot own your bullet without FOLLOW THROUGH.

Never waste a shot, use every shot as a means to practice. I set my chronograph in the door of my shop and hung a 22" steel gong against an embankment 162 yds. from my shop door. So I shoot through the chronograph aiming at the gong. As silly as it may sound, it's really good practice and I actually hit it fairly frequently.

Hope some of this helps.

35W
 
35 Whelen said:
The number of rounds I shoot varies somewhat. I shoot .44 Special far and away more than any other caliber, so I keep a tray of 50 cases on my bench and usually load and shoot 25 or so at a time. If I've been on a long practice streak and I'm hitting my 75 yd steel easily, I might only shoot a 2 or 3 cylinders full in an evening. But if I'm off my game I might shoot 50 or so in an evening until I get "it" back. Most of my shooting is at 50 yds, but when I get in the swing of it I switch to 75. I have an 18" gong off to the side of my 100 yd. target stand and am beginning to shoot at it a little.

The most important thing is to figure out why you're not shooting as well as you want and work on that. Don't just shoot big groups over and over. If your groups are too large or POI is off, experiment with your grip and/or how you hold the handgun until you figure out the problem. After you figure out the problem, that is the time to shoot, shoot, shoot and shoot some more. This builds muscle memory which is super important for shooting handguns accurately. You'll know when you're acquiring good muscle memory because when you pick up your revolver and point it at a target, it will feel extremely natural, and will sit comfortably in your hand.

For anyone wanting to really learn to shoot well, I think it's good to start with low recoil rounds, say .357 and smaller, to develop technique. Once you get to .44's and .45's, recoil and how one grips a revolver has a great affect on where the bullet goes.

One other thing that is so little understood is a principle I learned while shooting High Power. It's called "follow through" and it is of the utmost importance when shooting handguns.

David Bradshaw explained it best- Follow through----think flintlock. Squeeze continues after hammer fall, until the bullet is beyond the muzzle. You cannot own your bullet without FOLLOW THROUGH.

Never waste a shot, use every shot as a means to practice. I set my chronograph in the door of my shop and hung a 22" steel gong against an embankment 162 yds. from my shop door. So I shoot through the chronograph aiming at the gong. As silly as it may sound, it's really good practice and I actually hit it fairly frequently.

Hope some of this helps.

35W
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Thanks for the response! It confirms I’m on the right path. I try to shoot 2-3 times/week, and usually 25ish rounds, being very thoughtful on each one. Much more than 25 and I start to mentally fatigue, or physically pass out from the Texas summer heat. I don’t understand how people go to the range and fire off 100’s of rounds. Every now and then I’ll let a good number of 22’s fly at random targets I set up at varying distances just to go have some dumb fun. I shoot mostly hand loaded 38’s out of my 357 SA, but occasionally shoot 357’s to keep in practice. The days where everything is working are really enjoyable, the days they aren’t I try to figure out the one main thing I’m doing wrong and work on it. I also always leave a random chamber empty to make sure I’m not flinching. I’m coming for your accuracy, just give me a few years. :rofl:
 
Keith G said:
Thanks for the response! It confirms I’m on the right path. I try to shoot 2-3 times/week, and usually 25ish rounds, being very thoughtful on each one. Much more than 25 and I start to mentally fatigue, or physically pass out from the Texas summer heat. I don’t understand how people go to the range and fire off 100’s of rounds. Every now and then I’ll let a good number of 22’s fly at random targets I set up at varying distances just to go have some dumb fun. I shoot mostly hand loaded 38’s out of my 357 SA, but occasionally shoot 357’s to keep in practice. The days where everything is working are really enjoyable, the days they aren’t I try to figure out the one main thing I’m doing wrong and work on it. I also always leave a random chamber empty to make sure I’m not flinching. I’m coming for your accuracy, just give me a few years. :rofl:
Click to expand...

You definitely are on the right track!

I live in Texas too and last summer the heat was crazy. I was shooting the above pictured Uberti Frisco every evening after work, and could shoot only a couple of cylinders full then would have to remove the cylinder and hang it and the frame in a shady spot in a mesquite to cool off!

Last year I renewed my acquantence with a Uberti Hombre .357. I'd forgotten how enjoyable and easy to shoot a .357 SA is!

35W
 
Noting that there are threads of disbelief posted here abouts, take this as you will. I was a very good shot with the handgun. When I was very young, I had aspirations of being an exhibition shooter. I did shot like cutting playing cards in two, shooting through paper towel or toilet paper rolls end to end. Even shot through an empty 12 ga. shotgun shell. I was at the point I could hit cans or dirt clods thrown in the air, so long as I did the throwing. After getting out of the Army, I shot in competition in a bull's eye pistol club, reaching the level of Sharpshooter before leaving that kind of shooting. I never shot in a match, but did shoot the course for metallic silhouette shooting. Also hunted for a number of years, in fact laid the groundwork for handgun hunting in Tennessee. I practiced long range handgunning for many years, shooting over 10,000 rounds annually. As I've noted, age has taken its toll, as well as finances. (Social Security has no allowance for ammunition.) My eyesight, corrected, is still pretty sharp, but physical fitness has suffered somewhat, and can not practice as often as I'd like.
But the targets I posted are as noted, believe them or not. And I can't call up witnesses as most of these have died. The man with whom I had coffee this morning is the last living witness. And he has stated the I had a bullet for a pacifier when I was born. At age of ninety, he no longer shoots with me.

Bob Wright
 
Bob, I have no reason not to believe you. Notice I started this thread in the revolver forum? That was my attempt to weed out the plastic gun guys that shoot hundreds of rounds rapidly at spitting distance all the time, but then claim 2” groups at 25+ yards. No to say they don’t exist, I just believe revolver guys are a different breed. Keep getting after it.
 
BobWright said:
Noting that there are threads of disbelief posted here abouts, take this as you will. I was a very good shot with the handgun. When I was very young, I had aspirations of being an exhibition shooter. I did shot like cutting playing cards in two, shooting through paper towel or toilet paper rolls end to end. Even shot through an empty 12 ga. shotgun shell. I was at the point I could hit cans or dirt clods thrown in the air, so long as I did the throwing. After getting out of the Army, I shot in competition in a bull's eye pistol club, reaching the level of Sharpshooter before leaving that kind of shooting. I never shot in a match, but did shoot the course for metallic silhouette shooting. Also hunted for a number of years, in fact laid the groundwork for handgun hunting in Tennessee. I practiced long range handgunning for many years, shooting over 10,000 rounds annually. As I've noted, age has taken its toll, as well as finances. (Social Security has no allowance for ammunition.) My eyesight, corrected, is still pretty sharp, but physical fitness has suffered somewhat, and can not practice as often as I'd like.
But the targets I posted are as noted, believe them or not. And I can't call up witnesses as most of these have died. The man with whom I had coffee this morning is the last living witness. And he has stated the I had a bullet for a pacifier when I was born. At age of ninety, he no longer shoots with me.

Bob Wright
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I have no reason not believe you either, in fact it never entered my mind!

35W
 
Steve S. said:
I would say that the “average Joe” handgun shooter is lucky to hit a target at 25 yards; a proficient handgun shooter (one with experience and skill) will do around 6” at 25 yards consistently. Then there is exceptional skill due to mucho range and dry firing time - these are people that compete or are skilled enough to compete.
Shooting a handgun at 25 yards with consistent accuracy is much harder that it looks - my perspective is that if you can consistently shoot 6” unsupported at 25 yards, you are a good handgun shot.
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I would tend to agree. Most times at the range I "try" one mag at 25 yards with whatever firearm I may have at the time. I get lucky once in a while and actually hit a 6" target every/most rounds, but there are days where I really struggle for whatever reason. Watching most people around me the average guy can't group a 6" group at 10 yards much less 25. Sure some can, but most cannot. I consider myself an average shooter, I'm hoping to get better :)

-Jeff
 
As I mentioned earlier it's refreshing to hear from others that feel a hand gun is more than just a belly gun good for up close and personal on!y. I get thoroughly amazed at that school of thought. I got used to shooting rabbits with a .22 pistol and made many a kill over 100 yards. Now I go after Jackrabbits with a hand full of revolvers from .22 up to .45 including 3 black powder percussion revolvers.
 
35 Whelen said:
You definitely are on the right track!

I live in Texas too and last summer the heat was crazy. I was shooting the above pictured Uberti Frisco every evening after work, and could shoot only a couple of cylinders full then would have to remove the cylinder and hang it and the frame in a shady spot in a mesquite to cool off!

Last year I renewed my acquantence with a Uberti Hombre .357. I'd forgotten how enjoyable and easy to shoot a .357 SA is!

35W
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Your area grows bigger mesquites than mine. Around here it would take awhile to find one sturdy enough to hold up a handgun. We have plenty of them but about 98% of them are bushes and your gun would be in the dirt. If you wanted to get in the shade of one you would have to lay down to do so and part of you would still be in the sunshine. Our local range is equipped with shades. I couldn't shoot there past about 9 AM in the summer if not.
 
Jackrabbit1957 said:
As I mentioned earlier it's refreshing to hear from others that feel a hand gun is more than just a belly gun good for up close and personal on!y. I get thoroughly amazed at that school of thought. I got used to shooting rabbits with a .22 pistol and made many a kill over 100 yards. Now I go after Jackrabbits with a hand full of revolvers from .22 up to .45 including 3 black powder percussion revolvers.
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You should hear the pushback I get for hunting big and dangerous game with a handgun. Talk about ignorance on display...

It’s good to see so many here shooting so well!
 
35 Whelen and the rest, are you guys shooting loads that you have worked up that specifically shoot well out of your revolvers? It looks like some of them are moving along pretty fast, not your typical “target” loads.
 
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