Real World Accuracy & Shooting Fun

[illinoisburt]

So for a long time now I've been a big proponent of practical, field position, and just plain old fashion plinking. I don't do benches anymore except sighting in new equipment or testing load work-ups. Our local public ranges have done away with plinking (too much trash so 100% on board with it), and now instead have a bunch of 10" ar500 plates. Since we can't put out clay pigeons at 100 yards for rifles anymore and frankly the gongs are fine but a little boring, we've switched to handguns. First few rounds with carry pistols are challenging, slightly disconcerting, and really rewarding when you hear that ping. Running about 10%, as in 5 hits between the two of us for 50 rounds, through a Glock 19 though maybe close enough with the rest to make the gong scared LOL. Sights completely cover the target and then some, trigger not the greatest for this endeavour. I know the old interwebs is full of better shooters. Anyone else try carry guns longer range?

 

[LiveLife]

Range I used to shoot at had a gong at 150 yards and it took a pistol round some time to travel with a delayed "ding".

I found shooting steel at 25-50 yards challenging and rewarding, interestingly depending on the shape/size of target. Certain size/shape of target, I had no problem hitting shot after shot but another size/shape, it took multiple attempts.

FYI, this American Rifleman link lists various pistol review articles and especially reviews with "Tested" often has 25 yard group sizes (15 yards for compacts, 50 yards for carbines) using different ammunition and even carry pistols/compacts are capable of accuracy at 25 yards - http://www.americanrifleman.org/handguns/semi-auto/

Nighthawk Custom Hi-Power (25 yards) 0.74" to 1.71" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/4/11/tested-nighthawk-custom-hi-power/

EAA Witness Elite 1911 (25 yards) 0.82" to 1.41" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/5/5/tested-eaa-witness-elite-1911-polymer-pistol/

Lipsey's Vickers Tactical Glock 17 (25 yards) 1.00" to 1.80" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/3/23/tested-lipsey-s-vickers-tactical-glock-17/

Ruger PC carbine (50 yards) 1.13" to 1.42" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/1/2/tested-ruger-s-pc-carbine-and-security-9-pistol/

Sig P320 X-Five/VTAC (25 yards) 1.14" to 1.97" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/8/10/tested-sig-sauer-p320-x-series-pistols/

S&W M&P9 M2.0 Compact (25 yards) 1.22" to 3.64" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/11/30/tested-smith-wesson-mp9-m20-compact-pistol/

Remington R1 M1911 (25 yards) 1.24" to 2.99" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2011/1/13/the-remington-r1-m1911/

KRISS Vector Gen II SDP 9 (25 yards) 1.33" to 1.53" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/7/19/tested-kriss-usa-vector-gen-ii-sdp-9-mm-pistol/

S&W M&P9 M2.0 (25 yards) 1.33" to 2.36" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/5/22/tested-smith-wessons-mp-m20-pistol/

Sig P225 (25 yards) 1.38" to 2.43" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/6/22/tested-sig-sauer-p225-a1-nitron-compact-pistol/

Ruger SR1911 Target (25 yards) 1.46" to 3.23" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/1/9/tested-ruger-sr1911-target-pistol/

Sig P226 Legion Series (25 yards) 1.58" to 2.36" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/4/15/tested-sig-sauer-legion-series-p226-pistol/

Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite (25 yards) 1.82" to 2.00" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/3/3/tested-ruger-mark-iv-2245-lite-pistol/

FN 509 (25 yards) 1.88" to 2.06" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/6/26/tested-the-fn-509-pistol/

H&K VP9SK (25 yards) 1.97" to 2.23" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/1/5/tested-heckler-koch-s-vp9sk-pistol/

Beretta APX (25 yards) 2.30" to 2.47" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/7/25/tested-beretta-s-apx-pistol/

CZ P-10 C (25 yards) 2.40" to 3.02" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/10/6/tested-cz-p-10-c-pistol/

Kimber Camp Guard 10mm (25 yards) 2.41" to 2.69" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/1/11/tested-kimber-camp-guard-10-pistol/

Springfield XDM 4.5" OSP (25 yards) 2.46" to 2.80" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/3/21/tested-springfield-xdm-45-osp-9-mm-pistol/

Ruger American (25 yards) 2.48" to 2.89" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2015/12/29/tested-ruger-american-pistol/

PSA 1911 Stainless Two-Tone (25 yards) 2.51" to 2.89" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/ar...to-state-armory-1911-two-tone-premium-pistol/

Walther PPQ M2 Q4 Tac (25 yards) 2.53" to 2.76" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/1/19/tested-walther-ppq-m2-q4-tac-9-mm-pistol/

Ruger Security 9 (25 yards) 2.63" to 3.15" - https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/1/2/tested-ruger-s-pc-carbine-and-security-9-pistol/

 

[PapaG]

I have surprised many friends and club members by demonstrating what ordinary handguns can do at ranges to 100 yards and past. Dad, my brother and I spent many an afternoon "walking" the bullets on to the old gallon antifreeze cans set out on an old quarry road. You get pretty good at estimating how much front sight to hold up. My two favorite guns were dad's 7 1/2" Colt New Frontier and my 6" New Service, both 45 Colt.
No one, after a demo, will ever say, "I'd let you shoot at me all day with a 1911".
I just wish my eyes were as sharp as they were forty or fifty years ago. Maybe that's why trap is my main game now.

 

[Dunross]

Way back when I used to run a range at the end of the day when it was more or less just us R.O.s we'd set up a steel swinger at 100yds and the game was most hits out of ten with a .22lr handgun. Any gun, any ammo, standing, no rests, braces, etc. The swinger was ten inches and my personal best as I recall was 6/10, and the best I saw shot was 8/10.

Was the major reason I stopped buying the cheapo bulk ammo.

Doing the same with 2" snubbies in 38/357 was fun too.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I have steel targets set up from 25 yards to as far as 150 yards. Long range practice with carry guns forces a good trigger pull and sight picture.

 

[herrwalther]

My current range is indoor, so the setup is fairly limited as to target selection. Obviously no tannerite, bouncing reactive targets, gongs or anything fun like that. Paper targets on a motorized track is as fun as I get currently. I practice marksmanship from 3 yards and as far out as the track goes, 25 yards I believe.

 

[Slamfire]

If you want a lesson in humility, try shooting your pistol Bullseye style, that is one handed, at a target 50 yards away. See if you can keep all your shots on a two foot by two foot target. And if you can do that, work on keeping them all in the black.

This guy is very good and did this at 50 yards, and 25 yards, with his 22 lr, in a 2700 Bullseye Match.The ten ring is 4 inches in diameter.



And these were another guy's bragging targets.







Or do this, with a revolver:

 

[Bfh_auto]

If you want a lesson in humility, try shooting your pistol Bullseye style, that is one handed, at a target 50 yards away. See if you can keep all your shots on a two foot by two foot target. And if you can do that, work on keeping them all in the black.

This guy is very good and did this at 50 yards, and 25 yards, with his 22 lr, in a 2700 Bullseye Match.The ten ring is 4 inches in diameter.

View attachment 842370

And these were another guy's bragging targets.

View attachment 842371

View attachment 842372

View attachment 842373

Or do this, with a revolver:

View attachment 842374


View attachment 842375

That bottom one is better than I can do two handed with no time limit or people watching.

My average at 25 yards using both hands is 3-5" depending on the time of day. If I worked all day it's 5. If I competed, the stress would probably make it 10".

 

[caribou]

I plink on a massive scale

 

[Jack B.]

I don't shoot a carry gun at much more of a distance that I would use it at( 7-10yards) And I limit my large caliber handguns (44spec,44 magnum, 480Ruger) to a range of 50-75 yards. I prefer the power of a rifle beyond that. Just being honest and not letting my imagination run wild with what I'm capable of doing.