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Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 6:05 pm
by North Country Gal
It's been an abnormally hot summer for us, but still nothing like you folks to the south of us are getting. Will try to ship some cool air down you way.

DW PM-9
Since we've been talking 1911s, of late, and, especially Dan Wessons, this is a timely report. Have to back up, first, though.

Few weeks, back, I got a great deal on a never fired STI Sentinel Premier 1911 in 9mm. Shot great, but ... it had one glaring problem. With the TAS adjustable sight as low as it would go, it was still shooting 4" high at 16 yards. (Not the first time a TAS has done this to me, by the way.) Now, at the 7 or 10 yards, where most folks shoot, that would be close enough. Even at my shortest shooting distance of 16 yards, that would be close enough. Unfortunately, at 25 yards, it was shooting way too high to be of use for me and, yes, I do a lot of shooting at 25 yards, offhand. At 50 yards? Forget it. The other issue was that the front sight tritium insert was no longer glowing. Not a big deal, because I never planned to use this for home defense.

Took the gun, back, got a good price from my LGS. As usual, they were very good about helping out. Figured I'd stop messing around, then, and just order a Dan Wesson Pointman-9. The PM-9 is a proper target 1911 with a proper Bomar style adjustable rear sight, not a tactical adjustable sight as with the TAS. Came in, earlier this week and here it is.
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Right out of the box, absolutely flawless and no issues getting the sights set for some 25 yard work. Here's a potential wall-hanger target that I simply blew. First shot I could see without the binoculars. Shot three more, though, and could not see where they were hitting. Strange, because the gun had been shooting great. Got worried, so I grabbed the binoculars for a closer look. That was a mistake. Should have kept right on shooting, since all four shots had gone in darn near one hole. Yup, got so rattled the next two were outside the bull. Finally pulled it together and squeezed the last one just in the black. At least I know this is a very accurate 1911, so very pleased.
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S&W Model 41, 22 LR.
The more I shoot this one, the more I like it.
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Since it wears a Burris red dot and it needed no adjustments, didn't mess around shooting close up. Went right to work at 50 yards. Almost kept them all in the black. I'll tighten things up, next time.

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Need to get back to work with the revolvers and the Contenders, but nice to relax with some of these fancy, new-fangled guns that reload themselves. :)

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 6:19 pm
by BigAl52
Those are some nice Targets NCG as always. The DW is a great looking 1911. Glad someone can get into the semi autos these days I'm having issues with even wanting to get one out for the time being.

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 7:08 pm
by RanchRoper
Good looking guns and targets.

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:11 pm
by RetiredSeabee
Glad you can get out and shoot for me in the summer time. It is just too dang hot down here.
As always beautiful guns and targets.

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 9:10 pm
by BrokenolMarine
Great shooting as always. I am oft reminded reading your posts, that I am a slacker. ;)
I really need to get out on the range. WE have been preoccupied with other things, so I haven't had a chance to shoot, nor fish. :cry: It's really been too hot for both. I am hoping to knock out both in the next couple days. :D

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:40 pm
by JEBar
tip of my cap .... 50 yards, off hand, exceptional 8-)

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 11:33 pm
by RanchRoper
I may just try some 50 yd shooting with my pistol tomorrow.

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 11:41 pm
by JEBar
RanchRoper wrote:
Fri Jul 26, 2019 11:33 pm
I may just try some 50 yd shooting with my pistol tomorrow.

you'll have an edge in being able to see the holes in your targets ... :D

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 12:06 am
by RanchRoper
Ya that's cheating...

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:41 am
by bandit1250
Two fine looking hand guns and great shooting as always. I see a lot of hand gun shooters at our range who probably couldn't keep all their shots at 50 yds. on their target backing let alone in the target and that maybe includes me. :shock: :oops: :lol: I would maybe start practicing off hand at 50 yds. shooting a hand gun using a garbage can lid for my target. Now everyone here knows why I am not a hand gun guy. ;)

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:51 am
by markiver54
Really nice pistols and really great shooting...very impressive NCG!

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:19 am
by North Country Gal
Thanks, everyone, for the nice comments.

I know that shooting handguns at 50 yards or even 25 yards has gone out of style, so to speak, what with the currently heavy emphasis on self-defense shooting. Self-defense shooting at 3 yards or 7 yards or 10 yards is certainly important, but my background in hand gun shooting goes all the way back to my first years using handguns for hunting and, later, shooting silhouette, which is a sport originally conceived as a way to practice for hunting. With that in mind, 50 yards would be a relatively close shot, with 25 yards being up close and personal. :)

Have to say, though, that my breed of handgun shooter is going extinct. Handgun hunting and pistol/rifle silhouette are ghosts of their former selves as far as popularity, now. Don't think they'll ever come back in popularity to match their peak years in the 70s and 80s. When buying handguns for self-defense in the 90s and the action shooting sports that kind of handgun shooting generated, handgun hunting and silhouette faded in popularity, fast.

Yup, I'm a dinosaur when it comes to handgun shooting, but it's in my blood and will always beg even though I no longer hunt or shoot silhouette.

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 11:02 am
by markiver54
I can definitely relate to what you're saying.
When I bought my first and only semi auto, ( Springfield Armory XDS ) for SD purposes, I was a bit ignorant about what to expect.
Took it to the local indoor range and ran my target out to 25 yards right off the bat. Needless to say, I was on paper, but barely!
Disappointment set in. Then I realized that these are intended for, that " up close and personal " situation, in the unlikely event I need it.
I guess I have some old school in me also because I enjoy longer range accuracy from any firearm I'm shooting. Will save the 9 for its intended purpose and bring those targets in closer. :roll:

Re: Summer heat with some semi-auto action.

Posted: Sat Jul 27, 2019 11:57 am
by Mags
That PM9 is a very nice looking/shooting handgun! I once tried longer range shooting with my Uberti Revolver. Last time I shot it, we were wrapping up for the day our long gun shooting, so thought I'd try shooting the revolver at the 50 yd targets. I think I landed maybe 2 out of 40 bullets on the 4x8 plywood backstop. Maybe half the 40 went into the dirt in front, the rest into the dirt behind and to the side. Clearly need more practice :mrgreen: