Shooting Pistols

[BigAl52]

I shoot at about 20 yards most of the time plinking at Clays on a dirt bank. I have an easier time hitting them with revolver than I do semi auto in 9 mm. Each 9 I own has different sight pictures as you would expect but hitting clays on a dirt bank is a pretty good challenge for me anyway. I shot 3 different 9’s today 2 of them were 1911’s. 4 inch Kimber Pro Raptor and SA Ronin full size. I shoot the Ronin a little better than the Kimber. I also took out my 45 today. Kimber Eclipse older model and I was surprised at how well it shot as I dont remember it being that accurate. Both Kimbers are the older guns made in NY. They both ran perfect. Its been a good while since Ive shot 45 and I still like it.

[BigAl52]

Have not shot 9mm in ages. Shooting 45acp, 10mm and now 357 mag at 20 - 30 feet. Have shot 10 and 357 at 25 and 50 yards last outing because no one else was there and I just wanted to see where it would hit. The range where I shoot is basic. No ranger, no metal targets allowed. Dirt backstops at 30 ft, 50 ,100, and 200 yards. Covered shooting area with tables and benches. They also have 2 traps for shooting Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Members get gate combination and you can shoot 9am to dusk.

Is your 10 a semi auto Ernie

[Ernie]

1911 by Magnum Research

[The Wiz]

My .380 Auto/3yds. Subnose .38/3 to 5 yrds. .38 special/9mm 10 to 15 yrds. Beyond that I'm just wasting ammo.

[daytime dave]

My home range is about 25 yds, so that's the max I shoot here. I'll do 1 yd through 25 yds depending what type of plinking I'm doing. I usually shoot at a piece of cardboard with a hand drawn square or circle. I don't shoot much 9mm. Some .45 acp.

[GFK]

I have only one semi-auto: Ruger EC9s. I got it because of color and size. I find its trigger pull lighter than any of my revolvers (in double action mode). So, my groupings have been smaller with it. Yet, I like the simplicity of a revolver: point and pull the trigger. Therefore, I find myself with more revolvers, no need to remember if a round is chambered or safety is off. For home or self defense, it works for me. If I require more rounds, it may not make a difference.

[BigAl52]

Thanks for all the responses and GFK thanks for the info you linked and posted in your responses. Colorado now requires firing a gun with an instructor present to renew CCW. Its a brand new law going into effect soon so Im not sure what the exact program will be. I got a kick out of the comment by Wiz beyond 15 yards Im wasting ammo. I can relate to that Ive wasted plenty

[Hatchdog]

I start out around 10 paces and work backwards to 25 yards where I have the distance measured. I only shoot 9mm and 22lr in pistols. The nines I shoot at bowling pin targets so pretty generous. The 22 I shoot at some spinners, 3” and smaller and one that’s ground squirrel sized. I don’t think I shoot the 22 much further than the 10 paces.

[GFK]

Yes, some states are requiring so-called certification to carry a firearm. I can understand the desire of wanting to ensure safe use. I recall a state trooper expressing to me his concern of a 100 lbs man carrying a 6" .44 mag being over powered by someone and taking his fireman. Yet, the certification seems like a way of tracking who has firearms and where. In this day and time, carrying may not be a bad thing. At least, that is what the trooper told me.

Al, I suspect you will have no problem with the live fire, regardless of the type of handgun you decide to use. Shooting is not new to you. Like riding a bicycle, somethings are second nature.

[North Country Gal]

When shooting for score or group size, I've always done a little better with a semi-auto, but not enough for me to prefer them over a good revolver. I still consider myself to be a revolver shooter when it comes to conventional handguns. That's always been my home base.

When I go to the range to sight in a revolver (or check it for POI if it's a fixed sight revolver), I always start at 16 yards (50 ft). After that, it depends on the revolver size and intended use.

If it's a snubbie or an up close pocket style revolver, I'll keep shooting at that distance or mix in some closer work. If it shows promise, I may even try it at 25 yards, just to see what it can do.

For a full size revolver with at least a 4" barrel, I go to 25 yards, next. This is a distance where I shoot all my medium and large frame revolvers for initial accuracy testing. This is the distance where I rate full size revolvers for accuracy via group size. This is also a practical shooting distance for a woods carry revolver and even a hunting revolver when hunting in heavy cover.

For the long barreled revolvers, 6" or more, I move to 50 yards, next, sometimes even 100 yards if it's a dedicated hunting or silhouette revolver. Yeah, 50 yards or 100 yards with a revolver is pretty nutty by today's standards, but back when I was using a revolver for deer hunting, 50 yards with a revolver was very typical and 100 yards was a long shot, but still doable with the right revolver and a lot of practice. Ranges are even longer in handgun silhouette.

You can tell a lot about a revolver's accuracy potential with these longer distances and many big bore revolvers have a long history of being shot at these distances. This is NOT stunt shooting, by the way. There have been models of revolvers made and designed to be shot at these distances and they are still being made. This kind of shooting just gets overlooked with today's heavy emphasis on self-defense shooting.