[mikeg1005]

Alright, its about time I ask this question because I cannot figure out if I'm doing good or bad....

Out of a GP100, 6" barrel... 357mag brass, 148gr DEWC, 3.0gr bullseye.

I found this load to be dead accurate at close range.. I can put 6 rounds in a quarter all day long.

Now... at 25yds....

I'm putting 12 rounds in a 6" diameter circle... (whatever a normal 25yd slow fire pistol target is that has a ~2" dia orange center)

I can stick approx 50-60% of the rounds within 3-4" dia.

This is shooting free hand(two hands) Probably have approx 3000ish rounds of experience w/ the revolver since I bought it... it was my first pistol at when I turned 21 last summer...

From those of you that have been shooting for a while... is this "good/average/bad" Honest opinions here.

Because I keep reading about guys that test their loads at 25yds and they are putting down 1.5-2" groups w/ 6 shots. Are they doing free hand or off a bench?

MIke.

 

[Pete D.]

Accurate

The NRA 25 yard slow fire target has a 10 ring that is 1.5" in diameter. The 9 ring is 2.60.
On a good day I can keep 10 shots inside the nine ring (which means that I am going to get some 10s.
That is shooting Bullseye style - standing, one hand unsupported.
That is on a good day.
Shooters in the Master class have to achieve an average of 95 points per ten shots - they can do it a whole lot more often than I can.
High Master shooters average 97.
Pete

 

[zb338]

The guys that are getting one inch groups at 25 yards are mostly shooting
off of the bench. What you are doing is normal for a guy that is fairly new
to the game. It's also fairly normal for some guys that have been shooting
for a long time. Shooting a pistol well requires a lot of practice. Dry firing
every night and wet firing a few times a week will do it for you.

Zeke

 

[mikeg1005]

Haha yup... I figured I needed more practice.

When you say standing, one hand unsupported does that mean you are resting the 2nd one on something or just holding the gun w/ 1???

MIke.

 

[Rocky Raab]

Mike the classic "pistol stance" is holding the gun straight out in one hand, the other hand not touching anything, standing upright. It is VERY difficult to shoot that way accurately - which is why they do it that way in competition.

For an average guy shooting informal targets, you are doing better than most. Honest. I see guys at the range all the time who miss cans and stuff by feet.

Keep shooting; you'll improve gradually if you stick to those mild loads. (Start shooting dragon-slayer rounds and all bets are off!)

 

[gw66]

Here is a link to a site that has a lot of info. for handgun shooting.

http://www.bullseyepistol.com/

 

[forestdavegump]

Do you best and practice what your bad at!

In the middle of the night can or could you under stress hit a paper plate down the hallway at 7-12 yards? Hitting targets are great and fundimentals are everything. We are trying to get people to have marksmanship and confindence running the gun correctly before we move on to having all shots in the ten ring. Zen shooting from Lawman Steven Segal is a great idea, LOL seen that episode?
Another note for us is practice, practice, practice, beacause during a gun fight you will do what you have trained and practiced... only worse

 

[Flat Top]

What I do with every firearm I own. First I work up the most accurate load (for the purpose) that I can...I strive for one holers at 25 with a handgun, and one holers at 100 yards with a rifle. This is all done from the bench. Then, I practice with those same loads off hand, etc. I NEVER shoot what the gun is capable of shooting, but, I CAN shoot accurately enough for whatever purpose I have intended the gun and load to be used for....thats the key. In other words, lets say that you are going to be using this revolver for hunting deer, and you have worked up a nice deer load for the purpose. You have found that off the bench, that deer load will shoot one ragged hole at 25 yards....a 357 Mag can do that! Now, that would tell me that the gun can shoot 2-3", or so, at 50 yards. If off hand, and from "hunting positions", you can hold 3" at 25 yards, and under 6" at 50 yards, you are capable of taking a deer with that load out to that range. If the gun is accurate, and you are young, steady and have good eyes, you can be amazed by your shooting capabilities...as long as the gun is accurate. Shooting an inaccurate gun only serves to frustrate a shooter that is trying to become proficient with a firearm...if the gun is not accurate, you, cannot be accurate. Col Townsend Whelan once said: "Only an accurate rifle...is an interesting rifle", and nothing could be further from the truth!!!!

 

[mikeg1005]

My HD gun is another one, this is mainly my target gun, so as close to the bullseye is the goal for me... just trying to get my 25yd consistant since I can do pretty well out to about 50ft.

Had no idea about the competition shooting w/ one hand.. sounds like it would be a pain w/ a 6" barrel gun.



MIke.

 

[MontyF]

Accuracy is based on the standard you are comparing too or what's required.

Hunting rifles that shoot 2-4 MOA will put loads of meat in the freezer, it's all that required for normal hunting situations.


A varmint rifle with the same accuracy will be missing more than hitting after 100 yards.

A target rifle shooting over MOA is a tomatoe stake.

Shooting offhand at 25 yards and putting eveything in a 6 inch circle isn't outstanding but still better than many with way more experience. Shooting isn't an ability a person's born with, it's honed with time behind the trigger.

 

[recoil junky]

I allus thought 25 yards WAS close range. If'n you kill a squirrel any closer than that, he don't have enuff meat left to go get.

I have a GP161 that will shoot 1" groups at 50 yards. FROM A REST!!! I can shoot about 4" freehand to 50 yards and regularly knock over 9" plates at one hundred. Regularly means probably 75% of the time. IF I PRACTICE.

The way Rocky describes came about from the days of dueling when you stood sideways to offer as little target as possible. This style of shooting is as described below VERY hard to do, but it is fun to try.

As long as there is lead in the air your chances of hitting something increase, hence the 15 round capacities of glocks and any other hicap pistol.

RJ

 

[Pete D.]

Standing, one hand unsupported.
Ron Zins 8 time national pistol champion;

 

[miestro_jerry]

I shoot my S&W 586 Freed hand and achieve 5 shots in a 1 inch area with 357 Magnums at 25 yards. This is the way that pistol and I have shot since the it came home. All the rest of my pistols needed tuned to shoot that well, a few won't shoot that well with me no matter I do.

Generally I try a pistol rest to get my loads tuned to the pistol and the range, then I go free handed.

Jerry

 

[Pete D.]

Nat'l

Jerry: "S&W 586 Freed hand and achieve 5 shots in a 1 inch area with 357 Magnums at 25 yards."

If you can shoot five shots into an inch on a regular basis at 25 yards, I'm going to assume that you could do nearly as well at 50, allowing for normal dispersion.
You should compete. You could be our next national champion.
That type of shooting will yield clean 100 point slowfire targets every time. If you do nearly as well at the sustained fire stages at 25 yards, you'd be the man.
Pete

 

[FredT]

He didn't say anything about sustained fire or 50 yards. Lighten up!

 

[Pete D.]

O

Fred: Sorry that I came across as in need of lightening. When I see or hear of someone who is shooting truly remarkably, I usually encourage them to competition. Too many talented people sit back.
The reference to the longer distance was a necessary extrapolation if, in fact, competition was to be considered.
Pete