50 yard shot, your 'go-to' handgun?

while it is extreamly unlikely to ever need to make a 50 yard shot in self defense.the skill required to make a 50 yard shot makes 7 yards superfulous.
however the ability to put a shotgun like pattern on a full size sillouette a 7 yards will do nothing to a target at 50 yards.
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It is not always true that being a good long distance target shooter translates into being a good SD shooter.

I am not a great long range shooter. I seldom shoot handguns beyond 30 yards, more often within 20 yards, but I am a pretty darn good shooter from the hip at close range. I practice that method a lot.

A friend of mine that can make amazing long range shots cannot even hit the target at 10 feet without using his sights. :)
 
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I am a pretty darn good shooter from the hip at close range. I practice that method a lot.

A friend of mine that can make amazing long range shots cannot even hit the target at 10 yards without using his sights.
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we can argue details of SD training if thats required,but I thought we were of similar opinions on this matter.
so your pretty darn good from retention well I've never heard retention taught for SD at 10 yards.
so just how good are ya at 10 yards from the hip.
 
so your pretty darn good from retention well I've never heard retention taught for SD at 10 yards.
so just how good are ya at 10 yards from the hip.
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Sorry, meant to say 10 feet for the second part of that post. At 10 feet I can get some pretty good COM hits. I have some target pics somewhere. I will look for them.
 
well in that case I'd say your friend is an extream oddity in the shooting world.
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Yes, he is not the norm. He is one of the exceptions to the rule. It does show that it pays to practice up close as well as long distance. It really is too different disciplines.
 
It does show that it pays to practice up close as well as long distance. It really is too different disciplines.
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absolutly speed and accuracy.
I would think your friend would take less practice to point shoot than it would for you to make similar gains in your precision.
would you agree?
 
I would think your friend would take less practice to point shoot than it would for you to make similar gains in your precision.
would you agree?
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No. I would not agree...but only because he could probably become a good close up shooter more easily than I can become a decent long range target shooter. I just do not have the drive or the discipline. I am too impatient. Plus, I hate scopes and often make fun of my "scope addicted" friends. :)
 
Plus, I hate scopes and often make fun of my "scope addicted" friends.
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I thought we were talking 50 yard with carry guns:confused:
I just got a mental image of a 442 with a 3-9X burris LOL.
and that was kinda my point that point shooting at close range is probably an easier skill to master. For one it does not require good eyesight necessarily.
long range shooting ESP with a short radius iron sighted carry gun it's certianly a factor.
 
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Playboypenguin said:
No. I would not agree...but only because he could probably become a good close up shooter more easily than I can become a decent long range target shooter. I just do not have the drive or the discipline. I am too impatient. Plus, I hate scopes and often make fun of my "scope addicted" friends.
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I'm afraid that describes me, as well. I shoot because I enjoy it, and I like having a skill that could actually help me out if I ever need it (somehow I doubt my harmonica could save my bacon :D).

I shoot fast, accurate, and more typical of defensive shooting than longrange marksmanship. I don't often even try to shoot precision, instead being happy as long as all are in nice groups whereabouts I want them. I challenge myself with various target set-ups with various conditions under which to shoot, not by seeing how many bullets I can put through the same hole at distance X.

And as far as scopes, I always thought they took some of the sport out of shooting, even with rifles. I like iron-sights, though am starting to come around a bit more to optics. Of all of my firearms, I have 1 scoped rifle, which seldom gets fired.
 
I shoot fast, accurate, and more typical of defensive shooting than longrange marksmanship. I don't often even try to shoot precision, instead being happy as long as all are in nice groups whereabouts I want them.
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Same here. I usually only even try for groupings when I am testing a gun. All other times it is "how fast can I unload all the rounds COM?" :)

My idea of "long range" shooting is hitting 6-8" steel spinners at 30 yards or less. That is about as close to precision shooting as I come.
 
All of the skills are valuable.

Absolutely,pounding things down fast up close is a very real skill to have with a handgun. I do practice that some.

A whole lot of folks think the only use for a handgun is whacking people up close,and I take pleasure in showing some of them different.

It is not that I think I have exceptional skills,I don't.I understand sight alignment and trigger control.and I keep my eyes open long enough to call my shot most of the time.Past that,I'm quite ordinary.

I do not ordinarily shoot at a range.I go to wide open ranch land.You can be skepical if you like,but with a little practice,it is fun to pick a rock or a bush way out there on the side of a mountain,and ask someone to spot,and they look at you funny,and say "no way!"

You never make the shot if you don't take the shot!

I don't care if it is my Taurus .44 snubby,a PA-63 ,my Superblackhawk,or a .45 1911.

At 2,3,4,even 5 hundred yards,one can hold all of the blade,ramp and part of the barrel or slide above the rear sight,and almost shoot indirect fire like an old M-79,and surprisingly often,make a dust puff within a few feet of the target.It is nothing but fun. A sneaky trick is to discover a reference aiming point on up the moutain a ways to hold a precise sight picture on.

I also think about anyone with decent bullseye skills and maybe 50 rds of long range practice could fairly often get one or 2 hits on a man size target at 200 yds with a .45 1911.

Not to take anything away from the serious business of SD skills,there is not a thing in the world wrong with getting the same satisfaction from shooting as someone gets when they make a perfect drive with a golf club.

I think it is important to have the skills to be dangerous,but if that is always the image we portray,a lot of general public will be afraid,and will not want you to have a gun.

I think it is important to share with new shooters and the public that shooting can be about skill and fun,also.Like golf.Let them try,and just have fun,without thinking about killing people.

As far as using a gun to protect myself or my loved ones,well.I know what it is to have a scary foe dead at my feet.He had torn a hole in my wife and I bashed him in the face before I killed him.Nose to tail he was 6 foot 6.
It was a bear instead of a human,which is OK with me.Just because I shoot for fun,does not mean I can't take care of myself.
 
HIBC,

+1 to all of that. Some of us who grew up reading Elmer, with access to heavy sixguns and open country to shoot them in, just had to prove it to ourselves that the little cowboy was dealing straight. He was.

PBP,

There ain't a thing wrong with spinners at 30 yards & closer, either. I like to see how close all my handguns will group at 50 yards, and I insist that they shoot to the sights at that distance. But I also do a lot of yank & blast up close, as well as quick shooting at intermediate distances with any firearm I might have to employ in defense of self or others.

I view it as just another tool in the box; different tools for different problems.
 
Thanks,Sarge.
One of the little treasures in my life..
My former spouse and I were visiting a friend of hers in Salmon,ID,and I mentioned Elmers name.She said,Well,you ought to go see him,and she called him.
I got to have a cup of coffee,jaw,and shake hands with the man himself,in his trophy room.
 
Wow, I didn't know the thread went this long.

Here's why I asked. Thinking back to a couple of those mall shootings, the BG was standing around picking off people from a balcony or casually strolling down the walkway.

It got me thinking, if you were huddled in a store somewhere watching all this take place, how well could your carry firearm hit such a target? I picked 50 yards, but they could be 30 or 75 yards.

For example I seriously doubt I could stop the threat with my old J-frame. Just not something I can aim very well with. But my CZ 75 has a much longer sight radius and I have no problem with it at 75 yards or more.
 
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