Got any . . . don't know about guns stories!

[FrankenMauser]

You have to do a lot of shooting with that Model 60 to be able to consistently hit even a man-sized target out 100 yards.

I think you're short-changing a lot of people with that statement. Some designs work better for certain people. And certain people just seem to have a knack for shooting snubs well.

I couldn't shoot my S&W 642 worth a crap. Self defense distances were okay, but bad enough that I'd rate my performance as "unsatisfactory". The revolver was fine, albeit with 'sights' that are not designed for use by humans. I just couldn't shoot it well.

The LCR that replaced the 642, however...
I had it out on a trip last year. Some slobs had left behind some perforated automotive/RV size fire extinguishers and a few bowling pins. They were 94 yards from our firing line. I had never attempted shooting the LCR at such distances, and figured I'd just see how dumb the idea was.

With the third round fired, I was on target. I ran a few cylinders and held a pretty decent group, with about 50% hits.
On the 5th cylinder, I went 6-for-6* on a bowling pin. ...And packed the LCR away for the day. 'Always end on a high note.'

I have taken the LCR out a few more times since then, and been able to repeat similar performances - the 50/50, not 6-for-6 - on other "distant" targets (75-100 yards).
If I was challenged to pull the revolver out and hit a man-sized target at 100 yards, I would be very confident in a first-round hit and 'guaranteed' if the expectation was just *a* hit from a full cylinder.

With the 642, I never could have done it. But with the LCR, I didn't even know I could do it, until I was just screwing around.


*(.327 Federal LCRs have a capacity of six rounds.)

 

[skywag]

When I was just a boy I took rifle lessons indoor at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland. This was in the early 1950's and the instructor was a Marine. He was probably a drill Sgt. because we were held at tight regiment. We didn't even fire the first few weeks as he made us build loading blocks and had safety lessons. I used my father's Winchester Model 75.

After a few years of this, I got pretty good and had a bunch of NRA marksman's awards.

Fast forward to boot camp, 1967. We had to qualify with the M16. My target had 60 holes all grouped in about a 10" circle. But ALL over the target were strays..............from other shooters left and right of me.

 

[gbclarkson]

But ALL over the target were strays..............from other shooters left and right of me.

Ahhh... memories. When my unit was deploying for Iraq in '02 we discovered the battalion commander, the Lt. Colonel, couldn't shoot straight with his M9. He could not qualify. Not even close. After several failed attempts he magically qualified as an expert. He was actually stunned. How did he go from failing to expert? He profusely thanked the soldier coaching him for his patience and expertise. I wonder if the commander ever discovered the coach's final strategy: give the shooters on the right and left extra ammunition.

 

[FrankenMauser]

I was involved in something like that in late 2005. Air Force.
Similar result, different approach.

I don't remember the exact situation, but arrangements were made for myself and two other guys from my unit to stay at the range with the armorers and instructors after our weapons qualification, because almost everything was shut down for some huge ceremony that took over our side of the base. ...And we wouldn't be able to go anywhere else for 4-6 hours.

We screwed around on the 75 yard range with some of the oddities in the armory, like M16A3s and a couple HK416s. It was nice to play with something other than the usual ratty and worn out M16A2s.

When a small class showed up for their rifle qual session, we shot along side them with A2s, until the instructor asked us if we could "help" two of the students qualify. The rest of the class was gone, and these guys just couldn't get enough hits. (Fuel cell guys. Even more so than us, if they have to start shooting, everyone is already dead, anyway.)

Since this was a 25 yd range with simulated-distance targets, I laughingly suggested that we shoot in 'burst', so it looks more believable and seems like the two of us are still doing our own thing.

The instructor paused for just a split second and then gave us the run-down: "Okay. Here's the deal. We'll run through the standard drill and just let them shoot. Then, once they have gas masks on and can't see for [poop] any more, you guys use burst to light up the first two targets in each sequence. That should be enough, but not too much."

Both students qualified. Both missed the target entirely with their own shots, so many times, that neither had too many holes in the paper.

It was a fun day, even if there was some cheating going on.



(When I returned for my next re-qual about five months later*, the same instructor let me shoot for record in 'burst'. Two holes in the white. The rest in the black. "Expert" in burst. It may be the lowly USAF qualification standard, but I was proud of it. I think I still have the target.)
*Mil-Spec qualification schedule: If you're due in 18 months, you'd better get it done a year early, just to make sure you don't go overdue...

 

[Theohazard]

Went shooting with some friends and one person had their thumb pressed against the back of the slide on a striker fired semiauto pistol.
I was able to stop them before they fired it.

If you press your thumb hard enough, that doesn’t hurt and keeps the breech locked, at least it does on a tilting-barrel locked-breech action. I do that with my suppressed Glock 19 sometimes to make it super quiet. Just press your support thumb firmly against the rear of the slide and it doesn’t unlock at all, and doesn’t hurt. It actually pushes back with less pressure against your thumb than my Mk III does.

 

[Skans]

If you press your thumb hard enough, that doesn’t hurt and keeps the breech locked, at least it does on a tilting-barrel locked-breech action. I do that with my suppressed Glock 19 sometimes to make it super quiet. Just press your support thumb firmly against the rear of the slide and it doesn’t unlock at all, and doesn’t hurt. It actually pushes back with less pressure against your thumb than my Mk III does.
Today 12:49 PM

I have always wanted to do that, but haven't. I figured that if the slide has enough force to break your thumb, then it has enough force to crack the frame. I realize, however, that just isn't how the browning tilt-barrel system works.

 

[Scorch]

Hold it shut, sure. But don't let your thumb get a little bit off the slide. It's kinda like a hammer, as long as it's not moving it won't hurt you.

 

[Theohazard]

Yeah, the key is to keep it from unlocking, then it doesn’t require that much pressure. But if it unlocks and hits your thumb because you weren’t pressing it at the time, that would be bad..