Handgun accuracy?? How determined?

...the reason I initially shoot a new to me gun or load from a rest is to determine the baseline capability of the gun and ammo I'm using.
Click to expand...
I do see value added in trying to find a load that the gun likes. The one time I did some rested pistol shooting, I found that the gun had definite ammo preferences.

Still, I keep coming back to the thought that if I can't see any differences when I'm shooting the gun from a normal shooting position/hold, it's hard to justify the effort spent to find a load that doesn't actually make any difference downrange when I'm shooting the way I actually intend to use the pistol.
 
RIDE-RED I believe at you and I are on the same page in the same book.

Some may question my method of range testing handloads but it works well for me. I can generally tell if a load is going to work or be accurate with just a few rounds of the first workup load. Then generally a load will tighten up as the load increases before it starts falling off again. And yes I can generally tell this while shooting off handed at 7-10yds.

I recently had one load that I knew within 10 shots that it was never going to work. I shot out those that I had loaded and then dropped that load from my book. This may not work for anyone but me but I am happy with the results I get.
 
Also, if I rest my wrists or forearms on a bag, the muscles and tendons move with finger movement and it throws me off. Maybe I'm doing it wrong.
 
The difference is that I use a 6 o'clock hold with fixed-sight handguns, while my brother uses a bullseye hold.
Click to expand...

Not that it matters, but I've always used the terms the opposite way. The 6 O'clock hold is the one bullseye shooters use. Putting the bullseye on top of the front sight makes the position easier to see then trying to put the black front sight right in the center of the black bullseye on the target, plus the black bullseye is a known size at a known distance, so its easy to regulate the sights to hit the center of the target with the top of the front sight on the bottom edge of the bullseye.

Generally speaking, I shoot from a rested position when I want to know what my gun and ammo can do, and an unrested position when I want to see what I can do with my gun and ammo.

I do shoot long barrel Contenders with the gun rested, which is the same as I would do in the field, if possible.

Others I shoot from a rest, with my forearms rested, and the gun held free in my hands. (DO allow enough room for recoil in larger calibers. Trust me, you DON'T want a hard recoiling .44 pinching your hands between it and the rest! :eek:)

The "classic" standard of handgun accuracy (for semis & revolvers) is 2-2.5" groups at 25yds. (and just FYI, shooting a .44 or .45, that can be one ragged hole. :D)
 
Just went to range yesterday with a friend from another forum. Got a chance to shoot a couple of his 45's. Great fun!
 
I've gotten to the point where there is little to no difference between shooting freestanding and shooting from a rest.
I will have more fliers freestanding though.
 
Inherent accuracy is usually measured from a ransom rest at 7, 15, & 25 yards.

Whenever *I* talk about my accuracy with handguns, it's always off-hand from one of the more traditional stances: weaver; modified weaver/fighting; & even isosceles. Accuracy for me is usually 1-1.5", 4", & 7-10" for 7, 15, & 25 yards, respectively.

Then you got folks who say that they can do 2" groups at 25 yards and never mention that they are shooting from a bench. ;)
 
Onward you are much more proficient than I am with those numbers.

At 7yds I'm happy with a fist size, 12yds is fingers spread, 25yds is a paper plate. But then these old shaky hands and eyes are hard to focus some days! Also seem to do better outside in natural sunlight and indoors under lights.
 
Onward Allusion said:
Inherent accuracy is usually measured from a ransom rest at 7, 15, & 25 yards.
Click to expand...

The Ransom Rest data I'm aware of with handguns is at 25 and 50 yards. 25 yards is standard. 50 yards is generally with Bullseye guns.

Where have you seen Ransom Rest results at 7 and 15 yards?
 
I don't know what a Ransom Rest is. When I talk about shooting with a rest, it is improvised with a sandbag or something similar. And then there are improvised in the field rested shooting positions, knees while sitting in my turkey chair, shooting stick, that sort of thing. My best so far using my knees from the turkey chair is a paper plate size group at 50yds with my S&W 629 Classic with 6.5"bbl and fiber optic front sight. I really don't know how I can improve much on that this side of going with a scope. Still working on getting there with the shooting stick..The big sights really make that sight picture tricky to duplicate at 50yds and I only expect that to get trickier as my eyes are going to be turning 40 years old in a couple of months. Reading glasses are just around the corner from me, I've noticed it working with small carburetor parts lately... :(
 
I use a supported hold when I want to know the accuracy of a round or pistol. Ideally it is a forearm support like sand bags or padded wood block. When hunting with a handgun it was usually a tree or the top of a knoll. I do shoot targets standing and either a one or two hand hold. My pistol and ammo is more accurate than I am but 1 to 1-1/2 inch groups are not hard at 25 yards with my 357s. My 45 is less accurate than I am but it is a short barreled single shot with a 3" chamber to hold 410 shells. With 45 olts I can keep them mostly on the paper and with 410 slugs I can keep them in a 5" group at 25 yards. But it is really a neck gun. Press it into the neck of the guy trying to kill you and pull the trigger.
 
I shoot target using only what I will have in the field. Kind
of defeats the purpose, to shoot really accurate at the range, then
shoot for crap, in the real world.
 
Where have you seen Ransom Rest results at 7 and 15 yards?
Click to expand...

While 25 yards is definitely more common, I've run across more than a few articles on 7, 10 & 15 yards for snubbies, pocket pistols, & shorter barrel pistols.

http://www.personaldefenseworld.com...-millennium-g2/#taurus-pt-111-millennium-g2-1 "Accuracy testing was conducted from 15 yards by firing a series of five-shot groups off an MTM K-Zone rest with 9mm factory ammo loaded with four different bullet weights. "

http://www.handgunsmag.com/reviews/smith-wessons-ported-mp-shield-in-9mm-and-40/ "Accuracy results are the averages of three five-shot groups fired at 15 yards from a sandbag rest.
 
Onward Allusion said:
While 25 yards is definitely more common, I've run across more than a few articles on 7, 10 & 15 yards for snubbies, pocket pistols, & shorter barrel pistols.

http://www.personaldefenseworld.com...-millennium-g2/#taurus-pt-111-millennium-g2-1 "Accuracy testing was conducted from 15 yards by firing a series of five-shot groups off an MTM K-Zone rest with 9mm factory ammo loaded with four different bullet weights. "

http://www.handgunsmag.com/reviews/smith-wessons-ported-mp-shield-in-9mm-and-40/ "Accuracy results are the averages of three five-shot groups fired at 15 yards from a sandbag rest.
Click to expand...

The articles you show tested guns from a MTM K-Zone or sandbag rest, but not from a Ransom Rest, which you previously claimed in post #28.
 
i have always sighted in a handgun by using q two-hand hold and resting the wrists on sandbags. I make sure no part of the gun itself or the grips touches the sandbag(s) or bench. This has worked for me and switching to off hand (one hand) or two hand shooting from a standing position does not change the POI.

Jim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top