Long Range Handgunning
- Thread starter triggerhappy2006
- Start date
HungryHunter
New member
I saw Mr. Munden hit a small metal silhouette at 200 meters with a snubnose .38 and wadcutters. It was on a clip of Impossible Shots, on Shooting USA I think. Which pretty much means I was as good as there... 
Yeah right, I wish.
Yeah right, I wish.newfrontier45
Moderator
So who exactly are you calling a liar?
A snarky comment, calling folks liars that you dont know. Your freinds told you they couldn't do what some have posted, or are you just assuming they'd say that from knowing them well and shooting with them, or using them to back up a comment without their actual thoughts on the matter or if they could do what your saying they can't? Just curious.
It isn't unusual for some to question others when longer range comes up. Simply having never seen it or knowing anyone that can do certain things is honest questioning, though it often comes down to "I tried it once, I can't do it and don't know anyone that can, so anyone that says they can must be lying". I know guys can regularly hit things thrown in the air. I cant do it regularly, but certainly believe those that can, including those that have been able to shoot through the hole in a washer thrown in the air (and can put tape over the hole to prove it). One of Bill Jordans exibition stunts was throwing 5 asprin tablets in the air and hitting them with his Smith 19 drawn from a holster. Because I can't do it, and probably most world class shots can't, doesn't mean nobody can. Some kid in a cornfield in Kansas may well be able to do it consistantly with his heritage rough rider. That also doesn't make him a world class shot in some formal discipline, but let's not diminish what he's become capable of either.
Back on topic, what I've done is pretty rough shooting, banging away with carry guns are largish targets. Some of the comments here have made me want an XP, a type of gun I was never attracted to. Sounds like a heckofalot of fun to shoot distance with.
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I recall reading, many years ago, Keith writing (either in Sixguns, or one of his articles) about how the .45 Colt would penetrate the weathered 1 inch planking and bury the bullet base flush in the 2x4 frame of an old outhouse, at 700 yards.
Never tested it myself, but if true (and I rather suspect it is) that is enough penetration to create a lethal wound at that distance. Not enough guarantee a humane kill on large game at that distance, in my opinion, but certainly enough for that at half that distance.
I've spent a couple decades plinking at 200yds distance with a 7.5" Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt, mostly offhand. I feel that I could humanely take deer at that range, with that gun and load, under the right conditions. But I wouldn't attempt it, unless my family were starving and that was the only way of feeding them.
The equipment is capable of it, but most shooters are not. With a scoped gun, properly rested, it becomes much simpler, especially with a flatter shooting cartridge. But even then, it is beyond the current capabilities of the majority of handgun shooters.
I believe anyone with decent eye/hand coordination could learn how to do it (provided they had an open mind about it), but the majority of shooters aren't able to put in the time (practice) it takes to gain the skill, and then master it. Long range shooting at fixed targets is fun, but its more of a "let's see if I can" thing than anything else. And, in my opinion, something that shouldn't be done with standard hanguns as a hunting practice.
With a scoped high intensity pistol, a couple hundred yard shot on a standing animal is not at all unreasonable, and many do it successfully every year. With an iron sighted "carry" gun, it's much more difficult, and not something I would advocate as sporting.
Never tested it myself, but if true (and I rather suspect it is) that is enough penetration to create a lethal wound at that distance. Not enough guarantee a humane kill on large game at that distance, in my opinion, but certainly enough for that at half that distance.
I've spent a couple decades plinking at 200yds distance with a 7.5" Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt, mostly offhand. I feel that I could humanely take deer at that range, with that gun and load, under the right conditions. But I wouldn't attempt it, unless my family were starving and that was the only way of feeding them.
The equipment is capable of it, but most shooters are not. With a scoped gun, properly rested, it becomes much simpler, especially with a flatter shooting cartridge. But even then, it is beyond the current capabilities of the majority of handgun shooters.
I believe anyone with decent eye/hand coordination could learn how to do it (provided they had an open mind about it), but the majority of shooters aren't able to put in the time (practice) it takes to gain the skill, and then master it. Long range shooting at fixed targets is fun, but its more of a "let's see if I can" thing than anything else. And, in my opinion, something that shouldn't be done with standard hanguns as a hunting practice.
With a scoped high intensity pistol, a couple hundred yard shot on a standing animal is not at all unreasonable, and many do it successfully every year. With an iron sighted "carry" gun, it's much more difficult, and not something I would advocate as sporting.
I am envious that you have met the best of the best shooters on this planet like Jin Jong-oh and Ralf Schumann who between them have won at least 10 Olympic metals and over half of which were Gold Medals. When you say the best of the best, I can only think these two would be there unless the shooters you are talking about have dominated the Olympics and World level shooting more than these guys. Wow, meeting shooters of that level must have been something. Me, I am just a hack shooter but I have done a little medium to a little longer range shooting. I think I could manage to scare a couple of targets at distance with my old XP. I am sure a knowledgeable person like yourself would ID this caliber without me insulting you by having to list it here. I think it could manage to rainbow out to at least 200 meters.
I agree that most folks with decent eye hand coordination can do things they hadn't ever thought of, or thought possible. When we had the 300 yard plate in Az, many folks would ooh and aah about it, then you could show them how to do it, and they could generally ding it a few times. I've done it with a few folks at my current spot also.
I also agree about the different types of pistols and their practical application in the field regarding distance shooting on game. The modern scoped guns are much more predictable in use than an open sighted carry gun, and more practical as hunting tools. Several of the shots that Keith wrote about, that get lost in the telling, is that the 600 yard shot he took was at a deer already wounded, and they were out of rifle cartridges, he had nothing to lose. He also stated he wouldnt choose to do it, but under the cicumstances, they didnt have many options to finish a wounded deer. Not sporting, and wasn't conceived to be, just a neccesity at the time. His hunting partner was also spotting for him with his rifle scope. I wouldnt choose to "hunt' a deer or other critter at distance with a pistol, but if the situation was similar, I'd be trying it to finish a wounded animal.
Creek Henry
New member
Look in to the 357 Maximum if you want a high velocity gun with less bulk and recoil than the cartoony looking X frames.
Supposedly, a Freedom Arms 353 mag can be lengthened to handle 360DW cartridges but at higher pressure which makes it an ideal long range revolver but I've never held one or seen on in person. It'd be a custom job to be sure..
Supposedly, a Freedom Arms 353 mag can be lengthened to handle 360DW cartridges but at higher pressure which makes it an ideal long range revolver but I've never held one or seen on in person. It'd be a custom job to be sure..