Longer range carry gun

W

walks with gun

New member
For many years I've carried a four inch sometimes three inch revolver or some form of 1911, but do to health reasons I've been thinking I'm going to maybe go with something much lighter. I wish I could be happy with a little pocket 380 or 38spl but always feel the need for something more accurate and capable of making regular good hits at 40-60 yards if necessary. Rural farm type area, I've had more trouble with feral dogs and critters than anything else but there is still no shortage of meth heads in the area. Anyone one else make their regular carry option on the possibility of the occasional longer shot.
 
I picked my six inch revolver because of the longer sight radius. I carry it because it is the gun with which I am most comfortable. I didn't buy as a carry gun but as a side arm when in the woods. Since I bought it I have carried it, practiced with it and competed in Hunter's Pistol Silhouette successfully.

A long shot for me would be out past 100 yards and if they are that far away they present no immediate danger. For four legged pests you might want to consider a carbine, though it is heavier than a handgun you can carry it over your back on a sling and the muzzle down. It can be swung into shooting position very quickly with your weak arm with your strong arm taking a natural set at the action.
 
Years ago, I lived and worked part time part time on a small ranch, The owner had a restraining order against her ex husband who had shot some holes around the house with the grandkids in it. He got a felony out of it but never had to serve any time, was not allowed to come within a half mile of the property or make contact with anyone who lived or worked there. We would often see his truck slowly driving by and he would often park and watch through binoculars or just drive up and sit, fences were cut, one stud horse was killed and he made many threats against everyone. Sheriff was called several times but he was always gone before the got there and never had a gun on him when he was stopped. It was always a friend or his boy driving the truck supposedly and was never him breaking the restraining order. A couple of the deputies told me to try to stay out of sight and go armed which I did anyway, my 1911 most of the time but when stringing and repairing fences or other work out in the open,I carried a four inch model 29 Smith. Pretty hard to carry a long gun when actually working, but did keep one in the truck or close by if possible. Eventually she had enough, sold out and moved away. This is the second ranch I worked on where dumb stuff happened, I always liked to carry a short gun, out of the way but could at least give me some protection against a rifle. Now I'm much older and try to stay away from troubled messes, but you never know.
 
I just read an article about a cop who had to make an 80 yard shot at a carjacker and murderer who was running obliquely from his position. He downed him with a hit in the femur on the second shot from a 1911 govt model.

If I considered that type of shot a need, I'd want something with a flat trajectory like .357 Sig or 38 Super. I'd also want a long barrel and sight radius, like a 1911. I'd also practice longs shots a lot and get very confident in my ability to do so on demand. That last bit is the tricky part.

I think you'd have a big problem on your hands if you shot someone at 40-60 yards' range.
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You might have big problems if someone was shooting at you from 40-60 yards away. If you were able to counter fire and make a hit, you may have more problems in court depending on the whim of the prosecutor. Either way it can end up being big trouble for you, assuming you survive.
 
That's true - let's get back to that focus. There have been long range successful pistol shots with normal sized carry guns. No guarantee though.

Practice is what is what the doctor ordered.
 
When I am hunting, I go to the 610 (10mm) or .41Mag Revolver. I can ring 12" plates first shot at 100 yards with either. I have tried it with auto-pistols and while my hit percent is decent with 5" guns, not always getting first shot hits. The HG is the backup, not primary, when I am hunting.

But to answer your actual question, no. I stick with small 9mms for primary when in the Urban areas. I always try to have a long gun handy in some form or another closeby.
 
I think a lot of people dont realize just how far things are out in the world. They seem to base thier skills on what they do at the range, at targets of a known distance, and those are usually pretty close/short.

50 yards sounds like a long shot, when in reality, in many places, its simply one end of a supermarket isle to the other. Across the front of our local Walmart is close to 100.

I know its popular these days for many on these types of forums to chastise anyone who believes they have a duty to help if they can, and I suppose it must be a difference in generations and how we were brought up, but there was a time people actually looked out for each other, even total strangers, and did what they felt was right, if they could. Im not talking about looking for trouble, not in the least. Im talking about seeing something bad going down, and having the means to stop something like a mass shooting, etc, instead of running away, because the internet law experts tell you, you have to run away, or youll get in trouble. Sad state of affairs these days I think, but I guess it is what it is.

If you choose to carry a gun, consider that you may need to deal with something that is more than arms length away, and if youre not capable of dealing with things that really are "realistic" distances, I think you need to ask yourself why. If you feel the need to carry a gun, then why not carry as realistic a gun as possible, and be proficient with it?
 
Anyone one else make their regular carry option on the possibility of the occasional longer shot.
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The size of the gun is the least of it.
Just practice with whatever you have and prefer to carry.
If you can shoot longer distance with a larger gun, there's no reason you can't with a smaller one.
It might be easier with the bigger one, but the guns are accurate enough.
 
The size of the gun is the least of it.
Just practice with whatever you have and prefer to carry.
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A lot of folks can be surprised at how accurate a 45 ACP in 1911 can be at 80-100 yds.
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I've been reading a lot of Massad Ayoob lately so I apologize for what seems like an Ayoob anecdote in every post. However, on this topic I read one of his commentaries about a group of cops under fire by a man with a .303 rifle about 100 yards away more or less. One of the cops was a match champion and took careful aim with his 1911 to dispatch the rifleman. He missed with all 7 shots. After the dust settled they found all seven .45 holes in a tight group in the door header right above where the badguy was standing. It turns out that he over estimated the drop that 45ACP would have at 100 yards and aimed too high.

The moral of that story is that handguns can have longer range than you think, but will only be as effective as your practice with them.
 
40-60 yards isn't a self-defence distance even for a part time cowboy.
"...The owner had a restraining order..." Not you. You'd have been a Third Party. Would have created all kinds of legal issues for you.
Your 4" M29 would do nicely just the same, but as mentioned not if you didn't practice at those distances. A .25 ACP will go right through a 2 x 4 at 100 yards. Hold over was something like 6 feet though.
 
If someone starts shooting at me even if they are 100yds away and I can see who it is, I'm going to return fire, no cover to get behind and in the middle of no where. The owner told me I was also covered by this restraining order since I was working and living on the ranch, and often was the only person there. I used to shoot varmint silhouette's at 75-100 yards with handguns, so that's why I opted for the Smith 29 while working and my 1911 for coming and going to and fro. Still shoot steel out to 60 yards for a little extra practice. I'm sure as heck not going to wait for someone who is already shooting at you to get up to 7 yards before returning fire. Pretty sure there is no rules about having to measure out a distance before defending yourself as long as no one else can be harmed.
 
A 1911 in .38 super is a flat shooting long range pistol for sure, and a light -weight commander makes a dandy carry piece, with most of the long range potential of the 5"1911. A model 19 S&W is also a great carry, and with .357's, has plenty of range. An "N" frame is dang near a horse pistol by today's standards. I still use several, just not for everyday carry.
 
If someone is shooting at you they are a threat and it is within the right and responsibility of anyone to defend himself. 100 yards is at the outer edge of what I would use my 357 for without a rest (I don't know how a rest would affect my shooting - never have used one) but I can easily hit a man at that range. I would feel better about the lethality of my aim at 75 yards because I have hunted with it at that range. I have only shot Hunter's Pistol silhouette out to 100 yards with near 99% knock-down, but you can knock a ram down by hitting in the rump or snout. I would prefer to use a rifle farther than 75 yards but it is not a necessity.
 
I discovered the SW9 several years ago and find it to be a great carry gun. If I am going to carry a gun I want to know what it is capable of though. I've found that my SW9 is capable of groups maybe 12-15 inches in size at 100 yards so I know that if I have to use it at that distance it can deliver. My standard position though is if there is a problem 100-200 yards away I am going to do my best to leave the area. If the problem chases me then I know what I have to deal with it.

Rick H.
 
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