Range experience

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Wildshot

New member
When I go to the range, I usually take 3 auto pistols. I have 5. Ruger mark II a Baretta 380, Baretta 9mm. Ruger subcompact 9mm and a Springfield 45. I use to be a terrible shot but with going to the range once and sometimes twice a month, I have improved. Now I am just bad. So today I went to the range and left all the autos at home. About a week ago I bought a S&W 686. I borrowed a Ruger Single six and spent a couple of hours at the range with these 2 revolvers. I put a 100 rounds through the Ruger and 200 through the S&W. (what a fine revolver that is) I cannot believe what I had done. I completely destroyed the center of the target. I have never shot that well. No fliers, every shot near the center. Even when I shot the S&W double action I was near the center. I have no explanation; maybe I am just supposed to be shooting revolvers and not autos. :confused::confused::confused:
 
I like to shoot both but I am more accurate with my revolvers. When I am looking for my best accuracy I always go for the S&W mod 28 6"
 
There's something to be said for revolvers. They're reliable, accurate, and easy to shoot.

Perhaps you should shoot them more?

Not that semi-autos aren't generally accurate. Most are, but sometimes one platform or the other will work better for certain shooters.

I shoot semi-autos fairly well, but I shoot revolvers better. I've also shot more revolvers than semi-autos, and prefer them most of the time.

Daryl
 
It could be that you are using better form with the revolver than with a semi-auto. I find this is generally true with most shooters - especially regarding the grip and trigger finger position. One of the most common mistakes shooters do with a revolver is using the strong (shooting) hand to cock the hammer instead of the support hand when using a two handed grip. Another common mistake with a revolver is a grip that is not high enough. Here is a good clip of Todd Jarrett on some of the aspects of shooting a semi-auto.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50-plo48
 
Sounds to me like maybe you found what platform is most accurate for your style of shooting. Next time you go take the smith and whatever auto you usually shoot best and shoot em side by side to further test the idea.
 
From the little information you posted, it is my guess that you are incorrectly gripping the semi-autos and not using the support hand to aid in control. And speaking of control, the most common mistake of semi auto shooters, since each and every gun has a different trigger break, is to anticipate the break. Could also be improper placement of the trigger finger. Again, too difficult to be sure with the information supplied.

My shooting buddies and I usually shoot both semi autos and revolvers and have equal accuracy with both. We know our guns and we practice trigger control which takes lots of practise with each and every gun.
 
I prefer revolvers but I generally shoot my autos better. I usually shoot my revolvers in double action but in single action I shoot them just as good as any auto. That is any auto except my cousins Sig 226 in 9mm. That thing is the most accurate pistol I have ever put in my hand, I just wish I could afford one right now. Also I might add that I started shooting with revolvers, so moving over to semi-autos made shooting them that much easier. Some shooters will complain about the heavy trigger pull on certain semi-autos, but being used to revolvers it never phases me.
 
I have a safe full (literally) of both revolvers and semi-autos. I shoot some much better than others and top of my list are the 686, 586 and Kimber 1911. My least accurate are my two polymer frame semi-autos: S&W M&P40 and Bul 9mm. Both are fine guns, great self-defense weapons, it's just that the 1911s and medium to large frame revolvers (especially the S&W N frames) "fit" me better.
 
I have some great semi autoes, but I shoot my revolvers more. I picked up a Smith & Wesson 64 a while back as a project gun for IDPA SSR matches. A while back we had the plate rack out at the range. I was just getting ready to put it up when a lady shooter got to the range to practice with her 9mm CZ. I asked her if she would like to shoot the plates while I had them out. She did, and made a couple passes with her 9mm. I handed her my 64 to try. She smoked the plates with it. She shot my K frame revolver way more accurately than her 9mm.

Why did she shoot the revolver better?? My guess would be a way better trigger, probably more accurate, and the grips probably fit her better. I also have the front sight painted with Green Sight Bright, that makes for a very good sight picture.

Bob
 
i've found i shoot better with semi-autos than DA revolvers so far, even a little .25 ACP that shot to point-of-the-opposite-corner-of-the-target. but i do have some single-action revolvers that have yet to be fired by me, and will pick up a double action when i get the chance because i really would like to shoot revolvers better. didn't know revolvers should be cocked with the support hand, will have to try that.
 
swopjan,

If you are using a two handed grip, you want to use your support hand to cock the hammer. This prevents you from changing the grip of your strong hand every time you cock the hammer. Plus, with a revolver grip your support hand thumb goes over your strong hand thumb. You will have to change the position of both hands to cock the hammer of a revolver if you use the strong hand thumb to cock the hammer. Any change in your grip will affect accuracy.

Let's put in a hypothetical situation. You have a wild animal on your property that is chasing your dogs and not acting normal. The wild animal stops chasing the dogs when it sees you. It waits a short time and then comes after you. If you had moved your support hand thumb to cock the hammer, you could still fire in DA if needed if it was a DA revolver. If you had moved your strong hand thumb to cock the hammer, you would be much slower to fire if needed. I know a person where the above did happen. He used a rifle instead of a revolver, but when the wild animal (which happened to be rabid) saw him there was a very short pause before the rabid animal came after him. Thankfully, he was ready and got it with the first shot.
 
I, too, am more consistent with my revolvers in SA mode than with my semi's in SA mode. I get more "flyers" when I shoot my 1911 9mm than when I shoot my S&W 14. This maybe because my S&W 14 has a 6" barrel and has a lighter SA than my 5" 1911.
 
Wildshot,

Question:
Did you shoot the S&W revolver by first thumb cocking the hammer the whole time?

If yes, I suspect you shoot a short movement trigger better versus a long pull trigger action. That is one reason I like the 1911s trigger action.
 
Firing a revolver double action takes more effort than most autos, so I find I pay more attention to good technique when doing it. I think most shooters can gain something by shooting a revolver, it's much easier to learn technique when you can't pop off rounds by touching the trigger, and you're reloading every 5-6 rounds.

Yesterday I went to the range with my friend. I brought my SP-101 and he brought his Sig P229. We fired each other's first, he had never fired any revolver and I hadn't fired a Sig. I put all 8 rounds in the black at ~15 yards. He couldn't hit the paper with the revolver. All 5 shots, no holes.

By the end of the day he was hitting the center, but he never fires his Sig in double action so he'd never learned any kind of trigger control.
 
Mello2u

I started off cocking the gun with each shot for the first 6 rounds then went to DA. The S&W trigger is so smooth that it did not make a difference in my acurracy. The rest of the time , I mixed it up. Lot of fun. :D
 
I have noticed while acting as a extra pair of eye (range office not instructor I watch for safety issues while he tends the class) that very often those with wheel guns take longer and are more carful than the ones with autos about taking a shot. Seems to take about as long to empty a model 10 Smith as a Glock. I've started to wonder if it has something to do with number of round in the gun. Only 6 and they seem more deliberate, 17 and it's oh well I'll do better with the next one. Only my muddled meanderings but kinda makes me think.
 
For most of us - there are some differences in the way we grip and shoot revolvers vs our semi-autos .../ and what's important is that you work out what is best for you ...and quickest, and consistent, etc.

I tend to work on my revolvers as kind of a set of drills ....( all S&W) ...I will stay with K frames for awhile - and just one holster. Working on my draw - and how the gun comes up and level ...and double taps, and triple taps and some reloads. I might start with a .22 like a model 18 / then a model 19 in ( some .38's ) and some .357 mag ...and then go to an N frame (change holsters) and a model 27 or something ...maybe 100 rds thru each gun ...and then maybe go back to the model 19 in .357 mag ...and 200 rds to finish up. I'll do some slow fire ( so you can cover the spot with a 50 cent piece ) and some rapid fire double taps - in and out of holster - etc...keeping them in a 10" circle or so for "tactical accuracy".... and just kind of "groove my in and out of holster / my grip on the gun out of holster / and trigger manipulation in double action...

same thing on semi-autos ...say a 1911 day ....start with a gun in 9mm, then go up to a .45 acp ...back down to a 9mm maybe ...get into a groove.

Check out some books ( Brian Enos, Tactical books, etc ) - on revolver grips / semi-auto grips ...and work out what works the best for you. Put a timer on it ... play some mental games ...like double taps, reload, double taps / maybe using playing cards - and a A, K, Q -- and turn over the card that is a "no shoot" ...double tap the other two ..reload ---double tap them again...
 
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