Revolver Shooting High at 7 Yards (New ?)

F

Frank D

New member
The Original Post on 18 Sept. resulted in my increasing the bullet velocity to approximately 860 fps, which has put me almost exactly on target at 7 yards.

Several of the replies to the original post suggested that you guys thought that it should be expected that my Revolver/Load combination WOULD shoot high at such short range.

The question that comes to my mind now is:
At what range would you expect the revolver to be "On Target", if in fact the 7 Yards was not an appropriate distance ?
If in fact a greater distance is involved, will thoughts of Trajectory become a part of the reasoning?
Thanks to all for your earlier replies (Especially Bob Wright/44 AMP/Sevens, etc.) your thoughts are duly noted.
By the way, I posted a few photos at the end of my last reply that you might not have seen.
 
If you're dead on at 7 yards, you're probably about 1" high at 25 or 30 yards, and dead on at 45 or so. I would consider that to be entirely satisfactory.
You'll have to shoot it at longer ranges to know exactly what it's doing.
 
Most fixed sight handguns used to be regulated (that's the term the makers used) to shoot center of a bullseye using a six o'clock hold at fifty feet. This using the "standard" load for a particular caliber. Standard was 870 fps w/158 gr. bullet for .38 Special. Back in those days, there wasn't a whole lot of variation of handgun ammunition.

Bob Wright
 
Frank D:

Your photos of you "M1917" brought back some memories. Over fifty years ago I built up this .44 Special from a mail-order Colt New Service .45 Colt:



Gun was converted from .45 Colt to .44 Special, had a S&W rear sight mounted, and a Micro front sight and ramp. Home made walnut stocks.

Bob Wright
 
The problem with answering your question is 1/4" of deviation at 7 yards is almost an inch at 25 yards. For me at 850 fps dead on at 25 is just a smidge low at 7.
 
Bob Wright:
Thanks for responding. Wasn't sure you would see my photos.
The info will help. The photo of your conversion is great. A friend and I are cooperating on a project (It will take awhile). I helped in finding conversion parts for him and he plans to build a convertible .45 ACP/.45 Colt on either a
1917 or a New Service. It's not like it used to be for finding parts or prices, but hopefully it can all be made to happen. Should be great.
All of the replies will help with my project, so thanks to all who responded.
 
While I won't argue with Bob (over this,;)), my memory says the usual distance for regulating fixed sight revolvers was 25yds, with the standard load of the day. That meant 158gr .38s, 230gr .45ACP, 250gr .45 Colt, etc.

If you shot something else (or the same weight at non-standard speed), it was up to you to either aim "off" or modify the sights.

I believe that the Army required the 1917s to be "on target" with 230gr GI ball at 25 yards, but I could be wrong.

Once you change things, of course the original sight heights become essentially meaningless, unless by happy coincidence they happen to be "on target" for a different load at a different range. And that, you only find out by shooting.

Good luck on your project. If we can give any help, or aid the confusion:rolleyes: just ask!
 
What a gun does at 7 yards is not particularly useful, unless you intend to only shoot it at 7 yards.

Take it to 25. I'm not aware of any full-sized service revolvers set from the factory for 7.
Denis
 
At the indoor range where I shoot, several police agencies have requested that a target distance of 7 yards be indicated as a practice and training point for their personnel. (Secret Service, FBI, Local Police, and some Private Security. The thinking that it is a reasonable distance during a 'confrontational'
situation, and the closeness allows for more concentration on sight picture, trigger control, etc.
My thinking, is that if someone accosts me in our small home from a distance of 21 feet, he likely will already be outdoors, and therefore the need for aiming at long distance is eliminated.
 
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