Would it be a waste of ammo to...

P

Pond James Pond

New member
... pitch up at the 100m range with a 4" Redhawk with open sights?

Reason? Just for the hell of it, really...

I think I'd enjoy having a go, but I'd expect to miss a lot.

The question is would I miss them all. Would it be an exercise in futility?

Just a random thought...
 
You might be surprised, pleasantly.

Once a year, another fellow and I pop a few rounds at standard silhouette targets at 100 yards using Gov't Model .45s (part of our "skills retention drills").

Drop is about 13-14 inches, so you use the head for POA and get center mass as POI.

Depending on wind and other things, better than 50% hits on target.
 
+ 1 on the "you may be surprised"; once you figure out the drops at a given range, it can be surprisingly easy to keep all of your shots on target.
 
I rolled a deer that was running acrossed in frount of me with a 44 mag Super Balckhawk. I took another at 135 yrds going away from me at a 1/4 angle. We used to shoot at tin cans from 60 to 80 yrds. and put holes in them, not every time, but quite a bit. I have killed far more deer with my old Super Balckhawk than any other gun I have ever owned.
 
Even if you do miss the target with 90% of your shots, it should still provide some valuable feedback that will let you assess the reason(s) for the misses.

Shooting at short range can hide deficiencies and bad technique that might otherwise be obvious with more distant targets.


A few months ago, I took my Super Blackhawk (.44 Mag) out. I had been doing a lot of short range work with it (7-20 yards), during the previous shooting trips. So, I decided to shoot to about 95 yards.
It was UGLY. :eek:
I was all over the backstop, and didn't put a single round into the 12" target with 20 rounds.
I blamed the revolver. I blamed the ammo. I blamed caffeine.
...until I reassessed what was going on. I realized I had gotten in the habit of improperly aligning the sights, because it was "good enough" at close range. But, at long range, that sloppy sight alignment made it look like I wasn't even bothering to aim at all.

Lack of consistent practice had taken its toll.

It was a very valuable lesson. ;)
 
I do it often and don't consider it a waste of time. I consider it good practice forcing me to use good technique. 22, 38, .357, 9MM, 41 mag, 44 spcl, 44 mag and 45 all reach out there just fine. Only gun that isn't a 4" is the 44 mag.
 
LOL - IHMSA shoots silhouette targets out to 200 meters with centerfire pistols, 100 meters with rimfire pistols,
 
Used to work with a kid that I goaded into trying to hit falling plates at 100yds with his .40 S&W. He went through about 30 rounds or so before he figured out the hold over and then was hitting them about 25% of the time after that. To be honest I didn't think he'd hit it at all but he's actually pretty good pistol shot although I'd never tell him that his head would get too big

Stu.
 
Sounds like fun to me. You can look up the estimated drop on line. That will get you close. It is a great way to practice trigger control and sight alignment. Don't be surprised when you put some of those rounds on target. I wish I was young enough to have eyesight good enough to do this with any pistol I have. I can still shoot center of mass at 25 yards well enough and if I pay attention 50 yards as well. I haven't had an oportunity to try 100 yard shots in several decades.
 
Each and every time that I go out shooting I always work out to a minimum of 100 yards, and most times 125 yards, with handguns.

Sometimes I use clays on the ground, sometimes I put tin cans on sticks and, sometimes I set up a 10 inch gong on a stand.

If you practice this regularly, and adhere to good form, you will be surprised just how often you connect with your target.

(However, I do freely admit to a few "extra holes" in my gong stand; I don't think that they were put there by the manufacturer!!!)

It is very valuable to have a backstop/dirt/snow/etc that allows you to easily see where your misses are going; really need the visual feedback to learn quickly. Kicking up dirt/dust works really well for me.
 
100 yard is a long distance for me. I'd like to know if I was missing were did they go up down right left. That means I'd get a pretty big un-shot target and shoot one shot at a time. After each shot I would walk all the way,....just kidding:D, I'd get a set on binoculars and evaluate each shot to make the adjustment's point of aim.

I like to shoot my snubby .38 (SW 638) at 50 yard at my indoor range, shoot 5 pull in and observe and mark the holes repeat.
 
My favorite revolver is a four inch Redhawk in .44 mag. At 200 yards, I can hit a man sized steel silhouette 4 or 5 out of six times. Yes, they are that accurate.

At 100 yards, I get five out of six onto a small (8 inch) dinner plate with factory sights. You are not wasting your time shooting at that distance. Granted, I am shooting off a bench with a ruck sack as a rest, but it is capable.

In my many years of shooting and teaching others to shoot, the problem is usually flinching. Most modern handguns, especially revolvers, are very accurate. So many shooters flinch. Think about it. When you are a baby what are you afraid of? Loud noises, blunt trauma, and getting dropped on your head.

Have a friend load your cylinder. Have him/her load three dummy rounds and three live rounds but you cannot now when they are coming. Or, place a dime on your front sight an pull the trigger when dry firing. The dime should no fall off.

Elmer Keith could allegedly shoot birds out of the sky with a .44 magnum so he may have mastered it..?
 
When I owned 44 Magnums I shot them at 100 yards and even further fairly often. I've even been know to shoot 357 Mags, 44 Specials and 45 Colts at 100 yards. It would only be a waste of ammo if you don't seriously try to hit what your shooting at.

Dave
 
It's not that far, really. The round will hit and hit accurately at that distance, if you do your part. Spotting scopes help check your hits. Steel is another great target. I've done 100 yard shots with my MK II .22 on rams for 1/2 scale silhouette. (1/2 the size of a high power silhouette--not 1/2 scale rimfire.) I used to plink at 200 yard gongs with my Ruger Blackhawk with some hot SWC .357 loads. That was more miss than hit, but awfully fun. Check out the "high point in my handgun hunting career" post and look at the 175 yard shot that man made. They'll do it.
 
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