Author Topic: Lets Try Again (Read 1752 times)

MePlat · « **on:** May 08, 2007, 04:14:19 AM »

What did i do wrong on these two targets shot back to back with my Blackhawk 45 colt?

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2007, 04:18:50 AM »

The primary thing I see is that you used the wrong folkss to host the pics so we can't see them. Try www.myhostedpics.com

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2007, 07:59:53 AM »

100 yards off hand with a 4 5/8 inch barrel, I would say nothing, you may just need a little more practice to be more consistent. JMHO.

fowler · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2007, 08:49:29 AM »

Ross Seyfried and many other have always said that 1" for every 10 yards is pretty good shooting so a 7" group off hand at 100 yards is in the holly crap area and 12" is not too shabby. I would say just shoot a few dozen more and see if you can maintain those group sizes. The other thing for me is getting a target that I can see very precisely for aiming and I sure can not tell what you were aiming at, maybe that would help.

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2007, 10:24:48 AM »

I agree, try a 1" or 2" orange dot and see if your groups don't shrink a bit. This is far better than I can shoot. Hunting at 100 yrds with a handgun demands a rest anyway except for those VERY few talented individuals (whom I hate with a passion

) so you are doing just fine as far as I'm concerned.

swampthing · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2007, 02:38:33 PM »

I would try it off a rest to see just how accurate the load is. Looks like it's fine, but you never know. 75% of the grip is with the weak hand and the rest is just grasping with the trigger hand.
Don't fight the gun with a death grip, just let it roll.
If your hunting with it just make sure you don't rusty.

safari · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2007, 04:12:12 PM »

I agree, the only thing you need to improve on is technique, with that 4 5/8 Ruger you need to have a consistent grip and a consistent follow through to the recoil. I've done alot of 100yd handgunning, when I was a kid we'd use empty oil cans at 50 and 100yds as targets, and hit them 6 out of 6 times with a 5" Colt Trooper .357, and if we were feeling ambitious we'd use smaller STP cans or pop cans at 100 yds. To this day, when I work up a load for a .44 or .45 or even .357 for that matter, I always use the "minute of oilcan" group, If I can hit an oil can (or oil bottle these days) at 50 and 100yds at least 5 out of 6 times offhand, it's good enough for me. Any more accurate than that, you need something with a scope on it, a good rest, paper targets, etc.

Graybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2007, 04:25:37 PM »

I totally disagree with Dusty's recommendation. While the old adage about aiming small and missing small seems logical in the case of long range shooting I've not necessarily found it to be so unless you're using high magnification optics.

In my experience you'll get your best accuracy when you match the size of your target to the size of your aiming point. Use an aiming point the same width as your front sight appears at that range and you'll see groups shrink.

Some of the smallest groups I've ever turned in with a handgun were shot using a Leupold 2X scope on a TC Contender in 7-30 Waters. At 250 yards I was turning in groups of 1.5" to 2" regularly. I sized my aiming point to coincide with the size of the crosshairs in that scope and any minute aiming error was immediately noticeable.

jhalcott · « **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2007, 04:41:59 PM »

What ever you did ,the evil perp would have been ventilated! I think gray beard's right about the aiming point. Try it and see for your self.

MePlat · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2007, 05:47:53 PM »

By the way those targets were shot using iron sights I forgot to add that.

MePlat · « **Reply #10 on:** May 09, 2007, 12:24:00 AM »

What kind of aiming point should I use to help me tighten up my groups. Guys give some ideas.

Mikey · « **Reply #11 on:** May 09, 2007, 01:39:44 AM »

Metplat: I really do not see much to complain about, but I also do not see your aiming point......... I would take Greybeard's advice on sizing your aiming point for a consistent sight picture. We used to use that technique when preparing for handgun metallic silhouette and it worked very well - even with 4" bbls.

If you are using open sights you may wish to see whether a 6 or 8" round or even square target matches your front sight at 100m. A square target will, or should sit square on the top of your front sight (picture) and may not be the best for your sight picture. A round target may give enough contrast to the square sight blade so you can 'center' it on your front sight for a consistent sight picture. JMTCW. Mikey.

gypsyman · « **Reply #12 on:** May 09, 2007, 02:09:10 AM »

MePlat, here is my .02 worth. And I'll be the first to tell you, it wasn't me that was this smart. My partner in the sight business figured this out 20 years ago. First thing we have to do, is go back to 7th or 8th grade art class. The color spectrum. The color black is the absence of all colors, and the color white is the presence of all colors. Therefore, when your looking downrange at a target, a target that is black,especially flat black, your eyes will see the true size of the target, as any other color will, in effect, glow, and you'll be fooled into thinking of how big the target is.(kinda like a mirage) Now, here comes the tricky part. The background!! You don't want a white background. As it will glow, so to speak, around the target. So you'll want to use an opaque color, such as gray, light blue, lavender, or my favorite,light pink, or yellow.(must be the feminine genes in me) If your sighting down range, and the target is a bullseye,(circle) set the target on the front sight, so it looks like a lollypop on a stick. You don't want to lose the top of the front sight in the target. Since everybody's eye's see things different, you might want to try a diamond shape, and shoot at one of the points. The rest is practice, practice, practice. Good Luck!! We keep trying peace, it usually doesn't work!! Remember (12/7/41)(9/11/01) gypsyman

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #13 on:** May 09, 2007, 04:35:07 AM »

GB, that's interesting what you say about the "aiming point". I'd never thought of that, I'll give it a try.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #14 on:** May 09, 2007, 07:05:33 AM »

I agree with bill. If im shooting a sixgun at a 100 yards off hand at a small target on a piece of paper im lucky to hit the paper but if you put a coffee can out there all nail it all day long. I think what a lot of it is is a guy consentrates to hard at small targets at long range and you dont let your instincts take control of your trigger control. you wait to long trying to be perfect when your mind allready knows before you do when you should be shooting.

MePlat · « **Reply #15 on:** May 10, 2007, 12:49:26 AM »

Thanks for the replies. I will try some of the suggestions and see if I can tighten up my groups.
What accuracy goal should I be shooting for offhand for six shots at 100 yards using iron sights and a 4 5/8 incher?

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2007, 05:11:03 AM »

if you can hit a paper plate 100 percent of the time your a better shot them me.

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #17 on:** May 10, 2007, 07:50:05 AM »

Paper plates come in a variety of sizes but if you can hit the biggest one available 100% of the time then don't look back!

fowler · « **Reply #18 on:** May 11, 2007, 07:52:56 AM »

I'm looking for the paper plates the size or 55 gallon trash can lids!!!

SingleShotShorty · « **Reply #19 on:** May 11, 2007, 03:41:54 PM »

My favorite target @ 100 yards (just for Fun) is cheap soda pop in cans, sure makes it interesting

MePlat · « **Reply #20 on:** May 11, 2007, 03:43:48 PM »

I'm assuming you can hit these cans offhand on a regular basis right?

jpsmith1 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 11, 2007, 03:55:03 PM »

On the aiming point thing, I have to agree with graybeard, but for a reason that I don't think has been mentioned. I don't know about the rest of you, but actually SEEING a 1" dot at 100 yards over open sights violates the first rule of sight alignment, doesn't it. I was always taught to concentrate on teh front sight as I squeezed the trigger. By focusing on the front sight, the target blurs, eliminating any precision that could be bought by a smaller aiming point. A larger aiming point, one that matches the width of the front sight, makes sense.

MePlat · « **Reply #22 on:** May 11, 2007, 03:56:37 PM »

You sir are one many many few that even understands that.

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #23 on:** May 11, 2007, 04:41:38 PM »

Intellectual giants walk among us!!

MePlat · « **Reply #24 on:** May 11, 2007, 04:44:40 PM »

Dusty, are you agreeing with jp and me, making fun of us or just don't know?

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #25 on:** May 12, 2007, 01:30:30 AM »

My take on this thread is, if I plan on shooting at 100 yards, be it paper or animal, I will have a scope and a good rest. When I shoot with open sights and offhand, I have a self imposed limitation of 50 yards. Like I said above, you are doing very well at 100 yards with open sights and off hand. I don't think you could ask for much more.

Yes at 100 yards a 1 inch circle is almost impossible to see if you are focusing on the front sight and blurring out the target.

SingleShotShorty · « **Reply #26 on:** May 14, 2007, 09:15:48 AM »

Quote from: MePlat on May 11, 2007, 03:43:48 PM

I'm assuming you can hit these cans offhand on a regular basis right?

After about 4 or 5 shots to see just how its shooting, I can hit pop cans on a fairly consistent basis with my 44 mag I will say that I'm no where near good enough to hit them every shot but it sure is fun.