This past February, 2004, I started a monthly Long Range Handgun Shoot at our Rifle Silhouette Range (Sacramento Valley Shooting Club near Sacramento, California). The Rifle Silhouette Range consists of steel animal and bird targets. The Chickens are at 200 meters (220 yards), Pigs at 300 meters, Turkeys at 385 meters and Rams at 500 meters. We shoot on every second Saturday of each month.
We had 4 shooters at the first match. On Saturday, 9/11, we had 12 actual shooters and another 4 people watchin while they are waiting on thier guns. Each shooter will shoot at 10 tartets at each distance for a total of 40 shots at 40 targets. The high score yesterday was 37 out of 40 with an Encore in 6.5 WSSM from Virgin Valley.
However, the top score so far is a 39/40 and shot from a 15" 7-30 Bullberry (AI) Contender. The second highest score was 38/40 with a factory TC Contender 14" 7mmTCU. The 38 score ruled for several months. My highest score is 34/40 with a 7mm TCU factory gun.
Yesterday, I tried something new and used a 308 15" Encore with a JP Howitzer Muzzle Brake(I wouldn't recommend the Brake to anyone) with CAST BULLETS. After shooting the chickens, pigs and turkeys, I was sporting a 20 our of 30 targets and the misses for the most part were shooter error. I switched to a more powder cast bullet load for the Rams and it didn't work well. I only took down 2 out of the 10 Rams. The same load in my 308 CZ Varmiter Rifle will take Rams 8 out of 10 times if I can manage the wind.
Final score was 22/40. It was fun though and my spotter really did a great job with our ever changing wind. At 500 meters, it is not uncommon to have to hold 3 to 6 FEET of wind (either left or right) when shooting cast bullets at lower velocity.
What a kick in the pants to shoot long range with any handgun and cast bullets. I would recommend it for anyone to try.
For the first 30 targets, the load was a Saeco #315 bullet cast from 3 pounds of wheelweights and 1 pound of Linotype and sized to .310 with a gas check. I used 13 grains of IMR SR 7625 powder and it is deadly accurate. For the 500 meter load, I used 27.5 grains of Reloader 7 with the same bullet.
Harold Clark