Author Topic: Practical field accuracy (Read 1534 times)

jpsmith1 · « **on:** October 11, 2006, 01:22:36 PM »

What would you all consider a practical level of field accuracy? I'm shooting a Ruger Bisley with 325gr LFNs and can hold them in a 5 - 5 1/2" circle at about 50 yards. This is from a kneeling postition.

jhalcott · « **Reply #1 on:** October 11, 2006, 02:58:17 PM »

Jp, cut back on the bullet weight and keep the velocity the same,say 1000 to 1100fps and continue practicing. I don't care how good YOU shoot some one will say"NOT GOOD ENOUGH". You sure aren't hunting squirrels with THAT slug,so it may be good for what you are doing. I try to keep ALL my shots on an 8" paper plate at what ever range I think is max for the gun load I'm using. I rarely take an unrested shot.,a tree limb ,backpack or a fence rail will work.Most of my guns are scoped so your 5" group looks great to me.I shot my Ruger 22 auto at 50 yards last week from a sitting position and barely beat you. Of course I"VE got an excuse. I shot 25 45-70 rounds and 30 358JDJ rounds just before that. You may not realize how much the recoil affects you and it is cumulative (builds up). that's why I said cut back on the weight.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #2 on:** October 11, 2006, 11:17:01 PM »

if you can do the same under the pressure of actually shooting something thats fine accuracy for hunting deer and bear at that range.

Quote from: jpsmith1 on October 11, 2006, 01:22:36 PM

What would you all consider a practical level of field accuracy? I'm shooting a Ruger Bisley with 325gr LFNs and can hold them in a 5 - 5 1/2" circle at about 50 yards. This is from a kneeling postition.

jpsmith1 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 11, 2006, 11:52:28 PM »

Thanks, guys. I've drawn an elk tag for PA and plan on taking my 45. That's why I'm shooting heat. I do notice a little flinch developing, so I'm going to change my practice routine. Shoot a cylinder full of 325s then a box of standard .45 SAA level loads. Soon I'll be starting groups of 1 shot at a time fired from leather. Stand, draw and ease into position, fire. Reholster and do again. That seems pretty realistic practice, rather than hammering away.

rickyp · « **Reply #4 on:** October 12, 2006, 02:59:04 AM »

I would say 5.5 " is not bad and may work OK for deer and should be fine for elk, I know a lot of people that think if you can hit a paper plate out to your hunting range you are good enough. For my hunting handguns I like to keep shots in about 4" to give me a nice error of margin

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 12, 2006, 07:17:05 AM »

I would say keep practicing and try to improve a little, but you should be OK. As long as you can do that under field conditions you will do OK.

jro45 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 12, 2006, 08:17:05 AM »

5.5 is pretty good shooting at 50 yds. Have you tried 100 yds?

jpsmith1 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 12, 2006, 01:50:55 PM »

I shot just short of 100 tonight, just because I knew you guys would ask...

Anyway, I put 4 of 6 on an 8"disc. My pistol is still shooting a little left and I didn't have the tiny screwdriver to adjust it. About 3" at 50 yards, and I held off to compensate for a few shots at 100. I'd be willing to bet those were the shots that hit the target. Also, the 4 holes in the longer range target were in a group about the size of my palm.

All of this is from a 'field-expedient' position. My shooting range is pretty informal since the bench got knocked over. I drive my quad out and lay out the ammo on the seat. I shoot from a kneeling position anywhere beyond 30 yards or so.

Gunpacker · « **Reply #8 on:** October 12, 2006, 01:58:38 PM »

Actually, 5 1/2 in from 50 yds is pretty good. However, you should be able to tighten it up a bit by simply resting your hands on a solid rest. That is what you want to do when hunting if possible. This inlcudes the ground. Shooting prone with hands resting on the ground is very stable, but it might be difficult to get a good view from that position.
One thing to consider is that your load might not even be more accurate than that. You should test the load from a VERY stable position to see if it is what you need.

jpsmith1 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 12, 2006, 02:10:21 PM »

I do plan on taking a rest if it is humanly possible. I'm practicing for worst case scenario.

Never dawned on me that the load wasn't accurate. It hits what I point it at and shoots at least as well as I think I can.

jhalcott · « **Reply #10 on:** October 12, 2006, 02:18:16 PM »

I shot a 22 revolter (pun intended) with a RANSOM REST. That gun shot 5 rounds of any ammo I could find into about 6" at 25 yards. It was a Taurus ,Most any gun will do better than that. Some times it IS the load and some times the shooter.

S.B. · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2006, 02:31:07 PM »

jhalcott, by revolter are you saying you dislike wheel guns? I've read some of your articles about hunting with a revolver.

Sverre A. · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2006, 03:01:58 PM »

At the shooting range - with a sitting position at 110 yds - I shoot a 5 shot group within 6".
Standing - it`s all over the target - and that`s mean: Not a position in the field.

Standing at 60 yds. - at a 10" steel-plate - I hit 4 of 5 times.

In the field - I want not to shoot beyond 40 yds in a standing position.

I suppose that you try to get a rest in the field (?).
A branch or a trunk - will make your shots much safer.

My problem is - maybe yours too? - is that I exercise in positions I know I can shoot very well - instead of shooting in standing positions every time.

If you can hit from standing - you have no problems from a sitting position.

In the fields - I shoot a lot better than at the shooting range.

When I discuss this with other hunters - they say that:

If you can`t hit the papertarget - you can`t hit the deer!

(well - they can tell me what they want to tell me - but for me: I shoot a lot better in the fields!)

jpsmith1 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 13, 2006, 12:15:17 AM »

I learned about shooting from practical positions when I went to a shooting competition. I thought I had it locked up. I could tear the 10 ring out of a target with my Bisley, FROM A BENCH!! Standing there on the line with 20 other guys, forced to shoot offhand, I embarrassed myself. I shot just about everything BUT the 10 ring.

Can I say I didn't take it well??

1000 rounds later, not a one shot off the bench, I feel that I'm a bit better shot now. I try to shoot from practical postitions. Kneeing is a quick postion to assume and is quite steady for me. I've also done some practice resting my hands and forearms on something, usually the rack or fender of my ATV as it's the closest thing. That always helps.

Another part of my problem is that I was forced to recently change my grip style. I used to cross my thumbs behind the gun, left over right. A few of the HEAVY rounds let me know that that WASN'T going to work out. I've reposotioned my left hand with the thumb forward and the index finger around the trigger guard. IT HELPS! No more blood.

Coppertop · « **Reply #14 on:** October 13, 2006, 03:30:01 AM »

JPSMITH1

What caliber and bullet weights are/were you shooting that you call HEAVY rounds? I shoot some pretty hefty loads with my thumb over the backstrap (over my right thumb) and don't remember ever having any blood from that?

Just kinda wondering.

jro45 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 13, 2006, 05:09:11 AM »

A few years back I was shooting Selowette at ranges up to 100 metters. I used different handguns and one gun I used was a 44 Mag contender 10" barrel. Shooting at targets that were
about 5" wide and about 15" long [ Rams ] The hardest was the turkeys at 75 metters they were a target about 5"x5"

I got plenty of practice then useing a handgun then.

Its alot of fun!!! Keep up the good shooting.

jhalcott · « **Reply #16 on:** October 13, 2006, 09:35:37 AM »

SB, that gun was a revolter!! Yes I still OCASSIONALLY hunt with a revolver. I generally use a scoped T/C though.I find my accuracy is about gone unless I practice for a month or two before using the revolver.Even scoped The 44 Ruger is less accurate than my contenders???

jpsmith1 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 13, 2006, 10:22:53 AM »

Shooting 300gr SSK and 325 gr LFN bullets with 22 Gr H110 and a magnum cap. I try not to choke the gun as it leads to tremble and, for me at least, wandering sights.

I've also laid off of those loads, leaning on the standard SAA pressure level loads for practice.

Ahab · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2006, 11:35:16 AM »

Standing, two hand hold, 50 yrds. can sometimes do 3-4" groups using 240gr/22gr 2400 with my .44 mag Ruger Bisley. This morning at the range was trying out my new RSR .454 Casull. Using 300Gr XST mags /29 grs 296 got 6-7" groups at the same distance. Any hunting I do with it will be done using some sort of rest as it should hopefully shrink that by half.

Questor · « **Reply #19 on:** October 18, 2006, 04:05:36 AM »

JPsmith:

That's good field accuracy. If you start using a rest, like a day pack or a log, or a hay bale, or a tree trunk, I expect your groups will drop to 2 or 3 inches in deliberate fire at the range.

jpsmith1 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 18, 2006, 01:02:17 PM »

The last time I was able to take live fire practice, I cut a ragged hole with AT LEAST 4 rounds in it. There were 2 rounds missing from the paper and I doubt that I missed completely at 50 yards. There was plenty of room for them to have dissappeared into the hole without a trace. Since I don't use a moveable backer, I can't prove it, but I think it was close to a 1 1/2" group. I'm practicing very intensely to the point of annoying the lady who was foolish enough to marry me. She's almost ready to take my gun away for all the dry-fire practice that I've been doing. She just don't get it...

As I've said before, I do plan on taking a rest. I squeeze a couple of rested round in each session, but I try to keep most of my practice in the 'what's the worst that coule happen' mode. If I'm good enough to handle a worst case scenarion shot then a rested shot should be a cinch.

Train hard, fight easy. Train easy, fight hard.