Author Topic: Ever shoot 50 or 100 yards with a Ruger chambered in 45 colt? (Read 2961 times)

Lee Robinson · « **on:** February 15, 2012, 03:16:13 PM »

If so, what kind of groups could you get at 50 and 100 yards?

tacklebury · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2012, 04:40:10 PM »

With my 5.5" barreled blackhawk, I can consistently get sub 6" groups at 50 yards and at 70 I can still hit the 10x10 gong at my range consistently. I wouldn't push it to 100 yards hunting. If you like scoped handguns, I know a few who extend the blackhawk out to about 120 yards absolute max in .454 mainly. My target loads start running outta gas at about 50 and drop fast.

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2012, 09:30:30 AM »

I am with Tackleberry, when I loaded my .45's with 2400 I shot at a sheet of typewriter paper at 100 yards...Never killed any game at that distance..close, but not that far..Elmer Keith said he had .45 Colt loads that would group 12" at 100 yards..he felt it was accurate enough to kill plenty of game...but few shooters are in Elmer's class...

james · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2012, 10:02:01 AM »

My 5.5" Old model Vaquero will consistently ring the 12" gong at 50 yards. It has no adjustable sights but it shoots to point of aim with 255 gr keith bullets in front of about 8 gr of unique.

Blackhawker · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2012, 10:34:45 AM »

With my 7.5 inch 45 Colt Blackhawk, off a pistol perch at 50 yards I have shot 10 shot stings under 6 inches. One 10 shot group was 4 inches.
I have often times shot prairie dogs at ranges from 75 yards out over 100 yards while just wandering about and shooting off hand.

painted horse · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2012, 11:47:38 AM »

If memory serves me, which it usually doesn't anymore, a 45 colt, 7 1/2in barrel, 300gr bullet (don't remember which one) 1200fps at the muzzle, 3in high at 50, zero at 100, down about 10in at 150. I'm sure theres some variance depending on bullet ie; lead vs jacketed or style, but should be pretty close. At least closer than I can shoot them.....

gcrank1 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2012, 03:29:29 AM »

30ish years ago my shooting buddy and I would regularly shoot pop cans at the 100yd. berm, standing Weaver hold. He had a S&W 29, I first a SBH and then the new redhawk. Yeah, 44M but handloads of 240ish gr homecast bullets with about 9gr, Unique; a ballistic equiv. of the 45C load. The cans would often jump, maybe a close hit or down in front a tad, but jump they did and we would chase them. We never papered the groups out there, just went for practical accuracy. When we picked them up they had holes, though one time one had none and we had moved it around a fair bit.
More recently I have shot my Uberti made Millenium 45C at my current 50yd. home range with 9" hanging clangers. I dont see as well, nor shoot handgun enough to be near as good as I once was, but I have hit enough, and checked the hit splash to confidently say most hits are within a 6" circle, but fliers and misses always extend that out.
The 45C is not a 25yd. range only cartridge!, but many shooters are.

JW/OK · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2012, 11:36:17 AM »

Well I'm not sure if you guys are just talking off hand with open sights, but the Rugers are quite capable at 100 yards. My open sight shooting days at 100 yards are behind me.
But, with a scoped Super Blackhawk Hunter in 45 Colt I have managed a few groups off a solid rest just on either side of the 2" size. This was a 1200 fps load with Hornady 250 gr XTP's and H4227.

tacklebury · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2012, 11:49:03 AM »

I am talking personally off hand with iron sights only. I wouldn't scope any handgun, just a personal thing. I actually don't even scope rifles usually. hehe

gcrank1 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2012, 11:57:17 AM »

Yeah, old school open sight shooting, traditional one hand shootist for regular, the Weaver to 'tighten up'.
FWIW, my guns tend to shoot to the sights better one handed, Weaver always shows a significant elevation change due to the change in recoil impulse.

44 Man · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2012, 12:53:37 PM »

Yup, I can still ring the 12" gong consistantly at 100 yds, but in the day (when my eyes were younger) I could hold an 8" group with my Ruger at 100 with open sights. Now my limit is 50/60 yds as I see way too many front sights to shoot at longer distances. If you have good eyes and a good rest, you can do it also. 44 Man

painted horse · « **Reply #11 on:** March 12, 2012, 06:55:00 PM »

The west side of my barn is exactly 100yds from my house. It's 36ft wide at that point with 10 ft. eaves. I know I could hit that 6 out of 6 from the porch..not sayin anything about the "group" though.....

Duke0313 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 12, 2012, 09:54:11 PM »

I can usually get under 6 at 50yds on a good day. Never tried 100.

Lonegun1894 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 17, 2012, 03:59:53 AM »

I haven't shot my 7 1/2" Blackhawk in longer than I care to admit, but back when i was shooting 200+ rounds through it every week, I could hold 3" at 50 and 7" at 100 yds with it with the issue open sights. I even hit the 500 yd steel ram a few times, but lets not get into how many shots that took to walk it in and connect...

The Blackhawk is a great revolver, and I dont think it gets near the credit it deserves. If you try it and actually work with it, you wont be disappointed, at least I haven't been yet, and I bought 2 of them. My 7 1/2 has been shot more, but my 4 5/8" also shows some real promise and needs to be used for something other than just paper. I dont get as good groups with it as I used to with the 7 1/2" though, but it's improving so I'm sure that is more me than the gun not acting right.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 18, 2012, 04:16:08 AM »

When I was shooting NRA Bullseye comp. we found that (more often than not) the long barreled target handguns seemed to have 'more 10s in 'em'. We suspect it is the longer sight radius. That said, a good hand with a long barrel handgun, or a short one, can switch between and do well.

timothy · « **Reply #15 on:** March 18, 2012, 05:00:39 AM »

The best I've ever done is 3'' from a rest at 50 yards. Standing however is a totally different story. I'll quite often miss 5 out of 5 shots at a paper plate at the same distance some days. Then again I shot a rabbit at 110 yards with a 45colt once. Handguns drive me nuts.

darkgael · « **Reply #16 on:** March 20, 2012, 12:23:37 AM »

Just the other day - and the one before. I shoot my Vaquero at 50 yards.
I wish that it shot to POA but it is always high and left. I am pretty sure that the inaccuracy is not me as I do not have the problem with any other pistol.
Compensating for the sight issue, I can keep them all on an NRA 50 yard center shooting offhand.
Pete

Steve P · « **Reply #17 on:** April 17, 2012, 11:17:29 AM »

I shoot silhouette and many times I shot the 45 Vacquero and cleaned 5 chickens at 50 meters. Often shot the 100 meter pigs with 1-2 hits out of 5 off hand. Occasionally hit the turkey at 150 meters, but that was going overboard on kentucky windage as sight was over head of turkey and they were covered by the gun.

My Ruger 44 with 10" barrel shot many times out to 200 meters. 5 shoots in 10-12" groups was not uncommon. Did not shoot off-hand though, shot in creedmore position which is a lot more stable.

They can shoot if you find the load and have the technique down.

Steve

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #18 on:** April 17, 2012, 11:21:39 AM »

Quote from: Lee Robinson on February 15, 2012, 03:16:13 PM

If so, what kind of groups could you get at 50 and 100 yards?

I shot IMHSA with one several times , targets 50 meters , 100 meters , 150 meters and 200 meters . At 50 maybe 3-4 inches same at 100 maybe open to 5 . At 150 5-6 inches 200 10-12 sometimes smaller. no paper groups all steel targets .

loads were for ruger/TC or maybe a wee bit over load ...........

Ranch13 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 17, 2012, 11:34:46 AM »

Quote from: Lee Robinson on February 15, 2012, 03:16:13 PM

If so, what kind of groups could you get at 50 and 100 yards?

If you're using a blackhawk getting groups to 6 inches or less at 100 yds isn't out of the question. When I did alot of blasting away with my old blackhawk I could whack gallon milk jugs and coyotes to 300yds. Using a good rest or shooting from prone.
Using my new vaquero it's not hard to keep a cylinder full on a 12 inch diamond at 50 yds shooting one handed, at one of the bpcr competitions I shoot at every year.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #20 on:** April 18, 2012, 01:14:24 AM »

Back then I was shooting a couple times a week. Most weeks it was over 600 rounds in different guns. The only group I remember anyone mesuring was once in a match a guy shot 10 turkeys in the head in a row, maybe a 2 inch group at 150 meters with a revolver ( don't remember brand) .

ole 5 hole group · « **Reply #21 on:** April 18, 2012, 01:41:16 PM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on April 18, 2012, 01:14:24 AM

Back then I was shooting a couple times a week. Most weeks it was over 600 rounds in different guns. The only group I remember anyone mesuring was once in a match a guy shot 10 turkeys in the head in a row, maybe a 2 inch group at 150 meters with a revolver ( don't remember brand) .

That guy had an exceptional day - as they say, even a blind hog can find corn every now & then. In bullseye the 10 ring is 3.3" at 50 yards and you must shoot with only one hand but today you can also use optics but there's not many people in this world that have cleaned the 50 yard target back to back (10 shot group) - I know of only one man to do so but maybe someone within the past 2 years has done it but I doubt it. Their handgun is fully capable but it's one extremely difficult task to complete.

A 6 to 8 inch group consistently shot offhand at 50 yards is some mighty fine shooting. If you shoot smaller groups than that - it means you're probably a competitive shooter and have put in the time to acquire your skill sets and you also possess one fine shooting handgun. Shooting consistent 10" groups at 100 yards offhand is superb shooting.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #22 on:** April 18, 2012, 11:02:11 PM »

there was a day when i could shoot one inch 50 yard groups with a gun and load capable of doing it and shot many groups in the 3 inch range at a 100. those days are gone. Best i can do know is about 3 inch at 50 and thats on a great day. It takes a great load to get into that ballpark at 50 yards and a great gun too. Most ruger 45s are capable of at least 2 inch 25 yard groups so 4 inch at 50 and 8 inch at a 100 should be about the norm. Its tough with old eyes to shoot up to a guns potential at 50 yards anymore and a 100 is out of the question. I used to do all my load developement at 50 yards but anymore its just not fair to the gun and load so 25 is where i stay. Used to be that a 100 yards was my choosen limit for shoot deer with an open sighted gun and know thats moved in to 50 and to be honest the last two years have seen me back in the woods with scoped rifles. I know i could go to a scoped handgun but I guess i feel that if i have to tote around a big sixgun with a scope on it i might as well take a rifle as theres not much more skill involved in using a scoped handgun over a rifle. I still get the bug to take out a sixgun and usually have one when im crop damage shooting incase a close shot comes up. But for the most part age has taken me out of the long range handgun killing arena. Point of all of this is the limit as to the range of a handgun is much more dependent on you then the gun your using. I know guys that have routinely shot game at 200 with open sighted sixguns. But there the exception. Just like everyone that has a drivers licience isnt good enough to drive in a nascar race. Even if they have the right equiptment.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #23 on:** April 19, 2012, 02:40:20 AM »

The thing about shooting IMHSA is you develop a sight picture and adjust your sights to hit where you want . Its not always point of aim . An example is I always used the leg body junction to sight on . It was a good easy point to get on. Trying to set up on just a point on the critter targets set the shooter up to miss. Same thing is done in turkey shoots , my gun is set up to shoot one of the corners but place the pattern center of the card. In both cases the distance is known , the hold is the same and in both cases it makes a smaller group much easier than shooting a bullseye on a target board. Also in a creedmore position holding that shght picture is much easier.
When I said I held the leg I held the back side of the leg on targets with 2 legs so no matter which way they faced I was on where I wanted to hit. On targets with 1 leg showing I held to the side that was the front of the critter. I had alot of good groups but unless they were setting one target and bolting it down you had little idea until they reset the targets since you most often shot 5 at a time. The groups were a product of using the same hold over and over.

And yes the guy had a great day but he was also a dedicated shooter , he also had alot of 40's shooting standing .

jimster · « **Reply #24 on:** April 19, 2012, 03:12:19 PM »

Like some here my eyes are not able to shoot 100 yds anymore like when I was young, I can bang the steel pig at 100 more often than missing, but truth is unless someone is looking at where I'm hitting it, I have no idea "where" on the pig I'm hitting, cept I sure know they are not all kill shots. I'm stuck with 50 yrds max now, most shooting is at 25 yrds. The older I get the farther 25 yrds seems to be. Last time I was shooting a revolver at the steel pig and someone was watching through lenses for me, I was all over it...the head, the butt, hit high, hit low, missed close a few times. Shooting at the center of the blurr, and the sights were blurred as well. Guessing game these days at 100. Now 50 yrds is long range for revolvers and 25 is where I try to get groups. I will never be young again, and I sure miss being able to see a clear sight picture and target at 100 meters. Like Shootall says, I used to use the the leg and body of the steel critters for the aiming point when I was young, now there is just a black blurry blob. What legs?

gcrank1 · « **Reply #25 on:** April 20, 2012, 02:59:14 AM »

Have you ever tried one of the 'mount on your glasses' apertures? They sure can crispen up a sight picture!

bubba15301 · « **Reply #26 on:** April 20, 2012, 10:40:40 AM »

50 yards 3.00 in groups with a ruger bisley

Steve P · « **Reply #27 on:** April 21, 2012, 08:18:44 AM »

I saw a picture of a target that Rick K..... shot with an FA. I think it was a 41 mag, not sure. 9 of 10 shots in the head of a full size turkey at 150 meters. Revolver was scoped and he was fine tuning a load with cast bullets.

I have been to numerous matches where you can look at the hits that Ted Z... puts on the full size rams at 200 meters and you sware every shot is in the exact same place on the rams. I have even been there when he hit 38 of 40 half scale targets out to 200 meters. His FA 44 mag shoots!

Both of these examples have exceptional shooters, but the gun has to play a part also. There are some Rugers that can group. You just have to find the right gun, with right cylinder gap, and right cylinder openings, and right load......

My Ruger 45 will shoot minute of "bad guy" out to 100 no problem.

Steve

steeladmin · « **Reply #28 on:** April 27, 2012, 01:15:30 AM »

I get palm-sized 6 shot groups at 50 m shooting a 5.5" 45 Colt blackhawk standing, with iron sights. My load is a 275 FN cast at about 1000 fps.