Author Topic: The best shot you ever made??? (Read 3561 times)

1911crazy · « **on:** March 23, 2012, 09:34:53 AM »

I had a Colt python in 357mag w/6'' barrel. My dad was like Paul senior on OCC (choppers). He hammered me to take him shootin and he was going to teach me how to shoot,. I never said nothing to p!ss him off i just kept quiet the whole time. Then we went to the sand pits. I set up 6 soda cans on the sand hill at 20yds. I shot one can and sent it flying up the hill. I hit it again while it was rolling down hill. I did this 4 more times while it was rolling down the hill i sent it back up all 4 times. He looked at me in shock and i said now teach me what?? I never planned these shots nor expected to ever do it, it just happened. I'm very humble when i say i'm just a decent shot, i'm average. Now that i'm older and settled down i'm more serious about accuracy than just peppering the target at any distance. Its practice, practice, staying focused, staying motivated and more practice with one gun so you can master it.
My problem in the past was i was in a hurry to shoot all my handguns on one trip to the range so i never got serious about accuracy with any of them. Bill

Curtis · « **Reply #1 on:** March 23, 2012, 05:22:03 PM »

After having taken out a pond turtle at 30 yards with my 14" Contender in 7-30 Waters (nothing special about the shot but the effect was spectacular) during a family Christmas gathering at my aunt's house, I was looking for something to shoot with my then new to me 40 cal Smith M&P compact. I had some neon orange 3" stickies so I took one out to about 50 paces, stuck it to a dried cow pie and leaned it upright against a broom weed. Kneeling behind my upended shooting box and resting my wrists, I took the first shot. My cousin said I was close. I took another shot and the target keeled over. Upon examining the sticky, the first shot took a bite out of the edge and the second shot was about a half inch off the very center. I was pleased and my cousin and all around were impressed. I didn't dare take a third shot at that point! LOL

Curtis

NickSS · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2012, 11:58:35 PM »

My best shot with a hand gun was with my Ruger old army cap and ball revolver. It was at the end of a trail walk at a black powder shoot at my club. I had one round remaining in my pistol that I had to discharge and I noticed that they had some clay shotgun targets setup for rifle targest at 100 yards so I aimed a bit full on the target and one handed fired my last round. Much to my surprise I broke the target I shot at with a dead center hit.

Tom W. · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2012, 02:01:41 AM »

Mine was a self defense shot at a pit bull from about 10 feet and closing with my Colt Government model. The critter died on my shoe.

I almost had to go change my drawers...

charles p · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2012, 06:56:52 AM »

Shot a deer with my Contender at 170 yards, using a small tree for a rest. Fell DRT. Head shot! Aiming for the body but I didn't say a word to the friend who witnessed the shot.

yellowtail3 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2012, 07:01:31 AM »

Quote from: charles p on March 24, 2012, 06:56:52 AM

Shot a deer with my Contender at 170 yards, using a small tree for a rest. Fell DRT. Head shot! Aiming for the body but I didn't say a word to the friend who witnessed the shot.

No need to give away extraneous, unnecessary info...

Huffmanite · « **Reply #6 on:** April 13, 2012, 06:47:31 AM »

When a teenager, handloaded some very low velocity loads with smallest grain bullets I could buy for my deer rifle, to use for all things, squirrel hunting. First attempt at shooting a squirrel with the rifle was a dismal failure. After about 15 shots at same squirrel I'd run out of rifle ammo. By this time the critter wasn't too concerned with my shooting at him and was on a low limb in a large oak tree, clamly munching on an acorn. Had my Browning hi-power 9mm pistol with me. First shot with the Hi-power dropped the squirrel. Had hit him between his eyes. About the only thing I ever hit with the Hi-power with the first shot.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2012, 11:38:52 PM »

nephew wounded a 4 pointer and his dad and i went out in the dark to find it. We tracked it for about a mile and it jumped out of its bed at about 75 yards running straight away. His dad had the flashlight on it and i jerked out my 500 linebaugh and cranked one off figuring it was about a joke. the deer folded right on the spot. I holstered my gun and acted like it was nothing. My brother in law still tells everyone about how magical i am with a sixgun. Even though ive told him it was nothing but pure luck.

flexjr · « **Reply #8 on:** April 13, 2012, 11:56:15 PM »

out plinking last week with a friend, hit a 2 inch by 1 inch cap at around 90 yards with his smith and wesson model 18. after that, i hit a 12x18 steel plate at 202 yards with my old model flattop single six three times. cant decide which was the better shot.

cwlongshot · « **Reply #9 on:** April 14, 2012, 01:00:33 AM »

These are some GREAT stories guys!!! Here is one of mine:

I once worked in a very large factory building. It was once a silver smith building making everything silver from bowls to forks and spoons to small pieces for furnature in the 1800's... The buildings where made from wood, with some areas having 12-16" thick floors. In other areas the floors where always at least 6-8" thick and made from very hard, heavy thick wood. The walls where at least 6" thick with windows high on the walls for light.

Anyhow, we rented the "rights" to a very large potion on the sprawling factory buildings. We had a store on the first two floors, gun ranges, offices and storage on the third and a additional range, still under construction on the third. The buildings where full of pigeons, a few of us would take 22's and walk the abandonded buildings shooting the nasty birds. We kept a tally and counted the total "evicted"...

One day I was on the top floor in a long narrow building maybe 30' wide and 250' long. I had flushed birds and was following them to get a good shot. I passed thru a wall and had the rifle on my shoulder and taken out my small 22M revolver... (A 1 1/8" NAA rev) Just as I planted my feet a bird flushed from behind me but was unable to traverse the criss crossed rafters and kinda bounced around off them... He was dropping and going to be clear in a half second when he circled in front of me maybe 15' in front of me, I lifted the revolver, followed the bird and fired as the bird flew past... PUFF of feathers and down went the bird. I was beside myself!!! I had just shot a flying pigeon with a very small hand gun and no one was there to see me do it...

One day, hopefully in our lifetimes someone will have a method to copy memories to a format we can show others. Think of the possibilities in law enforcement and in court rooms! LOL Until that time, you will just have to take my word!

CW

oldhunter · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2012, 01:05:35 AM »

Must be it is legal to shoot deer after dark in Mr. Smale's state or he would not be talking about his "best shot". In New York, that is considered illegal and one would not be bragging about it for fear of a visit by a game warden.
oldhunter

rawhidekid · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2012, 03:34:25 AM »

One time I was at the pit we used as a range. I had placed a target at 25 yards and was about to shoot my S&W 25-2 six inch when a I was asked if the 45acp was accurate in a revolver. I told him mine was and took my two hand standing shot. The bullet was centered on the bulls eye. He asked if I could do it again, I told him my dad always said to stop when your ahead and did.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2012, 09:23:45 AM »

My statement on the internet without colaborating evidence after about 10 years isnt something the dnr would waste there time on. Let them come! I doubt anyway if they would really get to upset about someone putting down a wounded animal. At least not up here. This aint New York.

Quote from: oldhunter on April 14, 2012, 01:05:35 AM

Must be it is legal to shoot deer after dark in Mr. Smale's state or he would not be talking about his "best shot". In New York, that is considered illegal and one would not be bragging about it for fear of a visit by a game warden.
oldhunter

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2012, 09:57:58 AM »

Best shot!!! one morning I was sitting in my camp in a rather remote area of the state, when several crows come winging by...obviously looking over the creek for duck nests or some other criminal activity..I watched them fuss around a while like crows do, then one came winging over the camp as unconcerned as could be..since all my guns were either in the camp or truck, I suppose he thought he was safe...but I had a 4 " Smith in 357 on my hip, and decided I would give him a good scare...I kind of swung with his flight and touched one off...to my complete surprise the 158 grain hollowpoint smacked him mid air...

Feathers few, and he crashed right at the edge of my camp spot...Now if I could only do that all the time..... $:-\$

Him · « **Reply #14 on:** April 14, 2012, 11:11:25 AM »

When I was a kid, a few of us were shooting BB guns at bats which were flying around a street light harvesting moths.

I shot a (very unlucky) bat on the wing with my BB gun and killed it deader than a stone.

I was about 12 or 13 at the time.

cwlongshot · « **Reply #15 on:** April 14, 2012, 11:31:39 AM »

Quote from: Him on April 14, 2012, 11:11:25 AM

When I was a kid, a few of us were shooting BB guns at bats which were flying around a street light harvesting moths.

I shot a (very unlucky) bat on the wing with my BB gun and killed it deader than a stone.

I was about 12 or 13 at the time.

WELCOME Him!

I remember sitting in a field at night watching the bats making straifing runs!

CW

jhm · « **Reply #16 on:** April 14, 2012, 01:48:19 PM »

Havent made it yet I am still practicing!! Jim

finisher · « **Reply #17 on:** April 14, 2012, 03:37:43 PM »

Quote from: jhm on April 14, 2012, 01:48:19 PM

Havent made it yet I am still practicing!! Jim

*************************************
I was about ten years old, living living in LA. With a plastic pump up pellet gun, I was trying to tag a very loud song bird that for some reason saw fit to sing it's song all through the night outside my bedroom window.

Each morning for a couple of weeks I would get up and try to pick this Jay off of the top of a telephone pole. But it must have had eagle eyes because it scramed at first sight of me.

I refined my stalking and concealment skills with this bird but to no avail. Even at the sight of just the tip of the barrel from the side of our house, the bird was gone. And night after night the song went on.

On a couple of occasions I would just pop out and try my quickest point shot, but some how the bird was always airborn by the time I squeezed the trigger.

I even tried jumping the neighbors fence to try different shot approaches but still to no avail. And night after night the song went on.

Untill one day I just rushed out to the telephone pole in full charge. The bird took off and flew to a tree covered with dense foliage some 5 or 6 houses down. I estimated a 100 yard shot but looking back on it, it was probably more like 50 or 60.

Still out of range for the dinky little crossman I had and I couldn't even see the bird. By this time I had loaded and pumped another pellet. In frustration, without aiming, I pointed the rifle in the general direction of the tree and squeezed the trigger.

I heard the impact, and out from under the canopy fell the midnight song bird. Jeezzzz I felt horrible. It wasn't even an honest shot. But what a shot. Since then I have never shot any animal that I or someone else wasn't going to eat. That bird gave a city boy his first real hunting skills and I wish there was a way I could thank him.

oldhunter · « **Reply #18 on:** April 14, 2012, 11:51:53 PM »

Mr. Smale,

You are missing the point entirely. Laws are laws and game regulations are to be followed by those of us that represent hunting and seek to have public approval. Just because you "got away" with your shot in the dark many years ago doesn't diminish the fact that you did what you did. The fact that you choose to embellish your story with this information makes it all the worse. In your role as a moderator on this web site, I believe you should try to set a possitive example for the readers.

oldhunter

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #19 on:** April 15, 2012, 01:32:16 AM »

Im not a moderator on this forum and if the moderator here doesnt like it hes free to delete it. Its not the moderators job to shove his ethics down someones throat it to keep the forum civil. If you think its ethical to let an animal suffer all night until the sun comes up to legaly shoot it then thats your opinion. As to breaking the law how many here drive below the posted speed limit ALL THE TIME. Id bet if i could crutinize your life theres many things that you do and have done that stretch the word of the law a bit. When i shoot an animal i feel its my responsibility to ensure that it doesnt suffer one more minute then absoultely nessisary and if they want to lock me up for that they can come and get me! Id do it again in a second! Who is less ethical me who bends a law that is stupid to begin with to put an animal out of its misery or you who sticks by the law and lets an animal lay in misery for 8 hours. Lets have a vote on that one!

Quote from: oldhunter on April 14, 2012, 11:51:53 PM

Mr. Smale,

You are missing the point entirely. Laws are laws and game regulations are to be followed by those of us that represent hunting and seek to have public approval. Just because you "got away" with your shot in the dark many years ago doesn't diminish the fact that you did what you did. The fact that you choose to embellish your story with this information makes it all the worse. In your role as a moderator on this web site, I believe you should try to set a possitive example for the readers.

oldhunter

chefjeff · « **Reply #20 on:** April 15, 2012, 01:20:24 PM »

As a teen I was out squirrel hunting with a 341 rem.22. It began to rain,and I was jogging home.A lone quail got up and I instinctively threw up and de-headed him at about 20 yards.Saw my dad make an almost identical shot with a 30-30. Years ago in Va. I killed two longbeards with one shot from my '06 A-bolt.A rested shot about 115yds.They were feeding up a lane,and I waited til they were perfect and tickled the trigger.One through the neck and one in the back. No breast meat blown up.We used to carry a FMJ bullet for this,as it tears up less meat.

yellowtail3 · « **Reply #21 on:** April 16, 2012, 04:06:57 AM »

Heart shot on a magnificent 9 pointer in swamp at about 120 yards. I was jazzed.

mauser98us · « **Reply #22 on:** April 16, 2012, 06:26:22 PM »

About twenty two years ago,went scouting for an upcoming pronghorn hunt.Talked my buddy into coming along with the bait of cold beer and steaks at camp.We were plodding along when a coyote was seen about a hundred yards off.I stopped the truck,pulled out my Model 29 Smithand took aim adding some hold-over for up hill and range estimation. While broadside I released the trigger and boom the coyote went down. I calmly replaced the Smith back in the holster like I did this every day. My friend could not beleive it. I said to him, I think this might have made ole Elmer proud.We walked it off,and it was about 175 yards true range. I was mad at myself for my poor range estimation,and I also realize I could never pull that stunt off again. On the plus side, I still have my buddy snowed into thinking i'm some kind of handgun shot. I think I will still let him think that.

finisher · « **Reply #23 on:** April 16, 2012, 07:42:00 PM »

Quote from: mauser98us on April 16, 2012, 06:26:22 PM

About twenty two years ago,went scouting for an upcoming pronghorn hunt.Talked my buddy into coming along with the bait of cold beer and steaks at camp.We were plodding along when a coyote was seen about a hundred yards off.I stopped the truck,pulled out my Model 29 Smithand took aim adding some hold-over for up hill and range estimation. While broadside I released the trigger and boom the coyote went down. I calmly replaced the Smith back in the holster like I did this every day. My friend could not beleive it. I said to him, I think this might have made ole Elmer proud.We walked it off,and it was about 175 yards true range. I was mad at myself for my poor range estimation,and I also realize I could never pull that stunt off again. On the plus side, I still have my buddy snowed into thinking i'm some kind of handgun shot. I think I will still let him think that.

************************
One of my best buddies and I are 44 gunners as well, he, a long barrel SW 29 guy and me, a 5.5 barrel Super Blackhawk guy-bought our first pistols as soon as we turned 21. The two of us were always competing against each other at the range.

In the San Gabriel valley in California, just outside of LA where I grew up, you wouldn't see alot of guys on the 200 yard range with pistols and we did get alot funny looks.

I suppose to an open range hunter, rancher, or silhouette shooter it might be pretty common to see people put six rounds into a target the size of a 5 gallon paint bucket lid, but to these guys (at least the other youngsters around our age) we were pulling off legendary stuff. But it was under perfect conditions and we knew our ranges.

But this shot, sir, as a fellow 44 gunner, on a coyote, off hand... I feel compelled to bow down sir. I'd love to be able to say I've got one off like that! One I can truly appreciate!

mauser98us · « **Reply #24 on:** April 17, 2012, 04:15:37 PM »

Trust me,it was pure luck.

sscoyote · « **Reply #25 on:** April 23, 2012, 11:35:51 AM »

Good stories so far. I like calcd. long-range shooting like these 2 225 and 300-yd. 1st-shot connections i made using a 5.5"-barrelled Ruger Mk III/2x Barska--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNafED1Rv7k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whC3fwmOk5c

This is my most favorite recent shot, as i used the reticle to make it at 100 yards. I had to calc the hold in my head for the shot. I knew the plex post tips in the 2x Barska measured 15 MOA, and the 100-yd. dope for my bulk FED load was 6 MOA, so i tried to divide 6 into 15 and couldn't quite figure it out, but i knew that 4x1.5=6, so i figured 40% of the plex post tip spacing was my 100-yd. hold. So i got setup sitting in a soft-sided stadium seat with pistol off my knees, and acquired the little rock i was shooting at in the scopes FOV, and interpolated [guessed] the 40% hold. 1st shot was a miss and couldn't tell where, but the 2nd nailed the rock splitting it in 2 with a nice "meat report". That was a fun calcd. "long-range" shot--

Matt3357 · « **Reply #26 on:** April 23, 2012, 12:29:15 PM »

My first deer was probably my best shot. I live in Illinois so I hunt with a slug gun. I was using my Ithaca model 87 12 gauge with a smooth bore slug barrel. It was scoped with a 4 power bushnell and I was using remington sluggers. If you can't tell by the story so far, this shot should have never been taken but youth and an optical illusion got the better of me. I was in the middle of a CRP field in the river bottoms in a tripod 20 feet in the air. I snuck into my stand before sunup and fell asleep against the rail. When I woke, there was an awesome 10 pointer and his two ladies staring at me from what looked like about 100 yards. They were most likely bedded down in the 6 foot tall grass I was above. He didn't have a clue what I was, but he knew I didn't smell right. I slowly brought my gun up from behind the blind and got him in my sights. He held a perfect broadside to me long enough to set the crosshairs about 6" above his back and squeeze the trigger. Perfect double lung shot. He literally fell over dead. I got down after a bit and stepped it off, 190 yards. I didn't think my Dad was ever going to believe that I actually shot a deer as we walked from my tripod to the deer through the grass. The lead slugger was stuck under the skin on the far side. From where he fell, the tripod looked like a step ladder. Between buck fever and being that high up, my perception of distance was really thrown off. I never would take that kind of shot with that gun again. My brother and his friends were not thrilled that I got a big one on their property, but hey they were all still asleep in the cabin from too much partying the night before. You snooze you lose.

Matt

Edit: I just noticed that my display picture is of me and that deer.

RevJim · « **Reply #27 on:** April 24, 2012, 03:16:41 AM »

Several come to mind; the Cottonmouth Moccasin I fast drew on at 15ft and popped his head off with a S&W Mod 28; a hal sunken pop can floating down the creek at 60+ yards with my Dad's Single Six .22; a brick shattered at 200yds with my first handload (Elmer's recipe) out of a 6" Mod 29 from Creedmoor position; and one kind of different-we were moving a drilling rig into a location and the phone wire had not been taken down. Everytime a truck came in with a high load on (12+ft) we had to stop and raise it up with a pole. Finally, the Truck Pusher asked me if I could hit it with his Browning HyPower (loaded with hardball). I said sure thing. He didn't believe me, but got the pistol out and I leanedagainst the pole and proceeded to shoot the insulation off of it with 5 straight rounds! I could not break it with the hardball, but it impressed him all to heck,ha. We just let the next truck tear it down! That was 35 yrs ago. I have made more but it helps to have witnesses as it turns out, few people have compunctions against calling a Preacher a liar,ha.

kynardsj · « **Reply #28 on:** April 24, 2012, 11:13:34 AM »

Hunting club I was in for 37 years had a good size creek running thru it. There was about a 15-20 foot bluff overlooking part of it and the number of 22's we shot there at beer cans and bottles floating down the creek probably numbered in the tens of thousands. We would save a barrel full of bottles and about 4 or 5 of us would line up on the bluff about 20 yards apart and take turns at a bottle thrown upstream. Most shots were at a moving target in the 30-40 yard range. My best shot though was a can that got away from us. I had just got my Single Six and trued it in. The can was about 150 yards downstream and about to go around a bend out of sight. I put a lot of front sight above the back sight and led it a bit then nailed it. Could I do it on a regular basis, heck no, but the one time was fun. All of us that were in that club miss that shooting spot the most of all of it.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #29 on:** April 24, 2012, 11:36:55 PM »

buddy from LA shoots those cottomouths all the time. Im a big baby when it comes to snakes and i probably would be shaking like a 14 year old shooting his first deer!!!

Quote from: RevJim on April 24, 2012, 03:16:41 AM

Several come to mind; the Cottonmouth Moccasin I fast drew on at 15ft and popped his head off with a S&W Mod 28; a hal sunken pop can floating down the creek at 60+ yards with my Dad's Single Six .22; a brick shattered at 200yds with my first handload (Elmer's recipe) out of a 6" Mod 29 from Creedmoor position; and one kind of different-we were moving a drilling rig into a location and the phone wire had not been taken down. Everytime a truck came in with a high load on (12+ft) we had to stop and raise it up with a pole. Finally, the Truck Pusher asked me if I could hit it with his Browning HyPower (loaded with hardball). I said sure thing. He didn't believe me, but got the pistol out and I leanedagainst the pole and proceeded to shoot the insulation off of it with 5 straight rounds! I could not break it with the hardball, but it impressed him all to heck,ha. We just let the next truck tear it down! That was 35 yrs ago. I have made more but it helps to have witnesses as it turns out, few people have compunctions against calling a Preacher a liar,ha.