Shooting a pistol at 100 yards

[AssMan]

We used to play "horse" on the range and 100yd pistol shots were often the objective. I could hit pretty consistently with a stock G17 once I found the hold - something like 2-3x (i.e. 50%) out of 5 attempts on an IPSC-type steel target.

 

[Combloc]

My honey is amazing at 100 yards with my buddy's Ruger Mk IV a red dot, and a 10 inch steel plate. She pretty much can't miss. It's really a surreal thing to watch.

 

[Atrox88]

Great comments. I haven't even given a thought to giving the MKIVs a try. They do have fiber optic sights that should help. We tried the P320 with red dot which did ok and threw in a S&W 38 model 65 which I didn't hit anything with. It was a fun time though and I'll certainly be doing it again.

 

[Harrys]

With a steady stick, I can reach out at 100 yds with 4" groups using a BFR .500 S&W. It weighs 5 pounds loaded so for any length of time holding it with out support makes it difficult. Loaded with 350 gr berrys or 375 gr HCFNGC uding various powders. I recently tried some .500 S&W magnum shorts about .375 shorter. Did not make a differance except recoil was less.

 

[Blaster229]

We used to drill silhouettes at 100 with our Sig 357 229's. Fun? yeah. Practical? Nope.

 

[platekiller]

I’ve shot at 100 with a pistol only a few times. Most memorable was at a buddy’s farm where me and another buddy (msp trooper) shot a log from 20 yards then backed up til we were maxed at the field (about 100 yards). I was cheating (s&w 629 with 8-3/8” barrel). He was using his issued beretta storm. It was impressive

 

[John from MD]

I'm sure I've told this story in the past. Some folks train to shoot pistols at 100 yards because of their special needs. I used to shoot with a Delta operative who had no problem shooting his H&K Mk23 at 100 yards offhand and hitting the IDPA sized target. Of course he was in his mid thirties with a build like Superman.

He also was one of the first to test the FN 5.7 in combat and reported it had no problem defeating the body armor used during the First Gulf War.

It always amazed me that, on the street, his dress would make you think he was a business executive.

 

[E.Shell]

I watched the match director/RO crew at Allegheny Sniper Challenge bang torso-size steel targets at 200+ yards with iron-sighted 1911s with amazing regularity.

I've hit 200 meter 'Rams' with my iron-sighted T/C Contender, right there at AGC, when we shot Handgun Silhouette there in the '80s, albeit with 14" barrels and non-standard (for handgun) cartridges.

I was up at the IWL at Hagerstown a few weeks ago and shot my 2-1/2" Model 19 and my 4" Model 28-2 at 100 yards with full-power .357s, but only managed about 50% on a 3' x 3' paper target - definitely need to get my eye fixed...

Long range handgunning happens more than many people realize.

 

[outrider58]

I watched the match director/RO crew at Allegheny Sniper Challenge bang torso-size steel targets at 200+ yards with iron-sighted 1911s with amazing regularity.

What would the holdover be on something like that?

I know, from shooting my AR9 off hand(but using the brace as a stock), I would score consistent center mass torso hits on a 50% sized target. My aim point was about 2" above the head shooting 147g subs through a 5" barrel.

 

[E.Shell]

They didn't do 'holdovers' per se`, they raised the front sight blade to alter the sight picture and expressed their corrections as 'half a blade up', 'quarter blade', etc..

By raising the blade over the rear sight notch, one can always see the target...

 

[outrider58]

That makes perfect sense. I guess I was thinking in terms of red dot, which was what I used.

 

[Baldheaded]

I have a hard enough time at 25yds. Guess I'm not putting in enough time at the range with the short stuff. Put a rifle in my hand and that's a different story. I'm good out to 300 with anything but the rimfire. Rimfire is only good to 200yds.

 

[E.Shell]

...Rimfire is only good to 200yds.

Why would you say something like that?

From a 75 yard zero, it takes 73 MOA correction to zero my .22LR sub-sonics at 400 yards on the average day. Provided your ammo has consistent velocity (reduces vertical stringing) and decent wind calls, a 12" plate is not hard to hit at 400. Many of my students have shot my rifle at this distance and it was a valuable tool when I had someone with a flinch that I was pointing out and trying to cure.

In order to get enough upward travel in my 1" scope, I had to shim the rear of the mount base. I set it to where it would barely go 'down' enough to get a 75 yard zero, but then had almost the entire adjustment travel to go 'up'.

Because the sub-sonics experience less air resistance than super-sonic bullets, the retained velocity and resulting energy at long distances can be surprising. One of the guys at Sniper's Hide experimented with partially-thawed frozen turkeys at extended ranges and got full penetration at 300 & 400 yards.

Many of us suffer with limitations we set for ourselves.

 

[Biggfoot44]

They didn't do 'holdovers' per se`, they raised the front sight blade to alter the sight picture and expressed their corrections as 'half a blade up', 'quarter blade', etc..

By raising the blade over the rear sight notch, one can always see the target...

What would the holdover be on something like that?



E. Shell is correct , and channeling Elmer Kieth , with the front sight raised in the notch , and preferred method .


That said , for grins, I did figure some hold overs for longer than short range out to 100yd . For convience and ease of communication , I grouped into two rough classes of pistols.. Of interest here is. .45acp 230 gr/ 147gr 9mn / 158gr .38spl . Starting with zero for 6 o'clock hold @ 25yds , aka 1.0 to 1.5 inch high .

Sighted thusly , as rough rule of thumb :

0-50 yds - aim center mass
75 yds - aim 4-6 inch high
100 yd - aim at neck of silhouette .

 

[dist1646]

Why would you say something like that?

From a 75 yard zero, it takes 73 MOA correction to zero my .22LR sub-sonics at 400 yards on the average day. Provided your ammo has consistent velocity (reduces vertical stringing) and decent wind calls, a 12" plate is not hard to hit at 400. Many of my students have shot my rifle at this distance and it was a valuable tool when I had someone with a flinch that I was pointing out and trying to cure.

In order to get enough upward travel in my 1" scope, I had to shim the rear of the mount base. I set it to where it would barely go 'down' enough to get a 75 yard zero, but then had almost the entire adjustment travel to go 'up'.

Because the sub-sonics experience less air resistance than super-sonic bullets, the retained velocity and resulting energy at long distances can be surprising. One of the guys at Sniper's Hide experimented with partially-thawed frozen turkeys at extended ranges and got full penetration at 300 & 400 yards.

Many of us suffer with limitations we set for ourselves.

"Many of us suffer with limitations we set for ourselves."

Great and true statement!

 

[Uncle Duke]

Why would you say something like that?

From a 75 yard zero, it takes 73 MOA correction to zero my .22LR sub-sonics at 400 yards on the average day. Provided your ammo has consistent velocity (reduces vertical stringing) and decent wind calls, a 12" plate is not hard to hit at 400. Many of my students have shot my rifle at this distance and it was a valuable tool when I had someone with a flinch that I was pointing out and trying to cure.

In order to get enough upward travel in my 1" scope, I had to shim the rear of the mount base. I set it to where it would barely go 'down' enough to get a 75 yard zero, but then had almost the entire adjustment travel to go 'up'.

Because the sub-sonics experience less air resistance than super-sonic bullets, the retained velocity and resulting energy at long distances can be surprising. One of the guys at Sniper's Hide experimented with partially-thawed frozen turkeys at extended ranges and got full penetration at 300 & 400 yards.

Many of us suffer with limitations we set for ourselves.

True.

Another limiting factor for many (perhaps most) in Maryland is range constraints.
Short of an occasional road trip, "long range" at many facilities might be limited to no more than 200 yards, or even less.

 

[Tom12345]

Just curious if any of you regularly shoot a semiautomatic pistol at 100 yards. If so are you having any success and what are you using. We have it a try yesterday with a variety a pistols and seemed to have the most success with a Sig P320 full size I built. I'm going to take my Glock G34 Next time and give it a try.

Have used a 22 revolver at 100 yards with a scope on it. Works fine.

 

[MaxVO2]

*****I used to do some silhouette shooting some time back with a Contender, 10-14 inch barrel depending upon caliber and iron sights out to 200 yards. I had different caliber barrels and had decent performance with a heavy .44 mag load (240gr), and had no problems knocking over the Ram at that distance. For giggles, I brought out my S&W 586 with a 6 inch barrel and put 158gr old school .38 special loads and the holdover was kinds ridiculous but I could clank the ram - but that load just didn't have anywhere *near* the ooomph left at 200 yards to knock it over. The weird part of those .38's I was shooting was at even 100 yards, I wouldn't wanna be hit by it, but we had a couple of metal barrels and some tires, etc.. and the bullets would just dent the barrel and not even go in the tire but just leave a mark at over 100 yards. I imagine a little 2 1/2 inch barreled Detective Special at that distance would have done even worse with those loads yet I guess that's what the Police used back in the 80's and earlier..

One of the barrels I had was for .45-70 Government cartridge, and I only used it a couple of times as the recoil was insanely *brutal* to my gentle, Palmolive and Colloidial Oatmeal Aveeno hand lotion softened hands. I went from shooting that a couple of times back down to .44mag and .44mag felt *easy* after that!

If Joe Biden says a 9mm will blow your lungs out, WTF would that guy say about being shot with a .45-70 Government cartridge!??? "It'll blow a guys Uterus out of his Testicles!!!"

 

[E.Shell]

LOL, I started out at AGC on handgun silhouette as a guest in 1980 and didn't know what to expect. All I had to shoot was a 10" octagon barrel .44 Mag with the original wood grip, my deer gun. I shot a couple matches with that thing and by the time I got to the Rams and had 30+ rounds of max loads through that light gun, I didn't care whether I hit any or not, I just wanted it to be over...

Set the .44 barrel aside, put a Pachmayr rubber grip on the frame and got a Super 14 barrel in .35 Remington. THAT was a game changer. Smooth shooting and smacked them pretty good.

I had a .45-70 barrel for a few months. I bought it mainly as a novelty and to hunt with, but a friend had the hots for it and I said 'Thank God!' and sold it to him.

 

[Magnumite]

I recorded sght settings for each distance for each gun I used in handgun silhouette and long range at the Master’s Tournament. I then dialed up the rear sight (or scope) for each position. For open sights I even recorded the hold that gave me the most effective sight picture.