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Centerfire for long distance target shooting.
- Thread starter clayking
- Start date
Desertscout1
New member
100 yards is not considered particularly "long" distance for a handgun and long barrel or scope is not really needed unless your eyes are in need a little help anyway...like mine. Just about any caliber, including a .22 will shoot quite accurately out 100 yards and further if the gun and the shooter are up to it.
When you get out 200 or further, then we're starting to talk long range.
A .44 does great at 100 yards but so does a .357 or a 9mm. It's strictly personal choice.
When you get out 200 or further, then we're starting to talk long range.
A .44 does great at 100 yards but so does a .357 or a 9mm. It's strictly personal choice.
What's the purpose here? Are you going to be hunting or is this just for fun. The answer to that question will help us give you a better answer. For just pure recreational shooting its hard to beat a scoped 6" 357 revolver. For medium and larger game hunting, some prefer the 44Mag although the 357 is perfectly capable as a deer cartridge with the right loads. Most 357 Magnum loads only drop 5-7" at 100yds compared to the 10-15" drop of most semi-auto calibers. I think that would be a pretty fun hobby. I really like the S&W 686 and Ruger GP100. They are accurate guns and heavy enough to soak up the recoil of standard power Magnum loads.
Since you are putting on a scope, the barrel length really doesn't matter but the longer the barrel, the more velocity you get. Less bullet drop at that distance. Longer barrels generally make shooters more accurate due to the longer sight plane. They don't provide any more mechanical accuracy to the firearm though. You can't go wrong with a 357 Magnum as its one of the most versatile cartridges out there and is cheaper to shoot than a 44Magnum. The 44Magnum would just give you a bunch more recoil if all your doing is target shooting.
Since you are putting on a scope, the barrel length really doesn't matter but the longer the barrel, the more velocity you get. Less bullet drop at that distance. Longer barrels generally make shooters more accurate due to the longer sight plane. They don't provide any more mechanical accuracy to the firearm though. You can't go wrong with a 357 Magnum as its one of the most versatile cartridges out there and is cheaper to shoot than a 44Magnum. The 44Magnum would just give you a bunch more recoil if all your doing is target shooting.
I'd go with a Ruger Hunter Single action in 41 mag or 44mag. I shoot my Super Blackhawk with 214gr cast bullets and 9 grains of Blue Dot, amazingly accurate at 100yrds. I also shoot a 300gr gas check and 21gr of H110 in a mag case and hit a pie plate at 150 regularly.
I would definatly put in a spring kit, I put one in every ruger before I ever shoot them.
I would definatly put in a spring kit, I put one in every ruger before I ever shoot them.
Purely for fun, don't hunt anything but birds anymore, me and Dick Cheney. Also as a possible back-up to a house gun or even car carry, unscoped, of course. I like the idea of the Ruger Blackhawk with the ability to shoot 357 and 9mm, although I've heard that one or the other of the two is sometimes a litle less accurate......................ck
If you're serious about long-range shooting...
...with a handgun, the S&W .460 might be for you.
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15702&isFirearm=Y
They have one at my shooting range for about $1200+change, but I don't have big enough cajones to try shooting it. You can also download (if you can call it that) to .454 Casull Magnum or .45 long colt for practice.
...with a handgun, the S&W .460 might be for you.
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15702&isFirearm=Y
They have one at my shooting range for about $1200+change, but I don't have big enough cajones to try shooting it. You can also download (if you can call it that) to .454 Casull Magnum or .45 long colt for practice.
Deanimator
New member
Based on your subsequent comments, either a 6" .38 Special or .357 Magnum would probably be best.
I've shot out to 200 yards with an S&W Model 14 K-38, with pretty good results.
I'd look for a used S&W 6" Model 28 Highway Patrolman in .357 Magnum. You can use .38 Special or .357 Magnum interchangeably. They have great adjustable sights. Prices are pretty reasonable too.
I've shot out to 200 yards with an S&W Model 14 K-38, with pretty good results.
I'd look for a used S&W 6" Model 28 Highway Patrolman in .357 Magnum. You can use .38 Special or .357 Magnum interchangeably. They have great adjustable sights. Prices are pretty reasonable too.
I like the idea of the Ruger Blackhawk with the ability to shoot 357 and 9mm, although I've heard that one or the other of the two is sometimes a litle less accurate
It would be the 9mm that would be less accurate as its bore size is slightly smaller than the 357. You can still shoot 38Spl which is about as cheap as 9mm. A standard power 158gr. 357 slug will still have some pretty good smack at 100yds. It actually has more energy at 100yds than any standard power 9mm load has at the muzzle. If you want cheap and accurate close range plinking the 38Spl will do the trick.
My choice would be a scoped 6" S&W 686. Other good choices would be a 6" Ruger GP100 or a Blackhawk with a 6.5" barrel. Again if the gun is scoped the barrel length won't matter just that the longer barreled gun will have a slightly flatter trajectory. If you aren't reloading the 357Mag is definitely your choice. If you are reloading the 357Mag is still a good choice. Some of the other recommended calibers would be reloading only calibers, such as the 41Mag. Its not very practical to shoot if it costs $1 a round and if you have to look really hard to find ammo.