I consider myself respectable with a rifle...but don't have a lot of experience with handgun accuracy. I own a six inch colt anaconda in 44 magnum. What kind of groups and at what distances are considered good? I have killed a wild hog at 30 yards, but I really don't know how far to trust it. I am using open sights. Thanks.
How accurate and how far?
- Thread starter bshefa
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DiscoRacing
New member
I shoot 40 and 50 yards with a S&W 629 with ported barrel and open sights.. I can get aprox. 4 inch groups with reloads... sometimes a little less
Yeah, lots of variables in answering that question. With a 6 1/2" .357 Blackhawk: raising the gun to straight out from the shoulder, at arm's length and firing within 1 or 2 seconds, NOT using the sights, I can keep my shots inside of 12" at about 30 feet.
Doing the same thing, firing a little faster (under 1 second), I can consistently hit an standard paper plate at 20 feet.
Using the sights and a bench rest, etc. is of course a whole different story. Bullets, loads, barrel length, and other things can wipe accuracy all over the place. I think with my regular handloads (16.6 gr. H110, 158 gr. XTPs @ >1500fps), I can probably do 3 inches at 50 yards.
Doing the same thing, firing a little faster (under 1 second), I can consistently hit an standard paper plate at 20 feet.
Using the sights and a bench rest, etc. is of course a whole different story. Bullets, loads, barrel length, and other things can wipe accuracy all over the place. I think with my regular handloads (16.6 gr. H110, 158 gr. XTPs @ >1500fps), I can probably do 3 inches at 50 yards.
skydiver3346
New member
How far?
Only you can determine that. However, I have found that if you keep a good high and tight grip on your pistol and most importantly: CONCENTRATE ON THE FRONT SIGHT (not so much the target) that you will be able to shoot at distances way further than you thought. I proved that to myself by doing these exact things. Got to put in the time on the range and shooting at different distances, etc. Nothing beats experience of actually shooting your particular firearm.
Only you can determine that. However, I have found that if you keep a good high and tight grip on your pistol and most importantly: CONCENTRATE ON THE FRONT SIGHT (not so much the target) that you will be able to shoot at distances way further than you thought. I proved that to myself by doing these exact things. Got to put in the time on the range and shooting at different distances, etc. Nothing beats experience of actually shooting your particular firearm.
You asked 2 different questions, really:
How far can you take game? WESHOOT2 and shortwave already answered that.
What size group is considered "good"? My standard reply is that "good" (but not excellent) handgun shooting is an honest and consistent 3" at 25 yards. These are aimed, deliberate (i.e. no time pressure) 5-shot groups, shot standing, unsupported. "Honest and consistent" means everything counts (i.e. no such thing as "fliers"), and that 3" group you just shot isn't a fluke. DA revolvers shooters (such as those shooting an Anaconda
) should be able to do this in single and double action, btw.
How far can you take game? WESHOOT2 and shortwave already answered that.
What size group is considered "good"? My standard reply is that "good" (but not excellent) handgun shooting is an honest and consistent 3" at 25 yards. These are aimed, deliberate (i.e. no time pressure) 5-shot groups, shot standing, unsupported. "Honest and consistent" means everything counts (i.e. no such thing as "fliers"), and that 3" group you just shot isn't a fluke. DA revolvers shooters (such as those shooting an Anaconda
) should be able to do this in single and double action, btw.You've got a hunting gun!
I hunt with a S&W 629 44 mag and consider it to be a 100 yard and closer weapon. I handload for it and use a 210 gr Sierra bullet. I find this gives me a pretty flat trajectory when testing it on the bench. I am sighted in for 2" high at 50 yards and 1" low at 100. I don't know if I am confident enough to take a poke at a deer out at 100 yards but, I know the gun will do it. I have been able to get tennis ball sized groups bench shooting at 100 yards.
Good Luck.
I hunt with a S&W 629 44 mag and consider it to be a 100 yard and closer weapon. I handload for it and use a 210 gr Sierra bullet. I find this gives me a pretty flat trajectory when testing it on the bench. I am sighted in for 2" high at 50 yards and 1" low at 100. I don't know if I am confident enough to take a poke at a deer out at 100 yards but, I know the gun will do it. I have been able to get tennis ball sized groups bench shooting at 100 yards.
Good Luck.
With the right ammo and in the hands of a really good shooter, your gun should be capable of 3-4" groups at 50 yards. At least.
When I was shooting metallic silhouette matches, my iron-sighted DW .44 mag would group 5 shots in 8" at 200 meters.
Odds are, your gun is far more accurate than you'll ever be able to appreciate.
When I was shooting metallic silhouette matches, my iron-sighted DW .44 mag would group 5 shots in 8" at 200 meters.
Odds are, your gun is far more accurate than you'll ever be able to appreciate.
Ideal Tool
Moderator
Hello, bshefa, Take a look at some of the IHMSA video's, I have ran 5 straight many times on the 200m rams using a 6" S&W Mod.19. Took state championship with a 83/8" S&W Mod.27 & 83/8" Mod.57.
vanilla_gorilla
New member
It's all about your practice.
A buddy and I hit up the public range last week to try to win some lunch. We try to fool around and pick up some bets with onlookers for shooting bowling pins and stuff like that with our pistols at a hundred yards. This time, it was clay pigeons at the 110 yard berm with our .22 pistols. No takers. Seems word has gotten around after winning a couple of meals.
And we're absolutely mediocre compared to some guys I shoot with.
A buddy and I hit up the public range last week to try to win some lunch. We try to fool around and pick up some bets with onlookers for shooting bowling pins and stuff like that with our pistols at a hundred yards. This time, it was clay pigeons at the 110 yard berm with our .22 pistols. No takers.
Seems word has gotten around after winning a couple of meals. And we're absolutely mediocre compared to some guys I shoot with.
It is all about practice
I had the pleasure to meet John Linebaugh from .475 and .500 Linebaugh and Linebaugh Custom Guns fame. He gave me a few tips on how to shoot a snubbie that I could not hit anything with.
After that, I was trying my luck hitting, not grouping, just hitting, water bottles at 100 yards with my .38 S&W Combat Masterpiece Model 15. These are the 12 ounce bottles that you see people walking around with. With standard loads, I started hitting them fairly quick.
There seems to be no reason that a larger chunk of lead pushed at almost twice the speed should not serve you past well 30 yards, with practice, even with open sights, as that was what I was using to hit the bottles that are only a couple inches wide.
The Doc is out now.
I had the pleasure to meet John Linebaugh from .475 and .500 Linebaugh and Linebaugh Custom Guns fame. He gave me a few tips on how to shoot a snubbie that I could not hit anything with.
After that, I was trying my luck hitting, not grouping, just hitting, water bottles at 100 yards with my .38 S&W Combat Masterpiece Model 15. These are the 12 ounce bottles that you see people walking around with. With standard loads, I started hitting them fairly quick.
There seems to be no reason that a larger chunk of lead pushed at almost twice the speed should not serve you past well 30 yards, with practice, even with open sights, as that was what I was using to hit the bottles that are only a couple inches wide.
The Doc is out now.
Okay, so I need a LOT of practice. I can hit a pie plate every time from 40 yards but after that it gets real bad real quick. At least it is easier to carry the revolvers to my little private range than packing up four or five rifles.
I have another question. I have adjusted the rear sight some but it doesn't seem to change the point of impact significantly. This goes for both a security six 357 and the anaconda. How far does the point of impact move with how much turn?
I have another question. I have adjusted the rear sight some but it doesn't seem to change the point of impact significantly. This goes for both a security six 357 and the anaconda. How far does the point of impact move with how much turn?
bshefa,
Save yourself a lot of time and trouble and buy one of these:
http://www.airgunsbbguns.com/Daisy_717_Powerline_Single_Pump_Competition_p/day717.htm
Zero recoil, almost zero noise, very accurate and the ammo is practially free.
Use a box of newspapers for a backstop. Shoot in your garage or living room.
The sad fact is that it's very difficult to learn trigger control, follow-through, calling the shot and the other fine points of pistol shooting if your gun jumps around and makes a lot of noise when you shoot.
My 717 is on it's 4th rebuild since I bought it 30+ years ago. I practice shooting 1" target pasters at 25'. A 10 shot group on the paster tells me I'm doing OK.
Save yourself a lot of time and trouble and buy one of these:
http://www.airgunsbbguns.com/Daisy_717_Powerline_Single_Pump_Competition_p/day717.htm
Zero recoil, almost zero noise, very accurate and the ammo is practially free.
Use a box of newspapers for a backstop. Shoot in your garage or living room.
The sad fact is that it's very difficult to learn trigger control, follow-through, calling the shot and the other fine points of pistol shooting if your gun jumps around and makes a lot of noise when you shoot.
My 717 is on it's 4th rebuild since I bought it 30+ years ago. I practice shooting 1" target pasters at 25'. A 10 shot group on the paster tells me I'm doing OK.
An airgun or CO2 gun is fine for indoor practice and for a beginner, but it makes a poor trainer for a .44 Magnum. A person with no shooting experience, or with experience only with an airgun, who first encounters the recoil and blast of a large caliber revolver tends to go to pieces and often is ruined forever as a shooter.
If an airgun is used as a beginner's tool, the next step should be a .22, then something like a .38 Special with target loads before going to the .357, then to the .44 or equivalent.
Going from the airgun to the .44 Magnum would be like going from one of those grocery store kiddie cars to the Grand Prix de Monte Carlo.
Jim
If an airgun is used as a beginner's tool, the next step should be a .22, then something like a .38 Special with target loads before going to the .357, then to the .44 or equivalent.
Going from the airgun to the .44 Magnum would be like going from one of those grocery store kiddie cars to the Grand Prix de Monte Carlo.
Jim