How far can you a shoot a 357 Magnum revolver?

[ErnieBishop]

This is something that has been cooking for several weeks now.
How far can you shoot a 357 Magnum Revolver (not a singleshot), use all six cylinders, and still group 10-12 inches?
I'm talking about a group on a steel target.
What do you think?
Or even better what have you accomplished?

[jmort]

At least 200 yards/meters. Not me, but others.

[aspangler]

200 yards at least. I have seen consistent ringing of 12 inch gongs at 300 with a six inch barrel Taurus.

[Zim]

I've been confused by questions like this. I learned to shoot pistols in a field. If you can see it, you can hit it. Our "range" went out to 100 yards and we would pop or chase aluminum cans into the high weeds. Start them at 15 yards and inevitably, they would pop off into the high grass and we would be shooting at 1 can. 50 yards, 75 yards and 100 yards where it was too small (not a piece bigger than a 1/4 of the can and that would be WELL ventilated) to see in the grass.

To answer your question, soda can at 100 yards easy. 12" is a big target compared to pieces of a can. I was shooting a 2 3/4" Ruger Security Six normally. Fun times. Been a while and I am out of practice. The new range has me shooting clay pigeons on the berm at 50 yards. Not as challenging.

These were lead bullet loads. Usually 158 gr Lyman 358156 Thompsons over Unique, green dot, bullseye or 231. Needless to say, we practiced a lot. The soda cans were good because you could call colors. Red, green, blue etc. With the clays, Orange...

Best shot, and no I will not repeat it, was a ricochet at ~75 yards, creating a large cloud of dust, then taking a 7up can full of water off of a log at 100 yards. Centered the can. Spectacularly.

[ErnieBishop]

I will be using a scope. My eyes are not that good for critical iron sight shooting.
I will shoot from either the bench or a field rest (maybe both).
I will be shooting either 170's or 180's (maybe both).
You can tell I have not done this yet.

[ErnieBishop]

I think I can see further than I can shoot accurately with a scope.
I am not looking for one or two hits, but consistent hits (6-shot group).
I know 200 yards is a given, as ISHMA folks have been ringing steel at 200 for a long time.
Really looking for a group that is 10 inches or under.

I've been confused by questions like this. I learned to shoot pistols in a field. If you can see it, you can hit it. Our "range" went out to 100 yards and we would pop or chase aluminum cans into the high weeds. Start them at 15 yards and inevitably, they would pop off into the high grass and we would be shooting at 1 can. 50 yards, 75 yards and 100 yards where it was too small (not a piece bigger than a 1/4 of the can and that would be WELL ventilated) to see in the grass.

To answer your question, soda can at 100 yards easy. 12" is a big target compared to pieces of a can. I was shooting a 2 3/4" Ruger Security Six normally. Fun times. Been a while and I am out of practice. The new range has me shooting clay pigeons on the berm at 50 yards. Not as challenging.

These were lead bullet loads. Usually 158 gr Lyman 358156 Thompsons over Unique, green dot, bullseye or 231. Needless to say, we practiced a lot. The soda cans were good because you could call colors. Red, green, blue etc. With the clays, Orange...

Best shot, and no I will not repeat it, was a ricochet at ~75 yards, creating a large cloud of dust, then taking a 7up can full of water off of a log at 100 yards. Centered the can. Spectacularly.

[Zim]

Mixed comments. We were shooting iron sights and Weaver stance. My vision has progressively deteriorated and I've now got bifocals. Can still hit clays - not every time, but 1-2 times per cylinder. The others are in your 10" circle.

I'm shooting a TC Contender off the bench and find it fairly easy at 50 yards (time for the 200 yard range.) This is with a 2x 223 14", 32 Mag 10" or a 357 10". I'm learning the Contender. More fun off hand, IMHO.

10" sounds like you are hunting. Are you planning on shooting off sticks? Or from a blind with a rest? I suggest practice without a scope and off hand to get a feel for the trigger and gun.

My scoped pistols are HEAVY. I prefer the lighter ones for casual shooting. Try it. See what works for you. Lighter means I can practice more. Just remember to smile. It makes you shoot better!

[ErnieBishop]

Yes, I do hunt, but I expect my max distance to be beyond what I would ever consider hunting at.
I still hunt, spot-n-stalk, and stand hunt.
When I hunt I use natural field rests, my pack, shooting sticks and BOG-GEAR's CLD-3 and HD-3 with their PSR Top and the Sargent Sniper Rest (SSR). I also use small field or pillow bags.
My steel targets are 10" square (1/2 A500).
I don't use TC's anymore-not pleased with their accuracy for their size.
I do use XP's and MOA Maximum's and I shoot them way beyond any consideration in this thread.
So, back to revolvers.
I will only be using a scope-NO iron sights for this.

[Beagle333]

6 shots from a revolver, 10 inch group, iron sights, standing? Mebbe 40 yards. I always cowboy shoot. I never actually shoot that far. I really don't know if I could even hit a soda can at 100 with any of 6 shots.

[ErnieBishop]

Not standing. From the bench, prone or seated using a field rest.

6 shots from a revolver, 10 inch group, iron sights, standing? Mebbe 40 yards. I always cowboy shoot. I never actually shoot that far. I really don't know if I could even hit a soda can at 100 with any of 6 shots.

[BCgunworks]

Off of bog gear 225 is as far as I have gone with the Franken ruger. And the groups are still tight enough to go farther.

The biggest factor will be your ability to adjust for drop with your optics

[Zim]

ErnieBishop,
How big is your field? Start short at 50 or 100 yards. Get comfortable on the bench at this distance and walk the steel out. Have a spotter to help you walk the hits onto the target. Set your sights and bang away. Elmer Keith tells of some long range shots. How far do you want to shoot? All it takes is practice.

What pistol are you doing this with? Scope is 2x or 4x or more? Sounds like fun, but I won't be able to spot for you. Wyoming is a drive.

You will want to prove your kit too. Make sure your velocity and boolits won't lead the barrel. High speed for flat shooting? RN or FN? GC or PB? New pistol or how loose is your cylinder? Lots to consider.

To answer your question, I've shot at 100 yards with repeatable accuracy. Others have mentioned 200 yards. If you and your kit are up to it, why not 1000 yards?

[44man]

It really depends. Long ago with a 27 S&W with the 358156 HP I could hit 1" targets from prone, scoped at 100 yards. Back in 56 and 57 I was shooting and hitting with the .44 mag to 550 yards. Open sights.
I don't know the limit for the .357 but it will be FAR.
The question should be how far is lethal on game and the .357 is CLOSER. My comfort zone might be close to 20 yards on deer but for fun, it is how you load and accuracy so why not 600+ yards?

[rintinglen]

From a bench, a good 357 loaded with a suitable bullet that it likes, will group into 8 inches consistently. Some groups will be better, but I fall into the group that says "Don't tell me what you can hit, tell me what you can't miss," when it comes to accuracy. Jesus rose from the dead, but that is not the statistical average.

[ErnieBishop]

I will be able to adjust for my drops by means of stadia lines and running the turret-No Holdovers for this project!
Not sure which scope yet though.

Off of bog gear 225 is as far as I have gone with the Franken ruger. And the groups are still tight enough to go farther.

The biggest factor will be your ability to adjust for drop with your optics

[ErnieBishop]

Oh, I miss alright. Just talk to anyone who has shot with me when I am shooting at distance.
My hitting and missing will have more to do with the wind, than anything else.

From a bench, a good 357 loaded with a suitable bullet that it likes, will group into 8 inches consistently. Some groups will be better, but I fall into the group that says "Don't tell me what you can hit, tell me what you can't miss," when it comes to accuracy. Jesus rose from the dead, but that is not the statistical average.

[ErnieBishop]

500 yards is my personal goal. Anything more is just gravy.

It really depends. Long ago with a 27 S&W with the 358156 HP I could hit 1" targets from prone, scoped at 100 yards. Back in 56 and 57 I was shooting and hitting with the .44 mag to 550 yards. Open sights.
I don't know the limit for the .357 but it will be FAR.
The question should be how far is lethal on game and the .357 is CLOSER. My comfort zone might be close to 20 yards on deer but for fun, it is how you load and accuracy so why not 600+ yards?

[BCgunworks]

Well we know 101 is a clean deer kill

[dubber123]

What is the gun and load? Some revolvers can shoot 200+ gr. boolits which I feel might be a help at longer distances. I'm currently fooling with a 210 gr. in one of my .357's. It did well enough I need to stretch the range out a bit. Another member on the site shot silhouettes in Ca. for years with the same gun I have, and prefers boolits in the 200 gr. range. He now shoots groups for fun with a scope, and I believe he was reporting 200 meter groups in the 2" range.

[ErnieBishop]

It is a Ruger GP-100, that will be turned into what Chris Rhodes of Bayside Custom Gunworks calls a Franken-Ruger. Read this and watch the vids for more info (If you want) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-cool-handguns
I shot two of his prototypes last week and I was impressed with accuracy I was getting.
Mine will be a 13" barrel. It will be a scoped field shooting and hunting revolver, not a carry on your hip set-up.
Not sure of the load but will consider the 170 grain Sierra, and the 158 and 180 grain Hornady XTP's. I may just use Frank Bliss' Extremuntion commercial ammunition.