Son in law and long range

[reloader28]

My son in law works part time for us and last Friday I told him to bring his 45 Blackhawk out and we'd shoot some long range. We have 12"x12" gongs every hundred yards from 400 to 1000. He'd never shot past 20-30 yards before so I showed him how to hold his front sight and we started blasting some ammo off at 400 yards.

About half was 7gr Green Dot and half was 17.5gr 2400, both with 255 gr NOE RF. He had a ball and even hit it a couple times. We also shot at some bowling pins laying at 100 yards and he hit a few of those too. I think it frustrated him that I hit so much, but I have a little more practice than him.

He said that when I told him we were going to hit long range he thought I was talking about 100-150 yards.
I said "Really? We've been shooting bowling pins at 100 yards". He couldnt believe he was actually doing that good at 400 (most people dont believe you can do it).

After we fired off a couple hundred rounds we went back to work, but he is hooked. If I rework the trigger for him he'll probably do way better, but he did darn good for the first time. If you can hit a 12x 12 plate at that distance you've accomplished something with your shooting AND loading in my opinion.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

That Green Dot is an un sung winner, I've just shot up the last of mine.

You've got me thinking, I've never fired my Blackhawk .45 past 25 yards. I'm a Colt's man all the way however my Rugers do get the edge in accuracy over the Colt's. And in the Colt's, the .44 Special edges out the .45 in accuracy at distances past .25 yards.

I've got 12" and a 24" steel plates and access to ranges past 400 yards. Normally I'd default to my SBH for 200 yards.

Thanks for posting.

[snowwolfe]

Shades of Elmer and his 600 yard shot at that old mule deer
Sounds like you two had a great time.

[Thumbcocker]

Love the long range shooting. Never shot past 313 yards myself.

[TCLouis]

There is nothing more fun than hitting small targets at long distance with a pistol.
I had the perfect place to do such but retired so no longer have access and those still there said that kind of fun is no longer within the acceptable activities.
Maybe I am glad I am gone.

As the saying says "Aim small, Hit small"

[reloader28]

It is alotta fun.
Its amazing what a handgun is actually capable of.

[Plate plinker]

Love the long range shooting. Never shot past 313 yards myself.

Odd number there must be a story to tell.

[Zim]

When I read the title, I kept thinking, you are not supposed to brag about murder on a public forum. Maybe I'm a little jumpy with 3 kids dating seriously. Eh?

Yes, we practiced at 50-100 yards and then went to shoot with others at 25 yards. Got a couple strange looks when I asked "why so close?" The answer was that they needed to practice more... Had an enjoyable time at short range, but didn't get invited back? Hmm.

Another time I was settling clays at the club's 50 yard range and Glock Guy asks me what I'm doing way out there on the pistol range. Then he proceeds to MISS a silhouette target at 7 yards. He didn't stay long. I did offer help.

Congratulations on turning on another long range pistolero! And getting a son in law that shoots! It is not only possible, it's fun!

[Messy bear]

I / we rotinely shoot revolvers at long ranges and enjoy it very much!
GENERALLY if a load shoots well at longer distances, it will do well at short range also. It is just so much fun shooting at long range that it seems we always leave the close targets and go after further ones! Good for your son in law and hope he continues!

[reloader28]

He had so much fun that we had a little time to do it again last Friday.

He was with me when I shot my deer with a 44 Vaquero last fall and was impressed at what a straight clip on WW SWC would do. After this he's now talking of trying his 45 on one. I doubt it will be this year, but you never know. At a little closer range of course lol.

Zim, a few years ago I showed him a loaded boolit that I had dremeled his name into and told him not to break her heart. We had a laugh and shot it at the target along with a couple hundred more.
He asked me for her hand in marriage while we were shooting a couple years later and now their going to have a baby daughter in about a month.

[zymguy]

You sound (read) like an ambassador of the skill and someone id sure like to shoot with.

[deepwater]

Great write up and good story. I have a lot of Green Dot and am looking for .480 Ruger recipes.

[Green Frog]

Green Dot is the powder of choice around here for 20 ga shotgun reloading. We used a bit of it for 38 MRWC loads back in the eighties when we ran out of other powders. Anyway, I've still got a bunch of it in the old man cave so it's good to know I can also utilize it in my 45 Colt (Uberti SAA) as well. That is really a versatile powder! Wonder if there is a good 32-20 recipe for it??

Froggie

[reloader28]

Hope G Dot works for you. In 45 Colt 7gr works really well in ours at about 900fps. 6 shots in a ragged hole for me.

I've started testing out HS-6 right now with even better results so far. 13gr is working awesome.

[35 shooter]

It is amazing how quickly you can "learn" the sight picture for different distances by just holding so much front sight above the rear and using a 6:00 hold on the target.
Also amazing how consistent you can get with a bit of dedicated practice.

It is a lot of fun...glad you have someone who enjoys doing that kind of shooting with you!