Groups.........

[BCgunworks]

It varies based on what the gun is for. A pocket rocket doesn't need to do what a 8 3/8 smith does.

I just want consistency.

[44man]

Lots of good comments. We all go to pot too. I went to shoots and spent all my time getting ready for the next shoot, nothing else got done. Now I am an old goat and nothing still gets done!
I used to spend two days cleaning the garage or basement, now I just watch dust get thick.

[SSGOldfart]

I've shot little bit of near every thing in years past,but these days it's more about hitting what I aim for than how small the group's are.yep most guns are better out of the box then most shooters can shot.

[4bisley5]

I feel confident when my factory revolvers keep my groups to 1 1/2 inch or less at 25 yds on the bench. Since my deer hunting takes place in the woods here in NC I don't have the long range type shooting they have out west, so a 40 to 50 yarder is long for me. After getting a good load worked out I then leave the bench and practice shooting from hunting positions.

[376Steyr]

A while back I put my first red dot sight on a pistol. I assumed my well-practiced, braced over sandbags, two-handed hold that I thought gives me a rock-solid sight picture with iron sights, and watched in amazement as the red dot swam about in a lazy 2" circle on the 25 yard target. This gave me much to think about.

[Whiterabbit]

I am curious as to what folks expect from a handgun.

Jeff

VERY simple. I expect to get 100% of the rounds into the black of NRA 25 yard rapid fire target. This is generally an "easy" target that lends itself to high scores. Also, hitting the black means a dead animal every time.

NOW, the complicated part is how far away to put the target? That's up to me and the gun.

If I have my 2-6x scoped 10" barrel BFR in 460, I expect to be in the black at 100 yards. And had better punch out the X ring at 25, even though that's not the goal. My snub nose 45 colt? I don't need or expect it to be in the black at 100 yards. 15 yards for sure, and I'd like to see 25 yards.

But accuracy standard? I want to use only black colored target pasters. and an NRA 25 yard rapid fire target.

[johnson1942]

with a smith model 17, .22 wheel target gun my son and i have taken prairie dogs to 250 or more yards. first shot to see where you hit and then walk it in. before the 6 shots are used the dog is dead. also easily to 100 yards, just aim and kill them. i had a high standard supermatic trophy that could do the same. larger cal. revolvers can be very very accurate. my friends colt trooper with a 5 inch barrel .38 special, drives tacks. depends upon a gun, i wont own a gun with a bad trigger or doesnt drive tacks.

[Whiterabbit]

I think though that I am going to switch to an NMLRA 50 yard target. The black is about the same size, but it's MUCH harder to score well.

[Groo]

Groo here
Well,,,,,,,,, Most of my shooting is at closer ranges [ the eyes you know] but my hunting loads were always tested at 25 then100yds.[we don't shoot much over that in Ohio]
First , Went for power, [we are shooting handguns after all] then adj for group.
My test was 5 or 6 [a cylinder] or 8 [ yes I have hunted with an auto] off hand at 100 on an 8 in paper plate.[ with irons]
Almost all my hunt guns will do this with full up " Groo Monster Maulers" or "Death Star " loads.
If I was to shoot out west, backing down some for smaller groups would be done.
What I did find is the "super heavy" or SSK "ramslammer" type bullets and loads were not needed
except for "special" targets [like steel or "him moose" and bigger] and so went back to more "normal"
loadings.
At that level , find a "pop can" 100yd load was easy.

[dtknowles]

...........................yep most guns are better out of the box then most shooters can shot.

I am not picking on you, you are just the latest to say it but I always questioned that statement.

Does that mean that you think most factory guns are accurate enough out of the box or that you think most shooters are not able to shoot well enough to take advantage of the accuracy of factory guns.

I would think that most of us would shoot a little better if we were shooting some of the better factory guns than if we shoot some of the worse factory guns.

Tim

[ghh3rd]

I haven't used my .44 Ruger SBH lately but with Lee 310gr boolits was getting 2" groups at 50 yds. Not spectacular, but I was happy. Now I'm getting back into doing more casting - loading - shooting, and don't see why I can't get 1" groups at 50 yards, with some tweaking.

[tdoyka]

youse guys gotta look at my targets!!!

i should have put my 44 mag(super redhawk/7.5 barrel) up for sale right after i came home from a stroke. but noooooo.....one day i will use it. well stubborn me, that day has come!!! i started out at 15 yards, well a blind man with both arms tied behind his back could have beaten me. yes, it was that bad. since i only have one arm(dang stroke!!!) i tried to use a tripod. and then since i have a hard time trying to use the factory sights, i have bought warrens one hole sight(peep sight) and a marbles green optic sight. since then i am able to group 5 shots at 3" or less at 15 yards. next is 25 yards, then 35 and finally 50 yards. that will be all that i need to group 3 1/2 - 4" at 50 yards(using unique and 250gr mihek hp) to shoot a deer.

i was and am thinking of buying a ruger blackhawk in 44 spl with a 4.5" or so barrel. but that is another subject. so one armed, using a tripod and using unique i'll have to say that for me its 3 1/2 - 4" groups at 50 yards.

to think before i had a stroke, i would have never used a 3 1/2" group at 100 yards, let alone at 50 yards.

[ghh3rd]

tdoyka - no matter the group size, you are still at it having fun... and you will still be able to hunt and bring home meat.

[Texantothecore]

I am working on putting 6 shots inside a 6 inch circle with a Navy and a .45 colt. I've only been shooting handguns for just about a year and being able to do that would be very satisfying. I already have plans to shoot at a three inch circle but that may be a bit optimistic.

[JSH]

A good discussion and some good food for thought.
Tim I have seen more than once a mediocre shooter go out and spend a pile of money on a new gun,ammo and equipment. Then do not much better and at times even worse than they did to begin with.
I have gotten to the point I hate the term plinking, it has gotten crossed over into the blasting category. I used to "plink", though I was still serious about my out come. I have come to the thoughts of it being casual practice. Spinners and dualing trees, I still want the center of the plate on demand.
When I started casting it allowed me to shoot more at a savings, my time is worth little most days. In turn shooting more allowed me to gain in scores because of the extra practice. I cull my CB's pretty hard. Anything that doesn't look eye perfect is a cull. It is just to easy to recycle and get a perfect one. Settle for so so cast and you need to be ready to settle for so so results. I sort by eye,yet I still cull if one goes into the lube sizer and doesn't feel right. I got bad one summer and weighed every single match bullet, my scores did not change that I could see that time and effort did me any good. I do look close at the base for any signs of air pockets or bubbles.

[Thumbcocker]

At the risk of a slight thread diversion here.... When you sight in your handgun for 25 or 50 yards and then go for a target at 100 do you change the sight setting or just go Elmer and hold up a dab of front sight. For example I was shooting the CZ75 last Sunday. Got it zeroed at 25. Repaired to the 50 yard berm and set up a beverage container. I did not change my zero and was shooting with Kentucky windage. I had no problem bouncing the container around the berm but actually connecting with it was a bear. Especially when it fell over on its side. I was having to try to compensate by holding over about 2" and mostly just moved it. So.... what is the correct method?

[tdoyka]

tdoyka - no matter the group size, you are still at it having fun... and you will still be able to hunt and bring home meat.

it definitely does!!!