Is/Was there a Handgun That You Just Can’t Hit With?

[LUBEDUDE]

It seems that many of us handgunners have a bit of an ego thinking (knowing) that we can shoot anything handgun wise.

Back in the 80’s I had a second generation S&W pistol (5900 series) full size, that I could not hit the ground pointing straight down. I really WANTED to make it work for me. I wasted a ton of Ammo trying, but finally admitted my failure and dumped it. Never shot another 1st, 2nd,or 3rd generation Model 39 style Smith since and have no inclination to.

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I love Hi Powers, have 2 of them, 9mm. 20 years ago I bought a 40 HP. As much as wanted to love it, it would hit 8-10 inches off the mark. Dumped it and never ever thought about getting another.

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What handguns just won’t work for you?

[Omega]

The worse shooting gun I ever had was a H&R .22, dang thing had a crooked barrel I think. It would hit at least 3" or 4" to the left of where I aimed, but it would do it consistently, so I could hit what I was shooting at. Most every gun I have now shoots ok, even the *** Jennings .22 shoots straight, even though it double feeds or fails to eject every other shot.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Interesting topic. I'm surprised that the S&W didn't work out for you, but the truth of the matter is that I've never fired a 39. I did have somewhat the same experience with a Hi-Power 9mm that was a WW II tangent sighted version complete with Nazi markings. The trigger was terrible and I couldn't keep it on the paper. As for the Jennings J-22, I've got one of the early ones, made in Chino, CA, I believe, and it works great. When I was an FFL I sold quite a few of them and the one reoccurring complaint was the poor quality of the magazines. The plastic followers liked to pop out of the top, and once they did they became useless. It's been a long time and I can't remember where I got them, but someone somewhere made some after-market mags that worked well and were more durable. I guess the poorest quality guns I got sucked in on was buying three Standard Arms of Nevada 9mm pistols. They were only warrantied to work with FMJ ammo of one particular brand, and all shot very left and very low. The sights were non-adjustable and I felt so bad about the situation that I never passed them off on anyone and still have them stored away somewhere. Oddly, the magazines were top quality made by MEC-GAR or similar and were the best part of the gun! :veryconfu

[Thumbcocker]

I have a persistent (Mrs. Thumbcocker says stubborn) streak. I notice that I spend more time fighting with guns that don't shoot well than I do shooting my best shooting guns. I am working on that.

[sureYnot]

Interesting topic. I'm surprised that the S&W didn't work out for you, but the truth of the matter is that I've never fired a 39. I did have somewhat the same experience with a Hi-Power 9mm that was a WW II tangent sighted version complete with Nazi markings. The trigger was terrible and I couldn't keep it on the paper. As for the Jennings J-22, I've got one of the early ones, made in Chino, CA, I believe, and it works great. When I was an FFL I sold quite a few of them and the one reoccurring complaint was the poor quality of the magazines. The plastic followers liked to pop out of the top, and once they did they became useless. It's been a long time and I can't remember where I got them, but someone somewhere made some after-market mags that worked well and were more durable. I guess the poorest quality guns I got sucked in on was buying three Standard Arms of Nevada 9mm pistols. They were only warrantied to work with FMJ ammo of one particular brand, and all shot very left and very low. The sights were non-adjustable and I felt so bad about the situation that I never passed them off on anyone and still have them stored away somewhere. Oddly, the magazines were top quality made by MEC-GAR or similar and were the best part of the gun! :veryconfuHave you considered taking some off the right side and top of the front sight with a file? Or are they way to far off for that to be any help?

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[brass410]

32 auto webly and scott could not hit inside of bucket with the barrel inside pointed down never figured it out so off it went

[dverna]

.32 Seecamp.

[country gent]

I have an original rem derringer that I haven't been able to shoot very well. its short small grip light and sights are non existant. I have worked with the secamp and the gutter sight on it took awhile to learn how to use it and where to hold but it worked then. I also have to watch the double stacked mag pistols as the added grip size can make them harder for me to shoot.

[gwpercle]

Yes.... A 38 S&W Double Action 4th model top break revolver.
Tiny grip and minuscule sights . My daughter said the only way to hit a barn might be to shoot from the inside .... and that would be iffy . I agree....I had a target set up at three long steps and never hit it once.....I have no idea where that gun throws boolits but it's not to POA.
Gary

[redhawk0]

I had a Ruger 944 in 40 cal about 10 years ago. I couldn't hit a barn if I was on the inside shooting out. I just could never get a pattern with it. I know it was me too...that's the sad part. A buddy of mine could hit target all day long with it. So I sold it to him.

I don't know whether is was just the design of the pistol...or the grips...or my grip...or what...but I didn't lose any sleep over selling it.

redhawk

[Moleman-]

I had a 4.5" 357 Ruger blackhawk for a few months or so. Really liked the gun but couldn't hit squat with it. It was me as my buddy could shoot it well, so down the road it went. The kicker was that I could shoot my 5946 at 100yds and get a smaller group than I could with the ruger at 25yds.

[Walks]

Don,
A Seecamp is an across the table gun. What kind of accuracy were you expecting.

For me it was a S & W Model 59, had to play back & forth so much with bullet diameter. Finally gave up on it. It's no fun when you spend more time fighting with a Gun then shooting it.

[Blacky Montana]

The very first year of the S&W 40 cal, I bought their semi auto I believe was a model 2006. Seven yards from target i could line up sights pefect on a 3ft high target, and the rounds would hit the ground in front of target. Sent it back to SW twice to have sights adjusted to "battle sight zero". Came back both times the same. Smith ended up taking it back refunding my money. It's a shame to, cause shooting instinctive with same pistol i could devastate the bullseye. Just wouldn't keep a gun with horrible sights

[Tackleberry41]

This Femaru 7.65 somebody brought back from the war. Given to me, no blueing, rust pits everywhere. It does go bang, so long as you only use FMJ. Accuracy...point blank maybe.

40 guns can be hit or miss. I know a guy who still hates 40 to this day as he got a glock that was not very accurate. Cant say the glocks I had were any better in 40, but my CZ and FN drill them.

Cannot say my S&W shield in 9mm is very accurate. Not me, several people have tried it and various ammo, just not a very accurate gun.

[Wayne Smith]

It has taken me a while to shoot a birds head grip accurately. I'm getting it. Two of my favorite guns are birds heads - one I can change, the other I don't think so.

[JoeJames]

H&R .22 Sidekick back in 1962. I was so young - 11, that I did not really consider that there might actually be revolvers that one could hit with.

[tazman]

I have never been able to shoot any Ruger single action handgun accurately. I have tried several and I doubt they were all problem guns. They just don't work for me.

[Kraschenbirn]

My first ever 1911A1 (from DCM) many years ago. Wasn't my first handgun but I just could NOT get it to print any kind of group. Had a basic (fixed sight) Colt Woodsman and a .357 Blackhawk (still have it!) that I shot reasonably well but the Gov't Model just wouldn't come together for me. Didn't know enough gunsmithing back then to really work out what was wrong so I swapped it to someone I don't recall for something I don't remember.

Bill

[cas]

The 9mm/40S&W sized S&W M&P. Might just be the best feeling/fitting semi auto I've ever held. Fits my hand perfect... but I couldn't hit **** with it. Spent lots of time, effort and money on a great trigger. Didn't help.

The 45 sized M&P doesn't feel nearly as good, but I shoot it just fine.




My best friend for most of my life wasn't a huge gun guy, but a very good shooter for the occasional shooter he was. He just couldn't shoot single actions though. Auto and double actions were fine, but single actions, no matter the size and grip shape, just didn't work.

[poppy42]

Yes S&W 22 revolver model 17! With my Ruger GP100 in 357 magnum I could consistently get 3/4” groups at 25 yards. That 22, I was lucky to get 2 3/4” groups at 25 feet! Had the gun looked at by a very competant GS as I was sure the sites were bad or the barrel was bad. Nope just me I hated that gun and only kept it as a trapping gun.

[Texas by God]

Sig P220 with the DAK trigger. My high hopes crashed like waves on the rocks. A Revelation ( Hi-standard Sentinel) .22 snub NIB I bought from a neighbor. 5 ft max range to keep its shots on a paper plate.

[Flailguy]

A buddy in high school had a hi-point .380 tried to shoot a clay pidgeon at 10 feet or so. Prolly shot 50 rounds and never hit it.

[flyingmonkey35]

Keltech 40. It was Soo small you couldn't maintain a grip and would stove pipe.

Get mabey 1 or two before shots off and. The you were done

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[samari46]

Had a buddy who had one of the 40S&W high powers. Adjustable sight also. Used to be a pretty fair shot with just about any semi auto. So when he said try it out and let me know what you think I did. I have 18.5 lb recoil springs in my 1911A1 and had a hard time racking the slide on the HP. Regardless of what ammo we used and it was a fair amount we couldn't get the darn thing to get a decent group. Happened to have a Sig P239 in 40 S&W and it always shot well for me. Let my buddy shoot it and clover leafs on the target. The HP went down the road shortly thereafter. Sad to say both the HP is no longer in production and Sig discontinued the P239. Frank

[Petrol & Powder]

I've had a few handguns that just wouldn't shoot straight but most of them were old guns that had been abused before I got them. I took a chance and lost.

I've seen some new guns that wouldn't shoot but they've generally belonged to other people. One was a friend's Taurus 9mm that just would not shoot. At first I thought it was just him but I played with it and there was no doubt that it was junk. He replaced it with a Ruger and all was well. I've seen Charter Arms guns that would shoot well and some that wouldn't.
Sometimes a gun just doesn't "fit" and sometimes the guns themselves are just junk.




BUT, I've also found some gems that surprised me. An early 70's Star Super B that will hold 2" with any ammo that it will feed (that one required a little work but the monetary investment is very low). A well used and rather old CZ-75 that I should never have sold. An early model totally stock Colt Lightweight Commander that ran like a Swiss watch and shot just as well.

[Rick Hodges]

I can't shoot the S&W 4506. It is literally too fat in the grip trigger area and I can't complete the trigger stroke.
I don't shoot Glock's well, adequate, but they don't point naturally for me.

[Drm50]

I've owned hundreds of handguns and many of them wouldn't shoot worth a hoot. I will say that I
have had little issue with premium US manufactured guns. This doesn't include new production of
last 20yrs. A lot of guns I get I have no interest in keeping and don't bother shooting. If it's a gun
I'm interested in I shoot it from a rest to see if it's consistent. That doesn't mean I can shoot it offhand. There are handguns I just can't shoot and there is nothing wrong with the gun. I can't shoot
snub nose revolvers. It drives me nuts. I think handguns are like hunting rifles, they may shoot fine
off a rest but if they don't "fit" you, you aren't going to do well with them. There are a lot of guns
that will not shoot accurately no matter how much you fool with loads, bullets, ect.

[lawdog941]

I bought a Colt Gold Cup 70 series in 84 when I was in the Army. It had magazine and feed ramp problems. Sent it to a gunsmith. Tried shooting it after it came back, still wouldn't feed reliably, which would cause me to hardly hit anything. Wasn't worth it after awhile, so it went away.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Had a Hi Point 9mm pistol that would spray Federal ball ammo (plated bullets?). Shot some Remington hollow points and it shot a like a laser. Ended up selling it because my thumb applied the safety during recoil.

[415m3]

I have Ruger Single Six in .22/.22mag that I just can't get right. Even my kids don't like it.

[bedbugbilly]

Omega - you put a smile on my face!

My worst was a H & R 929 (I think that was the model) that had a 6" barrel. It wouldn't hit the target if I had placed the muzzle tight to the bullseye. It shot so low that I could have plowed with it. After messing around, I finally decided it was the barrel. I had other 22 revolvers that I could do well with . . but that H & R? It got traded back in to the LGS that hung the thing on me - I dealt with a different clerk and traded it in on a Heritage Rough Rider - the next time I was in, the guy who I dealt with on the trade wanted to know why I didn't tell him that the H & R was "off". I just smiled at him, pointed over at the clerk I had bought it from and replied . . . "Because he didn't tell me when I bought it here to begin with." I would never have hung that gun on somebody else without telling them of the issues . . . but that LGS? Karma is sometimes a great thing - what goes around, comes around!

[rintinglen]

The most troublesome pistol I have ever had was a CZ-24 .380. If the target was out of short-bladed knife range, you'd probably miss. In addition, the term "jam-a-matic" had a great deal of relevance.
I have a LLama Mini-Max that is hard pressed to hit a 9 inch plate at 25 yards, but it is very reliable.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Have you considered taking some off the right side and top of the front sight with a file? Or are they way to far off for that to be any help?

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Too nubby. Any material removed from the top of the front sight would make it almost non-existent. Like most things, these could probably be fixed with the installation of custom sights. Just not worth it. And the quality of the guns was reflected in the short life of the company that made them.

[9.3X62AL]

Small-frame double-action revolvers cause me no end of grief. OEM stock sets are a complete waste of time, if I can install larger sets that fit my hands then the shooting improves GREATLY. Self-loading pistols any smaller than a Walther PP do me no favors, either.

Ideal for me? K- or L-frame S&W, I-frame Colt, Bisley Blackhawk Ruger. Autopistols from Glock 19/23 up through the Commander-sized service designs handle well for me. Most-carried? Glock 23, S&W; 686 x 4" is a distant 2nd place and a creature of the back-country for me.

[Idaho45guy]

Ruger SP101. My buddy got it for his wife and both he and her couldn't hit anything with it. He brought it with him when we went camping and he wanted me to try it out.

At 7yds, slow fire, it would do maybe a 6" group. I've never fired a pistol that was that bad.

I told him Ruger will take care of it for him, but he said his wife didn't like it anyway and they were going to trade it in on a Ruger auto of some kind.

[birch]

I had a brand new Nagant pistol when SOG was selling them for 59 dollars about 8 years ago. That is one gun that I don't think it is physically possible to shoot a group with. By the time the 14 pound single action sear broke, the muzzle was already on it's way to the center of the earth. Add the 3 second lock time to the equation, and a feller had ought to hope a bad guy slipped on some ice and was already on the ground waiting for all 635 FPS of semi-hot lead. I think the double action pull was around 30 pounds---I'm not kidding.

[beagle]

My wife had a snub nosed .38 Special Taurus one time. I shot it several times and was unable to hit a 5 gallon plastic bucket with it at 25 yards. Her brother had to have it and offered her $100. It went home with him./beagle

[9.3X62AL]

I had a brand new Nagant pistol when SOG was selling them for 59 dollars about 8 years ago. That is one gun that I don't think it is physically possible to shoot a group with. By the time the 14 pound single action sear broke, the muzzle was already on it's way to the center of the earth. Add the 3 second lock time to the equation, and a feller had ought to hope a bad guy slipped on some ice and was already on the ground waiting for all 635 FPS of semi-hot lead. I think the double action pull was around 30 pounds---I'm not kidding.

I forgot about my Nagant contraption. Mine is a 1916 Tula Arsenal rebuild, S/A trigger isn't all that bad--about like a Glock New York trigger. D/A trigger.......fuggetaboutit.

I load the full-length Starline brass with enough Unique to prompt about 850 FPS out of Lyman #313492. Given the dinky grips, dinky sights, medieval trigger, and my big paws--6" to 7" groups is about as good as it gets at 25 yards. I have actually kanked a couple jackrabbits with this rig, those critters must have been having real bad days on those occasions.

[Texas by God]

First issue S&W Sigma .40 S&W.
At least it was reliable. Horribly inaccurate for 4 different shooters. I hear the current SV's are much better.

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[Tom W.]

After my surgery (twice) and experimental chemo I have neuropathy and any Glock is going low left. I only have one striker fired center fire and that is a Ruger LC9s Pro that shoots well for me. The Glocks went to a good home and I got a CZ 75 SP-01 that has a hammer so I can cock it or carry it in Condition 1 and shoot it.

I haven't fired my 22/45 since my surgery, so I dunno how that will work out.

[Rick Hodges]

First issue S&W Sigma .40 S&W.
At least it was reliable. Horribly inaccurate for 4 different shooters. I hear the current SV's are much better.

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My nephew bought a new Sigma and asked me to see what was wrong with the trigger....it would not fire until you released it...yep, the trigger stroke taken all the way back to the frame did nothing until the moment you let go of it....a release trigger if you will. It went back to S&W. It was a horrible ***

[Mr_Sheesh]

Der Gebirgsjager - Silver solder extra front sight onto the side of the existing sight blade maybe? (UGH though!) Comes a point where it's not worth it.

[FergusonTO35]

My example would be a Ruger SP-101 I had in the early 2000's. It was a .357 with a 3" tube. First of all, it impacted low with every boolit weight I tried. I ended up trimming the front sight down by about half. What sealed it's fate was, it had the most dreadful trigger pull of any firearm I've ever tried. I ended up trading it for what I had in it.

[bob208]

I have never been able to hit anything with any of those break open .32 and .38 pistols.

[1bluehorse]

Pretty much every handgun I've ever owned, and I've owned a bunch, still have 6 in different flavors. Worst run of bad luck I've ever heard of.......:bigsmyl2:

[Good Cheer]

The most difficult has been flintlock pistol.
230122

[TCLouis]

I had 3 different Ruger 22 Semis that I dould never shoot well . . . or even so-so.
Buckmark is a different story.
My Super Blackhawk was a no go until I changed the grips and made a pair that was the same thickness top to botom.
Next will be a set that swell at the top, not the bottom.

I do not know if it would carry over to the real thing, but I am amazed how well I can "point shoot" from the hip with my 1911 airsoft.
I have never been able to get close with any other pistola or revolver shooting from the hip . . .
Guess J. M. Browning was on to something there

[Bazoo]

I've been handgunning for 17 years. I've had ruger blackhawks in 357, single sixes, several 1911s, a ruger p95 and a 22/45, smith and wessons 422, 60, 66, 642, 4006, Glock 17, 22, 42, Walther p38 and probably some I cant remember right now.

For me, the one Im having the most trouble getting good results with is my current blackhawk in 44 magnum. I had shot a blackhawk in 44 mag once before but it had a 7.5 barrel. Mine is a 4.625 barrel. I can do pretty good with a single six or a blackhawk in 357, and I did good with my buddies 44 the 1 time I shot it. I dont know if my buddy had reloads or factory ammo at the time.

Fast forward to my short barrel 44 blackhawk and im shooting a foot left, flinching and all sorts of stuff. So I started by making specials, and working on my grip and squeeze again. I figured out my off hand was pulling me left cause im putting a death grip on it. Changed that, got it pretty well figured out, and am down to about 2" at 15 yards off hand now. That with special +p and starting mag loads. Still aint worked up to full power loads yet, but im taking my time. I aint tried any in a while as I have been focusing on getting the lighter loads which will be more useful anyway.

Back when I owned and was shooting a 357 blackhawk, I was running skeeters heavy 357 loads, and thats about like a 44 special +p to light magnum loading in my estimation of recoil. I aint a giver upper though.

[jonp]

Kel Tec P-3AT. Bought my wife and I each one of these. Neither worked reliably with any type of ammunition but the biggest thing was
Man Mountain Dean couldn't pull the trigger on one of these and hit anything. Must have been 20lbs.

[Jtarm]

S&W 1917 Army.

That skinny, shiny front sight is just too hard for my old eyes to pick up.

Unfortunately, more and more sights are getting that way.

Walther PPK/s. That thing bites in every sense of the word.

[Preacher Jim]

Smith model 39 25 yards 14 inch groups never could make it shoot.

[MT Gianni]

Ruger P89, 2nd best day with it was the day I bought it, best was the day I sold it. I put at least 7-800 rds through it and the trigger pull was best described as abysmal. I got to the point it would keep 115 gr jacketed at 6" SA on a paper plate. Cast was about the same. The first time I went to shoot it DA I got the factory guide out as I was sure I had missed a safety. Nope just a 19 lb trigger pull.
Only other was a Model 66 S&W 2 1/2" Round Butt. I wanted a 2 1/2" or 3" for years and when I got one I couldn't hit with it. I experimented a ton but finally gave up on it too. I didn't sell either at a loss but there were some years that passed in between buy and sell.

[Paul D. Heppner]

My worst was a S&W 625 Mountain Gun in 45 Colt. It wouldn't shoot anything, cast or jacketed, light or heavy. At 25 yards off bags I would be lucky to put 3 of 6 on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. I thought I might send it back to the factory but I knew I would never trust it even if it came back shooting 6 into an inch at 25. It got migrated out of my life.

[Hickory]

I had a Dan Wesson 22 revolver I couldn't hit a coffee can at 20 ft.
But I could hit the same coffee can every time with my H&R 999 at 75 yards.

[HangFireW8]

Guy at the range let me shoot his S&W Sigma he was selling.

Couldn't give it back fast enough.

[Texas by God]

I had repressed memories of the early Ruger Vaquero 44-40 with the little throats and big barrel but this thread brought them back. If I had merely fitted a .44 mag cylinder I might still have it. A 1958 Browning A5 Light Twelve replete w/ Cutts replaced it quickly.

[Tom W.]

I did have an H&R model 999 that would shoot the first two or three rounds into the same hole, then it would start to walk sideways. It turned out that the rear sight wasn't fitted properly, and I could see where the screws were not cut straight. I could even see where the threads were cut out of the hole. Instead of sending it back, I sold it.... I did a LOT of stupid things like that. Still do......

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I've had a few, of that many, that I've owned that wouldn't shoot.

Topping the list is the Rimfire Ruger 22/45 (made before they came out with the Mark III).
I think is was the plastic frame that gave it an ill feel? It just never felt right for me. I got patterns (instead of groups) at 25 yards.
Sometimes I'd be all the way off the paper. My Best friend was happy to buy it from me, He claims it is every bit as accurate as his Mark II and his Mark I, both of which he loves.

I should also mention the CZ-52.
I've owned three of them. When shooting Mil surp ammo, which is quite 'Snappy', The gun just about jumps out of your hand. I've found using the typical Law enforcement handgun "hold" I couldn't hit anything...which is the hold I'd prefer to use on such a gun with ammo as mentioned. I did learn that if I used a weak grip (like when shooting Bullseye comp), I could get those guns to group pretty good.

[LAH]

By far the hardest for me is the 4 5/8 Ruger 45.

[Wis Tom]

The problem child for me, was a Ruger SP101 357, with a 3" barrel. I bought it for my wife, but after she shot it, it was given back to me, as she said she couldn't even tell where she was hitting. Now I know how my wife shoots, and she has shot plenty. Sure enough, that gun was hitting everywhere, but the target. I tried different things, new front site, all different ammo, etc., but it just had to go. I am a Ruger man, and have many, but that one, for me, was a lost cause.

[Orchard6]

For me it’s my Pietta 1858 Remington cap and ball revolver. I know some guys can be fairly accurate with them but I generally scatter balls into spreads more than groups! The 12 pound trigger I’m sure has something to do with it! I’d get rid of it but it was my first pistol I bought after I turned 18.

[Bent Ramrod]

I’m no great shakes with a pistol anyway, but I was pretty disgusted when I found my new Uberti Cattleman cap&ball Single Action could put six shots into a group about half the size of the best loads with my Uberti 1890 Police clone in .44-40.

Over the course of months, the 1890 Police was the gun I gave everything to, and it gave me nothing back. Checked muzzle crown and cylinder throats, fire-lapped the barrel, filed out the tiny slit in the top strap that is allegedly the rear sight, tried a zillion powders and primers, different boolit styles (within the limitations of the cartridge), even tried Winchester and Remington jacketed bullets.

I finally made a pair of better-holding (fatter) grips for the thing and found that the best-liked boolit was Ideal 42499 hollow point behind a moderate charge of Bullseye. This will give maybe B- accuracy, while the easier to cast 42798 gives maybe C+. All other loads are C to F. It doesn’t like any other powders any better than Bullseye and despises most of them. “Minute-of-Bad-Guy” is how a friend describes its best shooting.

The gun looks really cool, and is a definite advance on single action technology,as the grip frame is solid, with no screws to loosen, and the method of cylinder pin removal is much easier than on the Colt types. Too bad it doesn’t shoot better.

All my SA Colts and clones of same (including a .44-40) are easy to load for and shoot very accurately. Maybe I’m just not a Remington guy.