Long Range Pistol Shooting

[FlyinRock]

Lets have some fun. What do you think is the outside limit for accurate pistol shooting? Lets use a standard man sized sillhouette for the standard. Doesn't matter what caliber, or scoped or not.
I watched Elmer Keith make consistent hits on a steel plate at 600 yards with his 4" M29 S&W .44Mag and factory sights. (rested off a bench)
I learned the long range shooting from him and have some fun stories to tell with regard to my match tuned 1911's and hardball ammo. At the ranges I'm talking about, the bullet energy may be so small as to give a headache with a head shot but I have a hard time finding candidates to test it on. I'm talking about reasonable accuracy as in 3x6 hits in center of mass.
What is your tale?
Mr. Obenaur, are you watching these posts? Chime in. You have earned braggin rights now.
Semper Fi
Ol S&B

 

[nittany03]

For me? 50 yards. And that's on a range, not when I'm scared out of my mind in enemy country. I'd halve that if I was in an evasion situation. I think the energy issue is huge, as is bullet drop. Whole lot less powder in a pistol than a rifle, and a much shorter barrel to stabilize the bullet in. I can hit what I aim at, but don't consider myself a crack shot.

I believe it was Jeff Cooper who said that a pistol is a weapon you use to defend yourself while you run to get your rifle.

 

[PropAddict]

I've heard tell of people making some long shots with T/C Contenders. It's technically a pistol. . .

 

[nittany03]

There are pistols, and there are 10-inch-barreled, .500 S&W Magnum penis extensions which are also (technically) pistols. :icon_tong

 

[0812GM]

I would say max effective range for a standard 9mm pistol would be 50 meters.

 

[Flugelman]

I've heard tell of people making some long shots with T/C Contenders. It's technically a pistol. . .

Long range pistol silhouette rams are out at 200m. For Hunter's Pistol Silhouette (100m rams), my .22 Hornet TC will shoot MOA at 100m with a mild load. Around 1900 fps with a 62gr match bullet with enough energy retained to take down the rams reliably. TCs are quality single shots. And, yes, they are considered pistols.

 

[A4sForever]

I would say max effective range for a standard 9mm pistol would be 50 meters.

How many yards would that be ... ???

 

[BACONATOR]

how many yards would that be ... ???

54.68

 

[PropAddict]

Long range pistol silhouette rams are out at 200m. For Hunter's Pistol Silhouette (100m rams), my .22 Hornet TC will shoot MOA at 100m with a mild load. Around 1900 fps with a 62gr match bullet with enough energy retained to take down the rams reliably. TCs are quality single shots. And, yes, they are considered pistols.

Oh, I wasn't impugning their quality. I want one, someday. Handgun hunting Africa is supposed to be awesome, and the Contender or Encore seems to be a prerequisite.

My point was more that when you have a gun with a 14 inch barrel shooting a .30-30 or .308 cartridge, I don't so much think it belongs in a discussion of max range for a handgun. Technically, it does meet the requirements, but for practical purposes? Seems to me it'd be closer to a carbine.

 

[Flugelman]

Oh, I wasn't impugning their quality. I want one, someday. Handgun hunting Africa is supposed to be awesome, and the Contender or Encore seems to be a prerequisite.

My point was more that when you have a gun with a 14 inch barrel shooting a .30-30 or .308 cartridge, I don't so much think it belongs in a discussion of max range for a handgun. Technically, it does meet the requirements, but for practical purposes? Seems to me it'd be closer to a carbine.

I understand, didn't think you were dissing the TC. I was just adding something to the discussion. My TC barrels are all 10", which I understand TC doesn't make anymore.

The big bore TCs are a handfull if they're loaded hot. I don't like shooting them, it hurts...

This reminds me of a day I was doing some load testing out at Quail Creek. A guy down the line from me (we were the only 2 on the range at the time) was shooting some TC cannon. Huge noise. I was going to go down and see what he was shooting but decided not to after I saw him picking the gun up off the ground where he had just lost it on the recoil...

 

[E5B]

This deer season I plan on taking my Ruger Blackhawk 357 out for a try. With a reddot scope I'll probably limit myself to 75 yards.

TC products are outstanding! I have an Omega and love it. One of their pistols would be a great time.

 

[squeeze]

I've shot my pistols out to 50 yds on occassion, and even shot my 1911 at targets 300 & 500 yds away a couple weeks ago. It really was nothing more than a WAG at the loft angle. I didn't hit them per se, but was hitting near them. For the 500 yard target, the pistol had something like a 45 degree elevation. More one of those "why the hell not" things than anything resembling practical application.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Here's some tough long range pistol shooting.

 

[Flugelman]

Here's some tough long range pistol shooting.

I tried some of that but was too poor to afford the equipment. The difference in trigger weights from Bullseye make it a difficult transition. I did shoot a lot of 10M air pistol and had some success. (Hawaii State Champion 1977-78) I still have my Diana model 10 but haven't had it out of the safe in a long time. There are some excellent Russian air pistols out there now that are relatively inexpensive.

 

[insanebikerboy]

I tried some of that but was too poor to afford the equipment. The difference in trigger weights from Bullseye make it a difficult transition. I did shoot a lot of 10M air pistol and had some success. (Hawaii State Champion 1977-78) I still have my Diana model 10 but haven't had it out of the safe in a long time. There are some excellent Russian air pistols out there now that are relatively inexpensive.

That was the biggest thing for me too, the trigger pull on those free guns. I first started my Hammerli at about 110 grams but after I got used to it I had the pull down to about 60-70 grams. Luckily I never shot the bench on pick-up though!