[Old Grump]

100 Yard pistol shooting in 100+ heat
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This post is for all the self styled experts who know for a fact that 22's and 45's are useless beyond whatever their self appointed maximum range is. Usually 25 yards or under.

I have been trying to get out for a week to the 100 yard range but something about 98 degrees and 97% humidity doesn't sit to well with me anymore. Today it was 101 with 14 mph winds but the humidity was under 50% and I went for it.

Instead of the whole collection of rifles, shotguns and muzzle loaders I wanted to shoot I only took two guns out. I was done and done in, in about 40 minutes. That was enough time to get the targets set up , load the guns put on my head gear, muffs and glasses. I shot 2 magazines of 5 rounds each from my S&W M41 and the same from my old 1911A1. 36 gr HP CCI mini-mags through the 22 pistol and Fiocchi 230 gr FMJ through the 45.

I've done better but like I keep saying you can't pick your weather and if you don't shoot in bad weather as well as good weather you won't have a clue to how you will react when things go sour and you have to shoot under adverse conditions.

This is what I shot with and the EZ2C target with the 5" bullseye. I would have preferred all my shots inside the scoring ring but I'm just happy I was able to keep them on paper today. The wind was blowing from right to left and you can see it pushed the 22 over but didn't affect the 45 much. The vertical stringing was because I had to aim at the top of the bull with the 45 and I didn't get the same hold every time. I don't know about the dispersal of the 22, I never fired CCI-Mini-Mags out of my pistol before. Could be me or the ammo or the 36 gr bullet but it stayed on paper and I'm happy for that.

 

[ManyFeathers]

Going out in 100+ degree heat?

No wonder you're an old grump....:

Helluva good job on the targets!

 

[redranger1]

Thats some good grouping!

So your saying that you posted this to prove that pistols are effective at 100 yds?


-Nate

 

[Old Grump]

Thats some good grouping!

So your saying that you posted this to prove that pistols are effective at 100 yds?


-Nate

Actually I wanted to do some 100 yard shooting with my shotguns and muzzle loader but it was going to take to much time and work so I settled for quick and easy. Way back in the 70's when I was teaching police and deputy Sheriff's Some time during the session one would make a disparaging remark about the 45. I would have them take a 50 yard pistol target and set it up on the 100 yard frame and then I would shoot 5 rounds with that 22 , that 45 and his service gun whatever it was. Then I would have him go get the target while I sat in the shade and smoked a cigar. Invariably they would come back talking to themselves.

This same young rookie that I could not get through to any other way would suddenly start listening to what I had to say and by the end of the day was shooting good groups at 25 and 50 yards and near one hole groups at 7 and 15 yards.

I just had to get it through their thick heads that the bullet would not get tired and fall down to the ground and roll towards the target after that magic 25 yard line. I actually read where a youngster decided he had to explain ballistics of the near useless 45 to a woman who had only asked about back stops for her back yard for her 22 and 9MM. In order to get the bullet to go farther than 25 yards you had to get up to a high place and shoot downward so the pull of gravity would help the bullet go faster and farther.

I'm trying to point out that the limitation isn't the gun but your limits which is usually a mental barrier, not physical. Anybody can do this, all they need is a little coaching, a little time and a lot of willingness to try something they thought was impossible. Nothing makes my day more than seeing a rookie cop with his 40 make hits on a 5 gallon bucket out at 200 yards. Once I get them to try it they are hooked.

 

[MarksInnerDemon]

My buddy beat my other friend with a 22lr shooting 100 yard clays. It was funny as hell seeing the 22 beat the AR shooter. Good job!

 

[MikeK]

I don't see the heat as an issue. That's a normal shooting day here in the summer.

I love long distance shooting with handguns. I got interested in it almost 30 years back by shooting silhuette with a .44 magnum. The 200 yard target was the most fun and quickly became addictive. That lead me to get a couple Remington XP-100 pistols in .308 specifically for competition.

With practice, putting rounds on target at 100 yards with a handgun is quite possible and a lot of fun. I wish more people would practice it rather than just say it can't be done.

Especially the guys who *only* shoot at 25 yards or less. Some day they may need to take a shot farther than that. The Texas Luby's Cafeteria shooting comes to mind. If someone had a gun with them that day, they may have been able to end the incident. But it's likely that the shot would have been farther than 25 yards.

 

[Highwater Filters]

Some years back some Navy Seals were kicking back at a dude ranch near my home and they were doing a little target practice. Problem was that it was in the Fall and it was dry as a bone. They set off a forest fire when a bullet hit a rock and set off sparks. I was on alert to evacuate from my home. Luckily, no one lost their home. If the owner of the ranch wasn't my boss's husband, I might have raised hell. :\

 

[Old Grump]

Some years back some Navy Seals were kicking back at a dude ranch near my home and they were doing a little target practice. Problem was that it was in the Fall and it was dry as a bone. They set off a forest fire when a bullet hit a rock and set off sparks. I was on alert to evacuate from my home. Luckily, no one lost their home. If the owner of the ranch wasn't my boss's husband, I might have raised hell. :\

This has what to do with this topic?

What were they shooting and how far and what kind of targets and what kind of ammo?

I don't see the heat as an issue. That's a normal shooting day here in the summer.

When is the last time you shot with 97% humidity, (or are you on the East coast?), I double checked the readings and instead of the 39% it told me when I went out it was 97% and this old body don't do that anymore. I shot a 1000 yard match in El Paso in 1973 in 105 degree head but I was a little younger than and I had a gallon of lemonade that barely lasted half the match. I should have brought a 5 gallon thermos. There really is a huge difference in dry and humid heat.

 

[drobs]

Looks good OG!

Found this on the web, might've been here.

Breaks down the sight picture using the ejection port as a reference.

 

[MikeK]

This has what to do with this topic?

What were they shooting and how far and what kind of targets and what kind of ammo?

When is the last time you shot with 97% humidity, (or are you on the East coast?), I double checked the readings and instead of the 39% it told me when I went out it was 97% and this old body don't do that anymore. I shot a 1000 yard match in El Paso in 1973 in 105 degree head but I was a little younger than and I had a gallon of lemonade that barely lasted half the match. I should have brought a 5 gallon thermos. There really is a huge difference in dry and humid heat.

Yeah, we rarely get much in the way of humidity here. It's usually dry with very strong sunshine, unless it had recently rained. Then it's like a sauna. So I can relate about the humidity issue. I've shot in the desert in 100+ heat after a rain and the hot sand really puts off the steam.

 

[Cannon Fodder]

I don't see the heat as an issue. That's a normal shooting day here in the summer.

I love long distance shooting with handguns. I got interested in it almost 30 years back by shooting silhuette with a .44 magnum. The 200 yard target was the most fun and quickly became addictive. That lead me to get a couple Remington XP-100 pistols in .308 specifically for competition.

With practice, putting rounds on target at 100 yards with a handgun is quite possible and a lot of fun. I wish more people would practice it rather than just say it can't be done.

Especially the guys who *only* shoot at 25 yards or less. Some day they may need to take a shot farther than that. The Texas Luby's Cafeteria shooting comes to mind. If someone had a gun with them that day, they may have been able to end the incident. But it's likely that the shot would have been farther than 25 yards.

The humidity up here is what kills you. The mature corn crop is putting so much water in the air right now. That's why we get stupid things like heat indexes of 115 deg. with an air temperature of only 90. It literally shuts your body's cooling mechanisims down, your sweat doesn't evaporate so you just roast. It's miserable. The only thing worse was the desert heat of the middle east. It was a dry heat, but a dry 120 degrees is still enough to make you wish for death.
Back on subject, I have only recently started to shoot my handguns beyond 10-20 yards. In fact, 2 days ago I set up an IDPA silhouette at 100 yards to sight in a .308 that I hadn't shot in awhile. Just for kicks, I fired a magazine from my 1911 at it as well, and was surprised to find 5 hits on the silhouette when I went down to check it. I proceeded to spend the next hour trying to tighten my groups at 100 yards with my .45! Too fun!

 

[Old Grump]

Good show Cannon fodder, that is exactly what I am talking about. 100 yards is comparatively short and the bullets from your gun do not get tired and fall to the ground before they get there. Once you get the bug you just keep doing it. It is amazing how much better and easier it is to shoot groups at 50 yards if you have spent few days with an handgun offhand shooting at water filled gallon jugs, bowling pins, 5 gallon buckets, clay pigeons, old frying pans, etc. at 100 or 200 yards. Eventually you learn the hold off needed and the rest is chuckles and giggles.

To far to bull gaze so you have to pay attention to that front sight. Just as good as dry fire practice but noisier and a lot more fun.

 

[Cannon Fodder]

Good show Cannon fodder, that is exactly what I am talking about. 100 yards is comparatively short and the bullets from your gun do not get tired and fall to the ground before they get there. Once you get the bug you just keep doing it. It is amazing how much better and easier it is to shoot groups at 50 yards if you have spent few days with an handgun offhand shooting at water filled gallon jugs, bowling pins, 5 gallon buckets, clay pigeons, old frying pans, etc. at 100 or 200 yards. Eventually you learn the hold off needed and the rest is chuckles and giggles.

To far to bull gaze so you have to pay attention to that front sight. Just as good as dry fire practice but noisier and a lot more fun.

What I couldn't believe was how little hold-over I needed at 100 yards. Aiming at the head of the silhouette put the rounds center-mass. My first shot, I aimed about 6 feet over the silhouette, and saw the bullet hit the 200 yard berm about 2-3 high, flying completely over the target at 100 yards. I couldn't hardly believe that, but I aimed at the head and let the rest go. You're right about that front sight, just a slight wander, and the bullet goes 5 feet wide at 100 yards. It's addictive.