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RANGE REPORT: Handguns

So much truth in your post LES.

All through growing up, I was conditioned to shoot at targets, pop cans, or whatever we were shooting at while mostly standing still and trying to hit precisely where I was aiming.

Years later as a young adult,I was hired as a Deputy Jailer and started receiving more in-depth training and it was there when I realized just how bad of a shot that I was.

I was exposed to things I had never known about. shooting in low/no light situations, fast and dynamic high stress shoot/no shoot situations, and not only myself moving, but also at moving (swinging) targets.

Humbling does not even begin to cover it. More like downright embarrassing.

But looking back, it has made me a better shooter and a lot more confident in myself and abilities.

I still have a lot of skills to hone though and probably will never be fully satisfied.

Recently, I ordered a 2/3rd scale AR500 STEEL IDPA / IPSC swinging gong just to help with that. I am going to be shooting at it a lot this year.

The main reason why I chose that style target is I can either go for center mass, head shots or whatever suits my fancy because it's not just a round gong target.

I plan to use just about every weapon I own on it, including the M10. And I am also planning on doing some night shoots with the suppressed weapons this year too.
 
John A. said:
and not only myself moving, but also at moving (swinging) targets.
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I am decent with moving targets but myself trotting is super tough. Started doing a lot of that with the AR with the homemade barriers and steel gongs and it is the most unnatural feeling thing I have done with a firearm. I understand what I need to do while I am moving vs. when the target is moving but adding in the up and down motion of jogging is about like patting my head and rubbing my stomach. Stared out trying to do it while in a run.....lol, not even close, might scare someone at best.
 
When I was taught, was from a veteran, and he told me that if you were running, you'd better be running for cover and forget about hitting anything just spraying to keep heads down for suppressive fire.

He taught me that if you did have to shoot and move (as was often the case in an actual firefight), then to only pull the trigger between steps or when both feet were planted firmly on the ground so as to avoid the up and down trot. He also taught me that if I had to miss, miss low so it would at least throw up some dirt to make them as fearful as possible even with missed shots as he called it "for dramatic effect" :lol: .

But the most effective shots would be placed from cover, and not while moving from well aimed shots.

They would line us up and we would walk toward or backing away the target while firing. That isn't too hard. cross stepping side to side left or right takes some practice because you have to aim slightly before where you want to hit the target as you pull the trigger. If you wait until your sights sweep the spot you're wanting to hit, you'll miss it every time. Pull the trigger slightly before your sight is on the "bullseye"

Again though, that isn't in a run, more of a side step.
 
LES, John, Oli…. great points. Which is why I quickly migrated from paper shooting, to practical fighting pistol classes, and soon (this year) competitions to up the stress level and steel plates. Well rounded is the way to go.
 
more realistic, that's what I am trying for.....other than getting shot back at lol. been shooting through things hitting targets too like car doors old 5th wheels as stuff like that

JA , that's the way I see it too, bail to cover first , I think if no one is there to cover fire for you then being close on the run is as good as its going to get, hitting low is a great idea
 
I paint the gongs black and white, set 5 gongs from 50 to 100 yards. Get a black hole shoot black gong, and white shoot white or you can go all black holes right handed and all white holes left handed, mix it however
There are fifteen shots on the board and we load either 5 rounds in 3 mags or 3 rounds in five mags for the practice changing mags…….sometimes throw a dummy round in a mag or two

It’s made me a much better shooter. Getting easy with the AR so it’s down to speed, misses are rare, still a good challenge with a pistol and shotgun just to hit most of your shots

 
Finally made the trip to the range today on a nice warm sunny day. :D

50 rounds of Monarch 9mm 115s at 7 yards:



50 rounds of Winchester 40sw 165s at 7 yards:



10 to chest, 10 to head, 10 to chest, 10 to head and finally 10 to chest. With the 9mm I aimed at the neck for a few shots. :mrgreen:
 
Very nice.

We still need to meet up at one of the local ranges one day. Now that the weathers gotten nicer I intend to be be going more. Lemme know next time your thinking of possibly going.
 
Here's my last trip to the range breaking in my Bersa Thunder .380. If you're not familiar, they're very similar to Walther PPK's (not a clone, just similar size and style), but with a better trigger, no slide bite, and HALF the price. About the only thing I'd say the Walthers have over them is overall finish. As you can see though, the Bersas tend to be great little shooters. They're not exactly "pocket" .380's. They're still small enough for great concealability, but big enough for good shootability.

I shot some Winchester white box, and Hornady Critical Defense.

Half 25' and half 50' with WWB (I know, I don't really expect to ever have to use it out around 50', but wanted to give it a go).
7y4e4a9y.jpg


Here is the box of critical defense. 13 or so center of mass and a few in the melon at 15', the rest at 25.
samu2y9e.jpg
 
jgwills said:
Very nice.

We still need to meet up at one of the local ranges one day. Now that the weathers gotten nicer I intend to be be going more. Lemme know next time your thinking of possibly going.
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I still haven't a chance to shoot my shotgun so we can meet up at some range between us. My range won't let me shoot it by myself. Right now money is tight and yesterday I shot some ammo I sat on for quite a while. I'm out of 40sw except for hollow points but I have 200 rounds of 9mm FMJs left beside the hollow points.

I still have plenty of shotshells. :)

Brad, for some reason I can't see your pics.
 
Wrenches said:
Brad, for some reason I can't see your pics.
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Photos should work now. I could see them in my browser but not tapatalk, so I re-attached.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
 
Nice shoot'n!

I've got a BT380 CC that's been great. A little picky with ammo, but still a great little shooter...
 
13671325425_3f710f0cc0.jpg


Hit the range with my dad this morning. 7 yards using 50 rounds of Aguila 9mm. Glock 19 with XS big Dot sights.

Finished up with some headshots and #'s 1-6.

Damn you flier. Damn you.
 
Here are some targets using my STI Trojan 1911 in 40S&W. All targets were fired standing / unsupported. Only the 50 yard target was fired from a seated rest.

STI Trojan 1911 40S&W.jpg STI Trojan 1911 40S&W 10 Yard Target.jpg STI Trojan 1911 40S&W 25 Yard Target.jpgSTI Trojan 1911 40S&W 50 Yard Target.jpg
 
Here's a thought, a training idea.

Lots of people slip a snap cap into a magazine of live rounds. This is excellent for training of FTF.

What about at the range slipping a live round into a magazine of snap caps? It's good to get used to not anticipating recoil.
 
I do that every once in a while. Actually did it last weekend with the wife to work on malfunction clearings.
 
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