My long-range Pistol Range .. Oracle, AZ in the 1980's

[JimT]

2022-06-04-12-30-0017.jpg

I had a 14" car rim placed at 200 yards and a 16" truck rim hanging on a tripod at 400 yards. Using my Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt and the 300 grain handloads I could wang the 400 yard target 3 out of 5 on a good day. I sometimes got 4 out of 5 .. rarely .. but never got 5 in a row. I had a lot of fun with rifle hunters who said they killed their deer at 400 yards. There were a few who could do it but most had a hard time finding the 400 yard target, even with a scope. Some never hit it.

[Walt]

Just curious what your load was with those 300 gr bullets. Great shooting, by the way. Thanks!

[JimT]

Just curious what your load was with those 300 gr bullets. Great shooting, by the way. Thanks!

18.5 gr. 2400. I used Lyman #457191 (.45-90 rifle bullet) sized down to .452" and crimped in the top grease groove so I could not get the into a Colt-sized sixgun.

457191.jpg

[Walt]

Thanks, Jim. I've always found that sizing down that much reduces the capacity of the grease grooves. It obviously worked out well for you though.

[Grizz]

great spot! hope that hillside is still unmolested . . .

[JimT]

great spot! hope that hillside is still unmolested . . .

It's Tonto National Forest land ... no buildings ...

[JimT]

Thanks, Jim. I've always found that sizing down that much reduces the capacity of the grease grooves. It obviously worked out well for you though.

Sizing them nose first helps. Sizing in 3 steps, all nose first, helps.

[Ysabel Kid]

Thanks, Jim. I've always found that sizing down that much reduces the capacity of the grease grooves. It obviously worked out well for you though.

Sizing them nose first helps. Sizing in 3 steps, all nose first, helps.

So, from .457 to .454 to .452? Something like that?

[JimT]

Thanks, Jim. I've always found that sizing down that much reduces the capacity of the grease grooves. It obviously worked out well for you though.

Sizing them nose first helps. Sizing in 3 steps, all nose first, helps.

So, from .457 to .454 to .452? Something like that?

Yessir. I sized them down to .450" in one more step for a gun with a tight barrel.

[Bill in Oregon]

Jim, what sizing die did you use for nose first? I somehow suspect it was a not a Lee push-through, but mebbe it was.
That Tonto basin country is special. Got fambly histry there.

[JimT]

Jim, what sizing die did you use for nose first? I somehow suspect it was a not a Lee push-through, but mebbe it was.
That Tonto basin country is special. Got fambly histry there.

It was Lee push through dies, Bill. Shoved 'em through nose first. Worked really well.

Also ... this was not the Tonto Basin. That's further up North. The Grahm/Tewkbury War country. The Tonto National Forest is sort of North of Tucson. I have hunted and camped in parts of the Tonto Basin and it's just as wild today as it was in 1880.

[Grizz]

Jim, what sizing die did you use for nose first? I somehow suspect it was a not a Lee push-through, but mebbe it was.
That Tonto basin country is special. Got fambly histry there.

It was Lee push through dies, Bill. Shoved 'em through nose first. Worked really well.

Also ... this was not the Tonto Basin. That's further up North. The Grahm/Tewkbury War country. The Tonto National Forest is sort of North of Tucson. I have hunted and camped in parts of the Tonto Basin and it's just as wild today as it was in 1880.

first deer i shot was on the Rim in Zane Gray type country.... a beautiful setting as i recall, but no idea of the location now.... probably a condo or sumpin'

[Ysabel Kid]

Thanks, Jim. I've always found that sizing down that much reduces the capacity of the grease grooves. It obviously worked out well for you though.

Sizing them nose first helps. Sizing in 3 steps, all nose first, helps.

So, from .457 to .454 to .452? Something like that?

Yessir. I sized them down to .450" in one more step for a gun with a tight barrel.

Thank you!

[Rube Burrows]

Any photos of the revolver? I have been on a Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk kick here lately.

[Sixgun]

I had a set up like that with car rims but I had to switch to a solid steel plate as all my shots went through the hub hole…….

Yea Jim…..lots of fun shooting long range with a revolver…..nobody can ever ace it so there’s always room for improvement…….out to 300 meters with a good heavy revolver and a quality load, it’s not too hard to hit a torso sized object…..but like in rifles, it all changes when you get to the 385 meter mark

[JimT]

yeah .. I know what that's like. I had to tape a paper over the center hole and by the time I had fired 4 groups of 5 shots I had walked back and forth 2 miles!

[AJMD429]

yeah .. I know what that's like. I had to tape a paper over the center hole and by the time I had fired 4 groups of 5 shots I had walked back and forth 2 miles!

That’s where one of those range cameras that hooks into your cell phone can come in handy. My range is only 100 yards on but it saves a lot of walking back-and-forth.

Plus, like most of the rest of you guys here, once I get one hole in the target, I can’t tell what’s going on because all of the other bullets pretty much seem to go through that same hole…

[Old Savage]

Long range pistol shooting is like juggling, entertaining but of no practical use.

[JimT]

Long range pistol shooting is like juggling, entertaining but of no practical use.

I would say this guy might disagree. 312 feet .. one hand shooting .. holding horses with the other hand ...

https://www.foxnews.com/us/austin-cops- ... zed-gunman

[Old Savage]

Shooting at what? Not really long range. I was referring to this 300 yd plus stuff.

And that is fine. Most I know could hit a target like that at 100 certainly for that reason. Hunting at Long ranges is a different issue. Rocks don’t matter.

[ollogger]

Jim I use that same bullet in my 454 Alaskan, i size it to 454 because thats what the cylinder throats are
it seems very acurate, best so far is 11 gr, of Unique & that load runs about 1050 fps, ive tried your 2400 load in 45 colt but didnt like the recoil my bud has many sections of land a few miles up the road, it has alot of chalk bluffs on it & a fun place to go shoot long distance


Brad

[JimT]

Shooting at what? Not really long range. I was referring to this 300 yd plus stuff.

And that is fine. Most I know could hit a target like that at 100 certainly for that reason. Hunting at Long ranges is a different issue. Rocks don’t matter.

Agreed. But the long range stuff does help tighten you up for normal range work. My personal limit was 100 yards on a standing animal. And I preferred closer if I could get it. I shot my elk at 90 yards. But I knew what I could do with that gun to 200, though I refused that long of a shot for hunting. For me, doing decent shooting to 400 or 500 yards gave me confidence it what could be done at the limits I set for hunting ranges. These days I prefer a 50 yard or less shot.

[Old Savage]

Interesting. Guess I tend to think of 90% on a soccer ball but … haven’t done any pistol hunting.

I think this is 50 yds offhand. Years ago sharper eyes when I was shooting a lot of pistol.

[JimT]

Jim I use that same bullet in my 454 Alaskan, i size it to 454 because thats what the cylinder throats are
it seems very acurate, best so far is 11 gr, of Unique & that load runs about 1050 fps, ive tried your 2400 load in 45 colt but didnt like the recoil my bud has many sections of land a few miles up the road, it has alot of chalk bluffs on it & a fun place to go shoot long distance
Brad

Well .. to tell the "rest of the story" .. anymore I don't like the recoil either. When I was younger it was not a big deal. These days? I'd rather run them about 850. Awhile back I took a 20 round box of the 2400 loads to the Range. I had not shot any in years and thought I might as well use them up. I brought 17 back home.

Your long range place sounds like fun. Shooting into chalk cliffs!

[Malamute]

I with you on the big loads arent as much fun as they used to be. I think the partial box of bear loads for 45 Colt will last the rest of my lifetime at this point, and Ill probably never need to load any more full power 44 mags for pistol use with what I have on hand.

Having National Forest land to shoot on is a huge benefit, and one of the reasons Ive spent my life in the western states where I had access to public lands to shoot, hunt, and explore around. We have some plates out, when this picture was taken they were just at 300 and 600 yards. The 300 isnt too hard once you get the hang of it. Ive only shot a pistol at the 600 once, and managed to hit it once in 10 shots with a spotter calling the shots. id like to do it more when Im able, and use a better gun than a g19.

Shooting spot.JPG

Looking back from the 600 yard plate

Shooting spot 600 back.JPG

I watched a buddy badly muff a 75 yard offhand shot on a deer with a scoped rifle as he frantically searched for a rest, then rushed an unrested shot. it should have been a relatively easy shot. I dont think he ever practiced offhand shooting. Since then for the past 15 or 20 years Ive done most practice rifle shooting offhand, including on the 600. In the same line of thought as longer distance pistol shooting may not have an entirely practical application, it helps develop the basics, tune them to a little finer edge, so the more common shots seem much easier. Get used to shooting 300 yards one handed, and using two hands, or kneeling or using a rest seems like cheating, as do closer shots. Ive done most pistol shooting in the past 20 years one handed to try to hone the basics.

Shooting "impractical" guns at longer distances is also a lot of fun. A 2" J frame at 200 yards isnt exactly target grade shooting, but one can do better than is usually assumed. 2 out of 5 on an oxygen cylinder or 5 gallon can sized object is doable.

[JimT]

Having National Forest land to shoot on is a huge benefit, and one of the reasons Ive spent my life in the western states where I had access to public lands to shoot, hunt, and explore around.

Growing up in the West, I really felt cramped when we moved to Missouri. Nothing but fenced land and private property everywhere! It was a hard adjustment after living in the west for more than 40 years. I began to understand why many people refused to believe Elmer Keith and others who wrote about long-range handgunning and rifle shots. I grew up watching my Dad and uncles shoot plow discs offhand at 200 yards with their .22 pistols. Dad would set up targets at 400 yards and shoot them with his 1917 S&W. I thought that was normal ... until I met folks who never were in our kind of country.

[Griff]

Having National Forest land to shoot on is a huge benefit, and one of the reasons Ive spent my life in the western states where I had access to public lands to shoot, hunt, and explore around.

Growing up in the West, I really felt cramped when we moved to Missouri. Nothing but fenced land and private property everywhere! It was a hard adjustment after living in the west for more than 40 years. I began to understand why many people refused to believe Elmer Keith and others who wrote about long-range handgunning and rifle shots. I grew up watching my Dad and uncles shoot plow discs offhand at 200 yards with their .22 pistols. Dad would set up targets at 400 yards and shoot them with his 1917 S&W. I thought that was normal ... until I met folks who never were in our kind of country.

Likewise. A couple hours drive from the LA Basin and you're in some desolate country... mostly under the auspices of BLM and open to what you want. The club I belonged to had a lease from the Forest Service and great ranges... If you were there during the middle of the week, you could close off areas and have over 1,00 yards to experiment in. I never had that much confidence and pretty much stuck to the 500 meter range.

[Malamute]

Having National Forest land to shoot on is a huge benefit, and one of the reasons Ive spent my life in the western states where I had access to public lands to shoot, hunt, and explore around.

Growing up in the West, I really felt cramped when we moved to Missouri. Nothing but fenced land and private property everywhere! It was a hard adjustment after living in the west for more than 40 years. I began to understand why many people refused to believe Elmer Keith and others who wrote about long-range handgunning and rifle shots. I grew up watching my Dad and uncles shoot plow discs offhand at 200 yards with their .22 pistols. Dad would set up targets at 400 yards and shoot them with his 1917 S&W. I thought that was normal ... until I met folks who never were in our kind of country.

I was raised in the midwest, but was always fascinated by the west and its history. I couldnt wait to move out permanently. I read all the Keith i could find and was in hog heaven when I moved to Flagstaff and was able to do so many of the things I couldnt in the midwest. We shot to 300 yards with pistols pretty regularly. When I moved north, there were quite a few guys shooting longer ranges. I felt like Id really found my true dream home.

But yes, so many assume you are lying if you talk about shooting longer ranges with pistols, even in the west. They just never were exposed to it nor are real enthusiasts apparently.

[piller]

Grandmother's farm in the Oklahoma Panhandle when I was a teenager was sort of that way. No other houses for ten miles to the North and the East. All I had at the time was a Ruger semiauto .22 lr, but I shot at some old stuff at around 200 yards as often as possible. Had a lot of fun.