100 Yards & Iron Sights

[Joe S.]

Apr 21, 2015 13:44:46 GMT -5 2 Dogs said:

Hoover and I were just laughing today. Normally for me, OXYGEN OXYGEN, is something my minds screams while putting on my shoes!!

This!!

[paul105]

Went to the range again last night.

Conditions:
7:30 PM
Sun: Behind and over right shoulder
Wind: Intermittent, gusting and swirling
Clouds: Intermittent passing clouds
Temp: 60 Def F

Load:
Mixed (both head stamp and times shot) .44 mag brass
17.5gr A2400.
265gr SWC GC (Lyman Thompson), deep seated and crimped over front drive band (commercial produced and purchased in bulk).
Win Large Pistol (WLP) primers

I loaded up a bunch of these 5 months ago when I found out my kids and grandkids would be staying in my loading room until they found a new house. The load is generally a pretty good performer even with the mixed components. When I get my loading room back (in the next week or so), I’ll load up some with 1x Top Brass, and some higher quality 265 SWC GCs to see if there is any recognizable difference.

Guns:

S&W 629 Performance Center Stealth Hunter (7 ½” ported).

S&W M69 New 4 1/4" L-Frame Combat Magnum.

Target: Piece of cardboard box (about 16” x 24”). Placed portrait view at 100 yards. The two holes in upper left corner were covered in back by duct tape.

Rest: Hodge podge of school backpacks partially stuffed with old clothes along with one rabbit ear front bag covered with deer hide (for blast protections) and two leather rifle butt bags wrist rests. Backpacks arranged to elevate front bag and provide cushion/rest for arms/elbows. All placed on concrete bench rest.

From the bench rest, I shot 5 rounds from the 629 Steal Hunter and 4 rounds from the M69 Combat Mag.

The last 14 rounds were shot off hand (two hands) with the 4 ¼” M69 (13 of the 14 on paper, the 14th was about one inch off the paper to the right of the 3rd Benched shot of the M69).

I was having a bit of a problem getting a sharp front sight picture – the sun was giving me some problems with the front sights on these two guns, and I obviously threw some shots that weren’t sight related.
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Guns:
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M69 front sight
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M629 front sight (two pics)
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M629 front sight (2nd pic)
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Fuzzy front sight picture (pretty close to what I was seeing some/part of the time from the bench). Obviously, the sharp front sights in the above pics are what we strive for). Light conditions and 1.25x diopter safety glasses weren’t working together to provide desired front sight resolution.
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And finally the target:
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Paul

[hoover]

Did more shooting at 50 yards today. Decided to concentrate on just one load so I wouldn't have to keep going back and forth marking my targets of which load was shot. Cool, overcast day here in the high 40's when I shot. Sights looked good today! Sharp and crisp!




I had 5 last rounds, and figured what the heck. Moved over to the 100 yard range, started with a nice clean target, and one 2" X 2" square. The blank sheet of paper was soothing to my eyes, and it allowed me to concentrate on the front sight with ease.



I managed to put 3 shots into 3", the 3rd shot is in the bottom of the 1' X 2", and the other 2 shots are 10" to the right, with one shot in the frame. I'm shooting about 7" low from point of aim. A nice warmer upper for things to come.

Here is my sophisticated rest. The only thing missing is the piece of black suede I use to protect the bag from escaping gases from the barrel/cylinder gap.

[Joe S.]

Good start!

[dvnv]

The group in red was shot with a 357 OM Blackhawk, 6.5 in barrel, 125 gr speer gold dots, 20.5 gr of H110.
The gun was rebuilt (that load wears on them) by JRH and had a new barrel installed...I can't recall the make.

The group in green was with a stock 44 mag OM SBH, 7.5 in barrel, 225 gr speer 1/2 jacket, 24.5 gr of H110.
The first 2 shots were low so I moved the sight up one click and held a little higher to keep them on the plate.

Technique was sitting in a chair, otherwise unsupported, two hand hold.
Only 4 shot groups, I shot one at 25, one at 50 then the rest at 100.

Target is flat white, I think 12X18, hung on the vertical.

Caveat: I haven't done any better with irons from the bench, and that is way better than average for me.

[Fowler]

Nothing wrong with that group and yes the gong is 12"x18"...

[serialsolver]

I tried the challenge today with a hi power and Tula ammo but it just wasn't a good day for me. I'll try another day.

[lscg]

I gave it a try two weeks back and this was the result. apparently I only did it correctly twice    I just used my elbows on the bench as a rest, going to try again with something more stable and see what happens.

the smaller holes are from my single seven, one thing that seems pretty contestant is i'm pulling most of my shots to the left.

[bradshaw]

lscg.... excellent shooting from your elbows. If you will pardon me for being so bold, that is shabby technique. Not to mention a blueprint for elbow damage once you switch to a revolver of serious recoil. Dry fire should reveal an inclination to shift POA during hammer fall.
David Bradshaw

[Joe S.]

180 gr XTP
20 gr of WW296
10.5" Blackhawk

Should've stopped with the first three shots (in middle). Last three went to pot...



Was using left hand to steady...

[lscg]

May 1, 2015 23:44:57 GMT -5 bradshaw said:

lscg.... excellent shooting from your elbows. If you will pardon me for being so bold, that is shabby technique technique. Not to mention a blueprint for elbow damage once you switch to a revolver of serious recoil. Dry fire should reveal an inclination to shift POA during hammer fall.
David Bradshaw

Mr. Bradshaw,

thank you Sir! that means a lot coming from you.

I believe with a little practice and as you suggested a better rest/technique i'll be able to shrink those groups down and become more consistent.  did a little dry firing this morning and you are correct, my POA was slightly shifting during the hammer fall. another thing I plan to work on.

Zane.

[bradshaw]

zane.... thank you. While I am good at typos, reference to shift in Point of Aim at hammer fall, and using dry fire to check for it, that was no typo. I would work on putting my trigger finger inside my mind, and my mind telling trigger finger at all hazards to squeeze STRAIGHT BACK. Sometimes with a single action, placing index finger of the support hand on the front of the trigger guard helps to keep sights on target during hammer fall.

Refinement of technique is always personal, because each of us is unique, each anatomy unique. meanwhile, basic technique submits well to a bit of doctrine.
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

Joe S.... funny, how groups tend to loosen after the first shot. Question? did you, gazing upon that beautiful 3-shot group, start to think it's easy? In other words, slack off a few thousandths?

Or, is that light I see between your barrel and the rest? Unless the barrel nestles the rest, a 2-point rest can throw shots. When your revolver barrel wants to lay down on the job, let it. There is no percentage in fighting gravity.
David Bradshaw

[Joe S.]

The pic could've been misrepresentative. I had barrel solid on rest while shooting. And no i dont think i slacked off. But i could've. The shadows were dancing on the target a little.

[bradshaw]

Joe S.... "shadows dancing on the target... "

Shifting light plays rough on long range handgunning, as any steel shooter can attest. The rule of iron sight riflery----sun high, shots high; sun right, shots right----applies to handguns. There are exceptions to muddy the water. Whichever surface of you sights reflects the most light tends to draw Point of Impact in that direction.

Example:
a) A passing cloud shades your sights; you drop your sights to better see the diminished target. Result: a low shot.
b) Sun comes out extra bright; the bright target appears larger. Thus, your sights creep upwards into the target. Result: a high shot.
David Bradshaw