Range Time

"Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious" (shour) 10/12/2018 at 13:09 • Filed to: None

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Slow but pretty Cosmo for your time.

It’s been a solid two months since I’d gotten any range practice. Dry-fire drills at home, sure, but it’s not the same thing. Luckily, I hadn’t rusted too much.

Twenty feet, two seconds to acquire target, double action. Not bad for two months off.

Same drill, except assuming the attacker has a hostage. I admit, that’s lower than I would like. With two months off, I’m not sure if I had encountered such a situation, I would have taken this shot. And while it probably would have been higher and more centered in single action (my front sight doesn’t even tremble when I pull single action), this was a draw and two-second acquisition. Waiting longer to pull the hammer back may not be optimal. I *am* working making the double action pull as motionless as possible...it’s just a stagey DA trigger because of the decocker. Suggestions? (I’m considering having a gunsmith work on the trigger for me.)

Next drill - draw and double-tap (DA/SA). No acquisition. This is one of those drills that can’t be practiced in dry-fire since you can only double-tap DA/DA or SA/DA. In a real emergency, it would always be DA/SA, but without a live round to kick the slide back, you can’t make the second trigger pull SA in dry- fire. Aside from the one that grazed the target’s ear, I’m not complaining too much, and again, in an actual emergency, I wouldn’t attempt a zero-acquisition headshot at twenty feet, let alone with double-tap. Just did a few like that just to see if my groups were reasonable.

Several of you suggested learning rifle shooting to help with accuracy. Well, it was my first time out with a rifle, too. First few magazines at 50 feet:

Clearly, high and slightly right is a problem. Suggestions?

1) I am right handed, but left-eye dominant; I can compensate with handguns, but with rifle, I have to close my left- eye.

2) I am standing with the rifle. I would like to get some accuracy in place before I start trying for longer distances with the rifle resting on a stand.

I did make an adjustment to the rear sight.

So, THAT was helpful. Any other ideas?

Not looking forward to cleaning the rifle. Everyone says .22 is a dirty caliber. One of the advantages of having a CZ is that I can put 200 rounds through it, and drop it back in my holster without panicking about needing to clean it RIGHT NOW before carry duty. I don’t think that will be the case with a $100 .22 cal rifle from Walmart. ^_^

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 10/12/2018 at 13:39

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I was thinking those rounds looked small. I’d really look into getting a 9mm for personal defense if I was you. The 22 is just going be an annoyance  to some people .

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 10/12/2018 at 13:44

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I mean... If you shot me with a 22... I’d probably stop whatever I was up to

Ash78, voting early and often > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/12/2018 at 14:02

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Clearly you’ve never done crack or PCP.

/neither have I, just saying

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 10/12/2018 at 14:02

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I’m not sure about a 22 rifle arc but my .270 hunting rifle I sight in at the range that I’m most likely to shoot in the woods. I keep it dead on at 150 yards, the bullet go up and then down again lets say 6-8" over that distance. Even a 22 LR is going to do that to some extent. For a rifle 50 feet is nothing, basically point blank range. Try that at 50 to 100 yards and the bullet will drop a bit.

Standing with a rifle is near impossible to take advantage of the accuracy a rifle gives you. I always shoot pron or with a support, like a bi-pod or sand bags when sighting in.

Ash78, voting early and often > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 10/12/2018 at 14:03

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Yeah, plus the 22 has almost no application to practicing target reacquisition for multiple shots. Great for precision/competition shots, though.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 10/12/2018 at 14:13

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You’ve never seen people on the good stuff then!

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 10/12/2018 at 15:34

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Oh, all the stuff on the green targets was 9mm. It’s my preferred carry caliber; .380 when I can’t wear the CZ (gym, tuxedo). If I ever strike it rich and can afford a Bond Arms Bullpup ($1200!), I will sell the LCP, and then I will only have to buy 9mm for 99% of my carry. (I almost never use  my NAA revolver as a primary carry, so I’m with you on the .22 argument. But mine’s in .22 magnum, so I know it will at least go through clothing and tear up some soft tissue if need be.  I only have .22LR for the rifle.)

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > Ash78, voting early and often 10/12/2018 at 15:43

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Well, not all defensive situations will be a draw-and-fire situation like I was practicing to start. On average, two to five yards...that’s more realistic for a defensive situation, and lethal (or at least threat-stopping) accuracy for a handgun is very reasonable there. For me to enter a defensive situation at 15-25 yards...and I say it that way, because realistically, running away is smarter at that distance...that’s trickier, right? But with good training and practice, a 25 yard snipe is possible with a handgun; I’ve seen other guys on the range do it. If the threat is not looking at you and you have the time for target acquisition, and there’s no bystanders behind the threat, I’d like to be able to take that shot.

So, if 50 feet with a rifle is like 1 0 feet with a handgun, I’d have to think that some of the thought processes and body control and trigger control ideas used to shoot a rifle accurately at 100 yards could be used for a “long range” handgun shot as well. I mean, I could be totally wrong...but it couldn’t hurt my to try it out. And I certainly wouldn’t use it in a defensive situation unless I felt I was effective with it.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 10/12/2018 at 15:48

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That makes sense! I have both a Sig Sauer P938 9mm and a Springfield XDM 9mm. That Sig is remarkably small. 

Ash78, voting early and often > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 10/12/2018 at 15:50

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Hey, whether .22/380/9mm....having a gun still beats not having a gun. I think most of those stories about junkies not stopping after being hit with a .22 are a little overblown. If a 22 or 380 is more comfortable and makes you more able to hit your target, that sure beats NOT hitting your target with a .40 or .45 that’s too hard to handle for you.

I like you’re theory on the rifle, though. I’ve found a little bit of skills crossover between shooing my 1200fps air rifle in my suburban backyard (nice and quiet) and switching over to 9mm at the indoor range. Breathing, trigger control, etc.

BigBlock440 > Ash78, voting early and often 10/12/2018 at 16:07

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I think most of those stories abo ut junkies not stopping after being hit with a .22 are a little overblown.

Not a .22, 9mm at least.  I assume that’s the reason most police empty their guns.  A bullet doesn’t do significant enough damage to prevent movement in many cases, it’s the pain that stops you.  If you’re on some “good shit”, you’re not feeling that pain.  Seeing what a .22 does to animals and how hard it is to take them down if it’s anything larger than a chipmunk, I have no doubt that a .22 would be ineffective.  I’d rather have one than nothing, but I’d rather have something bigger if there was an actual threat.

Ash78, voting early and often > BigBlock440 10/12/2018 at 16:16

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Yep, agreed on the pain thing. If my .177 (with a relatively big 10-grain round) drops a squirrel in one shot, I feel pretty proud of myself. Those things are basically the speedfreaks of the animal kingdom. Unless you hit them with a debilitating blow (head/heart) they’ll just take off despite the pain and die later...something I prefer not to do. I hate squirrels, but I also hate animal cruelty.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 10/12/2018 at 16:21

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I almost bought a Sig 938 when I was shopping for a deep concealment gun! I was THIS close! Both the 938 and the LCP are hammer-fired single-action only (I really really really don’t like the feel of striker fired trigger, and I like the ability to restrike a hang fire), but the 938 has the manual safety (because 1911). Since my primary carry is a decocked DA/SA, there’s no having to practice with a safety, just draw and shoot. I wanted my deep conceal to operate similarly. The LCP II has the Glock-style trigger safety which requires no practice, so it would operate pretty much the same as the CZ. So, while I LOOOOOVE Sig Sauers, the LCP was a more practical choice for me. If they made an LC9 II, I would probably jump on that as an alternative.

I did play with a Springfield XDE in 9, and that checks almost all my boxes - hammer fired, DA/SA...ugh, but the GRIP. The Glock/Springfield/Kahr grip is miserable to me. Maybe it’s because I have dainty lady hands. Love my dad’s Sig 226, but it doesn’t fit my hand nearly as nicely as any CZ.  I may yet go in on that XDE, despite the discomfort...Just...not quite ready to buy another yet, lol.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > BigBlock440 10/12/2018 at 16:25

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As Paul Harrell says, five rounds of .22 in your pocket is better than 16 rounds of 9mm in your gun at home. If the .22 mag W asp is all I can seriously carry, better that than nothing. But 99% of the time, I  carry 15+1 of 9mm or 18+1 of .380.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 10/12/2018 at 16:30

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So, the rifle has an adjustable rear sight that raises or lowers the V notch. When I made the adjustment, I had dropped the rear sight probably 3 mm. I would imagine, that’s what the adjustability on the sight is for? I can use that to account for distance; since my left-to-right is pretty decent, it’s just up or down, and if I have to account for bullet loft-and-descent, then shooting and adjusting as I should go would do the trick?

Also, am I going to NEED a scope to shoot at 100 yards?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 10/12/2018 at 16:31

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IIRC I’m at an 8" accuracy with a 357 at about 30 feet or 10 yards. Sad I know but I just suck with that gun. Some thing like a S&W 10mm I’m way better.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 10/12/2018 at 16:32

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I actually searched out for a manual safety and Sig ended up having the easiest if I needed to quick draw and I’ve practiced it enough t o know it would work. I can’t stand the trigger pull length on the Ruger.

I don’t like the XDE/XDS grips either but the XDM grip is fantastic. Try that.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 10/12/2018 at 16:38

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Yes the rear sight should slide up and down for the correction for distance. Sometimes they even print the yards/meters right on the sight, like the old WWI/WWII rifles . Yes I would need a scope at 100 yards, I can’t see shit at 100 yards. I am just shooting at a blurry object and hoping it hits.