I was thinking that since many of us live so far apart it might be cool to put together a friendly monthly competition. My thought is a different competition or challenge every month.It would all be on your honor of course and no real prizes other than bragging rights and camaraderie. Potential ideas I have so far are for starters, best 5 shot group at 25 yards off-hand (hand held one or two handed no rests, slings, sticks etc) with your choice of handgun, progressive targets a can at 10 yards then 20 then 30 and so on until you miss, fewest shots to hit a can at 100 yards open sights and then variations on these to use as tie breakers. I just spitballing ideas here and would love to hear what you guys think. Of course pictures would be appreciated but probably not necessary. This would all be in the spirit of fun. What do you guys think?
One more thing, I would like to keep the equipment needed to a minimum so more people could try these.

My only thought is that since we are a handgun hunting site, it would be really great for every member to take at least one big game animal this year/season with their handguns. The more handgun kills the better! Not a competition, just a challenge to all the members.

If I get a shot at game, it will be with a handgun.

Sometimes we need to challenge ourselves.

I bow hunt and hunt muzzleloader too [prefer flintlock]but when modern gun rolls around that means handgun to me.

Junebug you guys get about 2-3 weeks that's a short one. Got family in Letcher Co and hunt there some as well as Owen Co. For some reason all I have been able to get a shot at is coyote.

For my part of the challenge issued is to blood a wedding present I got a few years ago from my wife. Taken several head with others over the past few years but not it. Let you guys know how it turns out.

I tried to put a competition together years ago on this site. I even offered a copy of Mark Hamptons book Handgun Hunting to the winner. Several members expressed interest but nobody took part.

My weekends will be busy for the next couple of months. Archery season starts next week and firearms season follows, running through the end of November. If you have a competition in December I'd be interested assuming the range is not snowed in.

Guilty as charged. I would be interested if you all decide to move forward with a friendly competition.

This sounds like a great idea. I see a couple negatives posted, but it's "practice" season right now...

This sounds like a great way to "get-out-there" before our seasons start.

Guys post about there accuracy and offer "tips" to everyone all year on how to be better. Now the chance to share some friendly shooting comes along and you'd of thought a coyote was standing on the prairie dog mound....you can just hear guys running for the shelter of there holes.

Except Whit, he's on board, but he backs up his posts with target pictures and dead critters all year.

I know how hard it is to hit a paper plate at 50 yards from field positions with a big bore revolver.. Now move it back to 100yards with a revolver, and you have got a Challenge!....to read the internet, you would think everyone can keep all shots on the plate at 50yards offhand.

Come'on guys, I know some of you plan to practice, and just about everyone of you has a phone...just snap a picture next time you are out.

We won't laugh, because those of us that actually shoot, know it ain't easy!

But don't forget to get out of the box, off the bench, and away from the sandbags and corralled critters for a few shots this year.

Heck, I tried last year and didn't fare any better.

Again, guilty as charged. I know I dropped the ball on my end, but would like to participate if possible.

I'll play - draw up some details around the first leg of the competition. Too hot to sit in the bow stand right now anyways

Yo Max, you did no wrong. NO-body sent in a target. BUT, I did shoot a few targets and since you did offer an autographed book for the "winner" ........ hmmmmm ....... wink wink nod nod ;-)

Since it is just for fun, is it really necessary to mail targets?? Pictures might get a lot more guys on board for this.

We start small 22 lr best group at 100 yds video only -- we all have I phones then we move up every 30 days 38 cal 41 cal 44 cal 45 cal I will kick ass in this group
Need to clarify between the SS and wheel gun guys because the wheel gun guys are going to kick ass once we get beyond .357

I'm not shooting any video. The range I most frequent won't allow anyone to shoot video and it's an inconvenience as I often shoot alone. I think photos of targets should be acceptable - JMHO. s4s4u drew up a pretty comprehensive competition last year that could be adopted.

How about a 5 on 9 drill? Pretty simple test, and a good indicator of a hunter's maximun practical range. See how long of a distance one can keep a 5 shot group on a 9" paper plate, offhand.

Perhaps there could also be a field position category for those who prefer to rest their pistols.

No markings on the paper plate to aid sighting, deer don't have bullseyes on them either.

We do?

Well, everybody except Rod.

Bug - Rod's bag phone does not do video

Hey, not quite that old school now ;-)

Mine still has a rotary dial, and

no camera.

I think the 5 shot group on the 5x9 plate is a good idea. Easy for most everyone to participate in (only a photo required) and practical in a hunting sense.

Since it is a "hunting" application maybe 2 rounds on each plate ...moving back 10 or 20 yards after each 2 shots....not easy to find a deer that will stand still long enough for 5 rounds..lol

I agree ;-)

But the purpose for the 5 on that 9" target is to test my ability. If I can't keep 5 out of 6 in play I need to go back to school.

I liked the paper plate idea because they are pretty much the same size and most people have some kicking around. Sorry I haven't been keeping up with you guys I'm trying to finish stuff up at work before I leave for my wedding. I suppose we should come up with the formal rules and lock down a specific challenge to start on. Paper plate might be a good one for simplicity.

Now is the time to do it as our modern season starts the second week of November.



SO, the fartherest range you can hit 5 of 6 on a 5x9 plate or 8 in paper plate off of a field rest [with your hunting setup] is the fartherest you should ethically shoot at a game animal ??? Be it 25 ,50, 75. or 100 yds or beyond.

I hunt with handguns for personal reasons and know and accept MY limitations [if the animal gets away without a shot, he won this round not me and I am OK with that]

I personaly hold myself to those standards and will not take a shot I am not comfortable with.

[ I HOLD NO ONE ELSE TO MY STANDARDS THIS IS MY PERSONAL RULE] [I just know someone will take this the wrong way!

I like a standard 9" paper plate as it is about the size of the "boiler room" of a whitetail. I prefer to shoot it offhand but I suppose we should have a field rest category as well since this is a hunting drill.

http://www.handgunhunt.com/photopost/
Well here's the first one ,going to have to get a front sight I can see better for 50. White center of plate measures 7 1/2 in. [img]http://www.handgunhunt.com/photopost/[/img]

Awesome. Im in. Do we just submit the pics here?

That looks like dead meat to me. Well done.

Did we formalize rules... rests, calibers , optics. My 44 is scoped.. not that im a great shot but wouldnt seem fair to shoot against guys shooting irons. Not trying to cause problems just looking for info.

Don't see why it would matter long as you post it as a scoped gun group. Don't shoot off a bench, but post how it was shot. It seem's like a Run what you Brung ,shoot what you got kind of deal.Just don't cherry pick your groups, shoot it and post it,its for kicks and giggles anyway. Aint nobody gonna laugh at you, but with you.

J.M.H.O.

Come on guys lets see some paper plates. 22,32,357, 44, 45,45 super ,10 mm. Whatever you hunt with off of field rests. Just don't cherry pick the groups ,show it like it is . This is practice for hunting season which has started in some areas. Just post how far what load and off what kind of rest, aint nobody gonna laugh. I've shot better groups, and worse groups, that was my group for that day.

Junebug, I promise to play soon - unfortunately, I've been preoccupied with too much of this...



and not enough of this...

I posted a target up with my BFR in .500 JRH - it's on the bragging board. Will stretch the range out next session. Haven't shot it in a while and it wore me out a bit. Gotta get used to the recoil again.

Nice shooting Whit! I know what ya mean about wearing you out - shot my scoped Linebaugh earlier this summer...would put two rounds touching and then the third WAY off. Grip tension inconsistencies are magnified with the bigger hammers.

Thanks! You've got that right. I've been shooting a lot of .480 Ruger and .454 lately, but this thing is in a different category altogether. Forgot how abusive it is with some loads.

Nice looking long sticks, what calibers? They have there own set of rules you have to follow to get good results, it aint just point and shoot.Very nice shooting Whit. That takes dedication and lots of practice, especialy with the big hammers!!!!

Thanks JB - a couple of rigs built by Steve Roe at Apache Machine - 6.5 Creedmoor on the L, 300 Win Mag on the R

Excellent shoot'n, Whit!

But.....you don't get used to the recoil, you just cope with it.

Thanks, Kim!

I get used to it, just haven't shot it in ages.....

I'll break out the .50 Alaskan or the .500 Max and then everything else is put into perspective -- LOL!

That should work.

Does 50 yards from a field style rest seem fair? Put pictures in this post and include gun, ammo, sight, and rest info? I'm just trying to nail down a fixed set of parameters. No gun restrictions on this one other than it must be center fire?

I put up another couple of targets on the Bragging Board. I only had 15 rounds to work with (two different loads), and wish I had more with me, to tighten things up a bit. Will hopefully get the iron sighted .500 JRH Bisley out next week for some shooting.

Ok since Whitworth kicked this thing off at the 25 yard mark that is where the challenge will be. I'll try to get a group up this week. The guidelines I'll use are thus:

25 yards
Field position (I'll probably use a field rest of some kind)
Centerfire Handgun (one I'll hunt big game with this year)
5 shots on a paper plate

I'm doing 25 and 50 yards. My local range doesn't go out farther. Most of my shooting from here out will be at 50 yards.

That winny is a shooter!!! I watched Dur put two on target at just over 1800 yards in June in a stiff wind. The only reason we didn't put more out is that we had wasted all our ammo plinking at 1200 earlier in the day. It's boringly accurate. We found the 2000 and 2500 yards plates after that. We are going to build a couple of really big ones and stretch them out next year

i only had a few rounds with me and so i have pics of a 50 round off hand standing group and a 100 yard group i did for fun, not as good as i wanted but they all hit the plate, i'll post them later, they were done with a 6" FA454 and iron sights.

Just posted up a couple more targets I shot a little while ago again from the sitting position, but this time with a stock .44 Mag Bisley (with it's 10-lb trigger -- okay, I exaggerate as it's no more than 9 1/2-lbs) with iron sights.

Thats good shooting bro! I got some targets to post. I did one of ten shots. 5 with the 6" at 100 and 5 with the 7.5" at 100. A little bigger spread than id like but i also did 2 at 50 simply bc im west texas ive never had anything close to a 25 yard shot yet but ill get some of those soon as well

Just uploaded a picture of a target I shot this morning with my .480 SRH. Five shots, 50 yards offhand, shooting 340 grain CEB solids at about 1,300 fps.

l shoot IHMSA silhouettes... lts the best practice l have ever seen for handgun hunting style shooting..Steel chickens, pigs, turkeys,rams set at 50-100-150-200 meters. .

Different classes for revolver and single shot. 0pen sight and scope. Standing position or freestyle... South Carolina State Championship meet is this weekend Sat/Sun 0ct11-12 in Patrick SC.. All comers welcome


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Sweet. I wish i was closer

Just posted up a couple more targets shot with my Ruger Bisley in .44 Mag. I was testing a couple of Garrett .44 Mag loads. The accuracy is very good.

Hadn't had the trusty Bisley 45 Colt out for a while but I had to give her a go before go time. Standing and offhand @ 50, new load with a 250 Hornady in front of 24.5 grains of lil gun. My usual is 26 grains of H110 but am running out of that gold so I figured I better get a good backup. I think it will giterdun.

Practice like you play ;-)

Nicely done, Rod!

Great shoot'n, Rod! We need to see some critters posted this year; that combo can make it happen.

Thanks guys. Bad news is I fired 6. If you look closely you can see where the last one nicked the plate edge at about 7:00 position. I knew it as I pressed the trigger. We have a week yet before they shut us down so gonna have time to tidy it up a bit.

Finally got a chance to get some handgun play with all the long range rifle distraction as of late...

First target: 9" FA 357 Mag - 75 yards, sitting with tripod; 140 gr Barnes


Second target: 7.5" FA 44 Mag - 75 yards, sitting with tripod; 240 gr XTP


Called the low shot before I got back on target - that trigger is almost too light for hunting work...but it's oh so sweet!

Nice shooting dur!

i'll agree to that.

Yea, that'll giterdun.

Thanks for the compliments, but in this case, "it's the arrow, not the Indian".

Both of these guns were then stretched out to 150 on steel shortly thereafter.

Newbie here but I had to share this.

Took the new Ruger SRH out this morning to get the scope dialed in that I just mounted last night and saw this post previously so I decided to see how well I could do with a 9" paper plate using a position I'd normally use in an actual hunting situation.

It was only 90 yards, not 100, but here's how I did kneeling against a tree shooting off of my own home made shooting sticks.

Nicely done, IAshooter!

That'll work!

Shot this group this morning with my .475 Linebaugh Bisley. Just sighted it in and shot this at 30 yards sitting -- pulled one..... Shooting 280 grain CEB Raptors. Hope to use this gun/bullet combination on a deer this year.



Fixed the orientation of the picture twice on photobucket and it still shows it vertically......

Happens to me as well. Good shootin'