4506--but you won't believe me

[SigBoone]

Ok...I'm actually pretty hesitant to post this (or even talk about it with the guys in the office) because I just don't think anyone will believe it. In fact, I have trouble believing it but... here goes.

So I finally make it to a decent outdoor range (anyone in VA ? I was at The Cove in Gore, VA...near Winchester). Took the family there for a few days of R&R with camping, fishing and a little range time. Took the wife shooting for a bit one day but she gave me a kitchen pass to go solo two days later. So yes, I was alone with no eye witnesses.

They have a rifle range with 4 steel silhouette targets, two up front at what I believe is 100yds and two behind at ??? 110 yds maybe ?

I was working through a few different rifle platforms that I never seem to be able to break out due to lack of outdoor ranges in the NoVA area. I eventually broke out a few pistols with a 4506-1 included. I've got a few 3rd GENs but have never shot them as well as I shoot my Sig 226 .40 (lack of practice with the different platform I've always assumed, wherein I have 20+ years behind the 226).

Just for giggles....I move back to the rifle range, two rounds down range and *PANG*....I'm hitting steel at 100 yds. Second mag and I'm hitting all 4 targets within the 8 rnd capacity. At this point I'm looking for either a string tied from the muzzle to the target or the candid camera. I load three more mags and repeat the results with each mag, hitting all four targets at least once with each mag. I was amazed.

Now, I did go find a couple rounds in front of the steel targets and was amused that the bullets were mostly intact without deformation. Guess there was not a lot of energy left at impact but these were not lob shots, they were still straight on target. I didn't think a .45 acp round would have a mostly level trajectory at that distance. These were 230 gr fmj range loads-- WWB and Federal, nothing fancy.

Ok...there....I got it off my chest. Anyone else ever experience this (...or alien abduction, spontaneous combustion or any other unbelievable experience) ?

Thanks for understanding.

Very respectfully,
SigBoone

4506 (x2)
4566 (x2)
4006 (x2)
5906 (x2)

[nocents]

Originally Posted by SigBoone

Anyone else ever experience this (...or alien abduction, spontaneous combustion or any other unbelievable experience) ?

NO........I'm still trying to get proficient at 15 yds.....Good shooting by the way....I think Hickock45 rings that gong on his range at 80 yds......I'm sure some one will correct me on that

[Shorty 45 MK2]

Photos or it didn't happen!

Very good shooting! I've heard many a 4506 owner rave about the pistol's accuracy.

[Mack]

Done it with a 1911 as in a real 1911 made in 1917 with little tiny sights. Put 6 out of 7 into the black and 1 just outside on a silhouette target. Full disclosure at the time I lived about 3 miles from the gun club range and I was putting an average of 200 rounds a week through that 1911 as it was my only .45 plus I shot from the prone. Still I did a lot better than I though I would.

[ColbyBruce]

Yes, it is easier to hit at 100 yards than most people think. Five years ago I was shooting at Cherokee Gun Club in Gainesville, GA with a friend, sighting in deer rifles. After we were done, I pulled out my HK P7 PSP and tried to hit the gong hanging at the 100 yard mark. It took four mags before I finally got my range right, but I hit it repeatedly after that.

I can hit 2 liter Sprite bottles at 100 yards, but have trouble hitting the clear Coke bottles. The clear bottles are harder to see.

9mm, .357 Sig, .40 S&W all shoot flatter than the .45 a.c.p. so you had to work a tad harder. You did real well there.

[jdh]

Done it with a 1006 haven't tried with a 4506.

[SMSgt]

I was at the Cove the other day and this guy was trying to hit steel at one hundred yards with a .45 Auto I took out my silenced .300 Blackout and every time he'd shoot I would too. He was looking around and hopping up and down like he was the greatest shot in the world. He probably went home and bragged to everyone.








Good shooting, Ace!

[shouldazagged]

Originally Posted by SigBoone

Anyone else ever experience this (...or alien abduction, spontaneous combustion or any other unbelievable experience) ?

No, but once many years ago I won an argument with my wife.

I know, it sounds far fetched...

[SigBoone]

Well, this is more a case of being mystified than in any way attempting to brag since I know that I'm not THAT good of a shot. But now I've finally got it figured out thanks to the SMSgt. I did look around and behind me once or twice...kind of a eerie sixth sense feeling but now realize he was shooting from behind the silhouettes or from the South. Finally makes sense.

I had considered the magnetic tool holders I had used to hold a few loaded mags on the inside of the steel gun case door as the culprit since the targets were steel instead of paper.

I do not, however, believe that hogwash about winning an argument with your wife. It may have been a turnip truck I rode in on but I stepped off gracefully...with Elvis.

Thanks gentleman,
SigBoone

[4330Inroute]

If he won the argument she probably wasn't still in the room. I've yet to win one. If I'm not there to yell at am I still wrong? Answer: yes, for the rest of your married life.

Yes I believe you hit at 100 yards with a 4506. With practice and good firearm and ammo you can do it consistently.

[G.T. Smith]

My Grand Daughter put her dirty plate in the sink, all the way in the kitchen, after supper. My other Grand Daughter did her homework on her own. I'm still a little amazed over the whole thing.
Peace,
gordon

[Big Shrek]

Originally Posted by shouldazagged

No, but once many years ago I won an argument with my wife.

I know, it sounds far fetched...

3 things, Backrubs, Foot massage, Haagen-Daaz.
Might not win, but you won't lose

[pineappleshooter]

Originally Posted by shouldazagged

No, but once many years ago I won an argument with my wife.

I know, it sounds far fetched...

You have a good woman there - she's nice enough to let you think you won an arguement!

[jaymoore]

Originally Posted by ColbyBruce

Yes, it is easier to hit at 100 yards than most people think. Five years ago I was shooting at Cherokee Gun Club in Gainesville, GA with a friend, sighting in deer rifles.

We shoot IHMSA first Saturday of the month at Cherokee. Steel at 25, 50, 75, and 100yds, right next to the rifle range. Folk often try their hand with 1911s and such. I'm usually running a S&W revolver of some sort for the centerfire Field Pistol targets. (Field Pistol is shot standing using straight walled (more or less) cartridges.) No reason a P7 or 4506 ought not topple some critters if the operator is "on". Most important "piece of equipment" you can have is a good spotter who can tell you where the the bullets are impacting.
Feel free to give it a try!



CGC IHMSA range, Field Pistol targets center, flanked by the .22 target banks.


Managed 4 out of 5 25yd 1/2 scale chickens on this rainy day shoot with a 6" revolver. Oddly, I usually do better further out than at 25yds, so this was a happy occasion. The upper photo shows two rams down at 100, BTW.

Used to shoot a steel plate at Ft. Benning at 300m. with 1911s, etc. Hitting with a .45 at that distance is mostly a matter of finding the right secondary aiming point in the background, i.e. a tree top or low flying bird... .

[Biggfoot44]

Back in the dark ages , people would occasionally shoot big boy IHMSA with 1911 . 200yd ram knock downs are out of the question , but 100yd hits certainly doable.

I do know the Cove once upon a decade , but haven't seen the range. Are the 100yd shiloutes IHMSA , or IPSC-ish , or ??

[ColbyBruce]

Originally Posted by shouldazagged

No, but once many years ago I won an argument with my wife. I know, it sounds far fetched...

Your wife must have been in a coma at that time, LOL!!

[SigBoone]

I have no idea about the targets but doubt they are 'official' in any way. They were man silhouettes and wedged in the dirt at odd angles (wasn't' sure if this was intentionally done for deflection/ricochet purposes or just haphazard). The range is a mile up the hill from the rest of the camp, in the woods, dirt trail to get there. No RSO! There is an old office work station dropped off to serve as a bench/table. The second time I went up I had my Suburban pulled right up to the table with back open and music playing. Very cool but would have been different if other folks were there since then I'd start having safety concerns. The firing line is marked with a few large rocks and a hi-vis painted line. It's all dirt which also made it easier to spot misses and walk them into the target. By the way, you pay the owners $10 for all day and then drive up on your own. I like the relaxed nature of it, beats the local indoor range with the RSOs reminding you to slow down rates of fire regardless of maintaining control/accuracy. Think we'll go back soon.

[Arik]

Done that a few times. The furthest I've hit a target was 230 yards with a 7.62x25 Tokarev

[SigBoone]

Arik,

Now that IS impressive. (... are you certain the SMSgt wasn't nearby with his suppressed .300 blk ???)

I've never shot a Tokarev but I do have a disturbingly accurate Mosin M44 (sorry, off-topic). So I am a true-believer in the occasional MilSurp pick of the litter--sounds like you've got a good TT.

[G35JIM]

YOUR RIGHT. Check your distances. My 4506-1 seems to drop about 4" at 20 yards. However my 1006 seems perfect at 20.

[Rustyt1953]

"But I've never been to Nacogdoches!"
"Mister I believe you!"

You have convinced me, I have a 5906 which I love and my brother has a 4506 which I covet. Now I must find one.

[shawn mccarver]

Originally Posted by ColbyBruce

Yes, it is easier to hit at 100 yards than most people think. . . . It took four mags before I finally got my range right, but I hit it repeatedly after that.

This is a true statement. Once you figure out the hold over, it is almost monotonous after that. Then you find yourself trying the same trick at 200 or beyond.

I believe it was Jeff Cooper who once said that it is easier than you think to get good enough with a pistol to hit anything you can see, "within reason."

Most people find it difficult to believe when someone makes a claim of a long range hit. And that is usually because they have not tried to accomplish a long range shot. If you can figure out hold over and the windage, and you can cleanly break the trigger while the sights are in the proper posiition, results can be amazing. But, it takes practice.

[RV4driver]

Long range pistol brings a whole 'nother pleasure to pistol shooting. The plinkers are amazed when they see it. They could do it too, if they'd stop plinking and actually practice. And yes, Hickock45 owns that 80yd gong.

[JeepinSoldier]

I believe you Sig! I used to hit a 75 yard gong all the time with a 1911 and have hit the 100 yard gong with the 625-2 Model of 1988. Hitting Standard 50 yard silhouettes was easy.

That revolver is scary accurate. Now I need to add a 4506 to the collection.

[SigBoone]

I also hit all 4 targets with the 5906 but it took the whole mag which was 13 if I remember correctly. (So the day sort of parodied the whole 9mm hi cap vs .45 (inherently low cap) debate.)

[4330Inroute]

Originally Posted by G35JIM

YOUR RIGHT. Check your distances. My 4506-1 seems to drop about 4" at 20 yards. However my 1006 seems perfect at 20.

Better have that 4506 looked at. It should be right on at that close a distance just like the 10mm.

[rwsmith]

I never had THAT GOOD of a day at the range. But one time I did bowl a 288 when I can hardly break 100 any other time. I did have witnesses. For some reason I think I could have thrown the ball between my legs and the pins still would have fallen down. Mostly strikes and a few spares. None of us were bowlers and my friend had added up the score to about a 166 or something. We had the guy at the front check it and he was snickering the whole time he was adding it up. I think it made a difference that we had dates to impress.

[StateDirector]

Years ago (when Elgin Gates was still alive), I was Michigan State Director of IHMSA. One of my clubs in Alma, Michigan shot IHMSA and NRA Rifle silhouettes from the same firing line.
One time we IHMSA shooters tried the NRA rifle course of fire with our open-sight handguns.
The NRA targets were the same size as IHMSA but chickens were at 200M, pigs at 300M, turkeys at 385M, and rams at 500M.
I shot around a 22x40 with my 7BR Remington XP100. I hit 6 turkeys at 385 and 6 rams at 500 doing so. This was with open sights. I shot in a reclining, supported position, but still, it was amazing to me that with practice, distant targets can be consistently hit with a handgun. (see Elmer Keith).
That score certainly wasn't the best that day. But it does show that even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while.

[62fuelie]

When I was with the Rialto, CA PD we were the first agency west of the Mississippi to adopt the 645. While the pistol team was finishing practice at the sheriff's range one sheriff's deputy who was consistently on the Governors's 20 brought out his 4" M-29 and started plunking rounds into a bald spot on the hillside 250+ yards behind the butts. It took a while to walk the rounds in, but I eventually got to putting 4-5 rounds per mag into the 10' diameter spot - just had to wait a while for the slugs to arrive.

[Comrad]

Originally Posted by shouldazagged

No, but once many years ago I won an argument with my wife.

I know, it sounds far fetched...

You know, you're going to have to pay for that one day.