Back in the Seventies and Eighties, I competed in IPSC at the National level. That was in the days of a 180,000 power factor requirement (bullet weight times velocity) with NO compensators allowed (before the gamesmen took over). I was shooting three times a week (averaged 15,000 rounds per year of full house .45 ACP for five years). Some of the pros were shooting as much as 50,000 rounds per year. However, I was doing my own bullet casting, reloading, and all out of my own pocket while trying to raise a young family
>)). I was also supplying ammo for my two young sons, who were also competing.
At any rate, I was in shooting shape. I was visiting a gun club in a nearby town when the discussion of the accuracy possibilities from a .45 ACP came up with a bunch of trapshooters. I made a bit of a rash statement, telling a gentleman that I could hit a mansize silhouette in the kill zone of an IPSC target at 100 yards five out of seven times on demand (after he had stated that his understanding was that a shooter couldn't hit a barn from the inside with a 1911 .45 ACP.
The guy took my "bet". A couple of days later we adjourned to my local club. We had a steel splash plate at 100 yards the exact dimensions of an IPSC silhouette target. I hit the prone position, with my IPSC 1911 (fixed high visibility iron sights) and proceeded to put eight shots out of eight in the kill zone. The feller's eyes were as big as dinner plates!
I had told him that, in fact, I could put all shots but one or two out of a magazine or cylinder from any pistol he cared to bring (not a particularly wise boast, but I did say it).
He brought out a couple of revolvers, a Model 59 Smith, and, he REALLY tried to "hurt" me - a Chief's Special snub nose!
Well, I HAD to give it a try. I did get him to allow me a couple of sighting shots so I could see how far to hold over with these strange handguns. I put four out of five from the snub nose on the target. That's right, four out of five from a fixed sight .38 Special snub nose. He about fell down with surprise...
The only piece I was not able to "do the trick" with was the Model 59 Smith. I finally put it on the bench, and it wouldn't keep all of the rounds on a twenty five yard pistol target PAPER off a rest! On the way home, he stopped at his favorite gun shop and traded the 59 off...
This is NOT to brag but merely to show that if you do your part, a good snubby will surprise the dickens out of you. I have had access to a Ransom Rest for many years. Most of you would be flatly flabbergasted how well a snubby can shoot. They ARE quite difficult to shoot do to their lack of weight and short sight radius. However, they CAN be shot well.
I have a 60-4 (3" dbl. underlugged barrel with target sights) and I kept records over a period of time. I averaged 96+ on the timed fire 25 yard target at 25 yards with that handgun. Yeah, it surprised me too.
Many here have read where that became my preferred side gun when bird hunting in the hills. I took many a cottontail, snowshoe rabbit, and wounded and/or sitting grouse with that wonderful little handgun. A full charge wadcutter and that gun makes a FINE edible small game gun if you stay in practice with it.
Make no mistake, I prefer a minimum of a 4" barrel for a field pistol, but the 60-4 was only made in a 3" barrel so I settled for that. Imagine my surprise when I learned I can actually shoot it better than I can my Model 631. The double underlugged barrel just flat holds better...
FWIW
Dale53
