What distance do you practice with your J frame snubbie?

[Poodle Soup]

7 and 10 yards is what I practiced most recently, indoor range they don't want you shooting at anything closer than 7 to keep people from chipping pavement and shooting the ceiling. I think the range goes out to 50 and thats a tough one with the black sites on that black target with my 442.

 

[badge 851]

I've been carrying my M60 most of the time and have done my practice with it out to 25 feet. I'm wondering what others do, as I can't see firing at something that is much past that distance with a 2" j frame - but maybe I should reconsider that and start practicing at longer distance.

I practice with my L frames out to 75+ but must admit that I'm not really very proficent at those distances. I can the majority of the rounds inside a 12" circle (ie. 4 of 7) but need to do more work to get tight groups.

How about you? Do you target shoot at distances further than 20 or 25ft.?


Pete

I'm on the Wet Side of you in Olympia. My shooting with my J frames is limited to 50 ft (indoor range).

 

[tacman605]

There is no doubt that "J" frames and other belly guns are designed for close range however why not try longer ranges?

It is correct in stating that if the opposition is 30-40-50 yards away no doubt make an exit if possible but on the off chance that is not possible what now?
Remember you will not determine the circumstance, distance, number of shots fired or anything else in a SD encounter the other guy will and you will simply be reacting to his decisions.

If you think about it a 15 year old with a .22 bolt gun has you outgunned, generally speaking, if you are armed with most handguns. Again generally speaking most CCW folks do not practice at longer ranges because the statistics say so. I don't put a lot of faith in statistics because statistics are many times statistically wrong.

So the bad guy is armed with a .22 rifle you can either flee, best option if possible, start firing from a longer distance and hope to get a hit, close the distance with the shooter to your effective range or simply next time on the range or wherever try some longer shots, see what kind of holdover/bullet drop you are looking at. On the same token fire your real SD loads instead of plinking ammo and see what it does. You may surprise yourself.

 

[kozmic]

I changed my tactics with my 442 and put on a CT laser grip. I have it "zeroed" at 7 yards. I like the thought of the laser at close distance and where quick site acquisition is a must. I still use the factory sites for all distances for a multitude of reasons but mostly the laser is tough to see in direct sunlight and never put all your faith in a battery!

Other benefits of the CT grip for me are it's very comfortable, soft to shoot, easy to draw and control and fits me well.

When practicing I tend to start close (10'-12') and work my out to 50'. Seldom to I practice beyond that. I don't often carry a J so much of my time is with the laser and from 10'-25'. It is a fine CQ weapon (especially with the CT).

 

[BaaBaa]

I find this fascinating as a new handgun owner. I've been practicing with my 640 at 15-20 yards only. I figured that once I got good at that distance then I'd try the shorter ones but that my most likely scenario is dealing with a bear and I'd better be firing by the time it's about 50 feet from me if it's coming at me.

Of course I'm still working out how to carry my weapon comfortably and getting familiar with it. It's my first handgun. I appreciate the info in this thread, thanks folks.

 

[all357mag]

You're wasting ammo past the 7'-10' you'll most likely encounter a threat, or deadly force situation.

 

[Delos]

Sometimes accuracy is not the issue

I've been carrying my M60 most of the time and have done my practice with it out to 25 feet. I'm wondering what others do, as I can't see firing at something that is much past that distance with a 2" j frame - but maybe I should reconsider that and start practicing at longer distance.

I practice with my L frames out to 75+ but must admit that I'm not really very proficent at those distances. I can the majority of the rounds inside a 12" circle (ie. 4 of 7) but need to do more work to get tight groups.

How about you? Do you target shoot at distances further than 20 or 25ft.?


Pete

Cougar Attacks United States and Canada.
Mountain Lion Attacks from 2001 to 2010

Lots of good information. People who are attacked are usually unarmed and do the best they can.
Mountain Lions (cougars) normally bite down on the back of head or neck and do not let go. They try to bite (puncture) neck or head. They try to shake to break neck and try to cut neck with claws. Typically if hiking with a friend that friend beats on it with logs or rocks until it lets go and runs. Anyone armed with anything has less injuries than otherwise.

It is one of many cases where range or accuracy is no big deal. One older lady tried to push a ball point pen in the mountain lions eye while it was biting down on her husbands head. She had no luck pushing the pen into its eye so eventually beat it off with an old branch until it let go and ran.

 

[strbrinky]

< 15'. Anything more than that in a defensive situation and my first plan of action will be to find a safe exit route, not make a long shot. Greater than 50' and I need to find me a rifle.

Exactly. It is also important to know YOUR limits, so practice at different ranges, then you'll know them and be able to make the decision informed. There's already enough going on; have the distance factor down to go/no go so the rest of your decision-making can focus on the specific situation.

 

[Pete99004]

Cougar Attacks United States and Canada.
Mountain Lion Attacks from 2001 to 2010

Lots of good information. People who are attacked are usually unarmed and do the best they can.
Mountain Lions (cougars) normally bite down on the back of head or neck and do not let go. They try to bite (puncture) neck or head. They try to shake to break neck and try to cut neck with claws. Typically if hiking with a friend that friend beats on it with logs or rocks until it lets go and runs. Anyone armed with anything has less injuries than otherwise.

It is one of many cases where range or accuracy is no big deal. One older lady tried to push a ball point pen in the mountain lions eye while it was biting down on her husbands head. She had no luck pushing the pen into its eye so eventually beat it off with an old branch until it let go and ran.

Much good information in the link posted on the cats. I was not aware of many things brought up in the article...I live in an area where there are Cougars. Thinking I better read up some more on these guys and am thinking that my M686+ is probably a better carry piece around the farm!! Somehow 7 rounds of .357 sound more comforting than 5 rounds of .38 special!! Thanks for the post.

Many good ideas on distance and practice techniques were mentioned, thanks to all that posted, good information here.

Pete

 

[Goldstar225]

Most of my snubby practice is at 7 yards. I'll do a few runs on 8" plates at 12-15 yards and then put some shots on a B-27 at 25 yards. Just because the barrel is short doesn't mean I have to limit my options.

 

[mbliss57]

J Frame 10' & 15' 90% of time. Aim. and target practice at a 20' and 25' mostly for sport. If I need to practice at longer distances for CCW I am using the wrong firearm or don't understand CCW concept.
I actually am seriously considering taking a self defense course this summer as I read and understand the threat of knives and charging attackers are threats I am not really mentally equipped for.

 

[riverrat38]

Wow - 8" plate at 100 yards would be a massive challenge for me! You would need to go through a couple of cylinders just to determine the drop at that distance? Wonder how well a .38+P would stop someone - or if it would stop someone - at that range?

Pete

With typical handgun ammo, the .38 plus P bullet fired from a 2 inch barrel will loose about 100 FPS in a hundred yards, so it is still quite lethal at that range.
If it were zeroed at 50 yards, it would shoot about 10 inches low at 100 yards, but if it were zeroed for 7 yards, it would drop more like 25 inches.
Hickok45, on you tube, shoots a steel gong at 80 yards with a M442, but it is about 24 inches in diameter.
An 8 inch target at 100 yards has the same angle of arc as a 2 inch target at 25 yards, but the drop would make things more difficult.

Best,
Rick

 

[Delos]

Mountain lion encounters

Much good information in the link posted on the cats. I was not aware of many things brought up in the article...I live in an area where there are Cougars. Thinking I better read up some more on these guys and am thinking that my M686+ is probably a better carry piece around the farm!! Somehow 7 rounds of .357 sound more comforting than 5 rounds of .38 special!! Thanks for the post.

Many good ideas on distance and practice techniques were mentioned, thanks to all that posted, good information here.

Pete

At top of page is other previous records.
Mountain Lion Attacks from 1991 to 2000

There was expensive bounties on them for many years. And not that long ago (it seems) newspapers were sending information to others via teletype. Only the best stories sent from far away. Most information was local.

Being alone can be dangerous. If any harsh winters, disease or forest fire reduces the deer population. But pets and livestock begin disappearing first.

If a person walks with a dog they usually carry off the dog first.

If any cougars have been a problem in your area, I would think a lanyard on handgun is a good thing. They hunt from the back and can jump 30 feet. Basically they hit on the back like a football player, causing some to drop weapons. Few people survive an attack when alone, unless it is a young (teenage in human years) cougar just past its mother teaching it to hunt small animals.

Some are weak from dying of rabies. Some have had porcupine quills in mouth or throat and keep killing, unable to eat, until it dies.

A college in California was planting them in areas where they once existed. Freeway traffic reduces them near big cities. Some hunting farms have bought them from old zoo animals to breed in the wild and be hunted. Or so some stories report.

The people who report being "confronted" by a mountain lion has wandered to close to a mother cougars hidden baby. A much different situation. One tree sales marker in California backed away from one shouting and waving a branch until he could get into his pickup. The "experts" that normally give advice do not usually know the difference between confrontation and being hunted, encounters.

 

[MikeyB]

Typically 7 yards with my CCW's.

 

[jimmyj]

3, 7, 15, and 25 yards

 

[DustyJacket]

9 to 15 yards for me and my model 42

 

[Pete99004]

I'm on the Wet Side of you in Olympia. My shooting with my J frames is limited to 50 ft (indoor range).

Outdoor range here at the farm - stop by sometime - we can put some targets out at distance and see who hits what!! I'm not to sure I could hit anything past 50FT.


Pete

 

[eb07]

I practice one handed shooting, on the move at multiple targets. Rarely standing still. Mostly at 15-0 feet where most attacks occur.

 

[TheGreatGonzo]

My agency approves j-frames for carry as a secondary (back-up) gun and for off-duty carry. However, to qualify, you must use it to shoot the entire 50 round Pistol Qualification Course, which is our standard course of fire that extends to the 25 yard line. There is no difference in qualifying for carry with your duty weapon or the j-frame. Honestly, it was not particularly fun. Qualifying with my j-frame was about the only time I could recall ever feeling really stressed at quarterly qualifications. I finally removed it from my card. My "secondary" gun is now a Sig P239. I loved my j-frame, but qualifying was not a pleasant experience.
Gonzo

 

[Delos]

I practice one handed shooting, on the move at multiple targets. Rarely standing still. Mostly at 15-0 feet where most attacks occur.

When I was in the navy I did some amateur boxing. Later some martial arts.
At one point I noticed that I could hit or kick someone close faster than I could draw and fire.
Soo... when alone at a range one day I began experimenting with kicking and then shooting - almost shot my foot.

Boxers circle to the right, away from opponents strong hand. Naturally I noticed when moving to the right when shooting one must do the sword fighters thing of putting left hand back out of the way, rather than swing one arm running and shooting past it with the other.

Perhaps playing table tennis helps for lateral movement. Getting too old to make any more fast moves or bad mistakes.