long range pistol

[TURIN TURAMBAR]

Thanks Sam, will try AA or H&N's which I have supplies of. Steve

[harrisP]

I doubt I could do that with my rifle never mind a pistol.

[Lou]

There are no specific rules for long range air pistol because no one believes that you can use them accurately at 50 yds anyway!
As th HW45 is a springer, I shoot it two handed with elbows rested (but not the gun or your hands) so that the recoil is allowed to occur "naturally". I dont use a backing card for these shots so if I miss I dont know where the shot has gone. When you shoot pistol, the light affects the aim point. Indoor ranges are OK but out doors where I shoot Bright sun or dull sky affects the point of aim considerably. Normally in target shooting the point of aim is below the bull, into the "white" so that you can see the sights. To shoot the playing cards edge on, its best to just have the card without anything behind and aim dead at it. If you dont hit it dead on you just get a slight indentation along the face of the card like a biro line.
I started doing this because I read that it was impossible to cut the card edge on with (any) bullet and it was all a trick because the card would "give" to the bullet. I fasten the card to a post with one staple in the bottom corner so it is free to flex but as you see, it rips. I think the only reason it doesnt go right through is that at 5 ft pds the pellet hasnt got the energy at 50 yds. Incidentally I cant do it every single shot! but the one I did last time (Wed) was on my third shot.

[brucieboy]

I thought i had heard just about everything in my time but this certainly tops all.
A playing card,edge on at 50 metres!,less than half a millimetre thick!.It can't even be seen at that range.
Now come on,tell us it was placed edge on, on top of a block about 150mm square to give an aiming point first,so you know more or less where it is,and then you would hit it eventually after enough shots,maybe.
This kind of talk just encourages irresponsible shooting by the more impressionable amongst us.

[Lou]

I can see it.
How does that encourage irresponsible shooting?

[Lou]

as I said earlier, it is stapled to a post vertically by its bottom corner to allow it to flex. Just because you cant see it .....

[brucieboy]

you mean you can see the post!!,i defy any human to see .5 of a millimetre at 50 metres,unaided.

It encourages people to shoot beyond their ability and beyond the range of there pistol/rifle, by reading such claims they imagine they can also do it.

[Lou]

are you saying that I am a liar? that I cannot see a card at 50 yds?

[Jim McArthur]

This kind of talk just encourages irresponsible shooting by the more impressionable amongst us.

If he's shooting at an inanimate object, the range to same is clear, and he's sure of his backstop: he's not irresponsible, if he's shooting at 1000 meters.

Jim

[brucieboy]

I would'nt call any-one i don't know a liar,i never even suggested such a thing,and apologise if that is how you took it.
All i said is it's a small target at a long range,the equivalent of a 50mm disc at 5 kilometres,and i stand in awe at any-one with that kind of eyesight.

[Lou]

OK fair enough. Lets calm down (I am a Liverpudlian by the way, we do get excitable)
I assure you that I can see that far but I must also point out that I am sixty years of age and have shot pistol for Nottinghamshire county team for years (have the badge) until it was all banned.
I do shoot at the card, but for all pistol shooters, I have to focus on the card and then the sights alternately because I cant focus on both simultaniously.
What you have to do is hold the gun really steady and adjust to the aim point, so that finally when you take the shot you are focussed on the sights, instinctively knowing you are over the card. Thats why its best without any backing to the target to cause interference from the light. As you know when its bright the aim point can look enormous under the bull on a white card.

However Darren M. Mad dogman. Blackpowder and a lot of other shooters are witnesses to these shots. Phil Bulmer is thinking of writing a "Hit and Myth" about it. Please ask them what they think. It was Blackpowder who started this thread....

[Phil Bulmer]

Phil Bulmer is thinking of writing a "Hit and Myth" about it.

Hi all,

Nice to see we are all calm and collected. It's interesting to see how text can lack internation and folk can get the wrong impression. Meanwhile.......

Next week I'll bring my camera to the club and see this for myself. For the benefit of casual observers, Lou is a crackshot with his HW45. I've seen him demolishing all sorts of stuff at 50 yards, including cherry tomatoes and playing cards face on. The end-on playing card trick is a big ask, but I'm sure it's possible.

Next week will settle it, I'll stand as an independent witness. If anyone is a betting man I'd suggest good odds that Lou can indeed do this.

Cheers,


Phil