45 colt at longer ranges

crossdraw · March 25, 2009, 07:23:01 PM

I am thinking about taking my kid to a Appleseed project shoot http://www.appleseedinfo.org/. She would use a .22 but I would like to try my .45 Hartford 92 just to see what it and myself are capable of.

The local shoot will be at 25m on the first day and longer distance on the second. I have only shot this gun at close distances. What can I expect from the gun for a reasonable shooting distance provided I can shoot straight.

Right now my reloads are 200gr RNFP with 8.5gr unique.

I remember reading that some of you have been able to hit a long range target with the .45 but I can't find the post.

Thanks for any help

Daniel Nighteyes · March 25, 2009, 07:29:47 PM

Quote from: crossdraw on March 25, 2009, 07:23:01 PM
I have only shot this gun at close distances. What can I expect from the gun for a reasonable shooting distance provided I can shoot straight.

Using similar loads, I routinely hit fairly large (10-12") steel plate targets with my Marlin 1894 Cowboy Limited at out to 150 yards. Based on what I've seen so far, it would probably go further.

J.D. Goodguy · March 25, 2009, 08:32:54 PM

:)Took oldest grandson to an Appleseed shoot 2 weeks ago. Very good program. They are geared to shoot standing, sitting, and prone with the aid of a sling. Different targets are shot on timer for a set number of shots. Only shots fired before time runs out will count. Most rounds on one set was 13 rounds. If your 92 will hold 13 or you can load a couple to make up 13 you could do the lever gun. Smallest target is a 1 inch square. Working lever from prone or even sitting could be a feat. The distance with the 92 on large targets is very doable. Appleseed is for developing very accurate aimed fire and shooting at a large steel target is just not the same as shooting a 1or 2 inch moa. I have shot my 73 rifle in 45 out to 100 yards and hit a 12 inch square. Don't know that I could put 5 rounds in a 2 inch square at that distance. Take the 92 with you but also take a semi-auto 22, at the end of the day or the next try one target with the 92 to see what you can do. Enjoy. JD

Adirondack Jack · March 25, 2009, 09:12:41 PM

With a Marlin Cowboy limited, .45 Colt, and a Marbles peep sight, I rang the steel with the first shot at 285 yards. Of course I had to measure the sight heights, do the math, consult one of the online ballistics wizards, and figure it out beforehand. Turns out for a 250 gr bullet, I needed something like 1275 fps (IIRC), to have enough velocity to use my sight, with it adjusted all the way up. Turned out a load of 10.5 grains Unique produced enough velocity when tried over the chrony. We're talking around 100" of drop to overcome. So off to the long range I went, having zeroed the gun at 25 yards, then raised it all the way up, according to the math and the velocity of the rounds. I hunkered down behind a wobbly bench and an even worse rest and let fly. Bang------ding! The guns can do it, if ya can see em, and do the math.

Freedom · March 25, 2009, 09:19:41 PM

Hi, new to the site, it is sure nice to meet so many well spoken people.

A 45 will shoot a long ways.... I have a dishwaser that I shoot at that sets down off a hill in the field in front of my house. It is 800Yrds, now I'm not saying you can hit it all the time but you can blow dirt in its face with most shots. I have a ladder sight on my 92 and it is about half way up to hit the washer.

The modern 92 is one of the stronger actions out there. For longer ranges you can load it with heavier boolits and H110,296, or 2400... this really wakes up the 45...... LSI (puma) sells a 92 in a 454 Cassull, this thing operates at close to 60,000. Really speaks for the strength of the modern steel 92.

You may find you need to fine tune your load to shoot long distances but you will do just fine on steel targets with the 45 at about any range. And it's SOOOO much fun to shoot the 92's

With the correct ammount of front sight sticking up there I bet you will find your load shoots plenty good out to around 200yrds,

Major 2 · March 25, 2009, 11:47:52 PM

You shoot at your dishwasher

?

and she does not complain

Fairshake · March 27, 2009, 06:45:12 AM

If your 92 has the stock sights then you will have a hard time with the far targets. For the future if you mount a Marbles tang sight like AJ said then those far targets are a lot easier to deal with. I have the Marbles tang on all my lever rifles. They also sell the higher post for long range. The sights come with the different apertures. Have fun

Angel_Eyes · March 27, 2009, 07:14:57 AM

I'm glad to see other people trying shots at "distance", just for the fun of it!

I took my .44 Marlin (20" barrel) with my 230 gr, 7.5 gr Unique, target loads and had a go at 200 yds

10 shots, 6" group, sights at max elev.

Went back to 300yds, after a few sighters, ended up aiming at a stinging nettle approx. 6' up the bank, for a 10" group.

Then the spoilsports wouldn't let me go back any further!!

Fun, fun, fun, you can't beat it.

Endeavor to persevere!

AE

It's only 6' across the kitchen for the dishwasher, no contest

Daniel Nighteyes · March 27, 2009, 09:56:14 AM

Angel Eyes, I regret to inform you that, once you have contracted Long-range Mania, there is no cure...

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · March 27, 2009, 10:04:22 AM

Heh! Angel Eyes; A coupla years ago The Picketts Hill Marshals had an invite from some boys at Bisley. It didn't happen, but they wanted to see what those dinkie carbines would do at 200 yards.

Angel_Eyes · March 27, 2009, 10:30:25 AM

Those 'boys at Bisley' couldn't hack it unless they were strapped into their strange leather jackets, wearing the funny hats with blinders on and being tied onto their rifles. If any of those straps broke, God knows where they would end up, probably in the next county!!
The powers-that-be at Bisley would have a conniption fit if they saw the way we'uns perform, their cheeks would be red, knuckles white and the air blue.

And as for having fun and enjoying ourselves,,,,,,,well, words fail me

Thinking about it, the only form of shooting I haven't done is Practical Shotgun, and I suppose our occasional side-matches takes care of that

Thats got that of my chest, feel a lot better now

Sir Charles, had a reply from the knife place saying I would be getting a reply

AE

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · March 27, 2009, 11:08:48 AM

Thanks angel Eyes. My credit card is starting to quiver with anticipation!

crossdraw · March 27, 2009, 06:50:53 PM

Thanks the the replies, a lot of encouraging words.

I am just going to have to see what this cowboy gun can do. It sure shoots good at close to mid ranges. I will look into the Marbles sight, How does it mount on the gun?

Thanks again.

Delmonico · March 27, 2009, 07:14:16 PM

Well considering what Elmer and many of us who've followed his ideas can do with a six-shooter, them carbines seem kinda like cheating to me.

Any one care to stand 400 yards from me while I unlimber my sSngle-Six 32 mag with my special heavy bullet loads. Invited a fella a couple a years ago to come out and do it when he posted some link about someone shooting long distance with a real six gun and sayin' it was BS. He never showed up and parted ways with CAS-City a short time later.

If that carbine won't make hits at 200 yards give it to me and I'll prove to ya it ain't the carbine.

Delmonico · March 27, 2009, 07:15:21 PM

Quote from: Daniel Nighteyes on March 27, 2009, 09:56:14 AM
Angel Eyes, I regret to inform you that, once you have contracted Long-range Mania, there is no cure...

Yep, was about 12 when grandpa taught me with his 1906 Winny 22 Lr pump.

Daniel Nighteyes · March 27, 2009, 09:52:33 PM

Quote from: Delmonico on March 27, 2009, 07:15:21 PM
Yep, was about 12 when grandpa taught me with his 1906 Winny 22 Lr pump.

I have a CZ-452 Varmint (.22 LR) with an excellent piece of glass topside. At the public range I get great pleasure put of ringing the steel targets that fellers with their scoped high-powered rifles keep missing -- 200, 300, 400, and on windless days even 500 yards out.

Angel_Eyes · March 28, 2009, 06:43:55 AM

I've allus said, it aint the sight that aint right, its the nut on the butt!

AE

Good shooting you'all!

Doc H · March 29, 2009, 10:25:40 AM

A .45 Colt round from a rifle will go over a mile. The up and down ballistics are a fairly set piece, and can be reliably calculated for a verneer sight. If you can factor the windage for 1,500 yards (aye, there's the rub), and not move the rifle as you fire, you can hit something with it (likely to bounce off whatever you're shooting at, but should be able to group, say, 5-10 feet)....

Don Nix · April 02, 2009, 12:50:21 AM

All I know is that I just took delivery of a new Winchester 94 45 LC yesterday afternoon. I cleaned and oiled it up and stepped down to the pasture to give it a try.
I paced off about fifty steps and shoot at a pumpkin that I had at on a stump. It was shooting a little high then I noticed that the rear sight was adjusted almost to the last step up. So I just lowered it down and had another try and it was dead on.
Blew up one pumpkin.
The action was smooth and other than having a lot of slack before the triger took up it was probably he most fun to shoot gum I own.
I can see right now that my reloading bill is fixin; to go thru the roof.

Angel_Eyes · April 02, 2009, 04:37:51 AM

I have found that the range you can shoot any firearm, is limited only by your imagination.

Get out there and try it, at least some of you guys who live out there in the wilderness are not limited by where and when you can shoot.

Us poor old Brits are regulated up to the eyeballs about where, when and what, but they ain't gonna stop me having fun!!!

Enjoy it while you can,,,you're a long time dead!

AE