Is this Possible?

[Missouri Marshal]

A pard posted this on another board, I don't believe it, I'm not even sure it's possible.  What say you?  Can this really be done?

"My own penchant to attempt to do what "experts" say can't be done. Just this past Summer I was challenged to hit an 18" square rock at a measured 585 yds on the hillside behind the Hunter Silouhette course at the NRA  Whittington Center in Raton. 5 shots...5 hits with an Uberti SA, 7 1/2 barrel in 44 Spl. Same fete accomplished with a JP Sauer SA in 44 mag shooting 44 Spl and 44     Colt. You just have to be willing to pay the price and I don't mean money."

I think someone is full of bull.

[The Arapaho Kid]

Let's see here:  Hitting a target 18 inches square...5 out of 5...with a pistol...at 1755 feet...over a quarter of a mile away?
I DON'T THINK SO!I think someone is woofin' someone here!
At that distance....if you could even see something that was 18 inches square...you'd have to have eyes like a Hawk!
There are 5280 feet in a mile.  A quarter of that would be 1320 feet.  He's saying he hit an 18 inch square target farther away than that?
HOG WASH!

[Arcey]

Heh, heh, heh.  Let's see, Traditional, Duelist or did he do it Gunfighter?




..

[Delmonico]

Well as a faithful reader of the late elmer and one who has played quite a bit with some of this where every strike of the bullet can be seen, I would belive maybe it would be possible for someone who understood Elmers concept of the lined front sight to do it.

I know I would not stand at that range and let a certain cook take a few shots with a certain 32 mag.  But the load is not a cowboy load, but a Lyman 311316 behind an almost full case of H110, a load I will not share with just anyone, but will with a serious reloader who understands..

Hit an 18 inch square 5 times I can't, I ain't quit payed the price to do it with a few shots to get the range, once or twice yes.  Friends who shoot revolver Shil. on a regular basis, I would not bet against them.

I use Elmers back rest position when I play with this fun past time.  Many of the better ones use the Creedmore position.  Myself I hate to burn my boots.

If none of this makes any sense, you ain't even studyed enough to understand.

[Derby Younger]

.

If none of this makes any sense, you ain't even studyed enough to understand.

Yep

[St. George]

In Chapter V of his his book "Sixguns" - Elmer Keith relates several instances of long-range revolver shooting - ranging from the 300-yard shots taken by shooters in a Kentucky revolver club in the '20's to the 700-yard shots taken by himself in 1928 as witnessed by Harold Croft.

I'd encourage you to read it.

Unlike many gun writers both old and new whose prose is self-serving and largely vaporous - Keith's shooting abilities were so far-fetched to the average man that they were often re-shot and witnessed.
He didn't lie or prevaricate - he just 'did' and vaguely didn't understand guys that couldn't do what he did so naturally.

Target size ranged from turkey-sized to a four-foot-square at the 700-yard position on a dry, dusty field.

Calibers ranged from .22LR through .45 Colt.

The key to the whole affair is a dry, dusty location - preferably against a hillside equally barren of vegetation - with no wind.
Then - 'good' ammunition loaded to 'your' gun's unique desires, plenty of practice and a solid shooting position.

It's like calling in mortar fire, since the round takes one hell of a parabolic arc to reach the target.

After hitting it - 'knowing' your weapon allows for better shot placement.
Keith preferred a supine position and was extremely accurate with it and he'd developed a front sight that featured 'bars' to aid in determining elevation.

So - could it be done?
Yes - given all of the above and having the target area in full view...

Should it be boasted about as if you're the 'only' guy to be able to do it seems somewhat pretentious to me...
You see - it already 'had' been done and most likely - long before that guy's daddy was a gleam in 'his' daddy's eye...
This guy was merely duplicating a known feat.

And as to his euphemism of 'paying the price' - I'd also say that that 'price' was already paid when you can almost envision Keith looking down from above - big hat in place - and saying - 'Who's Yer Daddy...?"

Scouts Out!

[Four-Eyed Buck]

I've shot with guys that could hit targets out at 100 yards or so with a revolver, maybe not 5 out of 5, but they could do it. The one I remember distinctly, used .45Colt, 250's, and IIRC, 6.0g of 231. Not exactly a cannon load, but he could do it.......Buck

[El Peludo]

Possible?  Sure.

Likely??  Weeellll - for some, more so than for others.

[Forty Rod]

Kinda reminds me of a one shot kill I made at a bit over 800 yards on a pronghorn.

It was about the seventh or eighth shot I fired, but it was a on3e shot kill...and I'm ashamed to say, it wasn't a clean shot.  The poor beast suffered while I was getting to him.

I don't have an excuse except I was young.

[Delmonico]

One other thought, it takes eyes that at least correct to 20/20 or better to do it with open sights.  Also it takes a clean atmosphere.  One that is clean enough to see the color on cars 5 miles or so away.  It was a bit to hazy here to do that, I looked while I was out.  Could not see over 2 miles before everything disapeared in the haze.

Alsot here was a lot of heat mirage today.

[Big John Denny]

And here I was proud that I hit 3 out of 5 bowling pins hanging on our 100 yeard target board with my 4 3/4" Freedom Arms single action shooting heavy hunting loads of my own making with open sights and a two hand hold.

I know Keith could and did make extremely long revolver shots in front of witnesses, but I'd have to see that guy in the original post shoot to believe he could do it too.

[Delmonico]

I'd like to see a link so I could see his exact wording.  But I've got a feeling he is a Sil shooter.

I've known to many of them to want one shootin' at me way out.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

I was talking to Del yesterday and remembered a tape spot on Shooting USA. Bob Mundan(SP) hitting a balloon at about 300 yards with a 2" snubby, in .38, I believe.........Buck

[Delmonico]

Most folks don't realize the 22 Long Rifle was designed as a 200-300 yard target cartridge for rifles.  The 40 gr bullet was better than the 29 gr of the 22 Long.

[Capt. Hamp Cox]

What St. George said.

Having a personal friend who was heavily involved in hangun silhouette competition, and having witnessed what he could do with a handgun at long range, I really don't have any problem accepting what ol' Elmer said and wrote.  This friend does all of his deer and elk hunting with a Freedom Arms .454 Casull single action revolver, and has been successful for the past ten years that I've known him.  If you read Keith's writings, you'll find that more than a few of his long-range hits were on the 4th or 5th shot, after "walking" his hits into the target.  Even at that, he had to be one heck of a shot to be able to consistently pull off hits of that nature.

I have Keith's books, "Sixguns" and "Hell, I Was There!", and strongly recommend both to anyone who enjoys shooting.  He was extremely opinionated, but his opinions were based on lots of experimentation and first-hand experience.

Bought my first .44 Mags (a 3-screw Ruger SBH, an M29 S&W 6 1/2", and a Ruger semi-auto carbine) when in Alaska '73 - '75, primarily because of Keith's writings (although Clint Eastwood did have a slight influence on the M29 purchase).  In recent years, have become a strong believer in and user of his Keith bullets for both .357 Mag and .44 Mag. handguns and rifles.

[Noah Mercy]

Possible? Yes! Probable? No. At least not with that degree of consistency. Conditions would just have to be unbelievably uniform from one shot to the next. With this kind of shooting, the slightest gust of breeze at any point of the bullet's path means a miss on a target that small.

I have read Keith and done a lot of long-range handgun shooting of my own. I KNOW in my heart of hearts that his statements were true. Why? At my mediocre skill level, I've been able to make shots equal to his. It just takes some understanding of the mechanics involved and lots of practice. (Let's just say I've led others to the conclusion that it wouldn't behoove them to have a competent pistolero shooting at them from a quarter mile away... )

[Doc Shapiro]

Possible?  Yup, sure is.

I once hit 4 of 5 on a 200 yard gong with 45 Colt CAS loads out of a 4 3/4 inch Uberti.  Took several shots to find an aiming point in the trees above, but it can be done.

Doc

[Uncle Eph]

I had the honor of meeting Mr Keith several different times when I was a young feller and even got to shoot several of his handguns and if Uncle Elmer said it as far as I am concerned he did it.

[Delmonico]

Since the original question was is this possible, not if the person in question really did it, I will add a bit.  Talkin' with a few folks when it was slow this weekend at work, gun savy folks that is I find out that those of us that were blessed to learn to shoot out in open country and not hampered by those durned trees, we learned that hits at long range are very possible at a young age.

we all played "Long Range" with out BB guns on still ponds where there was nothing to hurt beyond.  Cut soy bean fields with a safe hill in the background are the delight of kids with 22's.  And most of us grew up reading "Elmar" every month when the new Guns and Ammo came out.  As soon as we learned to hit cans at 25 yards, many of us were seen with our back to the rare tree, pickup or other object trying to hit something a 1/4 mile or more out there.

Most good modern revolvers are capable of the accuarcy with good loads, it just takes a good driver to steer it.

I look back at my youth and places I can still shoot safely any time I desire and I feel sorry for all the poor folks who have nothing but a short range shooting range to shoot at. 

[Derby Younger]

Del, that really brought back some great memories. Thanks.