Push comes to shove: How good a shot are you?

[kpipas50]

 

[Eastexasrick]

40 years ago even a piss ant was dead within 40 yds with a handgun, a gallon water jug at 100 yds. Used to hit rats on the dead run from the back of a moving truck in the middle of the night using my 1911; now, I couldn’t even see them because of my night vision. Today, at the range, I can get a few in the black at 25 yds when I am hot.

Of course, I am 73, and, in my prime, I handloaded and fired a minimum of 500 rounds a week which is about 5 times what I do in a year now.

Kind of parallels my sex life

Ya gotta couple a years on me, but I appear to be in the same trajectory, damn it.

 

[easy rider]

Ya gotta couple a years on me, but I appear to be in the same trajectory, damn it.

Even at 65 I'm not going to pretend I'm anywhere close to what I could do 30 years ago. The only thing in my favor is that my 'give a shit' is nearing nonexistent now.

 

[Eastexasrick]

Even at 65 I'm not going to pretend I'm anywhere close to what I could do 30 years ago. The only thing in my favor is that my 'give a shit' is nearing nonexistent now.

RIGHT! Got that going for me.

 

[popsgarland]

Almost everyone responding to this thread is telling us how good a shot you are while taking your time to locate your target, aim and fire. If I did this, at 74, i could hit anything I'm aiming at because I'm not in a rush to shoot and my target is not shooting back and I know where it is.

Now picture yourself in concealment and not knowing if your target is close by and waiting for you to show yourself. Are you going to get out of your concealment, look around to find your target, aim and fire before your seen and fired upon. If someone is out there and also looking for you, once you show yourself, you would have 1 maybe 2 seconds to raise your weapon, aim and fire. It will not be like a video game or being at the range. It's easy to dream and/or talk about what and how you can hit your target but very difficult to do in real life.

 

[Midlifer]

Just good enough to get the job done.

This but 500 yards is in no way defensive in the civilian world.

Living in bear country, I regularly practice for 10/15 at 25 yards in under 5, and make my hits. Pretty confident I can do the same with my 17 or 1911.

 

[Sasquatch]

What dudes think they'd be like:

What they're actually gonna be like:

 

[FireInTheWire]

I'll use the Steven Rinella grizzly bear attack analogy for this.

Extremely well seasoned hunters. Spent there whole lives hunting, talking about preventative measures and what caliber for grizzlies. They are sitting in camp, one has a big bore pistol in backpack he was eating his sandwich on. Big grizz charges in, chaos ensues and it's an absolute chit show. 4 of the some of the best hunters scramble to save their lives.

We can all talk big game and think we will react a certain way. But no one really knows until that time comes.

 

[Coyote9]

Interesting question from the range. We all probably shoot pretty well there. But if you were pushed to defend yourself and others in a city, (civil unrest, invasion of the cartels, or a firefight with Ant…) how well would you likely shoot under pressure and return fire at 100, 200 & 500 yards?
What rifle would you use?

Employ a FAL with Orion day/night vision electronic scope from 800 meters into 100 then switch to Ar-15 with holo sight...assuming that I can't run and hide

 

[oldag]

Almost everyone responding to this thread is telling us how good a shot you are while taking your time to locate your target, aim and fire. If I did this, at 74, i could hit anything I'm aiming at because I'm not in a rush to shoot and my target is not shooting back and I know where it is.

Now picture yourself in concealment and not knowing if your target is close by and waiting for you to show yourself. Are you going to get out of your concealment, look around to find your target, aim and fire before your seen and fired upon. If someone is out there and also looking for you, once you show yourself, you would have 1 maybe 2 seconds to raise your weapon, aim and fire. It will not be like a video game or being at the range. It's easy to dream and/or talk about what and how you can hit your target but very difficult to do in real life.

I think most of us are very cognizant of this.

 

[CaliGunner]

What dudes think they'd be like:

What they're actually gonna be like:

View attachment 343294

Firing over your buddies head with the gun sideways isn't tacticool?

 

[popsgarland]

I think most of us are very cognizant of this.

Mean t this for caligunner.

It doesn't sound like it by your post.

 

[Axxe55]

This but 500 yards is in no way defensive in the civilian world.

Living in bear country, I regularly practice for 10/15 at 25 yards in under 5, and make my hits. Pretty confident I can do the same with my 17 or 1911.

Distance is irrelevant if someone is shooting at you.

 

[Sam7sf]

Almost everyone responding to this thread is telling us how good a shot you are while taking your time to locate your target, aim and fire. If I did this, at 74, i could hit anything I'm aiming at because I'm not in a rush to shoot and my target is not shooting back and I know where it is.

Now picture yourself in concealment and not knowing if your target is close by and waiting for you to show yourself. Are you going to get out of your concealment, look around to find your target, aim and fire before your seen and fired upon. If someone is out there and also looking for you, once you show yourself, you would have 1 maybe 2 seconds to raise your weapon, aim and fire. It will not be like a video game or being at the range. It's easy to dream and/or talk about what and how you can hit your target but very difficult to do in real life.

Humbling reality to this post. I can say from unwanted experience, the feeling of forcing yourself to move and take the next action. I promise a lot of civilians will freeze or become lost in thought. As only a civilian, this is why I don't really get caught up in super tight groups. If I can pop some shots off that tag someone in the body, arm, leg, I'll take it.

 

[CaliGunner]

Mean t this for caligunner.

It doesn't sound like it by your post.

Bro, you're 74 years old. I'm very aware of what your physical limits are, I've seen you guys at the range sweating with the air condition on. Relax. This is just a fun discussion grandpa.

 

[Axxe55]

Bro, you're 74 years old. I'm very aware of what your physical limits are, I've seen you guys at the range sweating with the air condition on. Relax. This is just a fun discussion grandpa.

Well most of us have more faith and trust in Pops at 74 than some young punk kid that just talks a big game and brags all the time!

 

[Sam7sf]

Actually If I had to pick someone for a CQB encounter, bad guys having no body armor, there's a guy in Palmer that's well known in the cowboy action shooting world, and I think he's 60 something...I would not ever dream of taking him on.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I've been sweating with the AC on almost my entire life....

 

[Tnhawk]

Well most of us have more faith and trust in Pops at 74 than some young punk kid that just talks a big game and brags all the time!

I've known many young kids but many of them aren't around as old men.

 

[Axxe55]

I've known many young kids but many of them aren't around as old men.

Old people don't get old by being stupid!