Tried 50 yard shooting yesterday with the P9

[marshal kane]

The weather was nice so I thought I'd better take advantage of it by giving my P9 a workout. Posted a 50 yard target center on the target frame and, because I need all the help I can get, started shooting off the bench. Not knowing where to hold, I started shooting at 12 0'clock but didn't even hit the paper. Switched to shooting at 6 0'clock and my first shot broke the X-ring. "Piece of cake." I said to myself. Well, long story short, out of 25 tries, I could only see 10 hits on the paper and these were random hits with no apparent grouping. Definitely not a "piece of cake", no more Xs and not as easy as Justen Moon makes it look but I'll be working on 50 yard shooting some more. I think next time around, I will post the full sized 50 yard target. It will cover most of the target frame so I can at least see where my shots are going. The target frame I had was full of holes so unless I hit my target center, I wasn't sure where my shots were hitting. Still, it was a beautiful day to be shooting and when I moved the target frame up to 15 yards, the hits increased. This makes 900 rounds through the P9 and I've had no problems with it at all since the break-in period when I experienced a few failures to chamber. The trigger has smoothed out considerably and the recoil spring is not quite as stiff making field stripping much easier. I really like my Kahr and feel quite comfortable carrying it concealed.

[Pointblank]

That's pretty good for a pistol that was built for CCW and not target shooting. I most of my practice at 7 yards, closer one-handed and weak-handed.

[TheTman]

I've heard of people taking snubbies out and shooting and hitting targets at 50 yards or more. Just a matter of walking your shots to the target, as long as you can see a puff of dust or something where the shots are hitting.
At that range, or maybe closer to 40 yards a S&W 629-4 Classic .44 mag with 6" barrel loaded with magnum practice rounds, shot a smaller group than a Chinese copy of an AK. Using a rest and iron sights.
I was using a large pizza hut carryout box as a target, and aiming at an orange dot I placed about 1/3 the way down from the top. The AK did shoot closer to aim, while the 629 was a couple of inches below the AK group. I ended up with about a 3.5-4 inch group from the AK, and close to an inch smaller group from the 629. That was some time ago, when my eye sight was much better. I was a bit surprised at the results, and tried it a couple more times, with about the same results.

[pbagley]

In my limited experience, the 9mm cartridge is not very accurate. Especially at 50 yards. I remember hearing that Jim Clark was trying to accurize a 1911 in 9mm and could not achieve his standard of a 2" group at 50 yards from a Ransom rest. He was selling 45ACP and 38sp 1911's that were delivered with a test target (I've still got mine), and perhaps the company still is today.

I've tried my Kahr CM40 at 50 yards and the result was not pretty, so I consider 10 out of 25 on a repair center to be pretty good shooting.

[muggsy]

Why didn't you just use a rifle? Kids!

[marshal kane]

Thanks for the replies, guys. About a week ago, I posted a "looky see" at the Kahr site where Justin Moon and his shooting buddy were shooting at a man-sized gong at 100 yards with their 9mms. While they weren't hitting the gong consistently, they did get some hits and that was both off the bench and standing. Good shooting with CC guns. I never thought much of the 9mm as a target round and especially not one for 100 yards. I thought I might give it a try but I was "chicken" to try 100 yard shooting so I cut back to 50 and off the bench. It was both fun and challenging since I didn't expect to do well anyway and didn't put any pressure on myself to shoot out the X-ring. Truth be told, it WAS much more satisfying to shoot at 15 yards and see more holes punched in the paper.

[garyb]

Thanks for the replies, guys. About a week ago, I posted a "looky see" at the Kahr site where Justin Moon and his shooting buddy were shooting at a man-sized gong at 100 yards with their 9mms. While they weren't hitting the gong consistently, they did get some hits and that was both off the bench and standing. Good shooting with CC guns. I never thought much of the 9mm as a target round and especially not one for 100 yards. I thought I might give it a try but I was "chicken" to try 100 yard shooting so I cut back to 50 and off the bench. It was both fun and challenging since I didn't expect to do well anyway and didn't put any pressure on myself to shoot out the X-ring. Truth be told, it WAS much more satisfying to shoot at 15 yards and see more holes punched in the paper.

If you are hitting consistently at 15, then try 20. When you get consistent at 20, move back to 25. Press your limits and by doing so, when you go back to 15, you will find it to be very easy to hit consistently. Some guys will tell you that consistent accuracy at longer distances are not possible with a SD gun. Perhaps for them this may be true. Others will say that practicing at longer distances is a waste of ammo and time because SD situations occur at very close range. Again, perhaps for them this may be true. For me, practicing with a gun or bow to build greater accuracy at longer distances is essential to achieving better accuracy at relatively closer or more "practical" distances. For example....bow hunting whitetail distances are generally under 40 yards, but more commonly 20-25 yrds. Practicing out at 50-70 yards, makes those 20-25 yrd shots become much easier to hit. I have found the same to be true with the handgun. If I practice out to 20-25 yrds, my 7-15 yard shots become much easier to hit. In my opinion, you are doing a wise thing to practice at longer distances. However, build up to them gradually. If you know you are consistent at 25, you can then work on 30. Jumping out to 50 yrds or even 100 yards before you are consistent at 25 is probably a big waste of time and ammo....but it is probably a great deal of fun. Nothing wrong with having some fun.

[TheTman]

Muggsy, it's for fun, not hunting. Just to see if you can hit anything at that range with a pistol. I know I can with my 6 and 8 inch barreled revolvers, but that's not a big deal, Hitting at 50 yards with a Kahr or a snubbie is just a fun thing to do. Just to say you can do it.

[muggsy]

I realize that Tman. I was just kidding.

[josp]

In my younger days I won beer money from some co workers when I was able to hit a gallon milk jug at 50 yards with my 38 snubby and again at 100 yards with my HiPower. This was pre Kahr days. Got a GoPro can from the family this Christmas and I'm planning on filming some long shots with the PM9.