Shooting a Pistol on a Rifle Range

[RJ]

This is kind of an oddball question:

From time to time I meet up with my son to shoot at an outdoor range near Lakeland FL. He generally brings his rifles, and I bring my pistols. I watch him shoot on the rifle range (100 yards I think), then we go over to the pistol range for a while (max 25).

We got to talking, and I somewhat jokingly suggested I bring my Glock 34 and shoot it on the Rifle range.

But afterwards, I thought, well, that would be an interesting thing to do. I have zip for rifle experience, so thought I would come and ask some dumb questions.

Obviously the bullet from a pistol is going much, much slower than a rifle. It's also going to drop considerably after 100 yards, right? Would it be a non-starter to shoot a pistol to 100 yards, i.e. is it just not going to worth the effort due to trajectory, or round to round variation due to wind/gravity?

The stations at the rifle range have bench rests available. So in my case, I'd be resting the muzzle of the G34. Plus I have an optic, a HS 507c. Any thoughts as to the hold I'd have to use to hit a 100 yd target?

How about ammo? I have anything from 115/124 AE FMJ, 115 Gold Dots, 147 HST, and 124+p Gold Dots. I was thinking the 124+p's would be zippy, and being SD ammo, consistently loaded in terms of powder?

Anything else in the "don't know what I don't know" category?

TIA...

[peterb]

Quick check on the Federal website: AE 124 sighted at 25 yards will drop approximately 9” at 100 yards. Data is available for all their loads.

[Oldherkpilot]

Definitely give it a try. Most of us underestimate how far handguns can reach. If you can spot for him with field glasses, you might be surprised how quickly you can walk him in to a 3 lb coffee can. Make sure he's dry firing as the longer stuff takes a good trigger press. If he has a dot, it won't be any chore at all.

[RJ]

Thanks @peterb, that seems to align with the data I found on the Speer Web site for Gold Dot 124+p, about 8". Hopefully this means I can shoot with regular AE range ammo, and not have to donate a kidney to replenish my stash of Gold Dots.

[RJ]

Definitely give it a try. Most of us underestimate how far handguns can reach. If you can spot for him with field glasses, you might be surprised how quickly you can walk him in to a 3 lb coffee can. Make sure he's dry firing as the longer stuff takes a good trigger press. If he has a dot, it won't be any chore at all.

Thanks. The ultimate goal of course is to outshoot him and have him buy lunch.

[Oldherkpilot]

Thanks. The ultimate goal of course is to outshoot him and have him buy lunch.

Its great to have goals! Spend a couple minutes with his scope turrets for a sure thing.😁

[DamonL]

Do it. Shooting plates at a hundred yards with pistols is so much fun.

There is something called the walk back drill. Steel plate at the berm. Take a shot, hit the plate, walk back 5 yards. Everybody takes a turn. Miss the plate and you are out. This was done standing with two hands. Really good shooters make it back to the hundred yard line.

[GJM]

Freshly painted steel is helpful at 100 yards and further, so you get instant feedback and can see your hits.

[psalms144.1]

Way back when I was a real man, my team had access to the base range on MacDill AFB every Thursday. Anybody who wasn't on the road on a mission was expected to be there bright eyed and bushy tailed at 0730. We'd shoot for a couple of hours, different stuff every week depending on what torture I was drilling into them (they HATED accuracy days...). Our tradition was, at the end of every session, we'd load one full G19 magazine, and then take turns banging away at a poor abused pepper popper that was stuck in the extreme SW corner of the range, right up against the berm. The trick was, whoever hit it the LEAST out of 15 had to buy (soft) drinks for everyone else at lunch immediately after the range.

It wasn't unheard of for someone to have a good day and go 15/15. Even my bad shooters (after buying a couple of weeks worth of cokes) were consistently hitting 10/15 or better. I don't recall having to hold over all that much with NATO 124gr FMJ - just put the tip of the front sight on the top of the popper and press.

[RJ]

Its great to have goals! Spend a couple minutes with his scope turrets for a sure thing.😁

I like this guy.