Are wheelies easier to shoot?

[JackDaWack 2,895]

I took my 625 to the range last week and found myself shooting the best groups I've ever put on paper. Consistently hitting bullseye at 15 yards. Real confidence booster! I've never gotten that accuracy with any of my semi's, it's definitely me because all of my pistols are capable of sub accuracy at 15 yards. It's my new favorite handgun to shoot. I was never much of a revolver guy, and purchased this one based on the fact that every one should own a wheel gun... i think i should own more.

[alec.mc 180]

Single action or double action ?

 

single action on revolvers are typically great, no take up,creeping, roughness , very slick and easy to get off a nice shot. 

[JackDaWack 2,895]

I was shooting single action. The double action is heavy and the groups open up significantly like it would for anything else... shooting the 625 DA was giving me groups i would get with SA pistol. I'm just trying to put a point on why my shooting improve so significantly and try and incorporate that into all my shooting.

[Duppie 73]

I'm far more accurate with my Smith model 27 in single action than my CZ,Glock or Colt semi automatics... so IMHO....yes.

[alec.mc 180]

I wouldnt say that revolvers are any more accurate then semis, esspesially at 15 yards. You might just be more comfertable handling one gun over the other, or you may need to work on grip, and trigger finger fundementals to better hone your skills with a semi and double action trigger work.

[Mikeythumbs 1]

Are you better with a 1911 then your other auto guns. Same thing better trigger easier to shoot well

[gleninjersey 2,142]

How long is the barrel on your revolver compared to your other guns?  Generally the longer the barrel the better sight radius, the better your groups will be.  Other guns single or double actions?  Which do you shoot most often and which are you most comfortable with?

 

Personally speaking, I shot my CZ-75B better than my GP100 (4 inch barrel).  Not that I shoot awful with my revolver but my groups are definitely tighter with my CZ.  My GP is still my home defense gun though.  Why?  Because God forbid I ever have to use it in a defensive situation there is nothing to think about (do I need to rack a round in the chamber?, is the safety on?).  Just pick the revolver up, point and shoot if necessary.

 

Main reason I think I don't shoot as well with my revolver is that it has adjustable sights.  I keep around messing with them.  The CZ has fixed sights.  The barrel length on the CZ is also slightly longer (4.6 versus 4.2 on the GP).

 

This is interesting though and next time I'm shooting I'm going to put 2 targets up and shoot one with the CZ and the other with the GP and make a real side by side comparison.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

My 1911 would be at the top but i wouldn't say significantly better then any of my other pistols.

Typically speaking at 15 yards i would average  5" groups, but i was managing around 2"

 

the 625 is a 4" barrel with target sights, my 1911 is 5" with target sights..

both have very crisp SA

 

Comfort probably goes to the 625 with hogue grips, but this was also my first time shooting it, i'm contemplating getting grips for my 1911 now.. i just love the look of the standard wood.

 

any one try these?

http://www.pearcegrip.com/Products/Colt/PG1911-1

[Smokin .50 1,907]

I took my 625 to the range last week and found myself shooting the best groups I've ever put on paper. Consistently hitting bullseye at 15 yards. Real confidence booster! I've never gotten that accuracy with any of my semi's, it's definitely me because all of my pistols are capable of sub accuracy at 15 yards. It's my new favorite handgun to shoot. I was never much of a revolver guy, and purchased this one based on the fact that every one should own a wheel gun... i think i should own more.

 

Welcome to the Enlightenment!  

 

As a Shootist and Wheelie owner for almost 37 years I can tell you with extreme confidence that you're not alone!  Look at it this way:  Guns are like tools and each tool in a tool chest has a specific purpose, but can be used for other applications from time to time, but it may take a little longer to finish the task at hand.  There is a REASON that 1911's and revolvers OWN all of the Bullseye Records ever set, and NO ONE uses a striker-fired hand gun in Bullseye!  It all comes down to the striker-fired design being INFERIOR for competitive target shooting, while at the same time being SUPERIOR in hi-capacity self-defense and home-defense situations.

 

Years ago a competitive action shooter handed me his 9mm Glock that he couldn't hit the target with.  Said his sights were CRAP!  Knows I don't own a striker-fired hand gun!  Wanted me to give it a try to see what I thought.  Said maybe his barrel went "BENT"!  So I unloaded the gun, and practiced the necessary LOOOOOOOOONNNGG trigger squeeze so I wouldn't shoot low and left (the way everybody else does with these things with average-size hands).  After getting used to where the sear "breaks", I re-loaded the Glock and put a few in the Shoot-N-See from around 12 yards.  And some went low AND left until I compensated with my grip, squeeze and trigger position on my fingertip.  Fired about a full magazine getting comfortable.  My group closed-up so now it was time to check the sights.  I sat down at a bench and proceeded to fire the next shot through the X-ring!  He said it was a FLUKE and to do it again.  So I shot his Glock again and put the next round IN THE SAME HOLE, leaving ONE slightly elongated hole!  I tell you this story NOT to blow smoke up my arse, but to illustrate that even an award-winning target shooter, hand gun Hunter and Distinguished Pistol Expert has to adapt to the different physical as well as the mechanical characteristics to OVERCOME the striker.......

 

Other thoughts:

 

That 1911 has 4" of rifling, just like your wheelie, since barrel length is measured from the feed ramp of an auto.  So the guns have the same tube length.....   The gun that is "more comfortable" in the hands is the one you will shoot most accurately, especially at longer distances.  I routinely had to hit a hand gun target at 50 yards to earn my DX!  When younger, I could hit a gallon paint can at 100 yards with my Model #29 .44 Magnum with open iron sights all day long AFTER I made it comfortable with rubber grips that fit my hand! 

 

When famed gun writer Elmer Keith designed the .44 Remington Magnum cartridge and then got Smith and Wesson to make the gun, he took his 4" tubed wheelie out on a Hunt.  His hunting partner wounded a mule deer by shooting it in the hind quarters, so they started tracking the wounded animal.  When they found it, ol' Elmer took out his .44 Magnum and finished it at a paced 600 YARDS!  So yeah, wheelies in the right hands can be a little ACCURATE, lol!

 

May you be blessed with continued enlightenment and MANY tools in yer Tool Box!

 

Dave

[Mr.Stu 1,936]

In my opinion until you get down to really short barrels the length has marginal effect on accuracy. However, as mentioned above it does have alot to do with sight radius - longer being easier to align accurately.

 

There is a more important aspect too, which is the relative sizes of the front sight and rear sight when viewed from the shooting position. If there is too little space either side of the front sight when viewed through the notch of the rear sight - I have seen extreme cases where I could see no space at all! - it is very hard to center the front sight. Similarly, if the front is very narrow and the rear very wide it can become harder to make the amount of light either side equal as well as aligning the tops becomes harder the wider the gaps become.

 

A third aspect is the width of the front sight compared with your aiming mark on the target. If your sight picture has a very small aiming mark and a wide front sight, centering the sight on the target gets harder. Typically, a narrower front sight will make it easier to place precise shots, but if it is so small you cannot see it properly it will be detrimental for you, but not necessarily others. Once you have the front sight right for you, the rear sight needs to be selected to give you the right amount of light for your eyes to see easily both the horizontal spacing and the vertical alignment.

 

We also all have different eyes, so what works for one will not necessarily be ideal for another. We all have to find our "Goldilocks" sights to achieve our best accuracy.

 

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Mr.Stu 1,936]

I forgot to mention, the length of your arm will change the relative proportions of the sights so that it's another factor which causes variations between shooters.

 

Stu

 

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Duppie 73]

In my opinion until you get down to really short barrels the length has marginal effect on accuracy. However, as mentioned above it does have alot to do with sight radius - longer being easier to align accurately.

 

There is a more important aspect too, which is the relative sizes of the front sight and rear sight when viewed from the shooting position. If there is too little space either side of the front sight when viewed through the notch of the rear sight - I have seen extreme cases where I could see no space at all! - it is very hard to center the front sight. Similarly, if the front is very narrow and the rear very wide it can become harder to make the amount of light either side equal as well as aligning the tops becomes harder the wider the gaps become.

 

A third aspect is the width of the front sight compared with your aiming mark on the target. If your sight picture has a very small aiming mark and a wide front sight, centering the sight on the target gets harder. Typically, a narrower front sight will make it easier to place precise shots, but if it is so small you cannot see it properly it will be detrimental for you, but not necessarily others. Once you have the front sight right for you, the rear sight needs to be selected to give you the right amount of light for your eyes to see easily both the horizontal spacing and the vertical alignment.

 

We also all have different eyes, so what works for one will not necessarily be ideal for another. We all have to find our "Goldilocks" sights to achieve our best accuracy.

 

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

...so the measurable difference between the target sights on my Smith and the combat sights on my Glock. Makes perfect sense.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

Welcome to the Enlightenment!  

 

As a Shootist and Wheelie owner for almost 37 years I can tell you with extreme confidence that you're not alone!  Look at it this way:  Guns are like tools and each tool in a tool chest has a specific purpose, but can be used for other applications from time to time, but it may take a little longer to finish the task at hand.  There is a REASON that 1911's and revolvers OWN all of the Bullseye Records ever set, and NO ONE uses a striker-fired hand gun in Bullseye!  It all comes down to the striker-fired design being INFERIOR for competitive target shooting, while at the same time being SUPERIOR in hi-capacity self-defense and home-defense situations.

 

Years ago a competitive action shooter handed me his 9mm Glock that he couldn't hit the target with.  Said his sights were CRAP!  Knows I don't own a striker-fired hand gun!  Wanted me to give it a try to see what I thought.  Said maybe his barrel went "BENT"!  So I unloaded the gun, and practiced the necessary LOOOOOOOOONNNGG trigger squeeze so I wouldn't shoot low and left (the way everybody else does with these things with average-size hands).  After getting used to where the sear "breaks", I re-loaded the Glock and put a few in the Shoot-N-See from around 12 yards.  And some went low AND left until I compensated with my grip, squeeze and trigger position on my fingertip.  Fired about a full magazine getting comfortable.  My group closed-up so now it was time to check the sights.  I sat down at a bench and proceeded to fire the next shot through the X-ring!  He said it was a FLUKE and to do it again.  So I shot his Glock again and put the next round IN THE SAME HOLE, leaving ONE slightly elongated hole!  I tell you this story NOT to blow smoke up my arse, but to illustrate that even an award-winning target shooter, hand gun Hunter and Distinguished Pistol Expert has to adapt to the different physical as well as the mechanical characteristics to OVERCOME the striker.......

 

Other thoughts:

 

That 1911 has 4" of rifling, just like your wheelie, since barrel length is measured from the feed ramp of an auto.  So the guns have the same tube length.....   The gun that is "more comfortable" in the hands is the one you will shoot most accurately, especially at longer distances.  I routinely had to hit a hand gun target at 50 yards to earn my DX!  When younger, I could hit a gallon paint can at 100 yards with my Model #29 .44 Magnum with open iron sights all day long AFTER I made it comfortable with rubber grips that fit my hand! 

 

When famed gun writer Elmer Keith designed the .44 Remington Magnum cartridge and then got Smith and Wesson to make the gun, he took his 4" tubed wheelie out on a Hunt.  His hunting partner wounded a mule deer by shooting it in the hind quarters, so they started tracking the wounded animal.  When they found it, ol' Elmer took out his .44 Magnum and finished it at a paced 600 YARDS!  So yeah, wheelies in the right hands can be a little ACCURATE, lol!

 

May you be blessed with continued enlightenment and MANY tools in yer Tool Box!

 

Dave

I've always been a proponent of stock grips, and learning to shoot the gun in its natural form. However, the 625 comes with an ungodly grip for speed shooting. Thanks JM! So i had to take them off. I'm very tempted to start finding molded grips for my pistols now, i just hate that wrap around grip revolvers don't have issues with, but i really like palm swells.. I'm pretty accustomed to all my pistols and there sights, variation between all of them. and bench shooting i can get nice small groups, but that's cheating.