"What if he shoots first?" "Then he's hurryin' and he'll miss."

So my first love in handguns is the single action revolver.  I love the history behind it, the myths and truths of the Old West it helped "tame", the sheer uncomplicated brilliance of its mechanics. Last but certainly not least, I shoot them well.  I really enjoy my other pistols too, but the reality is that I don't shoot them as well when I measure my results against my intent.  Lately, especially after conversations with MeatAxe, I've started to wonder if I could "point shoot" my semi-auto pistols as well as I can my cowboy guns, even given the different ergonomics (the classic cowboy pistols were designed for one-handed shooting, after all).

So I went to the range yesterday to test my theory.  I brought my Steyr M9 9mm and my Taurus Millennium Pro .45.  100 rounds through each (plus the 10 JHPs I had already waiting in the Taurus). I put 50 rounds downrange per target at 21 feet, then another 50 at 35 feet. The range I go to (Bill's Gun Shop) doesn't permit draw-from-holster, so the best I can do is just let the gun arm droop and/or rest my wrist down against the lip of the counter.

All shots were standing one-handed (I'm a rightie) with no aiming.  Pistol brought up from rest and held out loosely between belt and chest.  I varied my facing a little and did some minor position shifting.  Some shots were cross-body, some double taps, a few triples.

 1. Steyr M9 9mm. 21 feet. 50 rounds. 49 on paper, 47 in target.

 2. Steyr M9 9mm. 35 feet. 50 rounds. 46 on paper, 38 in target.

 3. Taurus Millennium Pro .45. 21 feet. 60 rounds. 56 on paper, 50 in target.

4. Taurus Millennium Pro .45. 35 feet. 50 rounds, 29 on paper, 17 in target.













So.  Conclusions.  Basically I'm satisfied that if I have to fire unaimed at minimum ranges, I'll hit what I'm aiming at.  At longer ranges I need more practice, and with the little Taurus, more aiming.


But not bad for not aiming, IMO.