[NFlaBull]

Shooting at static paper targets from a bench using controlled fire isn't really relevant to this pistol's intended purpose.

You should try something similar to this to gauge it's (and your) true capabilities:

Testing: A New Standard for Handgun Testing - The Truth About Guns

JMO.

 

[g2pro]

I think shooting a static target from a bench on as stable a platform as I can get might at least give me the answer to my original question. (I haven't done this yet, was hoping someone else had ) At 5 to 10 yards I can empty this pistol almost as fast as I can pull the trigger and never miss a man sized target, as for quick draw... not into that, seems like just a good way to shoot myself in the leg...

 

[Ralph_Kirk]

The gun has a fully adjustable rear sight.

Fully. Adjustable. Rear. Sight.

Now, maybe Taurus was just doing some cynical marketing putting a fully adjustable rear sight on a 3.2-inch gun. Or maybe they actually designed a gun with enough innate precision that a fully adjustable rear sight would actually make a difference in attaining accuracy to go along with the precision.

I don't know what anyone else's tests reveal, but I did run my initial tests of each of my guns from a sandbag hand rest, and I was able to do some worthwhile centering at 15 yards that held pretty true out to 25 yards.

I'll do it again after I've put maybe 1500 rounds through each gun to see if long-term wear makes any difference. The critical point is the mating of the muzzle of the gun with the slight opening when the slide is locked in battery--that should be absolutely rock-solid and perfectly consistent from round to round.

 

[JR]

It's not just Brazilian guns that like 124 gr. bullets. A lot of European guns are the same. Older military versions almost always, short of exigencies of war, were 124 gr. As those exigencies came to exist, weights were all over the place (Germans using iron bullets encased in copper jackets in WWII, for example.)

25 yards actually means only that, the target is 25 yards away. It has no bearing on the intrinsic accuracy of the gun, or ammunition. It's more a test of the shooter without using a Ransom Rest. Unless one is a Halo gamer, the idea of a civilian needing to make precision shots at those, or any further distances, becomes more an issue of liability than accuracy. At 25 yards, well centered groups of 5" are considered lethal on a human torso. As CCW holders, we are primarily concerned with closer encounters, like 15 yards and under.

There is also the matter of shooters of fixed sight guns, like the LCP, the P3AT, or other such weapons. They are sighted in for shorter ranges by the design heights of the front sights. Yet, nobody on the moon had heard Rugers, Kel-Tecs, or anyone else manufacturing these guns stock market values crash.

Heck, if we need 2" groups at 25 yards, we would all be shooters like Jerry Miculek.

 

[jimpr]

You should be able to calculate the size of a group at 25 yards by the size of your group at 12.5 yards. You just double the size. If you shoot a 2" group at 7 yards then you should be shooting about a 7" group at 25 yards.

I have always been amazed at how small of a group that a short barrel will shoot.

 

[cwwilson721]

Check out this hickok45 video. I'm not good at judging distances but.... What do you think?

My range is close to what he has.
The gong is at 80 yds (240 feet)
The animals about 50-60 yards (150-180 ft)
The closer targets 15-20 yards (45-60 ft)

Basically, ALL GUNS ARE ACCURATE. It's the SHOOTER that matters.

Hickok is not a "freak". He has good grip, sight placement, and trigger control. Combine those three, even with the 3.2" PT-111 barrel, and you'll hit most everything at whatever distance you want.

 

[BigDeal]

Asking a compact G2 to make accurate shots out to 25yds is difficult for even the best, while the gun can do it, its really made for close up personnel work. Point blank out to 15yds is as far as I like to go with the G2 and it does this very well!! If I want to go farther I have a CZ-75BD that is full size and is better suited for longer shots. But if the G2 is your only handgun you have to make do.

 

[SplittinHairs]

The gun will do it. It's just easier when you have a longer barrel because your sight picture is not as badly effected by not being perfectly aligned. The shorter the barrel, the more you get penalized for small jerks or other improper actions. Personally, the farthest I have ever accurately shot my PT140 (don't own a 111) was 15 yards, or 45 feet. 25 yards is 75 feet. I find it hard to believe that anyone can be accurate with a pistol from that range. Consistently accurate I mean. If I ever have to defend myself, there is no way I would draw my weapon on a threat that far away. I would duck and cover.

My point is, is that it is possible, but very much impractical.

 

[joemsj51]

In most states, firing a weapon at someone that far away might cost you your CPL / CCW, maybe even court, fines and jail.
Such manuevers better be in-defense of being drawn-upon or fired-upon first.
Here in Michigan, it needs to be a life-threatening situation to fire that gun and a vast majority at long distances, are not life-threatening situations.

There's a reason our CPL range class only had us shoot at 7 yards. We all need a real good explanation for firing a gun well beyond that approx length. I'd almost bet a vast majority of CPL holders in any state of the USA, will too-need a very good explanation.

Also, if you fire four shots, you may have four different civil court and/or criminal court lawyers chasing you. The police will do a lengthy search to find every bullet remnant you fired.

 

[LibertarianG2]

With modern techniques of manufacturing being capable of bringing tolerances to specifications actually produced in the finished product controlled to the most minute degree by modern computers, from hi-point firearms on up, when it comes to accuracy these days, its likely not the arrow, but the Indian.

And it may not even be the Indians fault, it may be the "arrow", just doesn't "fit" the Indian.

But, there's plenty of "arrows' to choose from........

We live in a golden age of firearms manufacturing. I truly believe that.


As for actually "needing" the accuracy to make longer range shots, its better to have it, and not need it, then need it, and not have it.

 

[Bellows1]

This was 48-50 (don't remember if it was 5 clips of 10 or 4 of 12) rounds at 25 yards from my PT111 G2.

View attachment 135420

Not my best shooting at the range, but not my worst either, was just what I had taken a picture of when I got my first PT111 G2. My question is, how accurate can I reasonably expect to get with a 3.2" barrel gun at 25 yards... ??

You look to be keyholing. I haven't done a lot of accuracy testing with my 111, but what I have shot is similar to yours. I do get mostly round holes, but there is some tumbling as well.
I tried to do a little shooting yesterday, mostly because of your question. My findings... It's too cold and windy in February, in Vermont to do an outside gun test. I'll give it another go this week when it warms up. I don't expect great things judging from this last effort, but I only used plated and powder coated bullets in 115 and 124 grains.

I'll try the same reloads through a couple of other guns for comparison. I don't see anything in the gun itself, that would make it inaccurate. Lock up seems positive and consistent, but twist rate and short barrel would certainly have an effect.

 

[SplittinHairs]

I have thought the same thing before to, until recently... now I think sometimes it's just how the paper tears. Especially cheesy paper targets. I've had some do that, but then when you piece the paper back together it's clear the hole actually is round. My 9mm seems to do it more often than my .40 does. So it could be that? However, I never seen that on EVERY SHOT before. So not sure what to make of that. I'll have to see if my 9mm/.40 leaves holes like that at that range some time... if I can even hit the paper at 25 yards with them.

 

[g2pro]

Well, I went to the range and am trying to work through the last of my 115gr ammo, and will be getting some 124 gr when I run out of the other.

I think the key-holing is probably the cheap paper targets..they are very thin.

While I disagree with people thinking I shouldn't bother shooting the gun at 25 yards, I do appreciate the comments. I think I should clarify that I shoot mostly just for fun... I'm not really worried about cc self defense, for me it's about seeing how good I can be with my favorite gun. The gun just happens to be an awesome CC gun, and cheap enough for me not to worry about losing thousands of dollars if someone steals it. However, my bedroom is at the end of the hallway, and you have a direct line of sight down the house, and it is FURTHER than 21 feet... closer to 50... which is closer to 20 yards than it is 7. Call me crazy, but I want to hit my target if he's in my house, period. My line of thinking has always been that if I can shoot this gun at 25 yards, then when I pick up a 5" barrel gun... it's hard to miss what I'm aiming for It's like shooting a rifle. In my mind, it forces me to be a better shooter, and being more accurate isn't a bad thing.

 

[FreeInAZ]

Just a note about "keyholes" & paper targets. Paper is a finicky media, it changes over time & can vary widely depending on what type of ink & printer was used to print them.

This said, at a sign of key holes in a target, switch to a different type, preferably new & see if the key holes magically vanish.

 

[shorlunch]

7 yrds with a first generation PT-111 before I could figure out the trigger

Yesterday I blew another 200 rds through it and I think I figured out that stupid double action trigger

I think I may attempt 15 yrds next time at the range. I have to say though, that trigger is proving to be a stubborn issue with me. THis is the first generation mind you, and I hear the second generation trigger is much better.

 

[SplittinHairs]

My range uses the exact same target as your first one.