50 YARD PISTOL QUESTION

[diver dan]

I am shooting a T/C Contender w/14 inch barrel and a red dot sight.I was shooting a group about 3 inches in diameter and have hit dead center on bullseye a time or two at 50 yards.Is this a good group for deer hunting or does it have to be tighter? I dont know if this is good or not.? I usually use a rifle and get a 2 inch group or better.Really appreciate some input.THANKS

 

[Wabatuckian]

3" is fine for deer as long as you limit your range.

 

[Magyars]

Plenty good enough for a heart/lung shot on a deer

 

[Dholcomb]

If you’re new to deer hunting just stay calm and take your time before the shot to further decrease your chance of opening up that group even more. If it has to be rushed, let it pass.

Highly recommend taking a range finder. Know your limits and do not exceed them. Adrenaline can easily make 100 yards look like 50 yards in the heat of the moment.

 

[DadSmith]

I am shooting a T/C Contender w/14 inch barrel and a red dot sight.I was shooting a group about 3 inches in diameter and have hit dead center on bullseye a time or two at 50 yards.Is this a good group for deer hunting or does it have to be tighter? I dont know if this is good or not.? I usually use a rifle and get a 2 inch group or better.Really appreciate some input.THANKS

Put a 1-4× lpvo on it. You should tighten those groups up probably at least half that size at 50yds.

 

[INP8riot]

A 9" paper plate is a heart/lung shot. If you're consistenly grouping 3", keep it to a distance you're comfortable with. A 3" group at 50 could be all over the place at 100. So its hard to say if you're good at 100 with a 50 yard group.

I know guys that obsess about their groups and know all their holdovers and consistently miss game because they over think.

 

[Dholcomb]

A 9" paper plate is a heart/lung shot. If you're consistenly grouping 3", keep it to a distance you're comfortable with. A 3" group at 50 could be all over the place at 100. So its hard to say if you're good at 100 with a 50 yard group.

I know guys that obsess about their groups and know all their holdovers and consistently miss game because they over think.

The old paper plate test. Wonder how that became a common test? That’s what my dad used on us as kids. When we were consistent on the plate we were ready. Granted it was smooth bore shotguns with slugs back then so not as easy as today. I remember eventually getting a rifled slug barrel on my mossberg 500 and being able to afford some hornaday sst sabot slugs. Mounted a very cheap scope on that gun and treated it like an Accuracy International.

 

[Hawkeye7br]

I am shooting a T/C Contender w/14 inch barrel and a red dot sight.I was shooting a group about 3 inches in diameter and have hit dead center on bullseye a time or two at 50 yards.Is this a good group for deer hunting or does it have to be tighter? I dont know if this is good or not.? I usually use a rifle and get a 2 inch group or better.Really appreciate some input.THANKS

Are you shooting offhand or from a rest? Shooting a handgun from sandbag can have much different POI than non supported.