Pistol Range - The Firearms Forum

RunningOnMT · 09-01-2010, 05:53 PM

This has been bugging me for awhile now. I was hoping some of you ex military, particularly former Marines might help refresh my memory. For some strange reason I have this vague memory of the pistol range we qualified on in the Corps. I remember it being called a 900 inch range.

That just doesn't make sense to me and I'm wondering if I dreamed it. 900 inches is 75 ft. Seems a bit long to qualify with a .45. Not only that, why would they use inches and not feet or yards. But I could swear that's what they called it.

Can anyone help?

todd51 · 09-01-2010, 07:01 PM

Don't think it was a dream. It was well over 50 years ago but I fired the .30 Carbine on just such a range because that was what was available at the time. It was the pistol range and was referred to in "inches" also. Why they didn't call it a 25 yard range I have no idea but then why did the military call lots of things by something other than what may have seemed the obvious.

I didn't get instruction on the 1911 back then and it is still obvious today.

RunningOnMT · 09-05-2010, 02:59 AM

Glad I didn't just dream it. It's getting harder to tell these days.

It's been 44 years for me.

Insulation Tim · 09-05-2010, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunningOnMT

Glad I didn't just dream it. It's getting harder to tell these days.

It's been 44 years for me.

I know the feeling so well......

Alpo · 09-05-2010, 10:10 AM

Was the KDR 900 yards? That might be the reason - 900 yard rifle range and 900 inch pistol range.

Just remember, above everything else, the military is weird. After all, who else would close their pants with an "interlocking slide fastener"?

Old Grump · 09-05-2010, 10:51 AM

Were you using this target? 900" was the range used to get battlefield zero.

http://www.bobdbob.com/~deneb/doc/ta...2-25m-zero.pdf

Snakedriver · 09-05-2010, 10:51 AM

The Army was ridiculously close, like 7 yards for pistol qualification on a man-sized silhouette target. For the old worn-out .38's and .45's we had that was probably a good idea though.

zb338 · 09-05-2010, 10:53 AM

It's been a long time, but the Army shot the 100 inch range.
That was the range that you could sight an M-1 rifle in for
and be set up with your battle sights. Much as you would
set up your deer rifle today. It would be a good start and you
would be at least on the paper for the other ranges. That's my
recall. As I said, It's been a while. I was on a post pistol team
and all our pistol shooting was at 25 yards.
Zeke

RunningOnMT · 09-05-2010, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zb338

I was on a post pistol team
and all our pistol shooting was at 25 yards.
Zeke

OK...Then that would be 900 inches, so that makes sense. But why call it 900 inch and not 25 yards?

RunningOnMT · 09-05-2010, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Grump

Were you using this target? 900" was the range used to get battlefield zero.

http://www.bobdbob.com/~deneb/doc/ta...2-25m-zero.pdf

No. As I recall it was a standard round bullseye with concentric rings. I don't remember the size.

zb338 · 09-05-2010, 03:29 PM

When I shot on the pistol team back in the 50's all the
shooting was done on what they then called the Army L.
It was the same target as the Police L. I believe the
Marines shot on this target as well. http://americantargetcompany.com/pistol_targets.asp

Zeke

Jim K · 09-05-2010, 08:31 PM

It was the thousand inch (27 yard) range used for M1 rifles where there was not enough range area for a full range or for initial training before firing at longer distances. The short range also had the advantage that the shooter could see the bullet holes.

Due to the trajectory of the .30 Ball, a rifle sighted in at 27 yards would be on target again at 100 yards. The short range zero caught the bullet as it was rising above the line of sight, at the longer range it would be on the way down.

Jim

RJay · 09-06-2010, 02:27 PM

The thousand inch range was used in basic at Ft. Leonard Wood {1959}. Mo. I remember very well because they made me shoot twice { Standing position, M-1 }, I got lucky and put 3 bullets in one hole and they thought I missed the target altogether with one bullet. I had to shoot again to prove the point. The second time they were touching in a nice clover leaf. Even at that young age I was careful not to laugh out loud where the drill could see me. We had already been to the regular range several times, I believe it was in the 6Th or 7ND week. Does anyone who's been to FT Leonard Wood remember a road with a long sloping hill called A. P. Hill ( yes named after the General ) . That hill was pure hell to reach the top with full gear, but I don't remember if that was the actual name.

09-01-2010, 05:53 PM	#1
RunningOnMT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Akron, Ohio Contributor Posts: 4,720	Pistol Range This has been bugging me for awhile now. I was hoping some of you ex military, particularly former Marines might help refresh my memory. For some strange reason I have this vague memory of the pistol range we qualified on in the Corps. I remember it being called a 900 inch range. That just doesn't make sense to me and I'm wondering if I dreamed it. 900 inches is 75 ft. Seems a bit long to qualify with a .45. Not only that, why would they use inches and not feet or yards. But I could swear that's what they called it. Can anyone help? -->

09-01-2010, 07:01 PM	#2
todd51 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Central, Ohio Contributor Posts: 2,571	Re: Pistol Range Don't think it was a dream. It was well over 50 years ago but I fired the .30 Carbine on just such a range because that was what was available at the time. It was the pistol range and was referred to in "inches" also. Why they didn't call it a 25 yard range I have no idea but then why did the military call lots of things by something other than what may have seemed the obvious. I didn't get instruction on the 1911 back then and it is still obvious today. __________________ Retired Praefectus Vigilum NRA Endowment Member

09-05-2010, 02:59 AM	#3
RunningOnMT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Akron, Ohio Contributor Posts: 4,720	Re: Pistol Range Glad I didn't just dream it. It's getting harder to tell these days. It's been 44 years for me.

09-05-2010, 10:10 AM	#5
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,650	Re: Pistol Range Was the KDR 900 yards? That might be the reason - 900 yard rifle range and 900 inch pistol range. Just remember, above everything else, the military is weird. After all, who else would close their pants with an "interlocking slide fastener"? __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies.

09-05-2010, 10:51 AM	#6
Old Grump Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Little hut in the woods near Blue River Wisconsin Posts: 2,285	Re: Pistol Range Were you using this target? 900" was the range used to get battlefield zero. http://www.bobdbob.com/~deneb/doc/ta...2-25m-zero.pdf __________________ "When once a republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil."~~- Thomas Jefferson Roman Catholic, Life Member of American Legion, VFW, Wisconsin Libertarian party, Wi-FORCE, WGO, NRA, JPFO, GOA, SAFand CCRKBA

09-05-2010, 10:51 AM	#7
Snakedriver Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: SW. Florida Posts: 1,219	Re: Pistol Range The Army was ridiculously close, like 7 yards for pistol qualification on a man-sized silhouette target. For the old worn-out .38's and .45's we had that was probably a good idea though. __________________ Fear is a reaction..........Courage is a decision

09-05-2010, 10:53 AM	#8
zb338 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Recently moved to Pennsylvania. Posts: 286	Re: Pistol Range It's been a long time, but the Army shot the 100 inch range. That was the range that you could sight an M-1 rifle in for and be set up with your battle sights. Much as you would set up your deer rifle today. It would be a good start and you would be at least on the paper for the other ranges. That's my recall. As I said, It's been a while. I was on a post pistol team and all our pistol shooting was at 25 yards. Zeke Last edited by zb338; 09-05-2010 at 10:55 AM..

09-05-2010, 03:29 PM	#11
zb338 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Recently moved to Pennsylvania. Posts: 286	Re: Pistol Range When I shot on the pistol team back in the 50's all the shooting was done on what they then called the Army L. It was the same target as the Police L. I believe the Marines shot on this target as well. http://americantargetcompany.com/pistol_targets.asp Zeke

09-05-2010, 08:31 PM	#12
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Pistol Range It was the thousand inch (27 yard) range used for M1 rifles where there was not enough range area for a full range or for initial training before firing at longer distances. The short range also had the advantage that the shooter could see the bullet holes. Due to the trajectory of the .30 Ball, a rifle sighted in at 27 yards would be on target again at 100 yards. The short range zero caught the bullet as it was rising above the line of sight, at the longer range it would be on the way down. Jim

09-06-2010, 02:27 PM	#13
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,485	Re: Pistol Range The thousand inch range was used in basic at Ft. Leonard Wood {1959}. Mo. I remember very well because they made me shoot twice { Standing position, M-1 }, I got lucky and put 3 bullets in one hole and they thought I missed the target altogether with one bullet. I had to shoot again to prove the point. The second time they were touching in a nice clover leaf. Even at that young age I was careful not to laugh out loud where the drill could see me. We had already been to the regular range several times, I believe it was in the 6Th or 7ND week. Does anyone who's been to FT Leonard Wood remember a road with a long sloping hill called A. P. Hill ( yes named after the General ) . That hill was pure hell to reach the top with full gear, but I don't remember if that was the actual name. __________________ RonJames Last edited by RJay; 09-06-2010 at 08:49 PM..