Written by
I have recently purchased a Smith & Wesson .38 special, snub-nosed revolver. How accurate....?
how much accuracy can I reasonable expect from this thing. Its barrel is 1 7/8". I'm having trouble hitting the broad side of a barn with it.
You've got to have realistic expectations. Snubbies aren't designed to be tack drivers, they're designed to be concealable.
There are several things that work against accuracy in a compact carry revolver. Most obviously is the barrel. Longer barrel = greater accuracy. So, conversely, shorter barrel - less accuracy. Also, if you are firing your snubbie double action (you only pull the trigger, never cock the hammer), you're fignting to keep the gun steady while squeezing.
That being said, you certainly should hit the side of a barn! At 7 yards (21 feet), you should be able to to keep the shots in a 10" circle. Maybe not impressive for a target shooter, but lethal against an assailant.
The key to hitting well with a snubbie (or any gun, really) is working your fundamentals, and practicing.
Do a lot of dry firing practice. Try this every night for a week:
1. Unload the gun. Put all the ammo in another room.
2. Make sure the gun is unloaded.
3. Check to see that there's no ammo in the gun!!
4. Now, put a target up on a wall at home. Move to the other side of the room.
5. Plant your feet in a solid, comfortable stance. Grip the gun carefully, properly, comfortably. Stand up straight. Take a deep breath.
6. Slowly, slowly, slowly, practice bringing the gun up and acquiring the target. Raise it, inhale, line the sights up, then exhale. Lower the gun. Repeat 10 times.
7. Now, find a coin. A nickel or a quarter will work best. Balance the coin on the top of the snubbie, then gently extend the gun into a 2-handed firing position. Focusing on the coin, slowly squeeze the trigger. Your goal is to dry fire without knocking the coin off. Do this 50 times in a row. Take a deep, complete breath between each squeeze. Take your time. The vibrations of the hammer falling will eventually knock the coin off, just put it back on and keep practicing. You want to make sure that nothing YOU do is causing it to fall.
If you get tired, set the gun aside and rest a few minutes.
8. When you finish, put the gun and the target away.
After a week of this, go shooting again. Each time you pull the trigger, don't think about the target, or the boom, or the recoil. Think about that coin. Think about keeping your hands steady, and your trigger pull so smooth that the coin isn't disturbed. (Obviously, DO NOT actually put the coin on the loaded gun. Just pretend).
You do those exercises for a week, and you'll hit the side of a barn. You do them every day for a month, and you'll be able to put an entire cylinder inside a softball-sized hole at 7 yards.
Email me after you've tried this. You'll be amazed what a profound difference you see!
And don't worry, dry firing, even extended dry firing, will not hurt your gun in any way. If you're concerned, run down to the gun store and buy some .38 Snap Caps.
Items Recently Purchased From This Site:
