Jerry Miculek - 1000 yard shot with S&W 929

[Coal Dragger]

Beaten zone. In machine gunner terms it is the place on the ground where your cone of fire lands.

I'll add to the beaten zone explanation, because it is important here in discussing this shot. As High Tower explains the beaten zone is where your cone of fire is landing from a machine gun, or volley fire from rifles or other direct fire weapons (we'll leave indirect fire discussions to mortar men and cannon cockers). At maximum ranges, because of the amount of drop at the end of the bullet's trajectory a machine gunner may actually be able to lob bullets into a beaten zone that he can't directly see, for example establishing a beaten zone of fire in the defilade of a hill top. The rounds will be coming in from above not just strait ahead. Like wind driven rain or hail.

So in this instance Jerry is making a very long shot with a cartridge that has the trajectory of a rainbow at that distance. There is a very good chance that the balloon was hit directly by the bullet passing through at a downward and forward angle and smacking the plate low after hitting the balloon.

Just some food for thought.

[1911-A1]

He didn't even use a single-action capable revolver. That's just crazy.

Also, I love watching his muscle memory in action when he loads the clip into the gun, and how he automatically keeps the muzzle downrange and opens the action simultaneously when the hit is called.