After firing my five, I stood up and walked downrange to see if I'd had any luck. Walking up to the target, I was pleased to see four .45-caliber holes in the silhouette and one to the right in the backer. Putting a tape to it, I found the group to be 18 inches high and 23 inches wide. Three shots had struck the chest and one the head. While this was impressive, the question was, is this type of performance repeatable?

To find out, I returned to the firing line and proceeded to fire three more groups. The second placed three rounds on the silhouette. Total group size for all five rounds measured 18 inches high by 25 inches wide. The third group put four rounds on the silhouette and kept all five in 17 inches high by 12 inches wide.

The last group placed three rounds on the silhouette and had a total group size of 11 inches high by 29 inches wide. Out of 20 rounds fired at 200 yards, 14 hit the silhouette. Average vertical dispersion for all rounds fired was 16 inches. Average horizontal dispersion for all rounds fired was 22.25 inches.

While I couldn't keep all five rounds on a silhouette at this distance with this load, I think the results speak for themselves. In a pinch, a tuned 1911 can easily put rounds on a target 200 yards away.

Switching from the expensive, tuned 1911 to the Glock 23, things became a bit more difficult. At 200 yards I had a difficult time just trying to keep all five rounds on the 37-inch backer.

My first try netted one hit on the silhouette with three on the

backer. Group size for these four rounds was 10 inches wide by 20 inches high.

The second group put two rounds on the silhouette and two rounds on the backer. Group size was 24 inches wide by 18 inches high.

The third group put three rounds on the silhouette and the other two on the backer. All five rounds were in a group 25 inches wide by 15.5 inches high.

ACCURACY AND VELOCITY
MODEL	LOAD	VELOCITY	ACCURACY (ins.)
			25 yds.	50 yds.	100 yds.
Glock 23	Wolf 180-gr. FMJ	876	3	4.8	10.3
Walther P99	Wolf 180-gr. FMJ	890	2.6	3.3	8.7
Les Baer Prowler	Wolf 230-gr. FMJ	783	1.2	2.6	7.1
Notes: Velocity readings taken 12 feet from the muzzle with the Oehler 35P chronograph. Groups are an average of four five-shot groups fired prone.

Finally, the last group put one round on the silhouette and two on the backer. All three rounds were in a 16-inch triangle. Out of 20 rounds fired, seven hit the silhouette. While this doesn't look very promising, it should be noted that at least one round out of every group did hit the silhouette.

While the Walther had handily outshot the Glock at 25, 50 and 100 yards, such was not the case at 200 yards. At this distance their performance was about equal. Only once did I keep all five rounds on the backer with the Walther. This group put two rounds in the silhouette and measured 25 inches high by 19 inches wide. Out of 20 rounds fired, six hit the silhouette. I did fire one group with the Walther where all five rounds missed the silhouette at this distance.

In the P99's defense, I never touched the rear sight to zero it for windage. This pistol belongs to a friend who's left handed, and it hits point of aim for him, so I refrained from adjusting his sights.

Here's the very first five-shot group fired with he Les Baer at 200 yards. Four out of five--not bad.

So what did this exercise prove? Simply that all three of these pistols are easily capable of ruining a criminal's day at 100-plus yards. However, I must add that three things are required to make consistent hits at extended distances with a handgun.

These are having the right mindset, a solid position and a knowledge of where to hold at different distances. Remember, shooting is 95 percent mental and five percent physical. If you believe you can do something, then there's nothing to stop you but yourself. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true. If you don't believe you can hit a silhouette at 100 yards with your Glock 23, you never will.

In order to get the most from your handgun, you'll need a solid, preferably supported position. Just like with a rifle, you only shoot offhand if you have to. If support is available, use it. Nothing around you? Try prone. While this position is not always viable, it is very stable, allowing you to get the most out of your handgun. If no support is available and going prone is not an option, then use yourself for support.