Perks
Light Touch
Bloody Mess
Cowboy
Finesse
Sniper

Traits
Built to Destroy
Good Natured

Special
Str 3
Per 6+1=7(+1 per and 5% crit) from Boone's Cap
End 4
Cha 8
Int 10
Agi 7
Luck 6

Gun that I use is Lucky. I seem to have the poorest chance to hit anything in vats unless I am right next to them and even then with a 95% chance I miss a hell of a lot. I'm thinking of picking up gunslinger. Maybe this will make a difference. I'm playing on hardcoe mode with very hard turned on. Suggestions anyone?

Handguns are short range weapons so your experience is about right. Get a rifle?
I don't ever use VATS, so try ironsights aswell.

Yeah, I've been using ironsights. Seems to be working well now. Thanks for the tip.

Like PeterR said, using the right weapon for the range helps but VATS at really long range always gives poor %s, you do better crouching, preferably undetected, iron sights and turning the dpi of your mouse down. Having a gaming mouse really really helps.

I'd just thought I'd replay to this thread and say. VATS= Completely worthless vs Fallout 3, Iron sights is the best. I'll have to revamp this character.

Shooting in distance (sniping) is the best course of action.

If You can pick up Ratslayer from Brocflower cave and any sniper rifle, You can make good long distance kills.

Like mentioned in Goodsprings when You did the tutorial with Sunny smiles, crouch down and learn the pattern of the rifle.

There is a normal oscillating motion of both the rifles I mentioned.

Learn this and use AP rounds and You can kill anything from a safe distance.

Having Boone as a companion will help at night too, but if using the night vision scope this perk is negated somewhat.

Never use VATS when performing this tactic.