Best Starting Distance for Accuracy Training?

J

JesusKills

New member
I'm working with my 9mm Jericho/Baby Eagle, full size. I've been going to my local NRA range and firing at 15 yards, but I'm wondering if I should bring it in until I'm good with grouping and then advance it out.

What do you guys think? I'm not terrible, but I could stand to be a hell of a lot better.

-Corey
 
15 yards is a good distance, you might start out with something like paper plates then as you progress move to smaller targets at the same range.
 
I think it'd make sense to go in a bit further and get your accuracy, then move back a couple yards at a time, over a period of weeks, until you're back to the 15 yard line or wherever you want to be.

I like the idea of paper plates. They are cheap and just the right size for that distance. Get a big fat marker and put an "X" in middle of each of them.
 
I recently started shooting again for the first time in 3 months. I started at the 5 yard and have been working my way out from there. I have to agree with TJHANDS. It allows you to start with a closer grouping and as you improve move the distance out from there while improving accuracy.

Good Luck
 
I am still working on it too - have most often heard of beginning at close range (can be 5 yards), and when things are as you like, move out further... repeat... Your standard for close range shooting must obviously be higher than you would accept at longer ranges... this really helps to put the emphasis on tight groups I think (having just gone through two days of instruction where we always began each new technique at close range and incrementally moved out).
 
The man that taught me 25 years ago

Said to start at 7 yards.
When you can finaly eat the center of the target out with out any flyers go back to 15, do the same and then go back to 25.
And in his words if you shoot a hand gun any further than 25 its a wast of time and ammo
 
I'd concur. When I try out a gun for the first time I stand at about 20 feet away, take careful aim and see where the bullet goes.
 
Start at 5 yards... that's realistic combat/home defense distance.

When you are combat proficient at that range, move target back to maybe 10 yards.
 
And in his words if you shoot a hand gun any further than 25 its a wast of time and ammo
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Though I do agree with the training at closer distances and not just initially, I cannot go along with the above quote. Accuracy skills become much more critical beyond 25 yds and it doesn't take too much imagination to come up with a situation where it could save your life or that of a loved one if you can shoot accurately further out. The gun should certainly be capable of accuracy to 50 (if it's not, replace it).

I know the statistics point to closer ranges most of the time, but statistics can be like good intentions.
 
The basics are the same at 7 yards as 25 yards.....

the difference is the errors that you make are more obvious at further distances.

so I would suggest 7 then 15 then eventually 25 for accuracy.
 
nd it doesn't take too much imagination to come up with a situation where it could save your life or that of a loved one if you can shoot accurately further out.
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It doesn't take too much imagination to picture a scenario where your life depends on taking out an al Qaeda cell of 10 heavily armed men with vests with one head shot each at 40 yards while moving. These forums are testament to that ability.
And if someone wants to practice that there is no law stopping him. But he is fooling himself if he thinks it is a necessary survival skill.
 
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