Effective Fighting Distance Practice?

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Guys, I carry a 642 or an LC9, 50 yards ain't gonna happen. I do practice 25 yd body shots tho. Most practice is 5 to 15 yds. If youare 50yds away you should be able to escape.
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I shoot my Shield and my Sp101 2" at 50 yards. Actually I do pretty well at it. Lets understand that I don't care if I hit the point of aim, just that they are close together on paper. I use the same sight picture as I do close. Consistent sight alignment and trigger squeeze is the point. I am not shooting a silhouette at that range, just a bullseye target.

You are correct, 50 yards is beat feet range 99.5% of the time.
 
The best argument for shooting at 25+ yards is that it shows your marksmanship mistakes, which will likely be amplified under pressure, so it is good to sort them out. Even fairly poor shooting looks reasonably tight at 15 feet, but at 25 yards+ if you're making basic mistakes... it'll show very much.

Sure, your snubnose concealed revolver may not be pinpoint accurate, but if you're out of the black at this range, it's you. Shoot (or have someone else shoot) it from a rest to see how well it groups. Isn't it a shame to have a tool then not be able to use it to it's full or near-full potential?

Plus, bullseye is a great sport ;)
 
You never know what your fight will be. These are all "rabbit out of a hat" scenarios to try and justify a scenario that you're creating in your own minds. Not everyone sees it and nothing goes as the movie in your mind shows it going.

This officer took a long distance shot.

There is absolutely no need to hinder yourself or handicap yourself of covering all bases. If you think you won't ever come across this type of situation, good for you. You're probably right. You won't. But why not prepare for it if the need should ever arise? We have health, life, car, and CC insurance for such reasons.

Why are people so hell bent on limiting themselves?

You're supposed to practice and train on things that you aren't good at.

Everything else is just speculation. Justification by generalizing every scenario that was mentioned.

Have a plan. Even if you think you won't use it.... Geez..
 
'cause the stats support the idea.
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The stats also say that we're unlikely to ever need to use a gun, so perhaps you can ask why he even bothers carrying or owning at all....

The way I see it is if you are capable at 15, 20 or 25 yds, then that can only help with shooting at closer ranges.

Of course, it's all a compromise and there is a reasonable cut-off point. I think that is true of how far you should be able to shoot, how many reloads you carry and even if you decide to carry at all.
 
Most of my training time is focused within 2 - 10 yards, because that is where an attack is most likely to occur.

I spend some time almost every range session on the plausible distances, out to 25 yards.

If I go to the NRA range I can do 50 yards, and if I'm back home I have different spots that lets me attempt 100 and 300 yard shots. The 50 yards might be plausible, and I do shoot at that distance every few months.

The 100+ yards is getting beyond the reasonable, and while I have shot handguns at those distances it's not something I practice with any regularity.
 
i've read 2 theories about why civilian involved shootings mostly happen at 3-5 yards.

1) attackers come upon victims suddenly (situational awareness lacking?)

2) victims wait too long to react and draw their weapon (hesitant to defend themselves with their pistol).

neither of these are good, so i'd practice longer distances.
 
i've read 2 theories about why civilian involved shootings mostly happen at 3-5 yards.

1) attackers come upon victims suddenly (situational awareness lacking?)

2) victims wait too long to react and draw their weapon (hesitant to defend themselves with their pistol).

neither of these are good, so i'd practice longer distances.
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I think number two has more to do with the perpetrator hiding his weapon until the last minute. We're always taught to keep our weapon hidden until we're in fear for our lives since brandishing is generally a crime.
 
i'm out walking doggie this morning, there are 2 viscous dogs to the north. the barbed wire fence does not stop them. they see us walking on our property, start barking, and proceed to come onto my property, but still a good distance away, and not always visible due to the terrain (hills and valleys), but i can hear them, so i have an idea where they are. doggie wants to walk, so we walk. as we get closer to where they are, i draw my pistol and keep it at low ready, not muzzling doggie or me.

doggie finally decides to head home and we put distance between us and bad dogs.

on my property, drawing my pistol shouldn't be brandishing.

i've previously been attacked by these dogs, and have had to shoot in their direction to chase them off. incidents were reported to animal control. they said that if i have to shoot them, to call them to pick up the bodies. i'd rather not have to kill someone's pet.
 
His first (only?) armed encounter went poorly. He got into a fight with an employee who drew down on him. Having been to all the gun schools, he attempted to disarm the employee who never lost control of his own gun, wrapped up my buddy and picked the gun my my buddy's holster. Fortunately, the employee never fired.
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Looks to me like the employee was just demonstrating "who's the boss?". Glad no shots were fired.

With my little S&W 442, I only shoot to 10 yds (and occasionally a bit further for fun). I just don't much like to shoot that little gun. So, yeah, I am working the odds.
 
All of the rhetoric aside on what might happen....

In my view, for Defense, its going to be relatively close ...( so I practice what is most likely ) ....from 3 Feet out to 8 yds mostly .../ that is not to say that I never shoot beyond 8 yds in some tactical drills...but at 15 - 25 yds...even police depts qualifications in my area...tend to be relatively slow fire at those distances like 4 rounds in 10 sec. So its more of a bulls eye qual at that point.

Speed and effective fire - center chest area ...at close in distances is not "bulls eye perfection" but so what ...its about speed and being Tactically accurate ( center chest area - nipple to nipple and about 11" down toward belly button ...

My training standards ( with your carry gun - and from a holster):
a. Draw and Fire 3 shots in under 3 sec...
b. Draw and Fire 4 shots - speed Reload - Fire 4 more shots in 8 sec.

At 15, 20 and 25 yds ...I expand the primary target zone to include the entire silhouette .... with something like Draw and Fire 4 rds in under 10 sec at 15 yds....and draw and fire 4 rds in under 12 sec at 20 and 25 yds.
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With the pressure of "time", I'm always amazed at how many shooters cannot hit a silhouette target at 15 - 25 yds...but they still carry ..??
 
i've read and tried several qualification courses of fire for different police agencies, and they all seem to be weighted to performance at close ranges.

now, is that because that is the most common distance they are likely to see, or is it weighted to pass most officers by keeping the distances close.

i remember long ago reading about NRA matches (bullseye) being dominated by law enforcement officers (border patrol stands out).

have standards changed to ensure more pass, or to reflect reality? and if most encounters at that close, is that a reflection of other errors?
 
The firearms instructors I've spoken to recently -- for police depts in my area --- design the handgun COF for qualification based on what they think best exhibits the skills the officers will need in the field ( time and distance especially ). I've made it a point to talk to those guys when they're doing some training at one of my local ranges.

If they are members of a more elite unit like Swat ..there are additional training and performance requirements.
 
i would suggest that it would be beneficial to know you can hit a target at distances beyond 10 yards. i know i can out to 35 yards.
 
i've read and tried several qualification courses of fire for different police agencies, and they all seem to be weighted to performance at close ranges.

now, is that because that is the most common distance they are likely to see, or is it weighted to pass most officers by keeping the distances close.

i remember long ago reading about NRA matches (bullseye) being dominated by law enforcement officers (border patrol stands out).

have standards changed to ensure more pass, or to reflect reality? and if most encounters at that close, is that a reflection of other errors?
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Part of our biannual qualifications include firing at 25 yards from standing, kneeling, and prone positions from behind a simulated barricade. We also move and shoot during quals. A law enforcement officer is much more likely to need to engage a threat at longer distances.

Although I think it's extremely unlikely for non LE to ever need to engage at 25 yards I don't think it's a bad thing at all to train at that distance. Anything that improves one's skills is a good thing in my book.
 
practice

Practice Practice Practice with the weapon you will carry\use. Short or Long distance..
need advice ask someone do what's right and comfortable for you every situation is different
remember the bullet does not have a brain it goes where it's pointed.
 
I practice at distances out to 50 yards with handguns, and sleep a lot better for it.
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Assuming civilian, can you give an example scenario where a person could be involved in a gunfight at fifty yards and it would still be viewed by the authorities/prosecutor as self defence? I want to know for a friend.
 
You want SD scenarios for long range handgun use?

1.) You and your family are at the mall, when a crazed individual pulls an AK out from under his long coat and starts shooting shoppers. The security guard is hit in the first volley. Or, you are the security guard. You get your family and others out the rear door of the mall shop, and take cover behind a planter. You have a choice of attempting a shot at 43 1/2 yards or not.

2.) You just walked your child to school, are returning home and are 276 feet from the school entrance when a van pulls up and attempts to kidnap your child. If they get your kid into the van it can rapidly pull away. You have a choice of attempting a shot, or not. There are no other kids in the line of fire.

3.) You are at an outdoor concert, a grassy bowl with a stage at the center. Suddenly, three terrorists produce weapons and jump up on the stage, then start shooting concertgoers. You are in the middle crowd, 196 feet from the stage. You have a choice of attempting a shot, or not.

Far-fetched? Not at all. Likely to happen to you? Probably not. These kind of events are rare, but they do occur. Should you plan for one of them? No. Should you have the skill level to allow you to make the choices? If not, why not?

Any one of these is certainly self-defense.
 
Ever heard of goal lines or out-of-bound lines for gun fights?
Me, neither.
When I was younger and could see that far, my pals and I used to shoot pistols at gallon and quart sized water filled bottles - at 100 yards - with handguns.
About the same size as a human head or smaller.
And we mostly hit them, too.
Not that we thought it was actually a skill we'd need in real life, but it was encouraging if we ever did need it.
Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
 
I have carried since 1964, when a permit was possible I applied. During one of the classes the Instructor mentioned 'a good shooting' and I had to ask "Were you there?".

The answer was no so I asked if he would like to talk to someone that was. We all know the best answer would have been "NO!" and then move on and get out early, the good shooting had to do with who was telling the story.

F. Guffey
 
Most people limit their practice to the distance that they can shoot a group that is acceptable to them. Luckily for them statistics show that a high percentage of defensive incidents occur at around 3-7 yards. This gives them a convenient excuse to limit the distance they practice at. If they were capable of shooting well at 20-25 yards they would advocate practicing at longer distances. Mark
 
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