Effective Range

Grump,

I did not say I never shoot at greater than 10 yards. I shoot at various distances, depending on where I am in my woods. It’s for fun if using a pistol.

However, the more likely threat to me is at close range and no time for BS posturing. If I’m at the C-store and some dude fifty yards away is a threat I can find cover and either get away or get him closer.

I’m not saying don’t practice at long range. I do say practice drawing as fast as possible and shooting as fast as possible at a range likely to be where you’ll need to shoot.

Fun is fun; real is real.

I’m not a Mall Ninja.
 
Don't sell yourself short cougar, go for it anyway. I wouldn't really worry too much about shooting a pistol at 100yards anyway. Can't see a SD situation where that occurs. As long as you have that bright red dot if you can't see that well you will be ok for SD. Theres a reason stop lights, lasers, stop signs are all red, it is the color we can see the farthest in the spectrum.
 
Fun is fun; real is real.

I’m not a Mall Ninja.
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Fair enough, I'm just pointing out that there is no script for real life situations and sometimes the averages don't apply in real life situations. I'm the first guy in the crowd to look for available cover but sometimes it isn't there and you can get caught in the open. It's a good thing to know you aren't helpless if you are there. Think large empty parking lot, the middle of a 4 lane street, or in my case the middle of a field and the closest cover was 200 yards away.
 
At that point cover is not an option. I would immediatley return fire, depending on the situation and area maybe get to the ground to present a smaller target. That way I could also get increase my accuracy at distance using the ground as a makeshift rest. I would do my best

---Old Grump--- You were caught in the middle of a field closest cover 200yards away :eek:. If you don't mind elaborating I would be interested in your story and am glad your ok. You obviously were prepared.

"fun is fun, real is real" is a good quote and could not be more true. Theres no room for silly antics in a SD situation. Even if you carry but never mentally prepared or trained your dead. Mall ninjas are the 1st to get it.
 
Varies widely depending on which gun and how much time I have. I found firing under time pressure changes things a lot. Of course my 1911 is going to have more effective range than my LCP. If it's really hit the fan then all bets are off - I'll probably need a 9mm 226 and a 20 round magazine.
 
I shoot 2 liter bottles at 100 yds with my Walther P22. I hit about 80% of the time, and misses are slight. I hit golfballs within 2 rounds with my Smith & Wesson 1006 regularly at 50 yds...and the occasional blowtorch propane cylinder. I bet I could hit someone at 100 yds in good conditions. Of course, if I'm firing on someone, they're shooting back or about to kill someone else, so that adds a little stress, but not enough to throw all my skills out the window. Without getting off topic and going into details, I know this to be true for me at least. I still would lose a bit of accuracy, but surprisingly my training (I train under stress, movement, and speed conditions) helps dramatically.
 
Well if you were shooting a 100yds with a pistol the person most likely hasn't seen you yet. You know they are a threat and your only weapon is your pistol which you are confident enough to make the shot. If someones shooting back lol 100yd pistol shootout I would love to see that.
 
I'm sure it would be mostly pure dumb luck, but training really does kick in. If I'm getting rounds in return from 100 yds, the last thing I'm gonna do is fire back with a pistol, unless I'm in an empty parking lot with no cover and no escape. :eek:;)

This whole thing is just for fun...I can't see it ever being reality. But in the name of fun, I'm pretty confident in my abilities. I guess it's better to have the "can do" attitude then to fold up and quit. Hahaha.
 
Safest place to be in a 100 yd pistol shootout is probably where the other guy is aiming. Lol.

I say the same thing about sideways-shooting gangsta types.
 
Haha. It would be absurd at 100yds I would just leave after returning fire to see if I could hit him lol. Just run away. You can be 400yards away fast.
 
With handgunds, I routinely practice at 10 Ft to 30 Ft ...but I practice for Tactical shooting situations / putting effective fire in the A zone of an IPSC or silhouette target ( upper chest area ) quickly - drawing from a holster / with reloads, etc ...( 2 rds under 3 sec / 3 rds under 4 sec ...mix in some reloads, malfunction drills, etc ). Drill we did last week / have a buddy put 5 live rds and one dummy(snap cap rd) in your mag ---put the mag back in your gun and load the gun / put it in your holster on safe. On whistle draw gun, shoot the gun dry ( clearing the dummy rd when it shows up ) - drop the mag when gun is empty - grab mag off your belt - reload and fire 2 more rds. We started at 30 Ft ( in 20sec, did it again at 18 sec, again at 16 sec, again at 14 sec ) -- we moved target to 21 feet and did it at 14 sec, 12 sec and again at 10 sec. 10 sec for me is pushing myself / 7 rds total per relay -- and total of 7 relays or 49 rds. If you missed the A zone it was a zero or lost shot. Most of the guys out of 49 rds / had less than 5 lost shots - and were under time allowed. Big penalty if you went overtime / because an overtime shot was a minus 10 / not just a zero. So you had to push yourself ....and to me that's what's fun about handguns. Shooting handguns at "bullseye targets" or at 25 yds or 50 yds to me isn't fun ...even though most of my 1911's are guaranteed to fire a 1" group at 25 yds / I can't shoot them that well.

I have old, tired eyes too .... I can effectively hit the chest area of a silhouette target out to 25 yards with no problem if I take my time ....but there is no "tactical reason" to train to that range in my view.

So the answer depends on what you're trying to do / how you like to train ...

90% of the time, I shoot 1911's in 9mm or .45 acp and I really like the 9mm for training / but I carry a 1911 in .45 acp
 
If you haven't TRIED shooting your handgun at 100 yards, then you don't know.

If you do try your handgun at 100 yards, I'll bet you can quickly get to the place where you're putting most of your rounds on a man sized target at that distance. It is not that hard, given a steady hold and a decent trigger.

First time I ever tried a handgun at 100 yards, it was a Kel-Tec P-11. I was out in the desert and found an old real estate sign. 2' X 3'. Set it up, marched off 105 paces, and fired. Hit is first time, and 8 for 10 on the mag. If the trigger on the P11 was better I prolly could've hit them all.
 
too much crap talk

REAL LIFE decides on "distance"; Columbine engagement began at 73 yds (and effective fire from the 'good guy' saved lives).

Some of us regularly ring the local club's 70yd gong with whatever handgun is in hand. The 150yd gong is way harder.
My range (the one I live on, because I own it) allows me to take up to 300yd shots; I own handguns only......

Subscribe to the same theory of use as of ownership and wear: "Better to have it (the gun, and the skill) and not need it....."; ay?



I know, blah blah blah..... :D
 
Hits on a Man sized target at 100 yds for me is not a problem at all!!
With my Gold Cup NM .45 a paper plate will usualy cover 4 out of 8.
 
I started training at longer ranges with my CW in 97 after seeing the shoot out in north Hollywood.2 guys robbed the bank with ak's/body armer they shot like 1100 rounds.The LA police fired like 650 rounds but no one shot these A-holes in the head.YES I know the stress was out of this world but I also know it was they're friends/fellow Officers/general public being shot.IT just made me want to help. most of the police only had 9mm/38spec,that was the only cards they had to play.THEN like weshot2 COLUMBINE in 99.Thats why I have CWL. And pratice to the limits of my hand guns to potect my family home friends against All Enemys Foreign and Domestic I will engauge.:D
 
Even though I practice at long distance, it doesn't mean I would employ it that way. As kraigwy posted above, I practice at long range because I can't get away with messing up the fundamentals. If I get sloppy, it shows up immediately.

My goal is to instinctively shoot any of my firearms correctly. No need to think, purposely aim, or consider fundamentals. That is the criterion I use to decide if I'm 'qualified' with that platform.

Employing a weapon is a last ditch option in my book. I'm out of any other options to evade the threat, seek safety, or otherwise avoid it. So, if it ever gets to that point, I figure it's either I fire or I die. Then, when I fire, it's 'continue until the threat is gone.'

Besides, in Colorado, any shot over 21' is questionable legally because you're transitioning from defense (acceptable) to offense (not).
 
A human size target is easy to hit at extreme ranges once you get it out of your head that a pistol is only good for 25 yards or less. It's a good skill to have, even though you will probably never use it in the real world, but you never know. Better to have the skill and not need it than to need it and be sorry.
 
I believe in a fair fight. I would get to that 100 , 200 or 300 yards away from the situation ( if possible ) than return fire. Me out of the BG's range but him well within my range is what I consider fair.:D
 
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