It is a long observed fact, that when put in a crisis situation, most people will do what ever it is that they have trained to do, and practiced doing. Right or wrong for the situation, when you don't have time to think about it, you will react below the conscious level.
Examples abound in life, here's a couple,
A fellow I knew was an avid bow hunter. The previous year he had missed a shot on "a grand buck" at 40yds.
He had enough range behind his house, and practiced all summer, nearly every day, so he wouldn't miss that 40 yard shot again. The next deer season, a buck popped up 15 yards from him. He lined up, and shot right over it.
Now, bow trajectory is more extreme than pistols, but you get the idea. Don't just practice ONE thing all he time.
If you haven't practiced at long range, go ahead, but leave the timer off for a while. Martial arts masters will tell you that when learning you should make haste
slowly...this means learn what to do, but don't try to be fast, fast is for later...look at how they do
kata, its done slooowly, done to learn the right forms and counters, learn them until they become something you don't need to think about.
There are similarities to be found in pistol shooting as well. I shoot handguns at long range for recreation. Been doing it long enough its not a difficult task. I don't try to rush, I focus on getting hits. I've found this makes shooting at closer range easier, and shooting faster at close range becomes a matter of practicing something you already know how to do.