So, what is acceptable accuracy with a handgun?

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aarondhgraham

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So, what is acceptable accuracy with a handgun?

I take a lot of young folk shooting at my rifle & pistol club,,,
In most cases these undergrads have never shot a firearm before.

So how well do you think these kids should be doing after a few range trips,,,
I'm talking about shooting with a 4-6" revolver or a 4-6" semi-auto,,,
I'm also talking about .22 LR guns.

If I pay attention to what I am doing,,,
I can hit clay pigeons at 25 yards.

I don't miss that often,,,
Even with 64 year old eyes.

Should these young shooters be able to match that?,,,
Not right away of course but after a few hundred rounds maybe?

I'm asking this hoping to get some guidance from experienced instructors.

So I guess my real question is this,,,
What benchmark of accuracy should be their goal?

If they can hit a 6" circle every time at 25 yards,,,
Would that be considered acceptable performance for a newbie?

I'm trying to define reasonable expectations for an occasional shooter.

Aarond

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First off, I'm not an instructor. I have introduced some adults and kids to shooting though, & always with .22 firearms first.

With handguns, all were consistently hitting 8" & 10" steel swingers at about 40'. That's using SA like a Ruger Mark II, or even my Walther P22 in SA mode. Depending on the shooter, DA would drop off to 70% accuracy for these new shooters. They all liked SA better, but don't we all?

For a new shooter after just one session with a handgun, a 4"-5" diameter clay pigeon at 75' (25 yards) would still be a challenge in my opinion. With a crisp, light SA it'd be more likely but it takes awhile for one to develop trigger control.

With long guns, a 3" target at 25 yards was consistent from standing; much tighter if from a rest.
 
"...acceptable accuracy with a handgun..." Depends entirely on what you're doing. A 6" circle every time at 25 yards isn't good enough for a bullseye shooter. The 'bull' of a cf slow fire 50 yard target is 3.3" diameter with a 1.7" X-ring. A cf Silhouette shooting chicken is 13" and shot at 50. Each requires different accuracy minimums.
"...If they can hit a 6" circle every time at 25 yards..." That'd be the Bull of a standard NRA 25 yard rapid or timed fire pistol target. 25 yards is too far for an FNG. And 6" is too small. If they can hit the paper at 25 an FNG is doing well. Most FNG's can barely hold a handgun up and still, never mind hit anything at 25 yards. No upper body tone.
And it's worse with men than it is women. Women pay attention and do what you tell 'em. You won't hear of 'em say they're "a natural shot or they know how to shoot because they're good at playing Warcraft."
"...takes awhile for one to develop trigger control..." And sight picture, breathing, etc.
 
I'm happy if my first-time shooters can consistently hit an 8X12 sheet or paper plate at 3-5 yards and not break any safety rules. I'll take it out to 7 and occasionally 10 yards if they're comfortable and grouping well. Setting unrealistic expectations is the easiest way to discourage a new shooter and ruin their first experience, in my opinion.
 
acceptable accuracy for CCW? Under stress, with your heart pounding , hands unsteady? Center of chest at 15 yards. Even then, at 45 feet, I don't think there is a reason to start shooting unless there is a clear and real reason to do so. Of course that is just MHO based on my life experience, Center of chest at 7 to 10 yards is probably more realistic.
 
It depends on a lot of things...but with handguns, I'd build their confidence starting at 5 yds with a 7" bulls eye target.../ and maybe move it out progressively one yard at a time, to 10 yds ( same 7" bullseye target )...is pretty good.

CCW or Tactical Shooting is a whole different skill set - and different standards ...but new shooters don't need to go down that path until they have more experience.
 
For a beginner and practice for self defense, I think a 6" group at 10 yards would be a reasonable goal to strive for. Now, that won't win any championships and a 6" group at 50 yards would not take a gold medal, but if I understand this thread, that is not what it is about.

Jim
 
It's hard to claim self-defense at 50 yards.

A paper plate at across the room distance seems about right to me.

Expect your groups to at least double in size once your diaper fills up.
 
Where did self defense even come into the mix:rolleyes:? It wasn't in the OP's question. There are other reasons for shooting. I'd say for a beginner start them out big and close and gradually increase the range and then the size. Three inches at 25 yards offhand is very doable but it will take some time to develop that proficiency.
 
Not sure why, but 10 inch groups at 10 yards is the first thing that popped into my head. Anything worse than that, the person needs to regroup and get some more training.
 
you are just a good shot. most of the people I know who shoot really suck, rounds all over the place at 10 yards and cant hit a full sized silhouette at 25 yards. keep your new shooters under 10 yards until you can cover their shots with your fist, when they can do that move them out a couple more yards and let them start again
 
My take on the matter is to start with a fairly large target, a paper plate is good, at about ten yards. Now that's no great shooting by any means, but the idea is to let the novice score hits. As skill increases, either move back or use a smaller target.

My own experience was to shoot Prince Albert tobbacco cans, using the white oval. Then turned the cans edgeways to me as I got better.

Here is my grandson with his coach, a handsome gentleman and excellent shot, shown after a session with my S&W Model 586. To my knowledge it was his first outing with a centerfire revolver. I think distance was either twenty five feet or ten yards.





Bob Wright
 
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How old are the children?

If 12 or older I'd say a 10 inch circle at 25 yards is accurate enough. Older should be able to hit 4 to 5 inches at that distance after much practice.

Teach them to shoot while watching the sights and they will easily be able to do both.
 
Bob-
Some people can only think of handguns as self-defense items. They never understand hunting, or just the sheer joy of shooting.
 
to qualify for an NRA Basic Pistol Instructor course you need to get 16 of 20 rounds in a 6" group at 15 yards. (Standing, unsupported, obviously). Some have to repeat multiple times.
 
The key word is acceptable, there's only two reasons to ask what is acceptable accuracy , target/ match ( that includes hunting ) or self defense . For target / match ( and hunting ) . there is no need to ask, dead on, center of target at distance selected. So if there is no reason to ask what is acceptable in that area, then that leaves self defense. Now it is reasonable to ask what is acceptable for a specific gun, but the question wasn't asked in that wording. At 25 yards with either my Kimber .45 or my S&W Model 14, the center of the target disappears , But, out on the street with my Kel-Tec 32, minuet of chest at 10 yards is acceptable, of course that is if I stop running long enough to aim, the Lone Ranger I am not , nor do I plan on being a hero, I'm past that stage. I have been shot at and missed and I have been shot at and hit, I know well the difficult involved in using a fire arm under pressure and stress and I also know a average person in a pressure situation would be lucky to even be close enough to scare a bad guy at more than 10 yards. Of course, that is just my way of thinking.
 
I'm trying to define reasonable expectations for an occasional shooter.
Click to expand...
Good luck, way too much of the SD mindset that you don't need to shoot past 21' to have any chance of setting the bar as high as even most people are capable of.

6" @ 15 yards was pretty easily attained by every one I've ever worked with some could do that a 25 yards rather quickly.
 
Aarond, you mentioned 64 year old eyes. How long have you been shooting to get to the level you are? I'm suggesting you have learned some things you don't even remember or can relate to these young perfect superman/women bodies. (my eyes are older than yours and I'm sure there are little things I don't recall) I love that you are introducing new shooters to the trade and encouraging them to keep improving. If you think they should be doing better, you can push as hard as they can take or maybe refer out to another trainer/school.
 
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