revolverrandy
New member
What distance do you shoot from when practicing or target shooting at the range with your 9mm hangun?
target shooting/practicing distance?
- Thread starter revolverrandy
- Start date
CortJestir
New member
3-5 yards, 10 yards, 15 yards and 25 yards. I do mostly defensive handgun drills.
It really depends on what I'm practicing/training for but the range varies from 25 yards to contact distance.
Bullseye or silhouette - 25+ yards
"standard" self defense - 7-10 yards
"Close Quarters Drills" - Contact to 6 feet.
(Edit: Once in a blue moon I'll do 70-100 yards just for giggles...not very good at it but do hit the gongs once in a while
)
Bullseye or silhouette - 25+ yards
"standard" self defense - 7-10 yards
"Close Quarters Drills" - Contact to 6 feet.
(Edit: Once in a blue moon I'll do 70-100 yards just for giggles...not very good at it but do hit the gongs once in a while
)
Last edited:
My 9mm's are SD guns with fixed sights (G19, CZ P01) so I only shoot at 7 yards - same as the .380 and snubby revolvers.
For "target shooting" I use various revolvers with adjustable sights out to 25 yards. And either 25, 50 or 100 yards with different Contender barrels (22LR up to .30-30).
For "target shooting" I use various revolvers with adjustable sights out to 25 yards. And either 25, 50 or 100 yards with different Contender barrels (22LR up to .30-30).
I know, I'm an oddball. but I shoot all my handguns at 100 yards, at least a few times, just to see how they'll do.
All because of a thread here on TFL. It posed the situation that you were in a parking lot where terrorists were shooting civilians. Range 100 yards, clear field of fire. Would you take the shot with your carry gun? (I think mods were looser in those days.)
Well, I had to go figure out how to answer that question. Now I would answer yes, because I tried it.
Most often I shoot at 7-25 yards, though.
All because of a thread here on TFL. It posed the situation that you were in a parking lot where terrorists were shooting civilians. Range 100 yards, clear field of fire. Would you take the shot with your carry gun? (I think mods were looser in those days.)
Well, I had to go figure out how to answer that question. Now I would answer yes, because I tried it.
Most often I shoot at 7-25 yards, though.
GunsAreGood
New member
10 yards is the closest that my range will let me shoot so thats what I practice with my 9mm. You should definitely practice 6ft to contact if your range allows as well as reloading drills.
Stevie-Ray
New member
I was doing only 7 yards, as that would be the furthest shot in my present house. I'm going to have to get used to at least twice that now, as my new home is far longer.
When target shooting only, it's usually 25 yards.
When target shooting only, it's usually 25 yards.
The question is what distance I practice with my 9mm? Don't own one, so I probably shouldn't go any further. But, I do own revolvers in every caliber up to .45ACP, and every size ranging from a snub to a six inch L-frame and a couple of 4" Ns. I also have a full size 1911.
With each gun my practice routine is the same. I fire at 10 yards with the objective of putting every round within the 10 ring on a standard 25 yard pistol target. Once I've achieved that (usually after 1 - 3 groups) I move the target back to 25 yards and work on putting everything in the black (9 and 10 rings). I can't often do that, although I do occasionally, and I usually can come close. What surprises me is that on some days I'm always far more accurate than on others. Last week I was putting everything in the black with my 3" fixed sight J frame 36. I've never come close to doing that before, at least not at 25 yards. But then, when I switched over to my 4" .45 ACP Model 625 (an N-frame), my shooting was horrendous. I was consistently missing the black with 3-4 rounds out of every six shot group. That is with a gun that I consider to be among my most accurate, and which, generally, I shoot the best. Go figure.
With each gun my practice routine is the same. I fire at 10 yards with the objective of putting every round within the 10 ring on a standard 25 yard pistol target. Once I've achieved that (usually after 1 - 3 groups) I move the target back to 25 yards and work on putting everything in the black (9 and 10 rings). I can't often do that, although I do occasionally, and I usually can come close. What surprises me is that on some days I'm always far more accurate than on others. Last week I was putting everything in the black with my 3" fixed sight J frame 36. I've never come close to doing that before, at least not at 25 yards. But then, when I switched over to my 4" .45 ACP Model 625 (an N-frame), my shooting was horrendous. I was consistently missing the black with 3-4 rounds out of every six shot group. That is with a gun that I consider to be among my most accurate, and which, generally, I shoot the best. Go figure.
I'm kind of lucky in that I have access to a very loosely run (no attendant!) range. So, I can shoot at all different distances up to 100 yards. Mostly, I keep it at about 20 yards or less.
I like that I can shoot handguns on the rifle side. It's kinda neat to be able to pop a water bottle at 100 yards with a handgun. Don't get me wrong, it took some major practice time, though. That Model 14 with the 8 3/8" barrel is a great handgun for long distance shots.
I like that I can shoot handguns on the rifle side. It's kinda neat to be able to pop a water bottle at 100 yards with a handgun. Don't get me wrong, it took some major practice time, though. That Model 14 with the 8 3/8" barrel is a great handgun for long distance shots.
From a purely tactical standpoint ...the experts will tell you a lot of gunfights are when the combatants are between 3 - 15 feet ....
I do most of my tactical practice at 10, 15, 21 and 30 feet. I rarely practice anything beyond 30 feet .... except for pure entertinment. But its not bulls eye accuracy I'm after either - its Tactical Accuracy ( like the A zone on an IPSC target).
I will practice a drill like put IPSC target at 10 - 15 feet:
Draw weapon from holster Fire 2 rds - Reload a mag - Fire 2 more rds ( under 7 sec ). Do it 3 times ( 12 rds )
Then I go to Triple Taps.. Draw weapon Fire 3 - Reload - Fire 3 ( under 8 sec ). Do it twice ( 12 rds )....
If you're not 100% in the A zone / do it again -- and slow it down so you can get it 100% in the A zone. If your group is smaller than 6" - push yourself, and speed up.
I like to push myself on the double tap drill to around 5.5 seconds and under 6.5 seconds on the Triple tap drill ....and if its 100% in the A zone, I'm happy. At 60 yrs old / my reflexes and eyesight aren't as good as they were 40 yrs ago ... but double taps under 5.5 sec ( with a 9mm, a .40S&W or a .45 acp ) makes me happy... and I think its good training.
Move the target out a little / move it in a little ... until you can make the draw / time on target / split times on the rds / time to reload almost instinctive ....
(then try it with a revolver - and humble yourself a little ...)
I do most of my tactical practice at 10, 15, 21 and 30 feet. I rarely practice anything beyond 30 feet .... except for pure entertinment. But its not bulls eye accuracy I'm after either - its Tactical Accuracy ( like the A zone on an IPSC target).
I will practice a drill like put IPSC target at 10 - 15 feet:
Draw weapon from holster Fire 2 rds - Reload a mag - Fire 2 more rds ( under 7 sec ). Do it 3 times ( 12 rds )
Then I go to Triple Taps.. Draw weapon Fire 3 - Reload - Fire 3 ( under 8 sec ). Do it twice ( 12 rds )....
If you're not 100% in the A zone / do it again -- and slow it down so you can get it 100% in the A zone. If your group is smaller than 6" - push yourself, and speed up.
I like to push myself on the double tap drill to around 5.5 seconds and under 6.5 seconds on the Triple tap drill ....and if its 100% in the A zone, I'm happy. At 60 yrs old / my reflexes and eyesight aren't as good as they were 40 yrs ago ... but double taps under 5.5 sec ( with a 9mm, a .40S&W or a .45 acp ) makes me happy... and I think its good training.
Move the target out a little / move it in a little ... until you can make the draw / time on target / split times on the rds / time to reload almost instinctive ....
(then try it with a revolver - and humble yourself a little ...)
Sometimes 8 yards, 15 yards, 17 yards but mostly 25, 50, 100 and points in between. I have targets set up at oddball ranges and oddball angles from the firing line just so I don't get in a rut and can only shoot a set range with a particular gun. I do as much shooting at 47 and 60 yards as I do all the other ranges put together. Not just the 9Mm but with all my handguns from 22 to 44 mag.
L_Killkenny
New member
All my handguns are generally shot at 18 yards. Thats the distance from my deck rail to the dead tree I use for a back stop. If I go to a range 25 and 50 yards are a more common distance for me to shoot. The distances only go up from there.
LK
LK
Contact to 50 yards or even 100 yards. Depends on my mood, range activity and how well I am shooting.
I once shot a 20-round string on a silhouette target on the rifle range (had the place to myself) with my Glock 17. 5 rounds each at 25, 50, 75 and 100 yards. 25-75 felt great, 100, so-so, but I had 19 out of 20 on paper! The 100 yard hits were low, but the others were clustered around the same elevation all the way out.
I also used to practice shooting the 100-yard gong with a 6" .44 Magnum. I believe the biggest limiting factor to "long range" handgunning with a full-sized service pistol or 4" K-frame or larger revolver is strictly between the ears, not the hands. Practice, practice, practice and BE CONFIDENT!
And yes, have fired strings at 50-yards on IDPA-type targets with a Glock 26 as well as larger pistols, and scored all solid hits. The little guns can shoot too!
I once shot a 20-round string on a silhouette target on the rifle range (had the place to myself) with my Glock 17. 5 rounds each at 25, 50, 75 and 100 yards. 25-75 felt great, 100, so-so, but I had 19 out of 20 on paper!
The 100 yard hits were low, but the others were clustered around the same elevation all the way out.I also used to practice shooting the 100-yard gong with a 6" .44 Magnum. I believe the biggest limiting factor to "long range" handgunning with a full-sized service pistol or 4" K-frame or larger revolver is strictly between the ears, not the hands. Practice, practice, practice and BE CONFIDENT!
And yes, have fired strings at 50-yards on IDPA-type targets with a Glock 26 as well as larger pistols, and scored all solid hits. The little guns can shoot too!