What ranges do most people practice handguns?

I practice at 10-15 yards mostly (30-45'). It also depends on the gun. While 7 yards is probably the typical range for true SD, I figure if I'm able to hit at 15, 7 won't be much of an issue. Occasionally I'd play around at 25 and sometimes as far as 50 yards just get a feel for the hold at those ranges.

Now for the true pocket pistols such as the Kel-Tec 380, no more than 10 yards.
 
In the 80s I was a hard-core pistol silhouette shooter and the long range target, the ram, was set at 200 meters. Perfect scores were common in unlimited class and even cleaning the rams with a revolver was not that uncommon. My common practice distance then was 150 meters for the turkey line which was generally thought of as the toughest target to hit. Now I still shoot a little conventional pistol and the slow fire is 50 yards so that is the norm for me now.
 
saleen322 said:
In the 80s I was a hard-core pistol silhouette shooter and the long range target, the ram, was set at 200 meters. Perfect scores were common in unlimited class and even cleaning the rams with a revolver was not that uncommon. My common practice distance then was 150 meters for the turkey line which was generally thought of as the toughest target to hit. Now I still shoot a little conventional pistol and the slow fire is 50 yards so that is the norm for me now.
Click to expand...
I think I'd have trouble even seeing a target at 200m. I can barely hit at 25 yards.
 
At the indoor range, with no set target distances, I do most of my practices at 25 feet. I may shoot as short as 15 feet with pocket pistols, or go out as far as 75 feet (the max at that range) to challenge myself and have a little fun with my more accurate pistols.

The outdoor range has set target distances of 5, 10, and 15 yards. I use all of them, but I use the 10 yard stand most.

If possible, for your purpose I would practice at distances a bit further than you expect to encounter in competition, so that the competition targets look just a bit close and easy.
 
Short - 7 yards
medium - 10 or 15 yards
long - 25 yards

If someone doesn't have a gun, and you are shooting at them from more than seven yards away, you may have legal problems as a result.
 
Practice? Around 7 yards, from under a shirt, rapid double taps.

IDPA matches, out to about 25 yards? The Security Annual course, max 25 yards, the indoor range we use now, 20 yards max. As a target shooter (lots of time!) I can shoot the middle out of the B27. This target is huge.

Most robbery's, where a CCL holder gets into it, as seen on camera footage, seems to be under 7 yards? Hence when I drop into our outdoor range, that is about 7 yards that I practice at.
 
I pretty much shoot at the ranges already mentioned. I don't shoot over 50 yards primarily because I have a 50 max. range set up on the farm.

I don't shoot competition but am mainly a plinker. The only ranges I would add are in terms of SD practice. For SD practice . . I shoot anywhere from 3 feet out to 21 feet. In my CCW classes, both in AZ and MI, we were given the 21 foot range . . . . anything beyond that it was reasoned that you had a chance to "retreat from the situation". A lot of folks seem to practice at the 21 feet (7 yards) but let's face it . . . in a SD situation . . . it can occur at any distance. I like to know that I can hit what I'm aiming at whether it be close quarters or at a distance . . . especially considering how the adrenalin affects a person.
 
f someone doesn't have a gun, and you are shooting at them from more than seven yards away, you may have legal problems as a result.
Click to expand...

Ohhh...will the Tueller drill misconceptions never go away???

Dennis was showing that an attacker with a contact weapon at 21' is still a threat. Not establishing a no shoot zone.

For those that have not read the article. He explains that a "average man" can cover 21' in about the same time as a "average" LEO can draw and fire 1 shot (from a standard duty holster of that period).

In quite a few of those tests the event would have ended in a tie...suspect shot, Officer stabbed. NOT the outcome id choose.

Nothing in the testing or the subsequent write up says anything about a person outside that 21' being non threatening.
 
Its not just the "range" -- its also about "Time" - so you have a little stress to train against.

For "Tactical Practice".....my buddies and I practice ( drawing from holster...with a variety of drills ( double taps, reloads, clearing malfunctions, etc )....and we use a shot recording timer, and train to a standard...as an example:

Draw to 1 shot on target ... 2 sec ..
Split time to 2nd shot 0.5 sec....
Speed Reload to one shot 3.0 sec...

Draw & 2 shots on target - go to slide lock & speed reload - Fire 2 - Speed Reload - Fire 2.... 6 rds total ( par time is 9.5 sec ). Target is full sized silhouette - with primary Tactical Target being a rectangle about 8 1/2" X 11" more or less nipple to nipple and down toward belly button. A reasonably proficient shooter...someone who carries concealed / out to be under that time and at least 90% accurate.

Most of the time, we start a course of fire at 5 Yds -- and go to 6 yds, 7 yds and 8 yds. Practicing beyond 24 Feet / is not productive, in my view, for "Tactical Training" / in the drill above - time standard is 9.5 sec ( Draw Fire 2 - Reload - Fire 2 - Reload - Fire 2 )....and gun goes to slide lock each time.
--------------
Draw and Fire 5 - go to slide lock & Speed Reload & Fire 5 ( 10 rds ) time is 9 sec. ( Draw to 1 shot ( 2.0) 2nd shot (0.5) 3rd (0.5) 4th (0.5) 5th (0.5) ---speed reload to 1shot (3.0) ...and 2 sec for next 4 shots = 9 Sec....
 
I shoot mainly at 20 to 25yds with most of my handguns and out to 50 and 75 with my revolvers since I hunt with them so much. I have shot plenty out to 100 from a rest and even taken several feral hogs out to that distance and a bit further from field positions, but I don't make that a regular practice.
 
saleen322 go dude. I agree with you anything closer than 50 yards is too close. 100 yard free hand 200 yards rested if the range had a 300 yard I'd give it a try. I can hit gongs out to 500 yards but they are fairly large. but most of my pistols have scopes:eek:
 
90% of my handgun shooting is at 25 feet.
5% is at 15 or 20 feet (mostly point shooting).
5% is at 35-50 feet (limit imposed by my indoor range's equipment).
 
I usually practice at 10-15 yards, but recently ive been shooting some warm .44 snubs that respond best at the ranges of yards of the seven kind. :cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top