What ranges do most people practice handguns?

My regular practice range is a 50 yard indoor facility.

My normal routine is to warm up with a Ruger Mk II in .22LR at 10 and then 15 yards. Then I switch to my various 9mm pistols where I practice at 15 and 25 yards. I'm pretty damn good at 15 yards, adequate at 25.

At 50 yards I can't even see the target worth a damn, let alone hit it.

I recently acquired a .380 Elsie Pea and while due to an injury I have not even fired it yet, when I do I will probably practice it at 8 yards. Anything farther away than that isn't self-defense anymore.
 
When drawing from the holster and trying to get hits as fast as possible, I'm generally doing 5-10 yds. When I'm shooting to get to know a new handload I'm generally going to set 'em up at 7 yds to start with. When I get out the bigger range toys that I would never intentionally select for self defense (6" EAA Hunter, 6" LAR Grizzly, etc) I've been doing 15 yds. This is all offhand shooting, two hands, no rest (freestyle if you will).

When I start thinking to myself "Man, you're pretty good!", then I run the targets down to 20 and 25 yds, shoot a pie-plate sized group, deflate the ego and get back on track again. ;)
 
Shoot five inch targets with a one inch bulls eye at 7, 10, 15 and sometimes 25 yards. That's my standard practice routine.

I usually start at the bottom right target at 7 yards, shoot one gun five rounds (if 1911 a full mag); move to the middle target still at 7 yards, shoot a different gun (same load); move to the bottom left target, same distance, shoot a third gun, same loading.

Move target to 10 yards, repeat routine. Move target to 15 yards, repeat routine.

Usually, if I shoot at 25 yards, it will be with one selected pistol, shooting approx. 25 rounds.

A variation of the routine, using three separate guns, is to use only one gun. Start at bottom right using right hand only; move to middle, use both hands; move to the left, shoot left hand only. Move target to 10 yards and then to 15 yards using the same sequence, right hand, both hands, left hand.
 
My primary practice ranges are between 5 and 10 yards (self defense range, and that's the size of the pistol area at my range). For fun or for hunting revolvers I'll go out to 25 mostly (I won't take a shot at game much further out with a pistol myself), and occasionally 50 for fun.

Never tried anything longer than 50 with a hand gun.
 
I usually shoot from 15 yards (45 feet). But I can still hit a paper plate at 50 yards if I take my time. But since realistically, a self defense shot would be closer than 15 yards, that's what I focus on.
 
It's my understanding that most service pistols are considered combat effective out to 50 m and are nominally sighted in at 25 m. I also understand that the vast majority of police and self-defense shootings are within 10 yd, and most of these within 7 yd.

As it is hard to envision a scenario where a range beyond 25 yd would be regarded as a valid self-defense shooting, I'd say:

- long range -- 25 yd
- medium range -- 10 yd
- short range -- 5 yd.

Practicing at point-blank range makes practical sense, but I think that can be done through dry-fire practice (assuming a man-sized target).

Another way to put your long-range rifle experience into perspective: I assume you can achieve 1 minute-of-angle precision at 1,000 yd benchresting a quality rifle. Shooting a combat pistol offhand I'd say you're doing well with 20 moa precision. Thus, shooting the pistol at 50 yd should be about as challenging as shooting your rifle at 1,000 yd.
 
Anywhere from a yard to 25 yards depending on the drill/what I'm trying to practice. Most of my shooting probably happens in the 7-10 yards though. Rarely past 15 yards.
 
Under 7 yards with everything with the exception of the .44mag Super Blackhawk, I practice to 75 yards with it since I hunt deer with it.
 
For my primary CC guns, LCP, Shield, and XDs I practice at 7 and 10 yards, and to a lesser extent see what I can do at 50 feet. For my bedside Bump-in-the- Night Guns, M&P Pro 9 and XDm .45 I practice at 10 yards, 50 feet, and 25 yards. In all cases I practice more at the shorter distance, because that is where "God forbid it ever happens" I will be shooting them in self defense - and want to have accurate shots become almost second nature, at any speed I'm shooting.

Like the old Golf adage, "Drive for show, but put for dough" - same with shooting self defense handguns. If you can group nicely at 25 yards, good for you - your range buddies will take notice - but how can you do at 7 yards shooting as fast as you can pull the trigger? Teach them properly, Major
 
I usually practice with my carry guns from 10-35 feet during a range session, with the majority of that being right around 21 feet. The only time I shoot handguns at longer distances than that is in the occasional match or just as a fun challenge when at a longer range.
 
The club I belong to has a "combat" range and the distance is 25 feet. That is what I use for practice with most of my handguns. With my carry piece I practice at 5 yards.
 
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