TexasCHLforum.com

Yesterday I met a new friend who is a member of the Dallas
Pistol and Revolver Club, 1830 Belt Line Road, <Carrollton?>,
which is just west of the Luna Road/George Bush Turnpike.

He is an experienced shooter with many NRA competitions behind
him, both in handguns and long guns.

Now usually when pistols are shot, self defense ranges (3-15 yards, say)
are used.

Well, the range we were on was outdoors and had target holders only at
25 and 50 yards. Since we were using pistols, we set the targets at 25 yards.

I got to shoot his Ruger LCP (trigger seemed awfully unrefined and notchy),
his Ruger 10-22 with scope (very accurate) and his pride and joy, which was
a 1945 Colt 1911. This 1911 had been given some kind of special tuning
at Fort Benning, GA before he got it. We shot some 185 grain semi-wadcutters
out of the 1911, then some 200 grains. He's a handloader.

Between us, we shot 59 rounds from my own PT111.

Although it was fun to shoot all those new guns, plus my own, it's a rather
humbling experience to see the targets after engaging them with the shorter
barrel weapons. If the threat was 25 yards away, it would be hard to hit them
with a 3.125" barrel weapon (mine), or an LCP. Luckily, at 25 yards, you should not
need to engage them if they are not approaching you quickly.

SIA

I was last there about 3 weeks ago. That part of the range you were at is called the Bullseye range. I shot a 2" barreled .357 magnum J-framed revolver and hit the target at 25 yards on every shot but one. I fired 50 rounds. The one was a flinch, early on, that caused me to pull the round down to where it hit the top of the berm in front of the target stand. After that, I got a handle on it and did fine.

But you're right. It is a lot harder to hit a paper target accurately at 25 yards than a steel plate at 10 or 15 yards. Plus, the steel plates score hits as hits. The paper targets score where you hit. You can hit the paper, and still miss. They are really two different things. One is more about hitting a target in a tactical scenario. The other is about marksmanship.

...all of which reminds me that I need to get there this weekend.

I may be there this Sat for the RWG match.

I always shoot handguns at 25 yards. If the BG's are farther away, I plan to run like hell. But I don't want them getting any closer. Armed Citizen reports suggest repeatedly that they can't shoot well, even up close. So I think of 25 yards as my edge in a bad situation.

My late uncle was on the Army pistol team and trophied regularly in small caliber, revolver and large caliber (1911). I still have his pistols. Twenty five yards was the competition distance and that's what he taught me to shoot at, though it's been a while since I've shot distances like that.

I remember my dad and I shooting his new Security Six and we were all over the paper, we had a 25 yd target set up at the cabin. We were making comments like it was the recoil from the hot rounds. My uncle hurumphed and my dad challenged him to prove it. He came up and fired five times, off hand, in about 12 secs. He dropped the pistol to his side and said, "Man I'm getting sloppy, got one in the nine ring." By that he had split the line between the x and the 9. Twenty five yards is inflating compared to shooting with my uncle. I miss him.

surprise_i'm_armed wrote: Luckily, at 25 yards, you should not
need to engage them if they are not approaching you quickly.

I dunno, check out "the 121 foot rule" post in the off-topic section.

For me, 25 yards is the standard range for pistol practice. I learned a lot as a teenager at the Wednesday night pistol league shoots at 25 yards. It was pure country-boy, "stand on your hind legs and shoot like a man", one-handed bullseye, but that reinforced the basic of marksmanship.

I'll shoot at whatever distance is available, but prefer 25 yards. The easiest range for me to use has only two spots for shooting a pistol beyond 15 yards, and those only go to 25 yards. Certainly, the CHL qualification course is important and not a bad thing to practice. But to advance, you need to stretch and strain a bit. A little precision shooting mixed in with run-n-gun.

50 yards will definitely strain the typical carry pistol - but you might be surprised. It is a standard distance for pistol competition, and was long before the spaceguns that rule bullseye these days.

I also want to know what my pistol and ammunition will do at various ranges. I don't plan on engaging a BG at 50 meters, but I want to have that capability, or at least have an idea at what range I CAN probably hit him.

BG's not dangerous beyond X yards? If they're shooting at me, they're dangerous. At that point, I want options.

It's always good to push yourself in terms of speed, or accuracy. I never thought I'd be able to hit anything at 80yds untill we put a steel popper out there and started shooting. It'll also help you realize the difference between a pistol that's comfortable to carry and one that will exceed your abilities.

I practice at 25 and further. It is hunbmling and takes practice. With my 45 XD I shoot very well at 25 yards +...with my little 380 or my snubbie not so well! granted my little 380 is not a long range gun and the trigger prevents "Me" from being as accurates as I am with my other handguns. But that said practicing at long ranges really helps the 3-15 yard shot seem easy. Shooting at long ranges forces you to use proper mechanics and sight picture and trigger control. When you get up close it seems like a chip shot!

I've started shooting this with my 22 every other practice session. It takes a very different mindset than my usual IDPA type practice. The timed draws and weak hand shooting keep it from being too boring. Shooting a pistol from kneeling and prone is also a very different proposition.

Gringop

From Kyle Defore's blog,
*******************************************
700 point Aggregate
It's called The Humbler for a reason;
All at 25 yds. on an NRA B-8.

Stage 1- 10 rds slow fire in 10 min
Stage 2- 5 rds in 20 sec from the draw X 2
Stage 3- 5 rds in 10 sec from the draw X 2
Stage 4- 5 rds strong hand in 5 min
Stage 5- 5 rds in 20 sec strong hand from the draw
Stage 6- 5 rds in 10 sec strong hand from the draw
Stage 7- 5 rds weak hand in 5 min
Stage 8- 5 rds kneeling in 5 min
Stage 9- 5 rds in 20 sec standing to kneel with the draw
Stage 10-5 rds prone in 5 min
Stage 11-5 rds in 20 sec standing to prone with the draw
********************************************************************

I can hit pretty well at 25yds with my 3.?? inch Kimber Ultra. GF does pretty well at that range with a 2" snubbie. You need practice and then some more practice. I do have issues with every .380 I have tried at distance but the .45 and 9mm do fine.

This was my first range session at 25 yards. I like my Taurus
for its reliability, looks, and adequate round capacity. But I feel
that its drawback is in the accuracy department.

I have shot a 3" barrel XD and was much more accurate with it than
my gun. Be that as it may, I believe that I could hit COM on a threat
with the PT111, and that's the bottom line in a self defense encounter.

For a moveup gun I have considered 4" barrel guns, but might as well
go for a 5" barrel, in the interest of improving accuracy at any distance,
as well as improving the fps of exiting rounds.

The actual purchase may not conform to the current opinions expressed
above! :-)

SIA