Combat pistol accuracy poll

[kludge]

Originally Posted by NHT3

What do you consider good slow fire accuracy with a combat type pistol at 7 yards?

Accuracy for the pistol or the shooter?

[antsi]

Originally Posted by kludge

Accuracy for the pistol or the shooter?

I don't think I have ever shot a handgun that wasn't capable of a 1-2" group at 7 yards, which I'd consider plenty accurate for most self defense purposes.

Just about anything made by SIG, Glock, Colt, Springfield, S&W, Ruger, Taurus, or any of the major manufacturers, should be capable of that.

Kludge's point is well taken, though - if that level of performance is not being attained, it is far more likely a problem with the shooter than a problem with the gun.

[NHT3]

Interesting so far. My groups are usually all touching at 7 yards on a good day although I still toss a flyer out once in a while. I don't know where they come from but I suspect lack of concentration may be a contributing factor. With practice my groups get smaller and flyers lessen greatly. Part of my reason for the post was my experiences at the range lately. It seems that many people are satisfied with 8 or 10" groups at 7 yards and that boggles my mind. Rather than ask someone what they might be doing wrong they just muddle happily along. Again just my . It seems I'm about normal for someone that practices on a regular basis. One thing is sure, I haven't seen any of the people that posted at the range

[Jay]

At 7 yards, I teach folks to try and keep all shots (fast and slow) on a 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper. Small groups are a bonus) To me, that's "minute of man". I say that because 7 yards or less is personal protection distance(my opinion), and shots placed on a 8.5" x11" target at that distance will usually impact an aggressor. Hold that sheet up to your chest and pick the hole you want to be shot through.

All things considered, acceptable group size is highly subjective, and should be important only to each individual. What a given gun is capable of is not always what a given shooter can do. I usually shoot golfball-sized groups at 21 feet, slow fire with my 1911's and a little worse with the revolvers....... but I'm looking thru tri-focals, and try and yank a shot here and there just to prove I still can..... psst, I still can !!

as always, just my

[kludge]

To Jay's point, in our classes we start everybody on sandbags at 15ft. shooting at blank paper plates.

It's rare that by the end of the shooting hour that a person can't keep a good 3-4" group on the paper plate, and usually, with a gun that they are confortable shooting, 2" groups and sometimes less.

If you are shooting slow fire or rapid fire and your groups are 2" or less you need to move back or increase the pace.

4" groups centered on the target are wholly adequate for SD. If you're not getting at least 4" groups, move closer or slow down, or improve your technique.

And as Ansti pointed out, any good "combat" pistol or revolver I've ever shot is 2" accurate in slow fire from a combat stance from 7 yards.

I'm not always that good, but the gun certainly is.

[jimbo-indy]

Something like this is about what the informed replies are talking about. The total spread here is right at 3". Thisis 24 rounds (4 cylinders w/ moon clips)fired as quickly as I could regain sight picture with a S&W 610. I'm not that good. Just an example of the group size being referred to.

[Rob377]

This is 7 yds, 104rds in 15 minutes, including time to reload mags. (Each mag was emptied in ~10sec or less)
I'm too much of a perfectionist to call this acceptable though.

[Crimson]

Agreed. Less than 2" at 7-10yards.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by NHT3

What do you consider good slow fire accuracy with a combat type pistol at 7 yards? I know what I consider acceptable but would like some other opinions.
Give me a group size for a ten shot group.

At seven yards small groups should be easily attained such as 2" or smaller.

[G-Niner]

Two inches at seven yards slow fire is very doable with a carry piece, four or five inches for rapid fire. Seven yards is very close.