At the Local Gun Store...

[ghitch75]

lets put it this way.....i'M goin'get ya at 80y marker with my 1911.....just sayin'

 

[traderdan]

I have had a lot of fun killing concrete blocks at 75-100 yards with large caliber revolvers...of course this was several years ago when I could afford to shoot! It would be fun to try to shoot 9s or 40s, at that range.

 

[TEK]

in the old days I read that cavalrymen liked to try and get the handgun muzzle up against the other guy's chest before pulling the trigger

I guess that is pretty much how it happened to Trayvon.

I dont see a lot of use for practicing 50 Y shots for anybody unless a handgun hunter, maybe SF operator that might take long handgun shots. Waste of ammunition. Training should focus on what is most likely to happen because time is limited and training for what is most un-likely is counter-productive.

At the outside, for people who don't have a sporting or professional need to develop the long handgun shot as a specialized skill, I think half the distance is useful and thats about it. 75 feet. What's the distance of most indoor ranges-- arent most 75 feet?

 

[Manatee]

Aim small, hit small.

 

[Birds Away]

There was once a scenario proposed on INGO where you were on a walk with you wife and young child. Young child is riding his/her bike with training wheels or whatever and gets up ahead of the group about 50 yds or so. All of the sudden car pulls up, grabs child and tries to flee.

What do you do?

You sure the heck won't be running the other way...

While long pistol shots are VERY VERY VERY unlikely, they aren't completely outside of the realm of possibility.

If you think it is wise to take a 50yd shot with your child in very close proximity to the target then go for it. There is absolutely no way I would take that shot.

 

[1775usmarine]

I was always taught in the service suppressing fire while advancing on the enemy. Yet in the real world here wouldn't be good since ammo isn't cheap. I would head the other way, but making sure if they did follow I could get a clean shot if they closed the distance.

 

[actaeon277]

I'll just leave this here....

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...vehicle_at_50yds_with_a_pistol_pics_vids.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...5-shooting_a_third_party_scenario_inside.html

Thanks. Those were great threads.

Here is a real world shooting incident that happened on an USAF Base. In 1994 at Fairchild AFB in Spokane Washington the AF was getting ready to discharge a young man because of Psychiatric reasons. He showed up at the base hospital with a MAK 90. He deliberately targeted his Dr then started shooting up everyone in sight. 5 killed 23 wounded. As the AF Security Police were responding a lone patrolman on a bicycle patrol raced for a mile and started to deploy onto the scene when the shooter came out of the building. The AF Security Policeman dropped prone and immediately engaged at a distance of 73 yards. AMN Brown shot 4 rounds striking the gunman 3 times killing him.

A hero

If that link does not work try this and also "view related story"

Looking back: Fairchild shootings - Spokesman Mobile - June 17, 2010

As a side note ever since the Beretta M9 was adopted from the Model 15 revolver in 1988 by the USAF all AF SP personnel carried it with a round in the chamber and weapon on fire with a 15 round mag in the gun and spare 15 round mag on the belt. In 1999 because of this and several other shootings on AF bases the Chief security Forces got with JAG and was cleared to issue 9mm 124 grain JHP rounds for use and issue for all Security Forces at stateside bases in their M9 handguns. JAG ruled using JHP at stateside duty stations was not a violation of the Hague treaty since they are performing a LE duty. When you deploy you revert to ball ammo. M16 and M4's are still issued with FMJ ball ammo.

That guy was awesome. Had to ride a bike to the area, engage a rifle armed opponent, and 3 out of 4 hits.

If you think it is wise to take a 50yd shot with your child in very close proximity to the target then go for it. There is absolutely no way I would take that shot.

Because you may not normally need to do that, does not follow that you may never need to do that.
In all probability, you will never need your pistol or rifle.
Yet you still train.
A group of children being shot up by a wack job may not have time for you to run up, and I don't know if I could live with myself with the run away option.

 

[CountryBoy19]

If you think it is wise to take a 50yd shot with your child in very close proximity to the target then go for it. There is absolutely no way I would take that shot.

No need to argue about it in this thread, its certainly a bad scenario all-around, but I certainly wasn't proposing shooting the person that has your child in their arms...

If you want to see the discussion on it look for the thread... IIRC Esrice did a "test" to compare if running toward the threat or taking a supported position to shoot would be better...

 

[lovemachine]

No need to argue about it in this thread, its certainly a bad scenario all-around, but I certainly wasn't proposing shooting the person that has your child in their arms...

If you want to see the discussion on it look for the thread... IIRC Esrice did a "test" to compare if running toward the threat or taking a supported position to shoot would be better...

Link to thread has been posted.

 

[cmamath13]

I read this this week and thought of this post. Perhaps it will help someone debating this issue.

FBI focuses firearms training on close-quarters combat

 

[gregkl]

After all, why not take some long shots too? It's all practice.

Isn't Action Pistol a sport? Or is it strictly training? Either way I agree take the long shots.

If it's sport, there is no harm in missing other than your ego maybe.

If it's training, then you will start to learn your capabilities.

 

[Roscoe38]

add text

Bull's eye

Anybody ever watch one of these matches? Its kind of like watching paint dry, but these guys can shoot.

NRA conventional pistol competition consists of firing slow, timed, and rapid fire. This is done at 50 and 25 yards outdoors and almost exclusively at 50 feet indoors. Generally an outdoor match will consist of 20 shots, slow fire at 50 yards (2 10-shot strings, 10 minutes per string), 20 shots, timed fire at 25 yards (4 5-shot strings, 20 seconds per string), 20 shots, rapid fire at 25 yards (4 5-shot strings, 10 seconds per string), and the National Match Course (10-shots, slow fire at 50 yards, 10-shots timed fire, and 10-shots rapid fire). This match consists of 90-shots for a possible aggregate total of 900 points. For a 2700 aggregate this match is fired once with each gun; .22 caliber rimfire, centerfire, and .45 caliber. Many match programs call for only one or two guns, that is a 900 or 1800 aggregate.
Most indoor tournaments are fired with .22 caliber rimfire only for a 900 aggregate. However, some indoor matches use all guns for a complete 2700 aggregate.

 

[Voldemort]

I agree with OP, in this day and age you better make sure you cant run before you drop the hammer. Im surprised the leo said that.

 

[GoldenBear]

A friend of mine was giving me crap for not shooting in the Action Pistol event recently. I told him that I really didn't like the 50yd shots as I thought they were of no use to me as far as training goes.

What are your thoughts about the long shots in Action Pistol in regards to training?

The significant majority (70%) of targets at my local action pistol matches (USPSA, IDPA, three-gun, outlaw) are 5-15 yds from the shooter. About 10% are closer, about 10% are farther. When I'm on the road to other matches, I see about the same ratio (some vary close, some very far, most mid-distance). The stages or scenarios at action pistol matches usually change match-to-match; so the very long distance target you say last month is unlikely to repeat itself in the next.

To waste an opportunity for fun (or an opportunity for training) because if one 50-yard shoot is foolish. A target is usually shot with two rounds. The round usually averages about 90-100 rounds fired, for a four-stage monthly match (what the Action Pistol matches in your area present to may vary).

To miss an opportunity to have 98 rounds of practice, on targets at more realistic ranges (ie less than 25 yards) (and at a variety of ranges and presentations, with drawing from the holster, with movement, while on the clock, while being evaluated for accuracy, with time pressure, responsibility of clearing malfunctions and keeping the pistol loaded) because of one target (that may or may not be there at the next match) is to waste an opportunity.