Definition of a Good Shot With a Handgun

[slowG]

Call me crazy but...

I think a good shoot is as simple as hitting the intended target. A pistol is only designed to shoot close range. I wouldnt get to worried about hitting things far out of efficiency.

Its a strange bit of information your seeking, i wish you the best of luck!

 

[SSGSAD]

Okay, these kind of threads are problematic, I know. I'm not looking for "If you can hit what you're aiming at," or any other witticisms. I don't shoot in competition, nor do I plan to. I just want a standard to work toward. So, let me make my questions more precise:

Shooting at less than 1 second per shot, what size group would you shoot at 10 yards if you were an "expert"? What's intermediate? What's just adequate?

Shooting unsupported, what does an expert shoot at 25 yards? (Please spare me the wisdom that I don't need to shoot people 25 yards away) What is reasonably good at 25 yards?

I'm looking for a measuring stick that I can't seem to find.

I am practicing, for my qual., with my handgun at work.....

190, is qual., I shot a 220..... and missed the target 3 times, at 25 yards..... Left hand, and I am right handed....

JMHO, if you are NOT competing, get rid of the time..... I USED to be able to put 5 out of 6 shots in the head of a silhouette, at 25 yards Many years ago, when I was in the USMC .....

Military timed fire is 10 shots in one min., slow fire is 1 shot per min., and this is with an m-16 rifle .....

 

[churchmouse]

So 8 yards. Not bad cm. That's a dead plate!!

It surrendered after the 1st mag but I had to be sure.

 

[Trigger Time]

It surrendered after the 1st mag but I had to be sure.

They're ruthless if you don't put them down for sure!

 

[rvb]

 

[Bfish]

This is the picture of some steel I shot. To me this is honestly better than I hold as the minimum fist sized... So what that tells me is that can shoot faster than I did right there.

 

[ModernGunner]

If ya look at the post #10 (churchmouse), that's the type of paper plate I use most often, for myself or students. Best part is they're real cheap and available almost everywhere, probably even the local gas station.

For a new shooter, our goal is to keep all shots somewhere on that paper plate at a close distance (say, 2 yds. +/-), and increase the distance as we progress and confidence builds. Many students find that 2 yd. distance quite easy, maybe too easy, after initial familiarization with the gun. That's good, that's what we want! We WANT it to feel 'easy', as that encourages them to enjoy shooting and realize it's not as difficult as they might initially believe ("Hey, I can do THAT!") rather than have them thinking, "I suck, I'll never be able to do this!"

We progress until they're hitting that plate consistently with 'rapid, controlled fire'. For myself and my students, that does not mean 'as fast as you can pull the trigger', but perhaps 75% - 80% of that speed. That's "rapid, controlled fire". And that's "combat speed" for my instruction purposes.

For myself, I use the same plate (usually 9") but use the inner, 'non-scalloped' flat area of the plate (about 6" - as churchmouse did in that photo, save a few shots @ '6:30 - 7:00'). I usually take a marker and just make a dot or cross or something on it somewhere in the middle so I have an aiming point. I've even gotten REALLY 'fancy', and used those colored sticker 'dots' like ya use for prices at a yard sale. 'Cause, I'm a 'big spender' and good like that!

Similarly, that's 'combat accuracy' by my (and my students) definition. Others may disagree, but try this: Take one of those plates and lay it against your chest area. Go ahead, move it around a bit on your body. Take that 'flat' portion and place it in front of your face. You'll notice that hits on that plate are assuredly 'combat effective', let alone on the inner portion. That, by MY lone definition is 'combat speed with combat accuracy'.

Then, we increase distance in small increments, usually a couple yards at a time (5' - 6'). And begin adding in 'stress factors'.

In a real combat scenario, if a zombie has hits coming at them at that speed with that accuracy at, say 25 yds. +/- (75' +/-), they ain't gonna be happy.

That's definitely some good, effective 'combat shooting' at 25' for churchmouse (not sure of the speed, as he didn't state it). Anyone shooting that well under the real stress of a combat situation most assuredly qualifies for the 'medal'. Not as "Expert" or "Distinguished Expert", but as "Lethal".

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I shoot paper plates too. I have been sitting up three plates, one each at 10, 15 and 25 yards, with a good deal of distance left to right. I draw from a concealed holster and fire two shots at each target as soon as I get a sight picture. If I get all hits and I pushed the time, I figure I am doing OK, but if I have all hits and the groups are tight, I need to go quicker. If I miss any targets, I need to slow down. No matter what, I need to be faster and more accurate.

 

[Denny347]

Okay, these kind of threads are problematic, I know. I'm not looking for "If you can hit what you're aiming at," or any other witticisms. I don't shoot in competition, nor do I plan to. I just want a standard to work toward. So, let me make my questions more precise:

Shooting at less than 1 second per shot, what size group would you shoot at 10 yards if you were an "expert"? What's intermediate? What's just adequate?

Shooting unsupported, what does an expert shoot at 25 yards? (Please spare me the wisdom that I don't need to shoot people 25 yards away) What is reasonably good at 25 yards?

I'm looking for a measuring stick that I can't seem to find.

From 12 yards or so and up, if my group is larger than 5" then I'm doing something wrong. 25 yards and I like to keep my groups inside 10-12". However, force on force training will be the test of your fundamentals. I do great shooting at paper. When I starting shooting under stress I tend to look over my rights a bit too much...reducing my accuracy. If I judged my shooting ability on paper targets alone I would have misjudged my abilities and my weaknesses.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I was trained by well,,nevermind. I just emptied my magazines at 25 yards in 14 seconds. Two hands.

Not as impressive one-handed, but still impressive.

 

[bwframe]

Here is something to play with:

Dot Torture Shooting Drill | Active Response Training

http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/dot-torture-target.pdf

 

[dtkw]

Not as impressive one-handed, but still impressive.

Hahaha, thanks, Casey once said, "if you have to shoot your way out, make sure you hit what you aim, I don't care you use one hand or two hands, just hit it."

 

[1861navy]

At 25 yards I can stay within 15 inches w/ a sec or less between shots. Though I just recently, within the past year or so, got good at 25 yards, it took a bit to get the hang of. I would like to try it under pressure and in a safe setting to really see how much better I've gotten.

Personally though, to me a person who is a good shot can shoot instinctively, call their targets and be right on or within inches depending on distance.

 

[Kutnupe14]

At 25 yards I can stay within 15 inches w/ a sec or less between shots. Though I just recently, within the past year or so, got good at 25 yards, it took a bit to get the hang of. I would like to try it under pressure and in a safe setting to really see how much better I've gotten.

Personally though, to me a person who is a good shot can shoot instinctively, call their targets and be right on or within inches depending on distance.

I can do that out to 15 yards on a good day, but at 10, that's gravy. 25 yards... just make sure you're a step or 2 behind me. lol

 

[M67]

What about groups at 50 yards or further?

 

[You'll shoot your eye out]

One handed with my snub nosed .357, I am putting 5 shots into a paper plate on the 50' range. I don't consider that a great shot but on the other hand 50' seems well beyond the distance I should be using a handgun defensibly.

 

[Kutnupe14]

What about groups at 50 yards or further?

I haven't done that since the academy.

 

[Maximinus Thrax]

Here is something to play with:

Dot Torture Shooting Drill | Active Response Training

http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/dot-torture-target.pdf

Is that printed on 8.5x11? I really like drills like that one but I have a lot of issues when I start speeding up. I think it's high time I looked up an instructor to help me iron out some bad habits and help guide my practicing.

As of now, I focus on delivering shots with aprox. 1 sec intervals at increasing distances aiming for a fist sized hole. Once I get out to 15yds, 1 sec intervals and fist sized accuracy suffer dramatically.

As to what I consider a "good shot". That depends on what you're aiming for. Me, I'm aiming for the dead center and I get frustrated when I don't hit it at any distance. By that standard, I'm not a very good shot beyond about 7 yards. I'm working on it though. It all depends on where you set your personal standard and how much you want to challenge yourself.

 

[Birds Away]

I shoot a lot but am not a good shot. I am limited by my failing eyesight and 25yds is a struggle. Keeping all of my shots on a paper plate at 10yds isn't much of a struggle but doing so while moving is very challenging as I usually shoot indoors and don't get to practice movement too much.

 

[hps]

Used to make my kids nuts shooting 25 yds. off hand. Then the steel at 50. Now it is fun to ring the gong at 100. Not every shot but more than you would think with a .45

50yds not a problem, 100 yds I'm not so good. it is fun though!!
I did this exact thing at MCFG yesterday, 7-15 yds Im spot on!