What is decent shooting?

[Panhead Bill]

I don't really have a frame of reference for what is decent shooting with a handgun. I've been shooting recreationally for a long time, but never paid that much attention to my accuracy. Since I've been CCW, the reality set in that I have a responsibility to hit what I'm shooting at. Since I've been shooting at the range (rather than my backyard). I've consistently shooting (sometimes better/sometimes worse) about 3-5" groupings at 7 yards. O course the goal is to improve, but (1) am I within the range of decent shooting? and (2) what range should I be practicing at?

sorry for the dumb question, but hey, what can you do?

PH Bill

[libertarian]

The best way to find out is to take some classes, or compete in some IDPA matches.

While you might be making 3-5" @ 7y (which is in the range of 'decent' I'd say) under 'range' conditions and slow fire, you might find your accuracy goes completely to pot under combat conditions or when trying to fire quickly or in low light.

Find a good trainer in your area, or make a road trip to So Cal and visit with CCWI. A trained shooter is a confident shooter!

[AMS MIKE]

We have a member here who shoots dime size targets. Compared to her, If I hit the paper I am

[El Gato]

What is sufficient in hitting the target?

We use what are called "null" targets. That is a standard IPSC target with a 3.5 hole sawn from the middle. The object is to shoot through the hole and not shoot the cardboard. Thunder Ranch uses the same target and that is where I stole/borrowed/lifted etc. the idea. The thought is you should hit the hole at speed, and then extend the range until you are hitting the cardboard then work on your accuracy until you can hit the hole at speed and then extend the range again.

We like the null target because if you shoot correctly, you are looking through the sights and not looking for the hole in the target. It re-focuses your eyes on the sights not the results of a hole in the paper. If you are shooting well, there is no evidence on the target... you learn to trust the front sight by watching the sight...not by diverting your attention to the paper... works very very well... At the dept. I work for we start all new shooters on Null targets to refocus off of their performance on paper and onto trusting the sights....

So if you can hit a 3.5 inch hole all of the time at speed...I think that is good enough! .... peg the happy guage!

[sealbeach]

Sounds decent to me! "would the threat to your life be stopped?" is another question, if it looks like you have good groups in the critical areas, then the answer would be "yes", and "its good enough".

I personally would love to put 10 shots in a row right into the 10 ring, but it rarely happens, however, over time, if you keep practicing, and training, it will be consistantly better and better.

I think we all worry about high stress situations--hands shake, you jerk the shot, flinch, etc. I am not a LEO under fire, so I can't tell how I would do, but all most of us can do is to try the drill over and over again.

Taking classes with CCWInstructor has been extremely helpful, you get to try out different scenarios, and different type of situations (turn and fire, shoot while walking, engage multiple targets, etc.).

Also, although I practice with man-shaped or sized targets, I also use targets with scores printed on them, it is useful to actually score your targets sometimes, to see if your aim is really improving (it probably is). This is especially important in longer range shooting, when my scores drop noticeable, it either means I have just started doing something wrong, or I am tired, etc. (time to go home, usually!).

[Trinity]

Originally Posted by AMS MIKE

We have a member here who shoots dime size targets. Compared to her, If I hit the paper I am

We all have our good and our not so good days.......

[El Gato]

another thought... If I put 10 shots through the same hole on a bad guy... what good does that do? Maybe better to on purpose... put holes in nice neat little checkerboard patterns on the target?

[AMS MIKE]

Originally Posted by El Gato

another thought... If I put 10 shots through the same hole on a bad guy... what good does that do? Maybe better to on purpose... put holes in nice neat little checkerboard patterns on the target?

Double Taps....Triple Taps

[Glock32]

Originally Posted by El Gato

another thought... If I put 10 shots through the same hole on a bad guy... what good does that do? Maybe better to on purpose... put holes in nice neat little checkerboard patterns on the target?

Accelerated pairs will do that for ya! Adrenalin helps, too.
I really like the Null target idea. I need to try that.

[AuburnHunter]

Originally Posted by Glock32

Accelerated pairs will do that for ya! Adrenalin helps, too.
I really like the Null target idea. I need to try that.

+1 I like the idea too. Seems like it would reinforce the idea of focusing on the front sight and not the holes in the target.

[swdr]

Originally Posted by Panhead Bill

I don't really have a frame of reference for what is decent shooting with a handgun.

Don't shoot the good guys.

Originally Posted by Panhead Bill

I've consistently shooting (sometimes better/sometimes worse) about 3-5" groupings at 7 yards.

Shoot 3 inch groups at 7 yards, slow fire. From low-ready, have a buddy tap your shoulder (or fake it yourself) and come up on target as fast as you can and still hit in your 5 inch ring at 7 yards -- then try to reduce *that* to 3 inches. Hit an 8 inch ring at 25 yards, slow fire. Practice the same one-handed (both weak- and strong-hand). Compete in IDPA.

Originally Posted by Panhead Bill

sorry for the dumb question, but hey, what can you do?

Ain't no dumb questions. Heh.

[Panhead Bill]

Thanks for all the pointers, I recognize that I am shooting decently, in fact sometimes I can get it down to 3" groups, but not consistently, and I'm doing well enough to get the bad guy center mass if the waste collides with the oscillating celing fixture. But of course, we all want to be better and I was wondering how I fell within the range of good shooting.

Again, thanks for the advice, I will put some of it into practice.

Panhead Bill

p.s. I'd love to get some formal training, but $$$ is always an issue, as I'm sure most of you are aware.

[JandJDude]

Originally Posted by Panhead Bill

I don't really have a frame of reference for what is decent shooting with a handgun.

At the end of the day, the bad guys are dead and the good guys are alive = good shooting with any sort of firearm.

To get to that point, you need good kit (gun, magazines, sights, etc) and good training (practice, practice, practice. Clean. Reload. Repeat.)

[NikNak]

Originally Posted by sealbeach

Sounds decent to me! "would the threat to your life be stopped?" is another question, if it looks like you have good groups in the critical areas, then the answer would be "yes", and "its good enough".

I personally would love to put 10 shots in a row right into the 10 ring, but it rarely happens, however, over time, if you keep practicing, and training, it will be consistantly better and better.

Also, although I practice with man-shaped or sized targets, I also use targets with scores printed on them, it is useful to actually score your targets sometimes, to see if your aim is really improving (it probably is). This is especially important in longer range shooting, when my scores drop noticeable, it either means I have just started doing something wrong, or I am tired, etc. (time to go home, usually!).

I prefer to leave the smiley face, or my initials on the paper... kinda like in the movie Lethal Weapon.

Older target shooters figure that since they paid for the whole target, they may as well use every ring .....

[THE Gimper]

Originally Posted by NikNak

I prefer to leave the smiley face... on the paper

Been there. Done that. Have the picture.