CCW practice: what distance?

[cvigue]

I inadvertently derailed a thread by posting this target I shot at 8 yds:




Some say one should practice from much further, some say not.


Also, if any mods want to transplant those replies here ....

[Cokebottle]

Most CCW incidents happen at less than 15ft, so theoretically, 5 yards "point shooting" is sufficient.

There's also the issue that at very close ranges, you are likely going to be pulling your gun back into your body while possibly using your support hand to fend off the attacker... so you aren't even "aiming"... that's going to be the situation at 1-3 yards.

BUT... under duress, unless you are a seasoned combat vet with nerves of steel, that nice group is going to be 2-3x that size at best.

But at 8 yards, I think that's a good range to practice.
I generally run 5 and 10 yards with the majority of shooting at 5 yards (on the police practice targets which are 16 apple-sized dots)

[glug]

If you can shoot that tight a group at 8 yards you should be shooting faster...

[cvigue]

If you can shoot that tight a group at 8 yards you should be shooting faster...

That was 10 in ~15 seconds, the range won't let us go much faster. If I push it and go maybe 2x as fast the group does open up quite a bit. Faster than that and they start telling us to slow down

[ElvenSoul]

7 to 8 yardd fast drills. Then slower shots at 12 yards and 17 yards. Then take a couple of shots at 30 yards. Every once in awhile I take a couple shots at 70 yards.

I never practiced shooting the carry guns at range till I read this.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/08/one-year-later-long-range-peach-house.html?m=1

[CandG]

I find that shooting from 300 yards helps me identify areas where I can improve, anything closer than that and the groups are too tight.

Seriously, 10 yards is fine for me, like I said in the other thread. I practice at other distances with other handguns, but with my CCW pistols I don't see the point. I'm never going to shoot at anyone 75 feet away with my P238, so why practice like I would?

I understand the concept of "more distance will exaggerate your groups to help you identify issues", but the fact is, if you shoot from so far back that your groups are enormous and random, then you're not really learning anything from it.

If you're a hotshot marksmen who can punch dime-sized groups with a Ruger LC9 at 75 feet consistently, then fine, increase your range. But realistically it's unlikely that anyone here can do that. 10yds should be good for 99% of us.

[rm1911]

You'll need multiple targets, 10-12 at least, anywhere from 3 feet to 25 yards. And a couple at 50-60 yds as well. Staggered and offset, some partially covered, some actually moving if possible. Each target should be engaged multiple times, and not in specific pattern or order. You should be easily and quickly transitioning from the 20 yd targets to the 3-4 yd targets, reloading and retransitioning between targets to the left and right, and at different distances.

Each round should be anywhere from 50-75 rounds, multiple reloads and must include 2-3 dummy rounds randomly in the mags so you experience failure and recovery from failure. You should be firing from covered and uncovered positions, offhand and weak hand.

That would be a good start.

[CandG]

^ In the woods or on a private range, that's a great idea and I try to do a similar type of setup. But unfortunately that can be tricky when you have to stay within a single shooting lane

[Matt P]

Yes, practice from

BTW, this is the single thing you need to do to greatly improve. All you need to do is

[ElvenSoul]

In SoCal there is Prado

[cvigue]

^ In the woods or on a private range, that's a great idea and I try to do a similar type of setup. But unfortunately that can be tricky when you have to stay within a single shooting lane

Yeah, back in America we go to a gravel quarry with a combination of clay targets and steel, and set up from maybe 20yds on out to at least 100yds, but here in the PRK, yes, I have to stick to a lane. Since I moved to LA is the first time I've gone to a 'real' range much and I have to admit, the luxury of being indoors and having the targets come and go at the push of a button is sort of nice.

[boopiejones]

I was at an indoor range with a friend. He was on the lane next to me and suggested that I alternate between shooting my target and then his target. I figured the range officer was going to toss my butt out, but I loaded a mag and gave it a go. It was actually quite Liberating. Makes me want to move out of state.

To answer the OPs question, anything more than 10 yards is probably useless. You are never going to shoot someone in a ccw situation at 50 or 75 yards. If you did, your reason for shooting would be called into question unless the person you shot was far away AND had a gun to the head of a family member AND was shouting aloha snackbar. But that is a one in a gazillion scenario. More than likely, a ccw situation will arise at very close range.

[ACfixer]

I generally step off 7 yards for CCW practice.

[static2126]

10, 15, 25, and occasional 50 yard pistol for me

15 and 25 primarily

[MotoFahren]

That was 10 in ~15 seconds, the range won't let us go much faster. If I push it and go maybe 2x as fast the group does open up quite a bit. Faster than that and they start telling us to slow down

What you are describing is not CCW practice, it's just target shooting.

You need to find a range that will allow you to draw from concealment, put 1-5 rounds on target, from any distance.