qualifying distance for pistols

[kingfamous]

What's the normal qualifying distance for pistols? Is it different for 9mm and. 45. ?

[Oneaudiopro]

It's the same for any pistol caliber and the distances range from (police qualifying anyways) one to 25yds.

[kingfamous]

What's the requirements to qualify at 25 yards

[Dan-O]

hit the paper target 26/30 times I think

[Mssr. Eleganté]

Your question is kind of like asking, "How far and fast do you have to run to qualify?"

It depends on what kind of shooting you are doing. Police officers usually have to qualify with their service pistol. Some people have to qualify with a handgun in order to get a concealed handgun permit. Each agency might have different requirements to qualify. The NRA has different qualification requirements for all of the different handgun shooting sports and different qualification levels within those sports.

[kingfamous]

I just want something to compare to as a reference to see how good or bad I am shooting

[tacticalcity]

Police qualifications?

It is much more complicated than that. It varies from academy to academy but it usually goes something like this...

You shoot a silhouette target (human shaped target). You perform certain drills at certain distances within a certain time frame. As in less than a second or two depending on the drill. You will be working from the holster. As in draw and fire a head shot, a controlled pair, a non-standard response, etc. You will start right in front of the target, shoot a drill, then reholster and move back to the next set distance and shoot another drill and so on. You have to perform the drills correctly or you loose points. They will be watching you like a hawk the entire time. Some drills, like malfunction clearance drills do not even involve shooting but can cost you points. At the end your total is added up. You get certain number of points based on where the hits are on the target. If you hit outside the human shape, it counts as a miss. Fire after the time is up and it counts as a miss.

If you really want a leg up, take a 4 Day Defensive Course from one the big name schools. It will be expensive, and require travel, but it is as close to what you will learn at the academy or more intensive as you spend 8 hours a day for all four days at the range. Everyone I know who has done this has done exceedingly well at either boot-camp or their academy.

[IVth Horseman]

My CCW class requirement was 30 shots at 15 yards on a standard NRA target (7-10). You had to score a 255 or better to "pass".

[MrOrange]

My CCW class requirement was 30 shots at 15 yards on a standard NRA target (7-10). You had to score a 255 or better to "pass".

Good info. Not sure which NRA standard target you mean, was it a bullseye target?

I just did a quick search for any CCW test requirements, and although it seems it varies depending on what county you're in, none of the ones I found involved shooting past 7 yards.

I just want something to compare to as a reference to see how good or bad I am shooting

At 7 yards your shots should all be in one big ragged hole.

My personal entirely subjective standard for acceptable precision in a service handgun is 3" groups at 25.

[DCF]

The CCW class that I took uses the B-21 target and fire from 15 yds to 3 yds. You have to hit the center mass that resemble a milk bottle shape 40 out of 50 rounds. It consists of firng while standing, kneeling, using strong hand and weak hand. Of course all the stages have time limit but it is more than enough.

Firing unsupported using any pistol will be hard to achieve a grouping of 3" at 25yds. 3" group in 25ft is more reasonable.

[fiddletown]

Qualifier for Massad Ayoob's MAG-40 class:

• 6 rounds weak hand only at 4 yards
• 6 rounds strong hand only at 4 yards
• 12 rounds (6 rounds then reload) free style at 7 yards
• 18 rounds (6 rounds from a squatting position, 6 rounds from high kneeling and 6 rounds from low kneeling) at 10 yards
• 18 rounds (6 rounds Weaver, 6 rounds Chapman, 6 rounds Isosceles) at 15 yards

The standard IPSC target is used with major scoring (5 points for A zone, 4 for C and 3 for D). Magazines were loaded with 6 rounds, so a reload was required after each 6 rounds. All reloads were "on the clock" except between the weak hand and strong hand strings. While every stage had a time limit, it was reasonably generous. Possible is 300, and passing is 225.

At Gunsite for the Intermediate Handgun class we shot the following as part of the final evalution:

• 3 yards, single shot to the head, 1.5 seconds with movement (a step to the left or to the right), performed twice
  
  
• 7 yards, two rounds to center of mass, 1.5 seconds with movement (a step to the left or to the right), performed once
  
  
• 10 yards, two rounds to center of mass, 2 seconds with movement (a step to the left or to the right), performed once
  
  
• 25 yards, two rounds to center of mass, 3.5 seconds with movement (a step then kneeling), performed once
  
  
• 35 yards, two rounds to center of mass, 7 seconds with movement (a step then dropping to rollover prone), performed once
  
  
• Tactical El Presidente for time and score. Par time is 5 seconds. (At Gunsite this exercise is: Starting facing up range, with a loaded and holstered weapon, from three targets at a distance of 10 yards; then on the signal, the shooter turns, presents his weapon, engages two targets with one round each, the third target with two rounds, and then re-engages the first two targets with one more round each.)

[Moto4Fun]

At 7 yards your shots should all be in one big ragged hole.

My personal entirely subjective standard for acceptable precision in a service handgun is 3" groups at 25.

HA! That's realistic [/sarcasm]

At 7 yards (which is where I spend some time practicing) my ragged hole starts to develop after about 25+ rounds (certainly not 3-5). 25 yards...I am glad to hit the target. 3 in groups is approaching the guns accuracy. Unless you are talking about using a bench rest and target pistol/technique, that is crazy talk.

[9mmepiphany]

HA! That's realistic [/sarcasm]

At 7 yards (which is where I spend some time practicing) my ragged hole starts to develop after about 25+ rounds (certainly not 3-5).

I'm not sure why you're being sarcastic, he didn't specify the speed he was shooting. If you can't put 3-5 rounds into <1" at 7 yards shooting at a moderate rate of 2 shots/sec, you should be working on your technique.

25 yards...I am glad to hit the target. 3 in groups is approaching the guns accuracy. Unless you are talking about using a bench rest and target pistol/technique, that is crazy talk.

[/QUOTE]
That isn't even close to a good service pistol's accuracy

A good pistol shot can handhold 3-4" groups at 50 yards and shoot < 1.5" groups off a bench or from a roll over prone position.

A reasonable group, at 25 yards would be 6", the generous center of a IDPA target is 8". Just for reference, a paper dinner plate is 8", the center (flat part) is 6"

[9mmepiphany]

At Gunsite for the Intermediate Handgun class we shot the following as part of the final evalution:

3 yards, single shot to the head, 1.5 seconds with movement (a step to the left or to the right), performed twice

I had a hard time with that...I could get on target, but couldn't consistently break the shot before they turned away. I had to really analyze my technique to figure out why. I found that I was very slow reacting to the turning targets and I was looking for too fine a sight picture.

[fiddletown]

I had a hard time with that...I could get on target, but couldn't consistently break the shot before they turned away. I had to really analyze my technique to figure out why. I found that I was very slow reacting to the turning targets and I was looking for too fine a sight picture.

I was having trouble with it too. Found I was too slow getting the gun out of the holster (and I think some wasted body movement didn't help). After working on it over few evenings back at hotel (dry fire), I was just able to make it.