Author Topic: What is considered good shooting? (Read 1125 times)

longwinters · « **on:** October 30, 2004, 08:25:13 AM »

Having just gotten my 1st Glock and just getting into shooting with a handgun, what is considered decent shooting? This would be at 7 yds out to 25 yds which I guess is the standard shooting ranges. This would be off hand not benched. Also what size targets do you shoot at?

Long

KING · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2004, 03:05:39 PM »

:-D I tell everyone to use a paper plate.................they are cheap and you can always put a small dot in the center if inclined... A good group for one man or individual may be a complete disaster for the next as to group size. At 7 yards...rapid fire...............3 inches is good.............2 is even better but remember it takes awhile to get used to the weapon that you are using. At 25 yards,a 4 inch group is outstanding standing on your hind legs......... The Glock that you have will probably do a smaller group but it takes time for the shooter........again..to get used to the weapon..........at 100 yards you should be able to get at least a 10inch group. Dont be afraid to try differant ammo brands either.........stay safe...King

coyote 2 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2004, 06:58:25 PM »

The paper plate is a good idea and pretty cheap. Be sure to add that little dot to the center so your not just shooting at a circle but have a point of aim. My shooting is totally defensive style. We use people targets and most of our shooting consists of 50 rounds from 3 yards to 50 yards. Only two shots at 50 yards thank goodness. All rounds have to be within the chest or head area. If your out of that area - you do not qualified. I would think for the average shooter - If you can hit a 6" paper place 99.9% of the time from 7 to 25 yards - you would be pretty dang good. Being a range master and firearms instructor - I have to maintain a 98% average all the time. Getting old and eyes getting worse each year - its getting harder to do. I certainly can see why the military caters to the younger generation. They are quicker/more alert/ :wink: /and more reckless than us old farts.....shoot well - hit what you aim at.......

longwinters · « **Reply #3 on:** October 31, 2004, 03:23:29 AM »

Thanks for the help. A couple more questions if you dont mind. When shooting at 100 yds is this off of a bench or freehand? To me 10" is amazing. But in my neck of the U.P There is not much pistol shooting . . . actually not much rifle shooting at ranges either. :cry: And finally, how fast is "rapid fire"? One shot per ________sec.? I think I will just try to figure out the correct shooting form and trigger control 1st :grin:

Long

coyote 2 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2004, 05:46:14 AM »

:-D Oh my - 100 yards with a Glock handgun - I will let KING handle that one. I would be holding wayyyyyyy over the paper plate. :eek:

Shooting a handgun - no matter what brand - is all in the trigger control and correct shooting form along with the proper sight picture. I never try to change our peoples forms - maybe just adjust them a small amount. Trigger control - take a breath - squeeeeze - and if your rapid firing - make sure all the shots are fired the same. If your going to jerk the first round - jerk them all. At least your hitting in the same place. (Although this is very poor form.) I want to hear more on the 100 yard shooting by KING - with my eyes....I would need a scope/bench rest and maybe a 40 cal. pen to mark my shots in the bulls eye.

dwayne · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2005, 09:09:14 AM »

Quote from: longwinters

Having just gotten my 1st Glock and just getting into shooting with a handgun, what is considered decent shooting?

good sooting is hitting where you aim!

Bikenut · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2005, 05:12:40 AM »

Ok... here goes.... I'm guessing from your post your main concern is self defense since you are interested in 7 yard groups. If I misunderstood... well... it sure wouldn't be the first time!

Now this is just me, others may practice differently for different reasons.

First of all, for self defense, groups don't count. COM hits count (COM is the middle of the biggest thing that can be seen). COM is (sometimes) a big area and anything that hits anywhere around that... hurts. Anything that hurts helps to induce the bad guy to stop doing what he is doing. Granted some hits in some places will stop the bad guy faster than others but still, all hits count. Having said that... trying to "target practice" for self defense won't help much during an up close, right now, do something to save your butt, situation so practicing for a nice tight group isn't going to be realistic.

So what would be realistic? All shots hitting somewhere in COM.... rapid fire. Rapid fire meaning emptying the magazine as fast as the trigger can be pulled. As for what to use as targets? Got any old shirts? Also, moving around while engaging the target would be more like real life.

Also, at least for self defense, bear in mind that most situations happen a whole lot closer than 7 yards... more like arm's length and a little beyond. At those close distances extending the arm/firearm to bring the sights into view will put the gun where the BG can grab it so shooting from close retention (close to body but not near the face) practice is helpful. That kind of shooting is generally called "instinctive" or "point" shooting... where the sights aren't used. Again, group size doesn't count but COM hits do.

Let me point out that during a close encounter of the self defense kind.... everything is going to be happening extremely fast... the bad guy isn't going to be standing still... hopefully you won't be standing still... it will probably be happening in bad lighting... and your adrenalin level will be so high the only thing on your mind will be survival... so worrying about groups just won't even be on the horizon. But COM hits... now that is what will be effective. Also, when the fecal matter hits the rotating air circulation device..... everyone defaults to what they trained themselves to do the most. If a person trains for target shooting that is how they will respond (I've seen this very often from our club's pistol team members when they go through our self defense "Hogan's Alley". They freeze in a target shooting stance with gun presented just like they do on the target line at every pistol match. And it takes entirely too long for them to realize they needed to do something.... 30 seconds ago.) But if a person trains for responding in many different ways for many different scenarios... they will respond quickly and in a defensive manner.

Distances beyond 7 yards is no longer considered self defense but is more like target shooting. The sights are able to be used and the group size depends a great deal on the skill of the shooter. Target shooting at any distance is great fun but target shooting skills won't help, and can hinder, for self defense.

I love target shooting with all my firearms... but also spend plenty of time practicing self defense too.

longwinters · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2005, 11:48:04 AM »

Good points Bikenut. Never really thought about self defense and what that means shooting wise.

Long

jro45 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2005, 06:27:49 AM »

Bikenut, That is good info. I train with both also.