What is your "usual" distance for pistol shooting?

[McHoss]

Just curious what range most people tend to shoot for simple, paper target shooting.
What's a good starting point and what's a reasonable maximum?
I'm fairly new to it so.....
So far I'm concentrating on 10-20 yds to get my consistency and technique nailed down.

 

[Dsiwy]

10-25m

My rule of thumb is if you can't get a fist size group, move closer.

 

[Clobbersauras]

3-25 yards.

Dot Torture is usually at 3-5 yards. B8's at 25 yards.

 

[BigRobb]

Shooting tree at 25 yards. 12" plate for faster shooting at 25 yards. I don't shoot paper anymore unless it's 200 yards away.

 

[fdc]

3 to 25 yards for me. Important skills to learn at each distance and in between of course.

 

[roadcarver]

5-15meters for me. I always start at around 8m.

 

[triggerman42]

3 yards ? really? You getting it on the paper from there? LOL

 

[rockport guy]

iam thinking I should take from some shots from 3 or 4...
I think my biggest problem... besides kids... is I will fire off 5 or 10 rounds... then try another gun!

 

[emerson]

25M to get settled 1 handed single action. Then 50M at clays on the berm. 44Mag Blackhawk. Generally a cylinder with the right, then 1 with the L and so on.

 

[Still alive]

3-25 yards.

Dot Torture is usually at 3-5 yards. B8's at 25 yards.

Ding! Ding! Winner!
I do the same thing. I also teach all new students from the same 3-5yd distance. Easy to diagnose and builds confidence.
I only use the Dot Torture targets. Teaches all aspects in 50 shots. What's not to like?
I also use the Haley 1" circles when I'm feeling frisky.

 

[FrankieT]

3 yards ? really? You getting it on the paper from there? LOL

3 yards (instinctive defensive shooting positions) all the way out to 40m

 

[jimbo14]

I start new shooters at 5 yds with a basic 6-8" circle, that has + lines in it with a moderate sized bullseye. I want them to have a fairly compact aiming point, so I don't want to use a giant black circle where their FSP can get lost in it.

As they form a group, and it gets tighter, I move the target out to 7 and then 10 yds. Moving out too far, too soon, can demotivate some people, when they lose all sense of a group and only half the shots get on paper.

 

[hatman1793]

25 yards is the industry standard.The true test of accuracy for pistols is 50 yards, but many ranges cannot offer this distance.

Serious shooters should be able to hold the X ring on a B27 target at 25 yards.

 

[Dfbshaw]

15 and 25 yards.

 

[Ganderite]

25 yards, but for some guns, like Norincos, I move up to 20 yards:

 

[Donny Fenn1]

I use to shoot Olympic Rapid Fire at 25m.
One handed and very formal. Now I'll do anything from 3 yards to balloons or clays at 100.
It's all good.

 

[dirtybarry]

Usually 7 to 15 metres, 25 when I need to be humbled. 3 to 5 occasionally for weak hand and rapid fire drills, Had fun with gongs at 50 yds but 100yds was less than spectacular.

By the way, what is a "Dot Torture" target?

 

[Anthrax]

7-15m pretty consistently.

I move the target out to 20m (length of my range) when I want to feel bad about myself...

 

[Still alive]

Usually 7 to 15 metres, 25 when I need to be humbled. 3 to 5 occasionally for weak hand and rapid fire drills, Had fun with gongs at 50 yds but 100yds was less than spectacular.

By the way, what is a "Dot Torture" target?

Type Dot Torture into Google. Designed by Todd Green (RIP) from pistol forum.
The best handgun combo drill package around imo.

 

[Butcherbill]

5-10 yds and then I'll push it out in incriments till I'm out to 25yds but I'm usually around the 12-15 yrd by the time I'm ready to call it a day or switch to a rifle, .22 more often then not lately. Really enjoying shooting my bolt .22 this year.