What is your "usual" distance for pistol shooting?

jimbo14 said:
Re: 3 yds: A guy at the range scoffed when I suggested shooting at 3 yds as I handed him the target I made. His smile disappeared when I told him to fire 5 rounds into one hole. Not a larger hole with chunks of paper inside, but one, slightly enlarged bullet hole. :)
Click to expand...

Went today and had the range to myself. So I shot my first group at 3 yards, group size was decent. Moved out to 5 yards and let loose. I was able to put 10 rounds under 2 inches. Made me really happy to see some progress. Apparently I'm not as bad a shot I thought I was. :)
 
Still alive said:
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?
Click to expand...

Me too. They often remark that they think that it's "too close", but you can learn a lot more from a 3 yard Dot Torture than you ever could from a 25 yard pattern. I prefer to have them operate from a (OWB) holster, and reacting to a timer, right from the beginning. Once they start shooting, they don't complain about the (short) distance any more. And then, as their groups tighten, you can gradually adjust the distances (outward). By starting with that (3 yard 'Dot Torture') approach, you can take a brand-new person from 0-60 - completely inexperienced to reasonably competent - in just a few hours.
 
Wendell said:
Me too. They often remark that they think that it's "too close", but you can learn a lot more from a 3 yard Dot Torture than you ever could from a 25 yard pattern. I prefer to have them operate from a (OWB) holster, and reacting to a timer, right from the beginning. Once they start shooting, they don't complain about the (short) distance any more. And then, as their groups tighten, you can gradually adjust the distances (outward). By starting with that (3 yard 'Dot Torture') approach, you can take a brand-new person from 0-60 - completely inexperienced to reasonably competent - in just a few hours.
Click to expand...

100%.
It's a drill that cannot be mastered. Too easy? Move it further or speed up your time or both. That's why it's called Torture. You can be going along perfectly and mess up the last shot. Plays with you mentally also. I've never tried a timer but I can see how that would induce stress!
 
Still alive said:
Speed timer 3000RF. What we use for our matches. Solid unit and bright yellow so hard to lose.
Don't get the CED7000 rechargeable ones. They fail at the dumbest times. They are also quite small. We lost one in our first match using them.
Click to expand...

Any reason I want that over the Pocket Pro 2? (which seems to be well liked?) and also what's the difference between RF and non-RF?
 
rkm456 said:
Any reason I want that over the Pocket Pro 2? (which seems to be well liked?) and also what's the difference between RF and non-RF?
Click to expand...

Got me! No clue except the 3000 RF works every time for us.
When I first got into timed shooting, my friend had the Pocket Pro. It pooped the bed quite quickly. That's why we went to the 3000. Still using it 3 years later. Our club bought the CED as they were quite cheap, about $100 IIRC, but they had issues right off the bat, mostly because some of them did not hold a charge long enough for an entire day event.
Just from personal experience. YMMV.
 
Still alive said:
Got me! No clue except the 3000 RF works every time for us.
When I first got into timed shooting, my friend had the Pocket Pro. It pooped the bed quite quickly. That's why we went to the 3000. Still using it 3 years later. Our club bought the CED as they were quite cheap, about $100 IIRC, but they had issues right off the bat, mostly because some of them did not hold a charge long enough for an entire day event.
Just from personal experience. YMMV.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I'm at a point that I pass on most things that are "rechargeable" the charges never last as long as replaceables, They die when you need them to work, they always die when you don't have a charger/outlet handy, etc. Much easier to just throw a pack of batteries in my range bag and call it a day. Right now I can get a Pocket Pro 2 for a little south of $120 shipped, where the 3000 RF seems to run about $160 USD plus shipping. (Non-RF $120USD)
 
rkm456 said:
Any reason I want that over the Pocket Pro 2? (which seems to be well liked?)
Click to expand...

The R.U. Ready is fairly simple to use. More complex timers offer more functionality, but then...they're more complex too. One disadvantage of my R.U. Ready is in the par time settings; I'm limited to half-second changes (rather than whatever particular time I might prefer), and it is relatively slow to change the set par time. Sometimes, for those reasons, I think about buying a new (and different) timer, but, after about 18 years of service, my old R.U. Ready still works well.

The "RF" (versus "non-RF") indicates functionality with their remote display.

https://www.freedomventures.ca/products/ru-ready-speed-timer-3000

http://www.crafm.com/r-u-ready-timer-3000-nrf.html

https://www.theammosource.com/store...ucts_id=1813&zenid=8dlf40k99m9betcggffptgied3
 
Last edited:
Still alive said:
Been shooting a long time. My best is 3 in one hole at 10ft. I have shot a clean Dot Torture though.
Click to expand...
Nice! I've done a clean Dot Torture a few times at 3 yds. At 5yds, clean with a .22, but not with the 9mm. I have this micro-flinch thing going on at times. Argh! Stupid brain. lol! Haven't tried it in a few months. I'll try it again soon.

rkm456 said:
Went today and had the range to myself. So I shot my first group at 3 yards, group size was decent. Moved out to 5 yards and let loose. I was able to put 10 rounds under 2 inches. Made me really happy to see some progress. Apparently I'm not as bad a shot I thought I was. :)
Click to expand...
Very nice! Keep up the great work. I like to mix up the practice, with some super accurate work, in addition to some faster, looser IPSC stuff.
 
Wendell said:
The R.U. Ready is fairly simple to use. More complex timers offer more functionality, but then...they're more complex too. One disadvantage of my R.U. Ready is in the par time settings; I'm limited to half-second changes (rather than whatever particular time I might prefer), and it is relatively slow to change the set par time. Sometimes, for those reasons, I think about buying a new (and different) timer, but, after about 18 years of service, my old R.U. Ready still works well.

The "RF" (versus "non-RF") indicates functionality with their remote display.

https://www.freedomventures.ca/products/ru-ready-speed-timer-3000

http://www.crafm.com/r-u-ready-timer-3000-nrf.html

https://www.theammosource.com/store...ucts_id=1813&zenid=8dlf40k99m9betcggffptgied3
Click to expand...

Hmm, maybe I'll have to go with that. StillAlive hasn't steered me wrong yet, and almost 20 years of service certainly gives me some confidence. It'll just be for my personal use, and I tend to take pretty good care of my stuff so it should hold up well for me.
 
jimbo14 said:
Very nice! Keep up the great work. I like to mix up the practice, with some super accurate work, in addition to some faster, looser IPSC stuff.
Click to expand...

Thanks! and this seems like sound advice. And I agree with your sentiment about mixing up the practice. It's a lot of fun to just pop off a mag or 2. What I was doing today was trying to intermingle some slower 5 shot groups (for accuracy) and then quicker 10 shot groups (full mags) from the same distance. 3,5, and 7 yards I was pretty happy with my group sizes overall. 10 yards it started to open up a bit though so I moved back to 5. the quicker groups are why I'd like to ad in a shot timer. Additionally, I prefer to train under pressure as it helps me to have more confidence in whatever it is I'm training.
 
Excellent ideas and practice, rkm!
And thanks for the kudos!
My philosophy is always the basics and that's what I teach newbies. Always sight picture and trigger squeeze. I demo that by holding the gun upside down and shooting with my left pinky finger ( I'm right handed). I can group 5 shots in about an inch at 3m doing that. Obviously a correct grip is essential but in slow fire, trigger squeeze and sight picture wins.
Once you master the basics, then go fast by all means. Shooting accuracy always deteriorates at speed but if you don't own the basic fundamentals, then speed is meaningless. Your practice sessions with the timer to induce pressure will always expose your fundamental flaws. I still work at the speed factor and some days, I just plain suck!!
A really good drill for speed is have a buddy buzz you with the timer but you don't get a warning. Gun is holstered with concealment garment. You start like everyday life; talking, squatting, turning, whatever.
He beeps you and you draw and fire at 3 yds or so. Steel is a good medium for this or a IDPA target if your range has issues with steel at 3m. This will test your draw, speed and accuracy. Introduce some dummy rounds in your mag to practice malfunction drills and you got a good practice session going!
If your range allows it, try a true El Presidente and turn into your target.
 
Last edited:
Because of Ontario CFO rules, steel is pretty impractical for individuals BUT I can probably track down some IDPA/IPSC shaped targets. Really good idea with the snap caps too.
 
Thanks for all the replies. It's refreshing to see a post that doesn't go sideways. Lol.
I'm going to get geared up for the Dot Torture thing. I've been doing fairly well with both my .22 and 9mm at 10 yds (fist sized). The range I go to is often empty so adjusting distance is no problem.
I'm really liking this pistol thing, aside from the wallet bleed from ammo costs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom