Originally Posted by jtcarm

A Chief Special IS an up close weapon. There’s no practical reason to practice with one regularly at 25 yards.

Too much practice like that with your carry gun is liable to make you too slow and deliberate for real SD shooting. Hitting with a 2” J-frame @25 requires near perfect sight picture and let-off, something you don’t need will not have time for when SHTF.

Unless you’re testing from a machine rest, a 2” J-frame at 25 will be a test of the shooter, not the ammo.

Up close isn’t an excuse, it’s reality. Learning to identify threats, draw and put shots quickly on a close-range threat, shooting while moving, one handed while fending an attacker off with the other hand, these are practical SD skills.

This is coming from someone who shot precision for decades before getting a carry permit and trying any form defensive shooting. It definitely helped to have good shooting skills, but the techniques that work on long-range paper or steel will get you killed. And I think it’s reasonable to say 25-yards is long range for a 2” J-frame (yes, I know, Bob Munden could break balloons at 200 yards with a Chief Special.)

If you absolutely must be able to hit people at 25 yards with your carry gun, get a bigger gun with better sights, a good lawyer, and good life insurance. You’re either going to get killed standing there trying to return fire at that distance, or have some serious explaining as to how someone that far away posed a threat.