What distance do you train for?

[vito]

What distance do you train for to be prepared for a self defense situation? I normally set my target at about 5 yards so that my practice might actually improve my shooting ability for real-life possibilities, but I have read that most self defense shootings are done at more like 5 feet. Practicing shooting at 5 feet seems like a waste of ammo since even a mediocre marksman like myself can do pretty well with shot placement at that distance even with the guns that I shoot the poorest.

 

[old&slow]

If you were a weight lifter would you limit yourself to only a 5 pound weight ?

I think 5 yds. is a good place for a beginner to start. When your groups improve. Try 10 yds. , 15 yds. , 25 yds. ,, etc..

I use to practice keeping all the shots in the 'A' zones of a USPSA target at 25 yds. If you can't keep them in the 'A' zone, slow down. If all your shots are in the A zone, speed up ..
Then a target at 10 yds. was a piece of cake.

Old saying: Fast is Fine. But accuracy is Final.

 

[Arik]

I do what the range allows. If their max is 50 ft then I'll start closer but end up at 50

 

[Maze 686]

1,5,7,10, and 25 yards.
1 yard is from weapon retention.
5 yard is strong and support hand only.
25 yard is barricade left, right kneeling and standing.

 

[Old cop]

When the real thing happens you can easily miss from a few feet away, I've seen experienced cops do this. As to my training I practice from three, five and seven yards. A couple of times a year I'll go out to 15 and 25 yards b/c LEOSA certification requires that and I want to keep up.

A drill I like is: At three & five yards using a standard paper plate you empty your gun as fast as possible, reload and repeat. The goal is to keep all your rounds on the plate. I've gotten pretty good w/my J frames doing this w/a speed loader.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Not as quick as I once was. I practice speed and accuracy at 10 feet. If anything happens that's where I figure it will be. Then I target shoot at 30 feet. Can't shoot a perp running away but you can shoot a raccoon dry humpln' yer melons.

 

[petepeterson]

I usually run at least two cylinder's full at bad-breath distance- pushing off the target with my off-hand and drawing with my right. Not quite aiming, more like pointing.

I find it useful to shoot at all distances-from 3 ft to 50 yds, just for fun. You're always learning something.

 

[hobby-gunsmith]

what distance you train

Close encounters of one ot two yards is using your front sight. Since the target is very close, you don't have time to take the proper sight alignment. At that distance, you front sight is what you are looking for. Shoot double tap, center mass and you are pretty much dead center without jerking the triger. It takes practice because the distance is short and the target is close. As the target increases, then time and sights will come into play. You can dry fire these distances in your home, live ammo away from the area you are dry firing, and practice. It will save you ammo and then shoot the same technique at the range. Most ranges will not let you draw from the holster, so you can practice at the ready low position. I dry fire every day for at least 15 minutes in my garage using different distances and targets, simulating baracades, behind car and prone and kneeling positions, dominant and non dominat hand in shooting. There are many different positions you can practice to hone your skills at the privacy of your home. Make sure your gun is not loaded and alone while you practice your skills.

Nick

 

[Waywatcher]

There's no downside to practicing at long range; only benefits. Sight alignment and trigger control become more important as range increases--an angular movement that would move your gun 3" at 5 yards would still result in hit in the A zone of an IDPA/IPSC target, but that exact same movement at 25 yards subtends to 15" off the mark--a complete miss.

Push the speed to the limit. If you're shooting bughole groups with self defense practice in mind, you're shooting way too slow. Speed up your shooting so that you are shooting 8" groups at any range--this will mean slightly faster when closer, slightly slower when farther.

Might as well practice some retention shooting. I was surprised how accurate this can be at ~1 yard; I can keep them all in the A zone no problem, as fast as I can pull the trigger (0.25 second splits roughly.)

 

[Cal44]

My range only gives me two choices -- 10 yards and 25 yards.

I practice J frames at 10 yards.

That was frustrating at first, but now I can keep the holes in a paper plate with a J frame snubby.

 

[Smoke]

I train at 1, 3, 5 & 7 yards. At 1 yard I am firing from retention everything past that is full extension.

They also have us training to move to the right and left while shooting and we do moving forward and back drills from 7 yards in and 1 yard out. My favorite one is when they have us run 50 yards or so, draw at the 7 yard line and engage the target as we move forward.

 

[Bundesheer]

Self Defense SD

I make a difference between SD and HD.

SD is when I get attacked outside my House. Here apply different distances depending on the area. I for example am always in a code orange stage. I don't like to have anyone walking right behind me. I slow down and let the other pedestrian in a Park pass me if they come to close behind me. It is more a habit than an inconvenience.
My distance that I shoot for SD is 7-10 yards. You have to train this distance but not with any weapon. You have to train this distance with your carry weapon. It makes no sense to change your carry gun often, because with the change of the gun comes the practice too. Remember the 2 second rule. The response with this concealed weapon must be very, very fast. You don't have more than approx. 2 seconds to place 2 bullets into the target.
In this moment that you are aware of a girl attacking you, you have only 2 seconds to respond.
Keep in mind that the girls are sometimes with their girlfriends, so all of a sudden the girlfriends could be right behind you. So be aware that you have to make a Foxtrot sidestep in a way that your back turns in a safe direction. With a little practice of awareness you know where this is. It is not as bad as it sounds; it is more training your senses sensibilities for your surrounding area. It is really amazing how many people just running around and are not really aware what is going on around them.

The bad news on this is that most of the gun ranges don't allow you to exercise double or triple shots and not allow anyone to do drawing practice. I argued always with my rifle range about that. So this is how I do it:
Double shot practice. 1 round in the barrel an empty magazine in the gun. First shot the target second click. Keep your eye always on the gun muzzle, don't turn the eye away until the second click was done. Keep the muzzle as close as you can on the target. I'm for example, do triple shots in 2 seconds timeframe now. I found an outdoor range that allows on certain areas draw and shoot practice.

Always remember if you can't fix it with 10 bullets and no help is in sight, you should have practiced in praying too.

Concealed carry means not carrying visual but easy accessible. Keep that in mind.
Double hit (triple if you can) on a target in 2 seconds. The distance is between 5-10 yards or 15 – 30 feet. That is park or parking lot distance.
Keep in mind that as longer the distance to an attacker is, it is more likely that you have more than 1 attacker from more than one direction. Make sure you recognize where the main attacker comes from because this is not in all cases out of the front of you.
Carry concealed but not access impeded. Easy access, practiced for speed and 1-2 shots accuracy in 2 seconds is a life safer.

Oh and never forget to call the artillery. I have a portable Samsung AT&T 9.11 device to do that.

 

[Jiman]

All distances have there learning points, from reactionary (point shooting), front sight only, to proper front/rear sight alignment and trigger pull. Ideally you should do them all cause they're all beneficial in different ways.

IMO, if you're able/allowed where you shoot, learning to move and shoot from 15 yrd and in is where you'll find a lot of value in training for an SD encounter. That includes drawing, shooting, and reloading while you're moving.

Adding your feet to the equation is a much different experience than standing still shooting at a stationary target.

 

[Bundesheer]

HD Home Defense

HD is Home Defense. It's a much easier and a more relax practice. You have greater distances. If you practice distances inside our house, than you have to measure how far it is from a safe place to have the oversight over doors and windows. In my case is it 2 doors and distances between 40 and 12 feet. Normally in a Home defense scenario you have more prep time and you are the master of the castle. You know your layout and you know where to position yourself to be protected from incoming bullets but having the advantage to place your bullet where they belong.
That means that HD is more than 2 guns in the house. Home defense means that you go to your home and play through several scenarios and than you make your plans for your safe castle.
I am always concerned that I hear an intruder to late. In addition to a gun, there must be an early warning system in place.

And here like in SD before:
Never forget to call the artillery. I have a portable Samsung AT&T 9.11 device to do that.

 

[Don 73]

There's no downside to practicing at long range; only benefits. Sight alignment and trigger control become more important as range increases--an angular movement that would move your gun 3" at 5 yards would still result in hit in the A zone of an IDPA/IPSC target, but that exact same movement at 25 yards subtends to 15" off the mark--a complete miss.

Push the speed to the limit. If you're shooting bughole groups with self defense practice in mind, you're shooting way too slow. Speed up your shooting so that you are shooting 8" groups at any range--this will mean slightly faster when closer, slightly slower when farther.

Might as well practice some retention shooting. I was surprised how accurate this can be at ~1 yard; I can keep them all in the A zone no problem, as fast as I can pull the trigger (0.25 second splits roughly.)

I agree, practicing at a much farther distance than you are likely to encounter "for real" will only help matters as far as trigger and grip control. Even if you only end up being a "decent" shooter at 50' you will be amazed at just how tight your groups are at combat distances (3 - 10 feet).

 

[geddylee10002000]

I do the IDPA monthly events at my local range. If I blow a stage then that is what I practice.

 

[kcbet2]

Although I do some 15 and 25 yard work, I concentrate on 1 to 7 yards

 

[sipowicz]

When the real thing happens you can easily miss from a few feet away, I've seen experienced cops do this. As to my training I practice from three, five and seven yards. A couple of times a year I'll go out to 15 and 25 yards b/c LEOSA certification requires that and I want to keep up.

A drill I like is: At three & five yards using a standard paper plate you empty your gun as fast as possible, reload and repeat. The goal is to keep all your rounds on the plate. I've gotten pretty good w/my J frames doing this w/a speed loader.

We were both trained by the same Jedi....

 

[DR505]

I train at 3, 5, 7, 15, 25, and 50 yards, static and moving, with and without barricades.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I guess I'm living large. I've never been to or heard of a range that won't allow the shooter to draw from the holster and fire . . .