3rd range session with my Shield 9
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Holy carp, nice shooting!
I'm always amazed at how accurate my little Shield 9 is. Just to challenge myself (and my Shield), I often practice at 15, and sometimes, 20 yards. My groupings open up considerably (OK, massively) at 20 yards, but I'm still impressed with how good such a short-barelled pistol can be, even at that distance.
I'm always amazed at how accurate my little Shield 9 is. Just to challenge myself (and my Shield), I often practice at 15, and sometimes, 20 yards. My groupings open up considerably (OK, massively) at 20 yards, but I'm still impressed with how good such a short-barelled pistol can be, even at that distance.
Targets Guy
US Veteran
Fine shooting. Verah fine.
Deadbug
Member
Very nice!!!
Just to make us all feel better (or maybe not) I have to ask: What was your distance to that target while shooting?
Just to make us all feel better (or maybe not) I have to ask: What was your distance to that target while shooting?
This was one of my five-yard targets. It was used at the end of the 3RD range session with my Shield 9.
I shot 150 rounds of Freedom Munitions FM9R124N 124gr RN at five and ten-yard targets and 24 rounds of Freedom Munitions FM9X124N124 124gr XTP ammunition at my final five-yard target.
I used numerous bullseye and silhouette targets at five and ten yards. My hit patterns at ten yards are spread yet still accurate. Attached is one of my ten-yard targets.
I do not practice at farther distances with my Shield 9 or with any pistols for that matter. Both diminishing eyesight and tremulous hand movement make shooting at farther distances a waste of ammunition. Besides, my Shield 9 is a EDC, a defensive weapon for CQC not target shooting.
I shot 150 rounds of Freedom Munitions FM9R124N 124gr RN at five and ten-yard targets and 24 rounds of Freedom Munitions FM9X124N124 124gr XTP ammunition at my final five-yard target.
I used numerous bullseye and silhouette targets at five and ten yards. My hit patterns at ten yards are spread yet still accurate. Attached is one of my ten-yard targets.
I do not practice at farther distances with my Shield 9 or with any pistols for that matter. Both diminishing eyesight and tremulous hand movement make shooting at farther distances a waste of ammunition. Besides, my Shield 9 is a EDC, a defensive weapon for CQC not target shooting.
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Deadbug
Member
I think you've got it nailed: 5-10 yards...again, very nice shooting.
I agree, my Shield is my EDC and conventional wisdom says a personal defensive situation is in that range, but just in case I'm confronted with proactively engaging an active shooter/terrorist at a further distance, I always try to practice and stay proficient at 18-25 yards.
And I gotta say, my Shield has been extremely accurate at all distances and a pleasure to shoot.
You're doing extremely well--continue having fun with your Shield.
"I always try to practice and stay proficient at 18-25 yards."
I think that is a wise action on your part.
In my younger days when I had good eyesight, I could use both eyes to focus on my front sight and still have a clear view of a target placed at 25 yards. Not today.
I can no longer use both eyes for sighting and a target beyond 35 feet or so blurs. So, I practice to what I consider my limit.
If attacked beyond that, I will run as fast as I can from the threat to whatever cover is available. If I cannot do this, I will point shoot till no rounds remain and hope that the Marines will appear then and there.
Thank you for your comments.
I think that is a wise action on your part.
In my younger days when I had good eyesight, I could use both eyes to focus on my front sight and still have a clear view of a target placed at 25 yards. Not today.
I can no longer use both eyes for sighting and a target beyond 35 feet or so blurs. So, I practice to what I consider my limit.
If attacked beyond that, I will run as fast as I can from the threat to whatever cover is available. If I cannot do this, I will point shoot till no rounds remain and hope that the Marines will appear then and there.
Thank you for your comments.
Rastoff
US Veteran
Very nice shooting. You should join us in this challenge: http://smith-wessonforum.com/concea...746-rastoffs-challenge-dropping-gauntlet.html
TacticalReload
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^^ this.
I can understand if physical limitations make shooting at these distances futile so none of the following is necessarily directed to the OP. However, for people who are not shackled by poor eyesight or hand tremors or something similar often use the "it's a defensive gun so I don't need to shoot it at distances greater than ... yards" reasoning as an excuse for not challenging yourself at the range. If you only ever do what you know you're capable of doing, you'll never progress beyond where you currently are.
I have no idea how accurate M&P Shields are bench rested. However, assuming that guns with short barrels are across the board not capable of accurate fire at distances longer than 5 to 10 yards is not a good way of thinking. So many folks figure "I'll never need to shoot this gun at distances longer 3 yards" and just plug holes somewhere into a man-sized silhouette at about that range and call it a day. If that's you (and you're physically capable), you're doing yourself a great disservice by not sending that target out farther than you normally feel comfortable.
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I concur with what TacticalReload has written.
In fact, Col. Jeff Cooper in discussing the handgun as a convenient-to-carry stopgap weapon, stated that the “purpose of the pistol is to stop a fight that somebody else has started, almost always at very short range.”
The caveat is that although one must practice at the distances he/she “can shoot with the precision necessary to place a shot in a vital area of the target”, the attacker just might be shooting from a farther distance.
If one confines practice only to the short distance comfort zone, that zone might be one’s death zone.
In fact, Col. Jeff Cooper in discussing the handgun as a convenient-to-carry stopgap weapon, stated that the “purpose of the pistol is to stop a fight that somebody else has started, almost always at very short range.”
The caveat is that although one must practice at the distances he/she “can shoot with the precision necessary to place a shot in a vital area of the target”, the attacker just might be shooting from a farther distance.
If one confines practice only to the short distance comfort zone, that zone might be one’s death zone.
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Rastoff
US Veteran
I agree with the concept of training for what you're most likely to deal with on the street. For me that means most of my training/practice is done at 15 yards or less.
That doesn't mean I'm opposed to shooting further. In fact, I believe that all practice is good practice even if it only defines your limitations. So, I practice from 3-15 yards regularly. I save the last mag or two to shoot with my support hand. Every now and then, I shoot at 25 yards. Not often, but I do it just to push that envelope a little. I'll even shoot at 50 yards, but that is rare.
I do not shoot my defensive hand guns at longer than 50 yards ever.
That doesn't mean I'm opposed to shooting further. In fact, I believe that all practice is good practice even if it only defines your limitations. So, I practice from 3-15 yards regularly. I save the last mag or two to shoot with my support hand. Every now and then, I shoot at 25 yards. Not often, but I do it just to push that envelope a little. I'll even shoot at 50 yards, but that is rare.
I do not shoot my defensive hand guns at longer than 50 yards ever.
Agree on all counts.
The wife and I both blistered the 3,7,and 15 on our CHL but we practiced everyday for about 3 weeks.
Since then we have bumped out to 20 and recently 25 yards then have started a tactical course.
We can do appx 8-10 inches at 25 yds. Feel like thats pretty good.
I dont remember how far it was exactly but watched Hicock in his Shield review vid make some shots in the 50-75 yard range. IIRC he was hitting a little better than 50% on a small pig sized target.
The wife and I both blistered the 3,7,and 15 on our CHL but we practiced everyday for about 3 weeks.
Since then we have bumped out to 20 and recently 25 yards then have started a tactical course.
We can do appx 8-10 inches at 25 yds. Feel like thats pretty good.
I dont remember how far it was exactly but watched Hicock in his Shield review vid make some shots in the 50-75 yard range. IIRC he was hitting a little better than 50% on a small pig sized target.
