Dummy Range & Target --???

[XPman]

OK-I know little about semi-auto pistol shooting, my regular shooting starts at 100 yds and goes to 1,000 yds...
So, now I am just starting to try & shoot the semi-auto pistol and don't know what ranges are usually used... I will shoot some from a bench with my arms resting on a soft roll and some on my hind legs... I am thinking something like 10-25 yds. but don't really have a clue... I will be shooting the 356 TSW Compacts with fixed sights, but also a Fullsize .45 with adjustable sights... At what range should the .45 be zeroed at...??? Also what size 5-shot groups would be considered OK at say 10 yds., I know I can't expect to shoot groups with either semi-auto at 10 yds. like I shoot at 200 yds. with my SS Custom XPs, as it is a completly different game...
Forgive me for being so much of a dummy on these guns, but I am in my 2nd childhood...lol...
Thanks Folks, and have a good one...XPman...

 

[handgunner356]

Most common range for handgun is 25yds. Most factory firearms are set for that POA/POI with standard loads for given caliber. You will see ranges out to 35yds in USPSA, 50yds in Bullseye and even 200yds in silhouette but these are extremes. A mechanical capability for a combat firearm at 25yds would be around 4-5", a good target style around 2" and a match grade pistol will usually do 1.5" @50yds. Now as to what you can do with one is all in your hands.

 

[XPman]

Thanks handgunner356, exactly what I wanted... So 25 yds. would be the common yardage for POA&I and around 4-5" groups would be pretty good or OK...
I am coming from shooting 24-42x scoped guns and long range stuff, this semi-auto & open sights are a new ball game for me, thanks that's a big help...
BTW-Not bragging, but I can shoot the long range pistols (Built XP-100s) from BR...
PS-OK I re-read and what you said was "A mechanical capability for a combat firearm at 25yds would be around 4-5," so I'm sure I could expect to have larger groups with my driver error added...
Thanks again, and have a good one...XPman...

 

[Shadow1006]

For defensive practice up close and personal...0' to 7' but...
7 yards, 10 yards, 15 yards and 25 yards are common to build proficiencies. Good luck

 

[Beans]

We have just been ask to do a study at our range to determine what yardage most shooters shoot at. We are installing permanent in-ground target stand holders. As a RSO My experience has been
10% at 5-7 yards
70% at 10-15 yards
17% at 25 yards
3% at 50 yards

I would start with a 6 inch paper plate at 10 yards and keep moving it farther out, 5 yards at a time until you cannot keep at least 5 out of 5 shots within that paper plate on demand. this will determine YOUR max distance. The max distance will vary depending on your shooting position and skill.

 

[scooter123]

All previous recomendations are good sound ones. However, with iron sights eyesight and age also come into play.

In my case I don't shoot with iron sights past 15 yards. I've reached the age of CSS (Can't See Stuff) and now need readers to focus on anything closer than 3 feet, as a result with iron sights all my shooting is basically Point Shooting guided to some extent by a fuzzy front sight and an invisible rear sight. That's good enough for groups around 5 inches at 15 yards but at 25 yards I start thowing whiffs past the target. BTW, my choice of target is the NRA 25 yard slow fire target which is only about 12 inch square. I also use shoot-n-c stickers so I can actually see my hits, so generally I'm shooting at a 5 inch sticker. If I want to do some precision shooting I'll use one of my revolvers that I've equipped with a reflex sight, which work well for me out to about 35 yards. Then for longer ranges I rely on a handgun scope that has enough magnification to allow me to actually see the bullseye on the target.

 

[XPman]

Great Info, thank y'all much... I'll probably see what targets I can pick up at china-mart and go from there... I see I can get the NRA 25 yd. slow fire targets @ Amazon.com... As Beans said about the 70% at 10-15 yds., I think that should be about right for me and these old eyes & nerves, although so far they are not too bad for a 75 YO...lol...
I am going bassackwards giving up the scoped precision rifles & pistols to shoot open sighted semi-autos, but I just got burn out or something, and going from something that I can kick tail at into something that I will be and look like a rookie at....lol...
Thanks Folks, and have a good one...XPman...

 

[Houdini1953]

Unless you are shooting for precision and not a life and death situation a handgun encounter will be about 7 yards or less even 2 yards which is about point blank of course you might also consider that a handgun is a totally different firearm with a much different sight radius so you have to take that as well as the ammunition that your particular weapon uses see the below video link

Glock 19 - YouTube

 

[XPman]

a handgun encounter will be about 7 yards or less even 2 yards which is about point blank

Yep, the guns I was speaking of shooting will be used as range fun guns mostly...
I have an 11.4oz. S&W 340PD w/Crimson lazer grips that I use as a carry gun...
Thanks and have a good one...XPman...

 

[jdh]

Common distances for LE qualifications on paper are 3, 7, 15, 25 yards with the bulk of the rounds fired at 7 & 15.
This was the target my last agency used.
Law Enforcement AMTR-IIGR US Treasury Style Transtar - American Target Company