What distance to practice at range ?

[Beauetienne]

I'm not a LEO officer and I started out a self-taught shooter around 1975. Shooting was done back in the woods, along RR tracks and levees.

To me, at about 18 years old, that meant shooting SA revolvers at 25 or so yards using pop cans, cigarette packs and shotgun hulls.

It also meant moving out to around twice that distance shooting at oil cans, quart beer bottles, and like items.

As I got better over the years, the targets got smaller but, the distances usually remained pretty much the same.

It wasn't until about ten years ago that freinds and aquaintances introduced me to some close quarter combat shooting methods.

Close up is a lot of fun but, I'm old school and still shoot mostly at 25 yards or so with both revolvers and pistols. I still shoot farther than that with revolvers.

I think that CC practice should include targets out to 25 yards.

 

[Fuego]

The longest straight shot possible inside my house is from the master bedroom down the hall to the kitchen doorway. That's 10 yards, and that's what I shoot at the range. Pace off the longest shot you are ever likely to make, and shoot at that distance.

 

[brucev]

With cc in mind, I would think that most of your practice would need to be at the up close and personal range... say 5-7 yds., maybe even 10 yds. Use your own judgment giving consideration to the actual distances at which you can anticipate dealing with a threat. If such threats are primarily close range, focus your practice at that distance. If threats are also at a greater distance, you will need to factor that into your range time. Such practice would not be old school bullseye shooting but rather focus on drawing and firing effectively wearing the sort of clothing and holster one uses in cc. At least as important as accurately firing a cc revolver/pistol would be practice to learn how to best bring a ccw into use in the midst of normal activity. Some of the programming sponsored by Midway on the Outdoor Channel is of some use. Also take a look at some of the videos on YouTube. HTH. Sincerely. brucev.

 

[Saabo]

21 feet or 7 yards is the distance that you sould be able to draw and clear your holster and fire if being attacked by a knife welding perp. This is from MANY different web sites that ask this same question.

 

[KurtC]

You need to look at the course of fire for any credible defensive handgun training. They all require 25 yard engagement, and some even longer. Parking lots, lobbies, stores, driveways, etc. can easily have 25 yards of open space between the problem and the solution.

Don't believe everything happens up close and personal, and be sure to train with silhouettes instead of bullseyes. Don't draw during live fire until you have had proper training or you are being supervised by a professional.

 

[eod354]

Contact distance to usually about 5 yards or roughly average room distance.