Just curious as what distances you routinely shoot your handgun to achieve proficiency (accuracy). I shoot for enjoyment, not competition and am not necessarily concerned about self defense. It strikes me, however, that one could kill two birds with one stone, by consistently shooting at a regular distance that would be beneficial in a self defense situation. 2 yards, 5 yards, 7 yards? I rarely shoot further than 25 yards, because my accuracy at that distance sucks and my eye sight doesn't allow adequate target visualization much beyond that. Do LEOs have standard qualification distances they routinely employ as benchmarks?
Suppressors Handgun proficiency
- Thread starter prairiefire
- Start date
Re: Handgun proficiency
start as close as it takes to get hits and read the target, it will tell you what to work on. Work your way out till 50 yards.
My biggest advice is to become proficient shooting one handed. Why? because shooting one handed does a couple things, one is that it amplifies mistakes. You HAVE to master trigger control to become proficient one handed. And another is that with less stability it forces you to train your brain into realizing the sights arent ever gonna look perfect and thats ok, continue to manipulate the trigger while "attempting" to hold a good sight picture.
point is master single handed and your trigger control will be improved 10 fold, now add the second hand and see the 10 ring groups at 50 feel easy
start as close as it takes to get hits and read the target, it will tell you what to work on. Work your way out till 50 yards.
My biggest advice is to become proficient shooting one handed. Why? because shooting one handed does a couple things, one is that it amplifies mistakes. You HAVE to master trigger control to become proficient one handed. And another is that with less stability it forces you to train your brain into realizing the sights arent ever gonna look perfect and thats ok, continue to manipulate the trigger while "attempting" to hold a good sight picture.
point is master single handed and your trigger control will be improved 10 fold, now add the second hand and see the 10 ring groups at 50 feel easy
Re: Handgun proficiency
For individuals that need to improve, we start them off with dot drills. On a piece of computer paper, draw a few 3" circles and shade them in with a marker or just paint them. Start off at the 3yd line and fire 5 slow shots. Ensure you're focusing on your <span style="font-weight: bold">front site</span> and your <span style="font-weight: bold">trigger control</span>. Those are the 2 most important fundamentals in pistol shooting. Perform these 5 shots at the 3,5,7,10,15, and 25 yd line. If you're accuracy starts to expand out of the circles, stop at that distance and work until you fix it.
Pistol shooting is completely different from other weapon systems. The most import fundamentals are the front site and trigger control. Ensuring your arms are locked out to full extension gives the weapon a stabile platform. A way to check this is to look down at your elbows when the weapon is presented. If you can see the inside of your elbows, your arms are locked out at full extension. You can do everything else wrong and still get good hits if you perform those.
As you move back you'll start to worry that the target is smaller. That is an optical illusion. The target is still 3" at the 3yd line as it is the 25yd line. Just focus on your front site and smoothly press the trigger.
As stated previously, the one handed practice is also very good. It will get you to focus harder on your fundamentals. It also takes away your support hand if that is causing any problems. Good luck and keep practicing.
For individuals that need to improve, we start them off with dot drills. On a piece of computer paper, draw a few 3" circles and shade them in with a marker or just paint them. Start off at the 3yd line and fire 5 slow shots. Ensure you're focusing on your <span style="font-weight: bold">front site</span> and your <span style="font-weight: bold">trigger control</span>. Those are the 2 most important fundamentals in pistol shooting. Perform these 5 shots at the 3,5,7,10,15, and 25 yd line. If you're accuracy starts to expand out of the circles, stop at that distance and work until you fix it.
Pistol shooting is completely different from other weapon systems. The most import fundamentals are the front site and trigger control. Ensuring your arms are locked out to full extension gives the weapon a stabile platform. A way to check this is to look down at your elbows when the weapon is presented. If you can see the inside of your elbows, your arms are locked out at full extension. You can do everything else wrong and still get good hits if you perform those.
As you move back you'll start to worry that the target is smaller. That is an optical illusion. The target is still 3" at the 3yd line as it is the 25yd line. Just focus on your front site and smoothly press the trigger.
As stated previously, the one handed practice is also very good. It will get you to focus harder on your fundamentals. It also takes away your support hand if that is causing any problems. Good luck and keep practicing.
Re: Handgun proficiency
Taking a professional training course will help you answer your questions. Also, I recommend you read these books. They cost the same as a box of ammo, but you'll learn a lot more from reading them than you will from shooting 50 rounds at the range.
http://www.amazon.com/Surgical-Speed-Sho...5747&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Shooting-Fundamentals-Brian-Enos/dp/0962692506/ref=pd_sim_b_5
http://www.amazon.com/Combat-Focus-Shooting-Evolution-2010/dp/0979150876/ref=pd_sim_b_14
Taking a professional training course will help you answer your questions. Also, I recommend you read these books. They cost the same as a box of ammo, but you'll learn a lot more from reading them than you will from shooting 50 rounds at the range.
http://www.amazon.com/Surgical-Speed-Sho...5747&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Shooting-Fundamentals-Brian-Enos/dp/0962692506/ref=pd_sim_b_5
http://www.amazon.com/Combat-Focus-Shooting-Evolution-2010/dp/0979150876/ref=pd_sim_b_14
Re: Handgun proficiency
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: prairiefire</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just curious as what distances you routinely shoot your handgun to achieve proficiency (accuracy). I shoot for enjoyment, not competition and am not necessarily concerned about self defense. It strikes me, however, that one could kill two birds with one stone, by consistently shooting at a regular distance that would be beneficial in a self defense situation. 2 yards, 5 yards, 7 yards? I rarely shoot further than 25 yards, because my accuracy at that distance sucks and my eye sight doesn't allow adequate target visualization much beyond that. Do LEOs have standard qualification distances they routinely employ as benchmarks?</div></div>
All different ranges, on all different targets.
Here are some of the standards I routinely run through:
http://www.firearmstrainingandtactics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53
http://www.firearmstrainingandtactics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=267
http://www.firearmstrainingandtactics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1486
http://www.firearmstrainingandtactics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1250
http://www.firearmstrainingandtactics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: prairiefire</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just curious as what distances you routinely shoot your handgun to achieve proficiency (accuracy). I shoot for enjoyment, not competition and am not necessarily concerned about self defense. It strikes me, however, that one could kill two birds with one stone, by consistently shooting at a regular distance that would be beneficial in a self defense situation. 2 yards, 5 yards, 7 yards? I rarely shoot further than 25 yards, because my accuracy at that distance sucks and my eye sight doesn't allow adequate target visualization much beyond that. Do LEOs have standard qualification distances they routinely employ as benchmarks?</div></div>
All different ranges, on all different targets.
Here are some of the standards I routinely run through:
http://www.firearmstrainingandtactics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53
http://www.firearmstrainingandtactics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=267
http://www.firearmstrainingandtactics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1486
http://www.firearmstrainingandtactics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1250
http://www.firearmstrainingandtactics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132
Re: Handgun proficiency
trigger controls the most difficult part of shooting a handgun. you have only two points of contact on the pistol. just like with your rifles dry firing helps. it also shows you that the sights moved when the trigger broke if that is the case.
-Kenny
trigger controls the most difficult part of shooting a handgun. you have only two points of contact on the pistol. just like with your rifles dry firing helps. it also shows you that the sights moved when the trigger broke if that is the case.
-Kenny
Re: Handgun proficiency
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kentactic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">trigger controls the most difficult part of shooting a handgun. you have only two points of contact on the pistol. just like with your rifles dry firing helps. it also shows you that the sights moved when the trigger broke if that is the case.
-Kenny </div></div>
+1. People don't realize they may be squeezing with thier entire hand instead of isolating their trigger finger. Dry firing helps identifiy possible issues and helps develop good muscle memory.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kentactic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">trigger controls the most difficult part of shooting a handgun. you have only two points of contact on the pistol. just like with your rifles dry firing helps. it also shows you that the sights moved when the trigger broke if that is the case.
-Kenny </div></div>
+1. People don't realize they may be squeezing with thier entire hand instead of isolating their trigger finger. Dry firing helps identifiy possible issues and helps develop good muscle memory.
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