How good is good?

[zenman]

Can someone point me to a source that discusses handgun target accuracy? Website, book, person...

Info like group size ___ at ___ft/yds distance type stuff.

[JDM175]

Here is a quick guide to accuracy that I picked up at a Vickers class last year (source is my personal notes taken during the course) :

3 yards and less all rounds should be the size of a Gatorade bottle top, ideally one jagged hole

5 yards you should be able to cover your group with a hammer fist

Over 5 yards your group should be less than the span of your open hand

Hope this helps.

[Jonnin]

pro target pistols can put every shot in touching at 50 yards. A 2 shot derringer made of tin can hit a man target at 10 feet. It varies between these -- the above is good for combat, but target shooters can do far, far better of course.

[timcalhoun]

As far as practical accuracy goes, I always thought that if you can do this in the par time with good hits you are a very good shooter.

http://www.uspsa.org/classifiers/03-14.pdf

[RWF]

wow! that's a great question, but i am wondering what kind of pistol shooting you are asking about. i do believe that makes a big differance. action pistol sports or silhouette out to 100 yards, hunting?

[zenman]

Thanks guys. This all helps.

I'm trying to gauge my shooting ability as it is now. Since I am only shooting at indoor ranges I can not rapid fire. Slow fire only.

I found an article from Guns and Ammo that goes over target pistol accuracy and what you can except from different types of pistols. Revolver / Full size auto / compact auto / old / new...etc but the biggest thing the writer mentioned is custom ammo.

Seems that slow fire with a custom full size pistol and with custom ammo you can look at 1 1/2 inch groups at 50 yards. And some can even take that out to 100 yards. Most factory guns vary between 2 to 6 inch groups at 25 yards. This is with the shooter using sandbag rests.

I am shooting a stock G19. Currently I shoot at a torso target and can put all the shots into the bull or 9 at 15 yards. Seems I have a way to go in both gear/ammo and ability/practice.

[Jonnin]

That is not bad for a glock. You can learn a lot with a 22 ruger mark or similar pistol, if you want to practice with something better, and mid grade ammo instead of bulk.

[RWF]

i can not tell you how good is good, but if it is a indoor range, if they have rental's try shooting some others sometimes it can make a difference even if you love everything about the G19.

some little things that you do, buy some snap caps and have some else load your mags and see what happens when you pull the trigger and nothing happens. for under $50 you should be able to make the trigger much better. new disconnecter and a little polishing on the sear, striker and trigger bar. you will still have all the travel and the spongey feel but it should tighten up your groups.. sights

[Guest nmil]

If you shoot with an eye towards carrying, come shoot some IDPA!

[joejodus]

I never shot IDPA but I read alot about and watch videos on youtube check those out you can get a feel for it. I hope to start doing IDPA in the next couple of months.

P.S.

As far as groups at a certain distance those will vary by shooter no matter how good i think mine are i never stop trying to do better.

Edited October 6, 2011 by joejodus

[DaveTN]

Seems that slow fire with a custom full size pistol and with custom ammo you can look at 1 1/2 inch groups at 50 yards. And some can even take that out to 100 yards.

Handgun shooting is done off hand. Shooting a pistol locked in a rest is a test of the gun; not the shooter.

Shooting a 1 ½” group off hand at 25 yards is not impossible, but I doubt you will meet many people that can do it without a scoped handgun. I would bet there is no one here that can shoot anywhere close to a 1 ½” group at 50 or 100 yards off hand with any handgun and any custom ammo without a scope. Most I see at the range have trouble shooting that kind of group at 100 yards with a scoped rifle.

If you can put 25 rounds in the center 10 of a B-27 silhouette (6X4 oval) at 25 yards off hand you are an excellent shooter. If you can do it at 50 yards you are a competition shooter.

Edited October 6, 2011 by DaveTN

[Jonnin]

Handgun shooting is done off hand. Shooting a pistol locked in a rest is a test of the gun; not the shooter. Shooting a 1 ½” group off hand at 25 yards is not impossible, but I doubt you will meet many people that can do it without a scoped handgun. I would bet there is no one here that can shoot anywhere close to a 1 ½” group at 50 or 100 yards off hand with any handgun and any custom ammo without a scope. Most I see at the range have trouble shooting that kind of group at 100 yards with a scoped rifle.If you can put 25 rounds in the center 10 of a B-27 silhouette (6X4 oval) at 25 yards off hand you are an excellent shooter. If you can do it at 50 yards you are a competition shooter.

That sums it up nicely. I have spent most of the last year trying to stay in the black of the appropriate bullseye target (there is one for number of distances, scaled for that distance) with every shot and still cannot do that 100%, though I get close. And that is 7/10 points on the outside, or a 70% score if they are all on the edge... not that good, really. It is a difficult sport. On a good day my score is about 85% which is a joke, but I enjoy it. I do shoot bench rested pistol, but at longer ranges, 223 @ 100-200 yards off the bench, or messing around with other guns for fun or being lazy (sit rather than stand). I do not know of any bench rested competition, but it may be enlightening to shoot prone or sitting, defense is not always standing up in a dark alley, and other positions are odd the first few times.

[zenman]

Here's a link to the article I mentioned. I might have missed something or not understood what the writer was saying.

Please take a look and correct me where needed. Thanks

Defining Handgun Accuracy | Handguns | Guns & Ammo