There is no standard practice distance, only you can determine what is best. You should practice for how you plan to use your gun. Assuming your gun is for self defense, IMO, 20 yards is a bit extreme. In reality, do you plan on engaging a BG who's 60 feet away? I rarely go beyond 7 yards because I know that, statistically, that's the maximum range I will be using the gun in a self defense situation. I'd suggest bringing the target in closer, work that distance until you are comfortable with the groups you are producing, and then start moving the target out a couple yards at a time, each time increasing the distance only when you are happy with your grouping.

.45 is going to be expensive to shoot. You might have been better off getting a 9mm for the cheaper ammo.

There is no standard distance for practice. Most pistol competitions are at 25 yards which is the maximum distance available at NRA pistol ranges, so if you're practicing pure marksmanship that's the way to go.

Any practice distance can be "the best" for something, as well as different progressions of distances. If you're practicing for your Texas CHL qualification, the course of fire goes from 3 yards to 7 and then to 15. If you're practicing draw-point-fire or other speed drills you usually do so within 10 yards.

The progression of distances can actually make a difference. If you go from short to long distance during your range time, you get used to firing at large targets and so your groupings will sufffer at longer range compared to having simply set up a 25yd target. However, if you start with the target at maximum range and come in, you're used to shooting at a small target and your groupings will improve at short range compared even to starting at short range.

3 yards and work your way out.

Long distance practice makes short range shooting easy. Try a little of both each time out. IMHO Statisticaly 7 yards may be all you need but Statistics say what the Statistician wants them too. BG's don't care what the stats say.

Thanks for the responses. As it seems with most things there is usually never a general consensus.

The 45acp is a bg gun that I'll drag along with me on fishing and other outdoor adventures when I'm not hunting. I know some people knock the 45acp as not being a woods gun but in all my time outdoors I've had more issues with people than critters. If I end up needing it at home then so be it.

Looks like I'll be keeping it in close for most practice. Now if I can just quit anticipating the gun going off.

I normally shoot between 7-10 yards max to concentrate on what I need to be doing to improve my groupings and build "confidence" before increasing the target distance. Anything further away at this point since I'm a "newbie" since Nov. IMHO - is pointless.
Don't get me wrong, there's alot of fellow forum members who have personal experience with other trains of thought & experience in this matter. But for me, I want to be consistant first.....then move on & up in difficultly.

I've been asked/considering to try out IPSC in the "stock-gun" category, and I have started to collect the gear I need to try it out. I've YOUTUBED matches and to me it looks like "close-in" obsticle type course shooting at no more than about 5-10yrds - maybe 20. That's why I'm focusing on the 7-10yrd distance. I hope to actually start practicing w/local members for beginner matches in the near future. - (everyone's gotta have a hobby)

And if it ever comes to as issue of personal defense.....as mentioned before, if the BG is over 60ft away......its your judgement.....do the math.

For me.......15+1 rounds.........even if I "graze" the BG repeatedly, I've got 2 more full mags.


I need more coffee........

I try to keep my CCW practice under 10 yrds...

My 22's @ 25yrds and out to 50 or 60 with my hunting guns

For self defense I'd keep from close to 10 yards. For compition you will probably need to lenghting it a bit. When I competed in the Air Force we shot the longest stage at fifty yards! Why, I don't know. I'd just grab my M16 at that range.

I am with most of the others here. I shoot from about 10 yards to 15 yards most of the time. I will once in a while shoot at 25 or even 30 yards just to stay sharp but I don't find shooting at that distance even fun unless I am shooting silhouettes.

5-10 here. More often about 7 though. Rifles 100.

The vast majority of you can throw a ball to another individual 60 to 90 feet away. It is a natural thing to do. You can point your finger rather accurately also. It is a natural thing to do. if your handgun fits your hand properly you can point it accurately also. It is almost the same as pointing your finger.

We tend to intimidate ourselves unduly when we percieve an action as difficult. We seem to feel absolute accuracy is necessary the first time we do something therefore we don't do it.

If all you do is shoot at 3 to 7 yards you will get good enough then quit practicing and never know what you realy can do. Then if you happen to have that 45 in a backpack and run into a mad Bear or whatever while out hiking you will have to wait till it is 21 feet away, which is way too late, to shoot.

Challenge yourself on occasion. You can do more than you think.

i started going to a new range here last week and they have a bunch of different targets mostly steel and poppers. i started setting them up 5 or 6 at a time from 7 yards back to 25 and practice drawing and shooting all targets as fast as i can . this has made practice fun and has helped me get on target faster at different angles and distances. i will burn all of the 9mm i can afford and then switch over to 22 cal for some cheep fun.

randy

I have a different opinion on this especially if you are shooting a new gun/capiber. Get your mechanics down correctly first, grip, sight picture, breathing and squeeze. Don't worry so much about time or distance at first. As you get your mechanics down, then start working on different distances and times.
I've seen people completely miss a target at 3 yards with bad mechanics. Practice, practice is one thing but do it correctly or you will instill some bad habits that are a bear to break. Have you ever seen the guy at the range that loads up a clip and empties it as fast as he can only to see no holes in the paper? Sounds impressive but not the sort of shooting you want to do if your life is on the line. Start out right and you're way ahead of the game.
Pat

Mostly 7 yards, but a little at 3/10/15/25.

I also shoot on an indoor range, that has electric target pulleys. You set the desired distance, press the button, and the target moves. If your range has a setup like that, you can practice the "charging bad guy" drill. Put the target out at 10 or 20 yards, set the desired distance to 0, press the button, and try to empty your gun into the target before it reaches you. Adrenaline rush!

Originally Posted by milquetoast

Mostly 7 yards, but a little at 3/10/15/25.

I also shoot on an indoor range, that has electric target pulleys. You set the desired distance, press the button, and the target moves. If your range has a setup like that, you can practice the "charging bad guy" drill. Put the target out at 10 or 20 yards, set the desired distance to 0, press the button, and try to empty your gun into the target before it reaches you. Adrenaline rush!

That actually sounds like a neat idea. The range I use does have the electric target rails but rapid fire is not allowed, though double taps are fine. At this stage int he game I suck at double tapping so I'll try to stick with sight picture and trigger pull for now.

I have to admit that punching paper can get old rather quick

I practice at 25-35 yards. I know all about stats about this and that. we have to shoot at 7 yards for CCW in Ky. My thoughts are if I can group well at 25+ yards. There's not going to be any issue if I happen to be closer in a "real world scenario.

I used to shoot a lot closer when I had a Colt snubby as my truck gun but most all I own now don't have any problems at 25 yards staying in 3-5 inches.
So I guess for a new shooter get to where you feel good about the distance and add to it later if the mood strikes you