How bad a shooter are you?

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

Saw the "do bad shooters make you feel good" thread and was just wondering what the stats are.

Oh, well. Off to the range to make some other folks feel good. ;)

- pdmoderator

[Sean Smith]

Depends on the gun. But with a 1911, I am substantially better than average, just based on what I see at gun ranges and stuff. That said, I also know people WAY better than I am.

Bad shooters don't make me feel good. If they aren't jerks, I'm happy to help if they ask. But it is always GREAT to see somebody who is a blowhard jerk stink it up at the range. :D

[10-Ring]

A couple years ago, I dedicated some time & effort into improving my skills. At the range, I feel like I can out shoot most of the regulars I see. At competition...I just go to have fun and let's just leave it at that :D

[Skunkabilly]

I put darn good because this is in the handgun section.

Rifles are another story :D

[P12]

at one of my IDPA meets, I put two shots center of mass on two targets at 7 yards. They were fairly quick shots and the palm of my hand would cover the two holes.

BUT, they were both friendly targets.:o


So does that make me a good shot or a bad shot? I guess it depends if your the bad guy or the friendly, huh!

[Edward429451]

I posted for better than average based on what I see at the range. But every once in awhile some master in disguise shows up and makes me feel like a pup. Makes me feel good to see people so darn good. It lets me know whats possible if I can just bring it all together.

Skunk, bud, whats up with that? Rifles are way easier to shoot well than a pistol. Shall we take up an ammo fund for you so you can get in more practice?!

[Schuey2002]

I'm not going to say.:neener:

Well, let me put it this way. I'm good enough with both my rifles and handguns to get the job done.;)

__________________
Molon Labe!!

[Monkeyleg]

I have good days and bad days. And there's shooters better than me and shooters who are worse. This is one of my better targets (25 shots, two-handed hold, standing, 50 feet, .45 ACP):

[JeepDriver]

I voted for better then average.

I'd be better then that if I'd pick a gun and stick with it. I bounce around with my hand guns. I never stay with one.

I'm really good with my Ruger P95 because I have the most time behind the trigger with that one. The Sig is catching up though.

(I think the Sig's groups are better because it's a 8 round mag and the Ruger is a 15 rounder. Just my way of cheating.)

[michiganfan]

this is me 50 rounds of 45 out of my charles daly at 10 yards. Notice I didn't post 50 rounds of 9mm out of my kel tec p11

[Blackhawk]

Still humble....

[cool45auto]

Well of course I started to put World Class but then thought, they'll know that's a lie. So I dropped down to excellent but I would have felt bad. Then I was going to put darn good but one of my buddies would have seen it and laughed. So I settled for average. I don't think I'll be criticized for that!:D

[Hardtarget]

I had to put myself in the sub-par bracket. After I turned forty my eyesight started to change. Though I'm still better than "minute of barn" , but my better days have slipped by. Maybe thats why shorter shotguns sound "good" to me! ;)
Mark.

[cratz2]

I feel confident in saying better than average but I don't know where the lines are drawn. I can usually keep most shots in about 5" at 25 yards if I take my time. Or I generally keep double taps in 5" at 15 yards. With my 22 revolver, a clay pigeon is in a whole lot of trouble at 100 yards.

I think this makes me better than average, certainly better than average of all shooters, but far from world class.

[beemerb]

Who do do you compare yourself to?All of the shooters in the country?If one uses that for comparason I am a excellent shot.
I shot 1 IDPA match in my life.I came out `12 out of 68 shooters.
Is that excellent?I go out shooting with C.R.Sam and he can whip my butt some days and I get him other days.
I think I am above average of all the shooters that I know shoot much but I allso know some that I don't stand a chance against.
Last point.In what catagory?Are we talking combat shooting or bullseye shooting.I am better on combat that I am on bullseye.
Bob

[bad_dad_brad]

Pretty bad.

Good enough at close range (less than 10 yards) but my eyes don't work so good at longer ranges. And I have a flinch problem.

I don't shoot enough to be anywhere near good, and that is the real problem.

[coonan357]

good enough to get the BG at less than 50 feet , if hes at 51 feet hes safe..:D and also good enough to pass a qualification test for the state.

[HSMITH]

I went for better than average, but then changed it to pretty darn good. I can keep a box of shells in the head of a sillouette target at 25 yards offhand shooting at a pretty quick pace with several guns. At 10 yards I can empty a gun VERY fast and keep them in the 9 on the same target with just about any gun. Most guys I have seen and shot with are worse by a bit, and darn few guys that I want to watch shoot are around.

[cobb]

With the people that I shoot with, probably better than average.
If comparing to the general population, I'm world class. :D

[Ian11]

When I go to the range I think I'm better than avg. When I see the groups the members post here....I think I better practice A LOT MORE.

[Beav]

voted bad, just started shooting a few months ago and I got a flinch too.

[chaim]

I'd be better then that if I'd pick a gun and stick with it. I bounce around with my hand guns. I never stay with one. Sounds like me, except I don't think I'd put myself at better than average. I am better than average (though not by much) with my CZ 75B and S&W 586 (6") but with everything else I'm just average.

[laynlow]

This is a great idea for a thread. I think it would be cool if we could formulate some sort of high road grading system to compare ourselves if we wanted to. Something like group size from a given distance, and given caliber. Anywhoo, I have been working hard to get control of the trigger and my shooting has been improving greatly. I shot this target the first or second time after I purchased the pictured used G34. It is a good shooter, and mucho fun to practice with.

The orange sticker is 2". You can see that I placed 10 shots inside about a 2.75" group at 10 yards. Six of the shots are in a group that is approximately 1.2". The ammo used was Winchester WB, and it always seems like I have some fliers with that stuff. No doubt, I probably jerked the trigger once or twice too. I have since been shooting sub 1.5" groups that turn into a ragged hole with a few scattered shots not exceeding a 3" radius.

I would say I am definitely above average compared to others at my range, but I also have a lot to learn and high goals. I am looking forward to a TDSA class at the end of this month. I have high hopes that my shooting will improve even more.

http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/pubimage.asp?id_=1192935

[Monkeyleg]

There are those who think they'll live forever, and those who feel like they've lived forever. One of the first casualties is vision.

I posted the aforementioned target to show what I can do at best at age 52 with bad eyes, wobbly hands and thimble arms.

Attached is a target from twenty years ago: .357, standing, two hands, 50 feet, twelve shots, shooting DA. (The muffs and glasses are part of a photo for a friend's website):

[emann]

I've been known to occassionally hit the side of a barn from 10 yards. :p

[kannonfyre]

I was attending a pistol course in Thailand last year and this is how I faired with the various pistols used while shooting at man sized targets using aimed fire....

S&W Model 67 loaded with .38 special 148gr Wadcutters at 25M
(30 rounds)

3 Headshots
4 Neckshots
16 Chestshots
3 Torso shots missing vital organs
2 arm shots
2 misses

Strum Ruger P89 loaded with 9mm LRN 124gr at 25M
(30 rounds)

30 chestshots

Colt M1911A1 loaded with .45ACP 230 gr SWC at 10m
(21 rounds)

21 gutshots

Don't know how I would fare against the average US state trooper but I KNOW that I'm better than most of the officers in my territorial army reserve unit.

[hansolo]

I rated myself Better Than Average: I've only been shooting for a bit over a year: I see shooters at local outdoor matches who, while not in Rob Leatham's league, are pretty dang amazing. On the other hand, I can usually manage to knock down steel plates at 15-30 yards and keep most hits on the BG silhouette; I haven't accidentally shot myself or a Range Officer so I guess, on a bell curve, I'm a tad right of the middle. :uhoh:

[Dorrin79]

I put myself down for average.

Compared to my friends / random people at the range / my brother, I seem world class!

But I know I am not really that good - not yet.

[HSMITH]

laynlow

GREAT PICTURE!!! Very nicely done.

Who is the expert and who is the world class shooter on the poll?

[longeyes]

I rated myself average, but frankly I don't know what the criteria are for any of these categories. I only took up shooting, really, in '00 and acknowledge that my best shooting years (eyesight-wise) are well behind me. Nonetheless, I do my best and practice frequently, using 1911s and Glocks for the most part. Generally I shoot offhand at seven yards and if I can put my shots--minus a flyer now and then--into a 5.5-inch circle or into the head and central chest of a human silhouette target I go home content. I consider that "functional accuracy."

[ruger357]

Average. I guess if I got out more to practice I would get better.

[M1911]

It depends upon the level of the competition ;)

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

I think it would be cool if we could formulate some sort of high road grading system to compare ourselves if we wanted to.Scores on the NRA marksmanship quals would be one way.

http://store.nrahq.org/nra/assets/product_images/detail/10144.jpg
With my 22 revolver, a clay pigeon is in a whole lot of trouble at 100 yards.You shoot clays with a REVOLVER? :what:

Well, last night I broke a score of 40 twice on B-2 targets at 50 feet with five shots. Weaver stance with my Slabside. (Which I think I've finally got cured of its FTEs; now it's not locking back. :scrutiny: )

- pdmoderator

[3 gun]

I suck. I'm a D class USPSA shooter only because they don't have an E class. Still I look OK until I get to where they have rules and keep scores.

[Jesse H]

I suppose it would depend on what's considered average?

Compared to the folks that visit my range during the weekends, I'm a bit above average.

Compared to my buddies, I'm about average.

Compared to some of you bad*sses here, I suck. :-D

[trapshooter]

From a statistical perspective, this poll looks amazingly accurate.

Looks like were a bunch of honest folk to me.

Who are the three who haven't shot a gun? I'm going out tomorrow. You're invited. On the astronomical chance that your close enough to take me up on that, PM me.

[Peetmoss]

Put it this way I printed out the march mail in match target and I scored 0. Is that bad enough for all of you.

[telewinz]

If I can put 90% of my handgun calibers in a 9" paper plate at 50 feet rapid fire, thats all I'm looking for or need.

[COHIBA]

i'm still here aint I?

[pax]

From a statistical perspective, this poll looks amazingly accurate.

Looks like were a bunch of honest folk to me.
Trapshooter,

I was just thinking that it was a nice bell curve -- pretty surprising.

The funny part is, the bell curve is centered on above average. :D

'Course, anyone who hangs out on gun boards probably has more interest in shooting and shooting well than the average joe to goes to the range on a Saturday afternoon once in a blue moon.

pax

The average person thinks he isn't. -- Ambrose Bierce

[Skunkabilly]

Yeah! There's only 6 people here better than me! Reehaw! :D :neener:

[Glock_PhD]

It is still remaining a very nice bell curve, right at just above average. We must all be somewhat honest people. I am curious though what is average. I put sub-par for me because I don't think I am near as good as I should be. At 10-15yds I can keep my shots inside the 7 ring of a silhouette target. But I see a lot of people that can punch a single hole at 20+ yds. But then again I have also seen a lot that can't even hit the target at 7 yds. So what is average. I would be interested in hearing what kind of groups people get and and what range. Just idle curiosity!

[Erik]

Somewhere between "better than average" and "darned good" with pistols. I'm in a 2400 round course of fire as we speak, and am practicing away as they let me.

Just "average" with the shoulder mounted stuff. But, I am working on it.

[Monkeyleg]

Glock;PhD: "I would be interested in hearing what kind of groups people get and and what range. Just idle curiosity!"

Today I was absolutely terrible. My best target was 25 shots, with only 16 in the 3" black. The rest were scattered out from 6" to 8".

How can a person go from being "ok" one week to being terrible the next?

[denfoote]

Like Sean, it depends on the gun, more succinctly, the size of the sights!! It seems that as I my poor middle aged eyes drift toward stronger bifocal land, the size my pistol sights have to be in order to shoot good increases!!! :D

[Lennyjoe]

Average. This is how bad I shot when I was home on midtour. Taken into account that I hadn't shot for almost 5 months though I thought it was an ok day out.

G19, 25 yds, 115 Winchester White box FMJ.http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid41/pad981cfd51c955ab3ef141d766e420ef/fcf76adc.jpg