Am I a good shot?

[MrDig]

I voted yes for one and only one reason, you were at least shooting. Many times I have had a person turn their nose up at one of my targets and never verify that they can shoot better by presenting one of their targets. From an Army standpoint you are a marksman or possibly a sharpshooter, but not expert.
The good news is you can improve, the bad news is they will still be ugly

 

[MS .45]

I think it looks pretty decent. Looks about like mine at similar distance. I do want to get much better, so I shoot every weekend. One day I may consider myself a "good" shot.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I voted yes for good shooting and a good start. It is not excellent but most guys I see at the range can't do as well as you did.

With a pistol you really have to work on trigger control. Like most people have said, take your time and relax. Concentrate on the front sight and squeeze the trigger slowly until it surprises you. Anticipating the trigger and/or the recoil can really mess up your groups.

 

[scurtis_34471]

I would say those targets demonstrate "combat accuracy." In other words, you shoot plenty well enough to hit a human target where it count.

 

[lamazza]

The way I determine good shooting at any range is to take that target and hold it to your chest. Did you get the job done or didn't you? In this case it sure looks like you did. Its all relative isn't it?

 

[quickcanary]

I agree with the last two posts. I personally think someone who isn't able to shoot "one ragged hole" in the target can still be considered a good shot. Like another poster said:

If you're shooting for self defense you're doing great.

Of course, if you compare with Sturm's groups, yours suddenly don't look that great. Then again, he did admit one night while drunk-posting that he shot those groups from 3 yards resting.

I guess the criteria one deems necessary to be a "good shot" are subjective. I'd say you're a good shot for SD and need improvement if you plan on shooting competitively (but that also applies to the vast majority of members here).

 

[bdutton]

I voted yes.

You show promise but not yet in competition class of bullseye style rapid fire shooting. You want to get better? Focus on putting one shot at a time in the 10 ring. You have a tendency to get too aggressive on the trigger hence the frequency of shots low left. But you still have a good grouping of shots overall.

The Ruger 22/45 is a good gun but the trigger is probably raw adding to your low left groups.

 

[Noxx]

I just wanted to jump in to say I'm of those many shooters who's always been a "decent" shot (i.e. I feel comfortable defending myself at close range) but only recently have I been bitten by the bug to improve my accuracy to semi-competitive levels.

A lot of that motivation, and a great deal of useful instruction, have come from this board. Keep up the input guys, a lot more folks than just the OP appreciate it.

 

[goings_51]

I've seen more than one newbe out at the range that can put 100 rounds in the 9 ring. Me, if they're all on the paper and mostly centered with about a 6inch spread, that's about as good as I seem to be able to get. Some of us have it and others don't. Some may be able to work hard enough to get better.

It's funny because I can go out to my mother's pond and shoot 1" groups at a snake head in the water out to 20 yards. I can think of at least three small critters I've taken at over 50 yards with a pellet gun. I'm just no good on paper.

I'm sure some may disagree with me (that happens a lot), but I think in a self-defense situation, if you have time to take proper aim, you probably aren't really justified. Most SD shootings are at such close range that you won't have time to aim and it won't matter.

 

[sturmgewehr]

I'm at my absolute best when shooting against other good shooters. That's why I tend to go shooting with guys at my skill level or better, it causes me to concentrate and my competitive nature prevails. My best story is I was shooting against a guy I consider to be my superior with a pistol and we ran a business card out to 21 ft, held in the target holder sideways (thin side facing us). I split the business card in half on my 3rd shot.

...he did it on his first. I can't win for losing.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Ammo has a lot to do with accuracy.

Try some CCI Standard Velocity .22LR Part # 0032. I can find them for $17.99 a brick.

Also, try some Federal Champion "TARGET" .22LR Part # 714. It's in a blue box and looks just like the # 510 but it's much better ammo. I can buy it for $15.99 a brick.

I have found those two will shoot reliably and accurately in both my S&W Model 22A and Ruger Mark II.

 

[Nitrogen]

I'd say you're getting the hang of it.

You should practice until youc an make ragged holes, and here's why:

In a self defense shooting situation, you'll be performing suboptiomally; the adrenaline will be flowing, you'll be scared out of your mind. If you can make ragged holes at that distance while calm, during a self defense shooting, your shots will look like your target does currently.

If you had to shoot in Self Defense tomorrow, your shots would be far worse than that.