Standard Distance for Pistol Accuracy Test

[Hangingrock]

What I've witnessed at a sportsman's club approaching a membership of 2000 members and a shooting association of which I am a land share owner that has approxmently 800 or so members, very few individuals shoot at the 50Yd line, some at the 25Yd line and the majority at the 10/7Yd lines. The vast majority of individuals are not enthusiastic about Bullseye shooting more are into let us say, what they perceive as defensive shooting application distances.

 

[Milt1]

Twenty-five yards for me in testing my revolver center fire reloads from a padded rest.

 

[tipoc]

Tipoc,
Since you specifically asked, I refer you to the February 2018 issue of The American Rifleman. On page 65 is a test of the Kahr CE 9mm at 15 yards and on page 76 is a test of the RUGER Security 9mm at 25 yards.
The RUGER article written by B. Gil Horman, field editor, but the Kahr article is not authored but rather inferring to NRA staffhouse.
Looks like NRA has forgotten their own 100 year old standard maybe?

You are right about the test of the Kahr and about the test of the Ruger. So why? The answer is clear by looking at the guns as described in the articles.

BTW, I was wrong to say "rarer than hen's teeth".

The Kahr is a sub-compact, 7 round mag, da piece meant for concealed carry. It's around the size of a S&W Shield. It's built to less exacting tolerances and standards than Kahr's previous guns.They test it for accuracy off rests at 15 yards. They describe this gun as useful for CCW. They test it like they test snubbys. Though in this case it did well at 15 yards and maybe would have done better than the Ruger did at 25.

The Ruger is a compact piece meant to fill the same niche as a Glock 19. It has a 15 round capacity in the mag. The barrel is .200" longer than the Kahr and the gun is a 1/2" taller. They test this gun at 25 yards. They describe it as useful for home defense, daily carry, range use, or a camp or trunk gun. They test it like they test most other pieces that they feel qualify for use at 25 yards.

They test the Ruger carbine at 50 yards, BTW.

They usually tell you why they test a gun with their standard 5 shots at five targets at 25 yards, or less when they feel that shorter distances are what they gun is designed for. In this case they feel that for the Kahr.

American Rifleman and Handloader both have the same standards of testing. The distances and method are as official as long standing custom can make a thing.

 

[rdstrain49]

Precisely Mike, I've never seen a hand gun proof target shot at 25 yards, not saying they don't exist just that in 55 years of competition I've never seen one. All handgun proof targets I've seen have been shot at 50 yards/meters. Almost any decent handgun can shoot a decent group at 25 yards, the proof is 50 and further.

 

[CraigC]

The vast majority of individuals are not enthusiastic about Bullseye shooting more are into let us say, what they perceive as defensive shooting application distances.

Not only is the defensive context prevalent but it's also more of an instant gratification that requires a lot less work. Many are satisfied with poking holes in a 7yd silhouette and simply do not want to put in the work to develop any skill beyond that.

 

[rdstrain49]

Your observation is spot on Craig. What many fail to recognize is even survival shooting or what ever you care to call it, still builds upon basic principals of marksmanship and that includes accuracy both in the shooter and his equipment. My last duty weapon, a well prepared 1911, was capable of 3" groups at 50 yards. Not from a Ransom or sandbagged, but from my hands.

When instructing LEOs, I stole and paraphrased a line from, I think, Hickok (really not sure of the original author). "When it comes to a lethal force confrontation, you simply can not miss fast enough to prevail."

 

[PO2Hammer]

Case in point, a recent 9 mm test of a 4.87” barrel with 3” avg. groups at 25 yards and a 4.6” barrel with 1” avg. groups at 15 yards. Only a 1/4” difference in barrel length but look at the groups!

The barrel length likely has nothing to do with the accuracy difference. The results easily could have been reversed.
I had 3.8" G-29 converted to .40 S&W that was far more accurate at 25 yards than a 5.3" G-35.
I don't do well trying to bench rest pistols, so I do my accuracy testing standing two hand slow fire at 25 yards. It takes more groups to get a real picture of your accuracy than it does from a rest, but it's also better practice.
When I'm really feeling it I move to the 50 yard line with my 357 and my 45 auto.

I've lost interest in close in speed shooting and focus only on precision slow fire.

 

[tipoc]

I was under the impression (correct me if I am wrong) on that many (most, all) handguns with fixed sights, the sights are set so that when they are properly aligned the gun will shoot to POA at 25 yards. I understand that that is ammo dependent.
Pete

That is, or was, the case. It was also with a set weight bullet as well. For example with a 38 Spl. and the .357 Mag. it was a 158 gr. bullet or 230 gr. for a 45.
It may have been different for snubby's. Hatcher describes this is in his "Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers" and other places.

These days it may be different and in some cases set for 15 yards. But I'm not sure.