How significant is practicing shooting tight groups for your range practice?

[alterspaces]

I've had guns for many years, but only started shooting in August 2023. I finally thought I should probably get better at it.

Been focusing on shooting tighter groups because I thought it looked cool, was satisfying, and have significantly improved from shooting 8-inch groups to now 3-inch groups at 5-7 yards or so.

But this shooting is all from a standstill, one shot after another, in an unperturbed state. I've been adding in practicing shooting from the draw, only 1 bullet at a time, hits the target all over the place, very imprecise. I feel like this is much more practical (and difficult). I imagine that we'll all be shooting while moving around, maybe I watch too many movies, but I see people moving around while shooting their guns in self-defense videos too. When would we ever be in a situation in which we need to shoot from the draw, but thereafter, every shot is from a standstill in the same position?

So what do you guys think - about the practicality of practicing tighter groups? Should I be focusing less time on it, and more practicing shooting from the draw? I think practicing one-handed is also more practical too. Trying to get the most out of my one hour at the range. At this point in time, I'm spending 80% shooting tighter groups, but I think I should be spending <30% of the time doing that, but I want to hear some other opinions on practicing at the range. For reference I'm talking about pistols.

 

[baboon]

Its important to hit what you aim at if you going to do a quick human kill. Knowing the aiming points for a quick humane kill is just as important. That being said most Americans are tight group crazy. Other then crocodiles & alligators with golf ball sized brains that is generally used to anchor them a 2-3 inch group is good enough for most man or beast.

 

[etmo]

I've had guns for many years, but only started shooting in August 2023. I finally thought I should probably get better at it.

Been focusing on shooting tighter groups because I thought it looked cool, was satisfying, and have significantly improved from shooting 8-inch groups to now 3-inch groups at 5-7 yards or so.

But this shooting is all from a standstill, one shot after another, in an unperturbed state. I've been adding in practicing shooting from the draw, only 1 bullet at a time, hits the target all over the place, very imprecise. I feel like this is much more practical (and difficult). I imagine that we'll all be shooting while moving around, maybe I watch too many movies, but I see people moving around while shooting their guns in self-defense videos too. When would we ever be in a situation in which we need to shoot from the draw, but thereafter, every shot is from a standstill in the same position?

So what do you guys think - about the practicality of practicing tighter groups? Should I be focusing less time on it, and more practicing shooting from the draw? I think practicing one-handed is also more practical too. Trying to get the most out of my one hour at the range. At this point in time, I'm spending 80% shooting tighter groups, but I think I should be spending <30% of the time doing that, but I want to hear some other opinions on practicing at the range. For reference I'm talking about pistols.

I think you would benefit immensely from some quality training. Your questions will be answered by experts, and even better, the training might save your life.

I don't know who is down by you, but here is someone in Central Texas that provides some of the best training in the nation. I would contact them, tell them what you want, and ask for a recommendation down in your area.

 

[Byrd666]

Look into watching, or better yet, participating in, a local IDPA or USPSA match. Either of those disciplines will have, and offer, a boat load of information, and most likely a lot more contacts local to you for training and learning opportunities.

 

[General Zod]

I've had guns for many years, but only started shooting in August 2023. I finally thought I should probably get better at it.

Been focusing on shooting tighter groups because I thought it looked cool, was satisfying, and have significantly improved from shooting 8-inch groups to now 3-inch groups at 5-7 yards or so.

But this shooting is all from a standstill, one shot after another, in an unperturbed state. I've been adding in practicing shooting from the draw, only 1 bullet at a time, hits the target all over the place, very imprecise. I feel like this is much more practical (and difficult). I imagine that we'll all be shooting while moving around, maybe I watch too many movies, but I see people moving around while shooting their guns in self-defense videos too. When would we ever be in a situation in which we need to shoot from the draw, but thereafter, every shot is from a standstill in the same position?

So what do you guys think - about the practicality of practicing tighter groups? Should I be focusing less time on it, and more practicing shooting from the draw? I think practicing one-handed is also more practical too. Trying to get the most out of my one hour at the range. At this point in time, I'm spending 80% shooting tighter groups, but I think I should be spending <30% of the time doing that, but I want to hear some other opinions on practicing at the range. For reference I'm talking about pistols.

I enjoy practicing with multiple targets, acquiring and shooting at each in turn as fast as I can switch between them. I also tend to practice tight groups on the same target, and will usually make at least one attempt to draw a smiley face in the "head" section of a target at 10 yards. But I feel practicing with three or four different targets, with only one or two shots per, switching targets as fast as I can accurately shoot, is the most valuable of my range habits.

YMMV, and like the others said, a knowledgeable trainer would be your best resource.

 

[alterspaces]

I enjoy practicing with multiple targets, acquiring and shooting at each in turn as fast as I can switch between them. I also tend to practice tight groups on the same target, and will usually make at least one attempt to draw a smiley face in the "head" section of a target at 10 yards. But I feel practicing with three or four different targets, with only one or two shots per, switching targets as fast as I can accurately shoot, is the most valuable of my range habits.

YMMV, and like the others said, a knowledgeable trainer would be your best resource.

Great ideas on practice ideas. I recently started drawing my own paper targets so I can do this practice on them.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I turn targets over, and shoot the back.
I'll place several 1" dots to aim at.

 

[toddnjoyce]

I find tight groups are a result of quality fundamentals when it comes to shooting. I also like @benenglish’s technique of shooting at the center of a blank piece of paper as a good exercise. Being able to repeatedly hit where you aim is what results in better groups and sometimes that dot at the center of a target is a real impediment to knowing where your aiming with respect to sight picture.

I’m also a huge fan of dot torture as a practical exercise.

Dot Torture Shooting Drill | Trigger Pressers

Miss one shot and you fail. No exceptions. The Dot Torture Drill is an excellent marksmanship drill that forces you to focus on trigger control.

www.triggerpressers.com

Additionally, there’s a lot going on between finding your aim point, setting the sight picture, breathing, squeezing the trigger, recoil, and resetting for the follow up shot. You can isolate a lot of those factors out by going down to .22LR. It’ll take longer than you think to shoot a perfect dot torture drill at 3yds with a rimfire, but you’ll learn a lot about aiming, sight picture, breathing, and squeezing the trigger in that time.

Now, why all this is important is if you’re shooting a 3” group at 5 yards, that ends up being about 2 feet of spread at 100 yards, and that’s where missing a shot in a defensive situation results in a neutral body buying the bullet you shot. That’d be damn hard for me to live with.

 

[alterspaces]

I’m also a huge fan of dot torture as a practical exercise.

Dot Torture Shooting Drill | Trigger Pressers

Miss one shot and you fail. No exceptions. The Dot Torture Drill is an excellent marksmanship drill that forces you to focus on trigger control.

www.triggerpressers.com

Now, why all this is important is if you’re shooting a 3” group at 5 yards, that ends up being about 2 feet of spread at 100 yards, and that’s where missing a shot in a defensive situation results in a neutral body buying the bullet you shot. That’d be damn hard for me to live with.

wow dot torture seems to be exactly the type of drills I was hoping for. Man I'm a noob, I literally only know about tight groups and shooting from draw.

I understand what you said about 2 ft group at 100 yds, but tbh, it doesn't even occur to me to even try shooting that far. I don't think I would do it. It would be a waste of a bullet. Maybe that's my current skill level talking, but it doesn't even make sense to even consider shooting that far for now. So far, out of my 5 range visits, I have not even put any targets out at 20 m yet. I don't think I'll be able to hit it at all.

 

[toddnjoyce]

…I understand what you said about 2 ft group at 100 yds, but tbh, it doesn't even occur to me to even try shooting that far.…

You missed the point. It’s not about shooting at a target 100yds away. It’s about missing the target at 3yds in a defensive shooting. That bullet doesn’t just go ‘whoops, I didn’t hit the guy I was supposed to hit’ and magically falls to the ground. It keeps whistling downrange at a little under a quarter mile per second until it impacts something or runs out of energy about 2500 yards down range.

 

[alterspaces]

You missed the point. It’s not about shooting at a target 100yds away. It’s about missing the target at 3yds in a defensive shooting. That bullet doesn’t just go ‘whoops, I didn’t hit the guy I was supposed to hit’ and magically falls to the ground. It keeps whistling downrange at a little under a quarter mile per second until it impacts something or runs out of energy about 2500 yards down range.

For some reason I didn't even read the last 2 sentences of your first comment. I got it now, thanks for the clarification.

 

[striker55]

When I did my practicing it was during my IHMSA days so accuracy was important. That was about 40 years ago, now when I shoot (different guns today) I shoot pretty good groups.

 

[Ausländer]

Consistency and proper muscle memory - assuming you are training for self-defense. In an "oh shit" situation fine motor skills will leave you quicker than a Taco Bell meal. At that point you are left with basic muscle memory and how ever you trained.

Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice does.

If you trained to pull the mag out and set it down vs letting it hit the floor, then that's what your default will be.
If you trained to look down at the mag well to reload instead of bringing it up to your face, then you'll take your eyes off of the threat(s).

Go slow and build up speed. Like others have said, find a reputable trainer or go to a IDPA or USPSA meet.

 

[TXAZ]

I was taught to ”develop the skill with precision then speed it up.“
This is what a best day (10 @ 10 yards w/ red dot) looks like.
Trying to do speed first is usually a waste of ammo.

 

[zackmars]

It's very important. Accuracy is the product, speed is the byproduct. You want both, but you only get the byproduct by producing the product.

If you are unfortunate enough to need to use a firearm in self defense, a lot of the accuracy you are capable of will go right out the window. If you can only get c-zone hits on a calm square range, what happens when you are stressed out? Flowing with adrenaline? Heart rate going a mile a minute?

 

[craigntx]

I go with at least 10 mags stuffed. 20% range sessions spent on groups. The rest is rapid fire fun. Then gtfo

 

[majormadmax]

Its important to hit what you aim at if you going to do a quick humane kill. Knowing the aiming points for a quick humane kill is just as important. That being said most Americans are tight group crazy. Other then crocodiles & alligators with golf ball sized brains that is generally used to anchor them a 2-3 inch group is good enough for most man or beast.

Corrected, but technically it wasn't wrong in the first place!

 

[majormadmax]

Please clarify, are you asking about accuracy in terms of hunting or a self-defense situation?

There's a major difference between the two!

 

[Texan79423]

You will never know until your target shoots back and you have to reload under fire. Holes in paper are just holes in paper.

 

[caliburn]

I've had guns for many years, but only started shooting in August 2023. I finally thought I should probably get better at it.

Been focusing on shooting tighter groups because I thought it looked cool, was satisfying, and have significantly improved from shooting 8-inch groups to now 3-inch groups at 5-7 yards or so.

But this shooting is all from a standstill, one shot after another, in an unperturbed state. I've been adding in practicing shooting from the draw, only 1 bullet at a time, hits the target all over the place, very imprecise. I feel like this is much more practical (and difficult). I imagine that we'll all be shooting while moving around, maybe I watch too many movies, but I see people moving around while shooting their guns in self-defense videos too. When would we ever be in a situation in which we need to shoot from the draw, but thereafter, every shot is from a standstill in the same position?

So what do you guys think - about the practicality of practicing tighter groups? Should I be focusing less time on it, and more practicing shooting from the draw? I think practicing one-handed is also more practical too. Trying to get the most out of my one hour at the range. At this point in time, I'm spending 80% shooting tighter groups, but I think I should be spending <30% of the time doing that, but I want to hear some other opinions on practicing at the range. For reference I'm talking about pistols.

You can also add dry fire practice to your range sessions and between range sessions.