Although I’m a hobby-shooter, I lean more toward self-defense than just paper-punching - what are the practical minimum and maximum ranges for this? My experiences lead me to think 10 yards for the max. Kurt17
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I was taught, bad breath distance is where all altercations begin! As far as range 3 - 7 yards. Unless you’re preparing to take on mass shootings at 25 yards and beyond, I would keep it to less than 15 yards, IMHO. I’ve put rounds on paper out to 25 yards. But I practice weekly at 5 - 7.5 yards using anatomically correct targets. There is no “X” on the human thug!
I’ve trained my wife, children and grandkids to aim small miss small, count your rounds and call your shot on the body. Be very afraid of my daughters, if they are told to hit the left eye, your blind, if they’re told to hit right kidney, you’ll be on dialysis! Surely don’t tempt my wife , who at 73 can still stop your Timex watch from ticking at 100 yards, with a rifle, of course! She is my overwatch!
I’ve also trained them for the DRT/CNS shot, albeit on paper, I still wouldn’t challenge them!
Blue = DRT hits or Dead Right There, with the slight possibility of trigger being pulled.
Red = CNS or Central Nervous System, no chance of trigger being pulled. From what I hear this is a mythological shot, unless you’re an experienced sniper.
Green = Incapacitating shots, variable outcomes.
In all cases hostage still alive! Good day.
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For self defense I would practice between 0 yards and 15 yards. This is the range you should be prepared for the gunfight.
As we know, most self defense shootings take place between 3 - 5 yards, so that would be distance to focus on, but it’s good to know how to defense yourself in every possible situations.
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If you practice at 10 yards, 7 yards gets easy. 
Always good to practice some very close range too.
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THX - Kurt17
THX - I thought as much. - Kurt17
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Aha - thx - I thought as much - from across a card table on out, Kurt17
I feel like the focus here might boil down to “tactical marksmanship” vs conventional marksmanship standards. Coming from a family of LE, for private folks its way over 90% at < 10 feet or so when it hits the fan. Speed and close quarter control of your weapon are candidly more important than any paper punching at a conventional range. We all punch paper at 15-25 yds once in awhile. Your odds of needing to protect your bacon as a concealed carrier are close to zero at that range. Maybe a thump in the middle of the night at home, but there is where a long gun would be in my arms. My recommendation is to work on solid gun purchase holster positioning with blazing controlled speed for up to 12 feet, and again most likely 6-8 feet. Immediate reactions with controlled “tactical” marksmanship is the standard for saving your life. As warrior poet words it the comparison is ---------------- an operator vs a shooter!
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THX - Kurt17
15 yards and in for myself. I do still like to shoot at 25 yards to keep my marksmanship skills intact. That and it’s fun to do once in a while. It also makes 15 yard and closer shots seem a bit easier, at least for me.
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Keep in mind the Tueller Drill when you’re considering distance. While we never want to shoot at a large distance, the need to shoot an attacker charging you from 21+ feet with a knife may be necessary.
Most self-defense incidents take place within a couple of arms length.
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I usually spend most of my range time at 10 yards or less for pistols.
I go to an indoor range most of the time because its the one most convenient and accessible to me, so pistol caliber rifle practice is limited to 25 yards. Would like to spend more time practicing further out.
7 yrds, , 10 yrds, and yes you should practice 25 yrds also.
So, I would say, physical contact out to 25 yrds.
And physical contact being right at the target, if you can not do so safely, do it only with dry fire.
Indeed.
Ranges to train at…
Physical contact or arms length… (if can be done safely), out to 25 yrds.
We use a tactical range with metal targets set at 25’ & 90’. We also set up paper at 15’ for training. The range is run by two ex Army Rangers. It is the perfect range & so well run. I have made many shooting friends there & we just have a ball. They offer any type of training you might imagine. LONESTAR HANDGUN in Converse, Texas (San Antonio).
