What do YOU think is "good enough" pistol skills for an armed citizen ?

[PeteG]

Well played! (by both -- clearly you guys can fire quips at a high accuracy level, under stress).

Bumper sticker combat! I think you are on to something!

[orionz06]

Bumper sticker combat! I think you are on to something!

If you come up with something to sell there will surely be people to buy it.

*not addressing you in particular, just the industry*

[PeteG]

[QUOTE=dgg9;1934357]The issue, for non-hobbyist shooters, who only have so much time and ammo money to invest in SD training, is opportunity cost.

. . . .

a better question might be: if you have X rounds with which to practice, and your primary/only goal is SD, what's the best use of those rounds?

QUOTE]

Great question. It acknowledges a primary reality of training --- there is only so much time and money. The important question is not "what's the best way to train?" The important quesiton for almost everyone is "what is the best way to spend one's limited training time?"

But PLEASE, for the love of GOD, make it a separate thread!

[arjohnson]

I bench rested the gun and sighted with a hard mounted laser on the gun. I am calling anything that was verified by a second party to have not been aimed properly when the gun went off a flier. I removed as much human element as possible.

If you don't like my results look at Todd's, they are better anyway.

Here is my fist, for reference. I was conservative in the tracing.



I get roughly 3.5"x2.5" if I exclude the thumb.

Here is another group, G17 firing 6 of my last Speed Gold Dots. I am not sure what weight or if they were all even the same.











And remember, no one is saying we will need to off a bad guy at 50 yards, just that there are likely better ways (or equivalent) to improve. If you wanna go full circle there may be better ways to learn how to shoot and teach it (re: weaver vs iso).

Obviously you are better than the average shooter, but really does one need to be this good to be able to defend himself? My answer is no. Does it hurt to be able to shoot this good? Answer again is no, but it's not a neccessity. I think this thread has drifted way past "good enough".

I would also like to know how many people in this thread actually had to defend themselves with a gun, and how many people carry their gun with them 24/7 ? Because if you never had to use it to defend yourself then you really don't know.

I also think it's great that some people take the time to hone their skills, but also remember that not everyone can and will do the same. Take me for example, with my limited time I'm lucky if I hit the range once a month.

[EandGWZ]

I definitely have a ton of respect for someone who can get a group size like that at 25 yards. The owner at my range advised me to keep it between 15 and 25 feet citing that if I hit anything farther away I would likely be in a heap of legal trouble. Of course, I put the target as far out as possible on my first day

[Gman106]

I ride a Harley. I guess I'm "good enough" since I haven't gotten myself dead, but I continuously strive to improve my skills nonetheless, to make it less likely I'm dead in the future (at least from a mc wreck).

Self defense is similar, except we can't do the real thing - engage a lethal aggressor, so the only thing to do is to keep learning and practicing and God willing, we're "good enough" should the time come.

I posted earlier that as a left-handed shooter, I'm having an issue with grouping shots down and to the left. I may not hit COM, but I'll blow the hell out of the bastards liver!

[pa350z]

I do not believe the 2nd Amendment provides a list of "good enough" pistol skills for any armed citizen. However, if I had to answer the question... it would be the four basic principles of firearms safety. That is it. Our framers intended that any citizen can own and use a firearm. It is up to that person to know how and when to use it. If they don't, then then they should be prepared for any consequences. IMHO.