Handgun Accuracy: Sport Shooting vs Self Defence Shooting

[Corné]

Accuracy is but one aspect of a whole lot of things that go into the pot. However what accuracy would you consider should the handgun be able achieve? To thicken the plot even further....is the same accuracy required for a Sport Shooting Handgun (in reference to sports like IPSC and IDPA) than for a Self Defence Handgun?

Yes, a Self Defence shooting will most propably occur at very short ranges and accuracy will play less of an important role but what if you encounter a situation where you have to shoot at say 20 or 25 meters? Are you also ready to shoot at say 25 meters? (maybe highly unlikely or not?)

Do you feel it is important that your handgun shoot a 2" grouping at 10 or 15 or 25 meters or would you accept a grouping of 4"?

[SSP]

Lets put it this way: If your gun shoots 4 inch groups and you miss a target in IDPA as a result and hit a non threat. No big deal, you lose some time.

Same thing on the street? Problem.

I want as much accuracy as I can get while maintaining reliablity.

[CJ]

Agree...

Is their any gaurentee that you will never need to take the long shot?

Then how many of us do know the ability/accuracy of our guns at the longer distances?

Try some shots at 50m ( I do this from time to time) ...... Know yourself and your tools.

It just may save your bacon one day. ;D

[gizmo16]

And the attackers aren't going to stand still either, making accuracy even more important, potentially.

[BigT]

There have been a few incidents recorded where people have required hits out to 70 or 100 metres very rare I agree but its happened. A decent pistol will give you minute of felon accuracy at 100m if you do your bit. You also may require that accuracy to hit the sliver of bad guy protruding from cover at 7m. I agree with SSP as much accuracy as you can get without affecting reliability.

[ikor]

While I agree completely with SSP in theory, I would add the fact that there are two different types of 'accuracy' involved with a firearm (competition or SD). The first is 'intrinsic' accuracy...what the gun and ammunition combination is capable of doing in, say, a machine rest, where no allowances are made for fit, sights or trigger action, etc. The second is 'practical' accuracy...what the shooter can do with the gun and ammo. Thus it is entirely possible to have an extremely accurate firearm that is all but useless to a shooter as well as a less intrinsically accurate one that shoots like a house on fire for a particular shooter. I want one with both good intrinsic accuracy as well as practical accuracy in MY hands, but number one in a SD firearm is reliability...all else pales if the gun does not go 'bang' every single time.

[Corné]

There have been a few incidents recorded where people have required hits out to 70 or 100 metres very rare I agree but its happened. A decent pistol will give you minute of felon accuracy at 100m if you do your bit. You also may require that accuracy to hit the sliver of bad guy protruding from cover at 7m. I agree with SSP as much accuracy as you can get without affecting reliability.

A couple of years back before I had my Glock 17 and just had the Vektor SP1 I did some shooting at +/- 80 meters. The club that I was at had a 100m rifle range and I would take a pepper popper and turn the base around so that it does not fall and engage it from that distance. The hit factor was not 100% and it was about 70% and you have to concentrate hard and shoot slow....deliberate slow aimed shots...

If you do have the opportunity to do something like this, do it. The change that you might have to do it in a SD situation is very low but still a possibility.

(and it is fun shooting at that distance....)

[CJ]

Shooting a handgun from 100m( and beyond) you may consider firing from the prone position to help with accuracy.

At these distance bullet drop should also be kept in mind. Some of the older Browning HP's( commonly known as the Kapitan model if n recall correctly) had sliding sight that could be adjusted for 100's of metres. Don't know ho well this worked however. Never had the opportunity to try one out on long distance.

[Thorkind]

The Kapitan model was a little optimistic (shot one a few years back). Lets just say it becomes more of a mortar event at long distance.

[SSP]

The Kapitan model was a little optimistic (shot one a few years back). Lets just say it becomes more of a mortar event at long distance.

If I recall, they also had a slot for a shoulder stock.